Ministry Among Slum Areas & Rag Pickers
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.”
(Luke 4:18)
Jesus Followers Ministries (JFM) extends the Gospel’s reach into India’s forgotten urban slums and among rag pickers—the most marginalized workers scavenging waste for survival. Carrying Joshi Anna’s passion for the poorest, Pastor John Spurgeon and Brother Bakth Singh lead efforts to bring hope, dignity, and transformation to these communities, planting churches where poverty and despair once reigned alone.
Reaching the Hidden Poor
India’s slums house millions of migrant laborers, daily wage earners, and rag pickers who sift through garbage dumps for recyclables to feed their families. These narrow alleys lack clean water, electricity, and opportunity, yet they pulse with life and spiritual hunger. JFM teams enter these spaces with the same urgency Joshi Anna showed for remote villages—sharing Bible stories, praying for the sick, and offering practical help like meals and literacy classes.
Rag pickers, often from tribal or low-caste backgrounds, face stigma and exhaustion but respond powerfully to Christ’s compassion. Simple gatherings in shacks become house churches, where new believers learn to pray, study Scripture, and support one another amid hardship.
Joshi Anna’s Burden, Sons’ Legacy
Joshi Anna’s heart broke for the overlooked, preaching that the Gospel belongs first to the poor. His radio and TV ministries drew slum dwellers to faith, and church planting naturally followed. Today, his sons faithfully carry this burden, training local leaders to sustain fellowships in slums. They provide monthly support ($300 per pastor), bicycles for outreach, Bibles, and Gospel tracts—equipping workers to navigate tight lanes and build trust.
From one family’s shack, churches multiply as rag pickers become witnesses, inviting neighbors to hear about the Savior who values the least.
Holistic Outreach in Action
JFM’s slum ministry combines evangelism with compassion:
- Gospel Sharing: Open-air meetings, personal testimonies, and verse-by-verse teaching in local dialects.
- Practical Aid: Food distribution, medical prayer, literacy for children, and skills training to break poverty cycles.
- Church Planting: Simple prayer halls (₹8-20 lakhs) replace thatched sheds, seating 50-100 for worship and discipleship.
- Follow-Up: Telephonic prayer (from TV/radio legacy) connects viewers to local fellowships.
Lives transform—addicts find freedom, families reconcile, and rag pickers gain purpose as church leaders.
Vision for Slum Churches
The goal mirrors village work: a living church in every slum cluster. Amid ethnic diversity and cultural barriers, house churches form along natural family networks, growing into streams of disciples. Future plans include community centers for training, youth programs, and digital links to JFM’s TV broadcasts, ensuring no soul is left unreached.
How You Can Partner
Stand with JFM’s slum outreach:
- Sponsor a Slum Pastor: $300/month equips a family to serve rag pickers.
- Build a Prayer Hall: $10,000-$25,000 creates a permanent Gospel beacon.
- Pray Fervently: For open doors, protection, and salvations in dark alleys.
- Support Monthly: Funds meals, tracts, and training for lasting impact.
Contact JFM: info@jfmjoshianna.org | +91-9848038767 | www.jfmjoshianna.org
One slum, one rag picker, one transformed life—until Christ returns.