Breaking Barriers: How Faith and Business Are Transforming Lives in India
Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash
Rajesh and Ananya are a couple from India whose journey beautifully illustrates how business can become a powerful tool for ministry.
Rajesh and Ananya run a small soap-making business, crafting soaps by hand, using high-quality, imported, FDA-approved, cruelty-free, natural, ISO & London Certified materials. They currently make bamboo & charcoal soap, papaya soap, red wine soap, and herbal soap made from six medicinal plants. They sell their products in urban areas and are looking for clients in India and beyond who can buy and resell their soaps. So far, they are the only two employees in their business.
Recently they attended a Pioneer Business Planting (PBP) training. This transformed their perspective, helping them see their business as a form of worship and a platform for ministry. Rajesh shared:
"Through our soap business, we meet new people, pray for our customers, and participate in their needs. Business opens doors that are closed to traditional ministry, allowing us to reach the unreached."
Rajesh and Ananya’s story is a testimony to how a simple business, when dedicated to God, can become a channel for transformation, outreach, and blessing in places where traditional ministry faces barriers.
Stories like Rajesh & Ananya are not isolated. The recent PBP training in India has sparked transformation in many hearts, including that of Ravi Patel from northwestern India. For 33 years, Ravi believed that ministry and business could not mix. He would even discourage others from trying to do both, insisting that one must choose between business and ministry.
"I used to scold my fellow friends who did both business and ministry. I would tell them very strictly, ‘You can do business or ministry, but you cannot do both together.’ I used to say, ‘You should not keep both your legs in different boats.’ But after coming here, my eyes have been opened, and I have seen the light. After taking this training, my life has been totally transformed."
The PBP training was a turning point for Ravi. He realized that integrating business with ministry is not only possible, but essential for sustainability and greater impact. He learned practical skills—how to make a budget, create a plan, and set goals for a business—while also being encouraged to continue his ministry.
Ravi’s transformation is not just personal; it’s a commitment to lead by example and multiply what he has learned:
"When I return home, I will first show people through my life that I am transformed. Then, I will teach them how to do business and ministry together. I have made a decision, my dear friends, that after leaving here, I will start a very good business because I have learned all the strategies—how to make a budget, create a plan, and chart my goals. I will also continue my ministry as I was doing before. Not only in northwestern India, but also in central and western region, I will continue to spread this training everywhere."
Ravi’s story is a powerful example of how a change in mindset can lead to multiplied impact—not just for himself, but for entire regions. He is now committed to modeling and teaching the integration of business and ministry, equipping others to become self-sustaining and to expand God’s kingdom in new ways.
Inspired by these stories? Discover how Arjit’s journey from scarcity to leadership is multiplying this impact across India.
Read Arjit’s story here: How One Man’s Mindset Shift Sparked a Movement in Business and Ministry
*Names are changed for safety reasons.
About the author: Jonathan Nolan is the International Business Director for All Nations International. In this role, he helps church planters in Asia and Africa become self-sustainable and help use business to make disciples. He has been part of All Nations since 2008 and has been doing church planting and business planting in Cambodia, Spain and The Netherlands. https://allnations.international/b4m
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