Hindu Stronghold in India has 24,000 prayer houses

The UP Project, a missionary initiative, aims to start 1 million churches by 2010.

Uttar Pradesh, India. - A Hindu stronghold in India is opening up for the gospel. Changes that began occurring in the northern India state of Uttar Pradesh two years ago were preceded by intense prayer by Indian Christians, according to a report from the Swiss mission agency Kingdom Ministries.

Tens of thousands of people have become believers in Christ in two years, the group said. About 2,700 house churches have started in northern and central India since January, according to Christian Today (India).

The UP Project, a missionary initiative, aims to start 1 million churches by 2010. About 1,800 missionaries and house-church leaders involved in the project travel in pairs, visiting about 10 villages a day. At each village, they introduce themselves to the mayor and ask what needs prayer, CTI said. They pray, fast and preach until they find a "house of peace," where a villager opens his house for prayer. This often happens after a healing or deliverance from demonic possession, according to CTI.

When a village's first converts are made, they are taught how to live a Christian life. Each of the 24,000 houses of peace is designated as a house church when the believers seriously follow Jesus Christ and are baptized.