A spiritual movement in central India called the One Lord Society was started in 1942 by Tukdoji Maharaj. In this land of millions of gods, He taught strict monotheism and against idolatry. He also taught the abolition of the caste system. Gandhi was a part of this movement at first, but Tukdoji felt that politics was not helpful. Instead, the rural villages would each be the “church” in which the One Lord Society followers would minister. Jesus was admired but not worshipped. Every morning these people gather to sing many hymns to the “One Lord”. They then work at their vocations—but only from the motivation of service and aid to the needy in their communities. Their core values are corporate prayer, and social service. Each evening followers of the One Lord Society gather for prayer. They pray to God for the village, the nation, and the world.

The movement has grown to more than two million members. They have chapters in 42,000 villages, or about 8% of India’s half million poor rural villages. They are largely in the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The most recent leader of the One Lord Society was near death last summer when a partnering ministry, along with Truthseekers, came in contact with this man. He then professed his faith in Jesus Christ as the one true Lord. On his deathbed he told his successors to follow only Jesus Christ. Upon his death, the leadership declared Jesus as the one true Lord. They are placing the Lord’s Prayer in each of their villages for daily recitation.

These appear to be people much like the disciples of John who had not yet followed Jesus, but whose hearts are prepared to receive the message of the Kingdom.