A Church is being built in Jalandhar at the cost of approximately 200 million pounds. It is being billed as the 4th largest Church in the world. The man heading this Church is Pastor Ankur Yoseph Narula. His ministry is known as the Church of Signs and Wonders. In other words the Church of miracles. Around 400,000 people attend his weekly services. Many more follow on U tube. Narulas associate Jatinder Masiah Gaura has recently been appointed as the Chairman of Punjabs Minorities Commission. There are many other Pastors with their own ministries. Some of the names of these Pastors are Sukhpar Rana, Faris Masiha, Gurnam Singh Kheda, Harjeet Singh, Amrit Sandhu, Kanchan Mittal and Rama Hans. They are all Pentecostals. They run on similar lines as the Deras in Sikhism, independently of the mainstream establishment. There are around 65,000 Pastors or missionaries across Punjab’s 23 districts. There are 948 Churches in Punjab as of May 5, 2025, a 6.17% increase from 2023.There are a staggering 600 to 700 Churches in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts and there are 4 to 5 hundred thousand Christians around Amritsar. The top three cities with the most Churches are Jalandhar with 116, Ludhiana 107 and Amritsar with 59 Churches. Average age of the Churches in Punjab is 3 years. The Bishops of the Catholic Church of India is celebrating year 2025 as, ‘The Jubilee Yātra, Pilgrimage of Hope’. According to Rev. Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi, Karnataka the event is not just a gathering; it is a transformative experience that aims to bring priests, religious, and lay faithful together on a shared path of reflection, renewal, and rekindled hope. It looks like a fresh attempt to expand conversion work in India.
There are numerous other denominations present in the Punjab including the Protestant, Methodist, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic Eternal Light Ministries and Kashmir Evangelical Fellowship. There is a significant presence 7th Day Adventists in the Punjab. Its headquarters is in Jalandhar. They have a Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School in the city. They also have other schools as well as hospitals like the MacRobert Hospital in Dhariwal. They also have community development programmes such as sewing centres for women. The Salvation Army’s operations in Punjab are part of its broader mission in India which began in 1882. The Churches of North India is an umbrella body bringing together the Anglican Church, Presbyterians, Methodists, Church of Brethren and the Disciples of Christ. In 2023 a Christian political party was also formed in Punjab.
According to India Today Christianity is growing by leaps and bounds in the Punjab.
“A wave of Charismatic Christianity—drawing from the worldwide Pentecostal movement—is sweeping through Punjab in tidal volumes and generating all sorts of conflicting emotions, (giving) a deep sense of belonging and ecstatic hope for those on the inside, disquiet for those watching from the ringside”
According to a report published in Dainik Jagran based on the research of Sikh scholar Dr. Ranbir Singh, more than 350,000 Punjabis have converted to Christianity in the last two years. In Tarn Taran, the Christian population has grown from 6,137 to 12,436 over the past 10 years, marking a 102% increase. Similarly, in Gurdaspur district, the Christian population has increased by more than 400,000 in the last five years. The Punjabi pastors are concentrated in Jalandhar, Moga , Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Ferozepur districts. Of about 12,000 villages in Punjab, the pastors have influence in around 7,000 villages according to Father Michael of the Catholic Church.
The Evangelical Modus Operandi in Punjab.
There are some fundamental reasons for the rapid rise of Christianity in Punjab.
1 The first is the “Punjabisation” of Christianity. Converts are allowed to keep their name and traditional dress. Churches are designed to look similar to the Sikh places of worship. Congregants sit on the floor as opposed to Christian benches. The transition of the community is so smooth that a lot of people are attracted to them. The Churches also encourage Amrit Vela which is early morning prayers in Sikhism, Jaap Naam chanting of God’s name and Nitne a collection of daily Sikh hymns (Bani) and prayers that are recited to foster a daily spiritual discipline and connect with the Divine. The Churches also encourage the new converts to follow Rehat Maryada. The Rehat Maryada is the official code of conduct and a comprehensive guide for the Sikh way of life. Tapa is the spiritual heat created through constant repetition of sacred Shabads and Mantras, as well as Giddhas the Punjabi folk dance along with Boliyan the short, rhyming couplets that convey humor, love, or even social commentary have all been adopted by the Church. Christian Hymns are being sung in the form of Kirtan. The Churches also serve free langars. Crucially converted Sikhs still wear the turban and also keep their Sikh names. The ladies cover their heads in the Church as done in Gurdwara. They have also formed Shiromani Christian Parbandhak Committee (SCPC) on the lines of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Sadhu Singh a Christian leader has said that it is possible to be deeply Christian and deeply Punjabi.
2 Miracles
The Pentecostal Pastors claim to have miraculous powers. They claim to cure deadly diseases, get wheelchair bound people walking, there are promises for school admissions and even a chance of emigrating to Canada. Converts can also get free medical care. The Pastors have a huge presence in social media and are charismatic performers. Bajinder Singh (born 10 September 1982) founder of the Church of Glory and Wisdom who became famous for his miracle healings is in jail for life. He was convicted of rape. The same tactics are used by the Church to win Hindu converts. Some Pastors wear saffron robes, have the congregation singing Bhajans praising Christ and even Bharat Natyam dancers glorifying Christ. They also show Jesus doing Yoga. Hindus have mobilised to counter the Christian missionaries by a programme of bringing back the converted. Thousands of converted Muslims and Christians have come back to Hinduism. The majority of converts are from Dalit and tribal groups such as the Mazhabi Sikhs-Balmiki, Sansi, Rai Sikh, (another name for Mazhabi Sikhs) , Bawaria, Bazigar, Barad, Bangala, Gadhile, and Nat. Also included are the Ramdasias and Kabirpanthis.The warrior Nihangs are also part of the Mazhabi Sikhs. They are not allowed to participate in Punjab’s religious institutions. In Punjab a roll back programme does not seem to have taken off yet. Unfortunately the drug addiction is laying waste to the villages in Punjab and the birth rate is also falling. Mass emigration has also impacted Punjab. It has resulted in many migrants coming from other states of India.
Christians have every right to practice their religion freely. The Christian schools have played a major role in providing excellent education to a huge number of Indians. Their contributions in many aspects of national is also exemplary. They add to the rich tapestry of pluralistic India. However the hoax of miracle cures must be challenged. Any one who claims to cure Cancer or get paralysed people walking should be put to test by the medical establishment and if found guilty should be prosecuted.In fact claims by religious groups of miracles should be made illegal.
3 For decades a huge amount of money has been coming from Europe for missionary work in India. Even after the BJP government has made it difficult for foreign money coming in, the flow has not stopped.
4 The Historical Anomaly
The Dharmic faiths, that is faiths born in India namely Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism believe that all paths to God are valid. This has resulted in there being no concept of winning converts. In direct contrast Christianity has always been a protolyzing religion. It believes that the whole world should come to Christ. Given such a scenario Hinduism has slowly but steadily begun to bring to the world the glories of Sanatan Dharma. Hundreds of thousands of people all over the world are coming to the Hindu fold. Sikhism must also take the glories of Sikhi to the world. Dharmic faiths must realise that if they do not have a stall in the market place of religions nobody will know you.
Around 500 years ago Hinduism was in a dire state after the atrocities of the Mughal Raj. There appeared the divine form of Chaitanya Prabhu. He introduced the Sankirtan movement chanting the names of Rama and Krishna. The movement spread from villages to cities and there was a revival Sanatan Dharma. It is said that Guru Nanakji visited the city of Puri in 1513 AD where he met Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.I believe they both emphasised Jaap Naam as the way for spiritual awakening in the Kali Yuga.
Sikhs too should begin Nagar Kirtans on a daily basis covering every inch of Punjab. The holy names of God will revive Sikhi throughout Punjab and beyond. The converted will come back and glorify the land of five rivers.
Nitin Mehta MBE
16 September 2025.
Please send to your Sikh friends
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