Anil Kanda [What Does His Testimony Teach Us About Evangelism?]

It is those with the strongest testimonies that have the greatest foundation for ministry. Such is the case with ANN InDepth guest Anil Kanda. His conversion from Hinduism to Christianity has been the catalyst of his rise into ministry and apologetics, forming structures for further ministry that lead others to Christ. From his experiences of coming to Christ, Kanda has seen the best ways to pursue introducing those curious about Christ, the transformative nature of Christianity, and how to get back to the core truths.

Having been raised in a Sikh and Hindu household, polytheism and pantheism were the foundational truths of Kanda’s beliefs. Yet as he grew older, Kanda found that the religion he was raised within failed to answer the deeper questions of identity, the state of humanity, and how to apply beliefs within everyday life. It was through a friend and colleague that Christianity was introduced. “My friend began to share the scriptures with me,” states Kanda, “and it was so remarkable because for the first time it was as if someone turned the lights on, clarity just began to happen.” With the revelation of the gospel, a picture of a more holistic existence began to emerge. Christianity removes the barriers of compartmentalization that often comes with other religions, but proves that a life in Christ causes a ripple effect which interconnects work, entertainment, philosophy, finances, diet, mental health, education, political views, and more. Kanda quickly realized that there would be no aspect of his life that would be untouched by this change. 

Here lies a revelation that those outside and inside the faith that changes how faith is meant to be: Christianity is not an esoteric belief, but a clear truth that is simple, yet complete in its impact. Biblical truth is not a pollyanna ideology that cannot withstand critical analysis of everyday life. Kanda believes that its ability to connect every facet of human existence and questioning is what makes biblical truth so remarkable “The most beautiful thing about bible truth is that bible truth harmonizes with reality. It doesn't just harmonize within itself, it harmonizes with reality, it answers existential questions and it makes sense with life.” Through the lens of scripture, questions left unanswered by other worldviews are answered in full, leading to a domino effect of understanding about the world that is grounded in an “if/then” structure of reasoning. When this is understood, scripture proves that we are not meant to hide from such connectivity with deeper questioning, but embrace it with confidence. Kanda confirms

“The most beautiful thing about these things is that I begin to realize that not only were these

truths, these were truths that were designed to bless humanity” This worldview introduces a fullness of life that is transformative. Christianity does not function within isolation, but has ripple effects across the landscape of our identity.

So how can this truth be shared to those who may not know? Our eagerness to bring people into the church can cause us to miss crucial foundations that can mislead those who are curious about faith. If we are more focused on conversion than ensuring that our own faith is grounded, we will be misrepresenting the very church we want them to join. We must declutter our own faith, and church culture so that the core truths can be shared to those who are unfamiliar with Christianity. “One thing that I found really really critical in this is learning to understand the big picture ideas behind scripture.” Kanda continues that statement by saying, “We can become so narrow-minded that all we know is proof texts. Hook texts are important, scripture is very very important, and vital, and foundational, however for people that don't accept scripture as an authoritative source it's important I guess to step back and say “wait a minute, behind my beliefs what is the big picture idea?” And learning to communicate those big

picture ideas.”

The big picture that Kanda implores believers and non believers to focus on is the gospel. “I think it's really important for everybody, especially as people come into the faith, whether they've been in the church for many years or just a few years, to begin to recalibrate their understanding of theology according to scripture, where Christ now becomes the centerpiece. And from that centerpiece you begin to understand more about God's love and grace” When Christ is the centerpiece, sharing the good news of the gospel to those who are curious becomes glorious in its simplicity.