As left-leaning groups rally in support of two Catholic nuns recently arrested in Chhattisgarh on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion, a new controversy has emerged. An undated video has gone viral showing Pastor Jacob John, former General President of the Indian Pentecostal Church (IPC), in Himachal Pradesh, urging the deployment of more missionaries to spread the Gospel remarks that have drawn sharp criticism, with many interpreting them as a call for conversions in exchange for financial incentives.
In the video, Pastor John describes his vision of evangelizing remote mountain communities. He speaks passionately about the lack of Christian missionaries in the region, urging fellow believers especially Malayali Christians to train and send evangelists to spread the Gospel. Emphasizing the spiritual need in areas “beyond Manali and Rohtang,” he laments that “millions of souls” remain unreached and urges churches to invest in sending missionaries instead of spending resources on comfort or internal church affairs.
Without directly naming any denomination, he appeals to all Christian groups to unite in their efforts and “send thousands of missionaries” to unreached areas of India, specifically in the Himalayan belt. His call to action, framed as a divine mission, has come under fire from critics who view it as a push for religious conversion under the guise of spiritual service, potentially in exchange for foreign funding.
In the video, Pastor Jacob John says, “Dear servants of God. We are now beyond Manali and Rohtang. All around us, we see mountains covered in snow like seas. Great mountains. In these mountain regions, there are millions and millions of souls living. But there is no missionary, no servant of God, to bring them the Word. In these valleys, there are more people. But no one is there to send missionaries here. Isn’t it our responsibility to take the Word to them? Let us think. How many evangelists are there in our villages, wandering aimlessly? If they had been sent here, how many lives that have not heard the Word would have been saved, baptized, received the Holy Spirit, and joined the church. There are some people who think that if they give 50 or 100 dollars, the Word will be preached here. But my vision from God is that if you sow a servant of God for a few days or for a few years, millions and millions of souls will be saved here. Therefore, I want to say to all my Malayali friends who are listening, to the children of God, in whatever position you may be, in these Himalayan Mountain regions, in all the places where the Word has not been brought, missionaries must be sent. Don’t wander aimlessly in Kummur, or Morakka, or Punalur. Let’s not wander aimlessly in our Pentecostal circles. Missionaries must be trained and sent. May God prepare you for this. May God perform miracles. Therefore, I want to say to my dear friends, that missionaries must be sent to these Himalayan regions as soon as possible. I’ve been on tours for a day, and there’s almost nothing left of India. Only four or five states are left. The Word has not been heard in so many villages and cities. And we are living in comfort, spending millions and millions of dollars, crores of rupees. Let’s send missionaries to those places where the Word has not been received. Dear brothers and sisters, servants of God, I want to say to all of you who are listening, when will we bring the Word? When God asks us to give an account, may our hands not be without strength and our feet not without firmness. Therefore, send missionaries. Whom should I send? Who will go for us? May God help all of you who are listening to do great things for the Gospel. May God use our hands and feet for the evangelization of the Himalayas and India. May God open our eyes. Without saying, “I am from IPC, or Church of God, or Assemblies of God, or Sharon, or independent Pentecostal churches, or Christian assemblies,” may God help you to send thousands of missionaries. Your humble servant of God, Jacob John, servant of God from Bethania. May God bless you.”
“Himachal and Uttarakhand are lying untouched , no one’s coming here to preach the Gospel. We must baptize the entire Himalayan region with our teachings. If we give them ₹50 or ₹100, they’ll convert easily.”
This is not evangelism. This is exploitation of poverty.
Why is… pic.twitter.com/zILhRRl8ww
— Pratheesh Viswanath (@pratheesh_Hind) August 4, 2025
This video emerged shortly after the controversial arrest of Sisters Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis, both Catholic nuns from Kerala, along with Sukaman Mandavi, a tribal woman, at Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh on 25 July 2025. The trio was reportedly detained after a Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) noticed they did not have valid platform tickets. They were subsequently charged under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for alleged human trafficking and under Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act, 1968, which pertains to religious conversion. If convicted, the offenses carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Their arrest sparked political controversy, with the Congress party accusing the BJP-led state government of targeting religious minorities and misusing legal provisions to stifle missionary work. After spending several days in custody, the three were granted bail by an NIA court on 2 August 2025.
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