Meet three South Asian young adults in ministry

We feel inspired and encouraged that God is moving through different ministries and people. Below are some amazing stories of God at work in the simplicity of everyday life. I hope you will be as encouraged by them as we are!

Karis was raised in a family deeply rooted in Christian faith, as her parents were church planters and helped plant New Life Suwarta Sangat church (an Evangelical Alliance member church), which she has attended for the past 20 years. Throughout her childhood and teenage years, Karis actively participated in various church activities, including being part of the worship team and engaging in other tasks that contributed to the church’s mission.

Later, Karis was convinced to embark on a substantial internship at the church, where she dedicated herself to youth ministry and deepened her understanding of leading worship in a church setting. Presently, Karis serves as a lay leader at the church while juggling a full-time role at Stewardship.

Karis’ husband Rasi shares a similar upbringing in the love of Jesus from his childhood and serves as a worship leader at a Tamil church. The couple actively contribute as worship leaders in both churches. Despite their youth, they wholeheartedly engage in various ministries, displaying a profound commitment to serving.

Sponsored

Together, they extend encouragement to young adults and couples, urging them to serve God with passion. They emphasise the importance of acknowledging that only God can perceive the heart’s sincerity and understand the intentions of the mind. Their message underscores the multitude of ways to serve their magnificent God, from simple acts like greeting people, to actively listening and assisting those in need. They affirm that God can expand His kingdom through each person’s readiness and willingness to serve.

Aaron is one of our South Asian Forum ambassadors. He originates from a South Indian Tamil family and, along with his parents, moved to the UK in the early 2000s. During his upbringing, his father led a home church for the Tamil community in London, and for the past two decades, his father has been shepherding a congregation. Aaron was actively involved in church from a very young age, and he grew in the love of Christ and close relationship with God.

In 2013, Aaron faced a pivotal decision regarding his university education and career. Despite preparing for a career in network engineering and intending to join a college, a significant turning point occurred the night before his enrolment. A divine encounter with God burdened him with a passion for a generation of students and young individuals distancing themselves from the church. Choosing to embark on a journey with Jesus, he believed this mission held greater fulfilment than any potential IT job or financial success.

Over the last seven years, Aaron has been actively involved with Fusion, a student mission movement in the UK dedicated to witnessing a generation of students discovering hope in Jesus and finding a sense of belonging in the church. Despite prevailing narratives of hopelessness and fear, Aaron is convinced that God is actively at work. Fusion has been witnessing inspiring stories, including international students considering churches as their homes, Hindu students visiting churches and feeling embraced, and even instances of Jesus making Himself known to individuals during unconventional encounters.

Observing the spiritual openness of a generation of students in the UK, Aaron highlights that 74% of non-Christian students, according to Fusion’s survey, express a willingness to attend church if invited by a friend. Aaron encourages everyone to ponder how each person can contribute to ushering in a new generation that comes to know Jesus.