The Joshua Project, founded in 1995 in Colorado Springs, USA, as part of the AD2000 and Beyond Movement, has been at the center of numerous controversies, especially regarding its influence on global religious dynamics. This project has garnered attention in Bharat due to its alleged role in facilitating large-scale Christian conversions. Given the timing and focus of the Joshua Project, there is speculation that its activities might be intertwined with political strategies, including Rahul Gandhi’s push for a caste census in the country.

Origins and goals of Joshua Project

The Joshua Project was established by four key figures in the global Christian missionary movement:

• Luis Bush (Argentina): International Director known for the 10/40 Window and 4/14 Window concepts, which targeted the most unreached regions and age groups for Christian evangelism.
• Thomas Wang (China): Chairman and a pivotal figure in mobilizing global Christian missions.
• John Richard (India): Associate International Director for Special Projects, who contributed to the strategic outreach planning.
• Joon-Gon Kim (Korea): Chairman of the GCOWE Preparation Committee, which focused on preparing global consultations on world evangelization.

The Joshua Project originated as part of the broader AD2000 and Beyond Movement, which aimed to unite Protestant and Catholic efforts in spreading Christianity worldwide. However, it became more closely associated with evangelical groups, particularly in the United States, particularly among American Protestant denominations like Pentecostals, Adventists, and Baptists.

Their website states the below:

10/40 Window & 4/14 Window

The Joshua Project’s mission is deeply rooted in Luis Bush’s concepts of the 10/40 Window and 4/14 Window:

The 10/40 Window: This area, between 10 degrees and 40 degrees north latitude, includes much of Asia and North Africa and was identified as the most unreached with the Christian gospel.

The 4/14 Window: Targeting children aged 4 to 14, this concept emphasized early evangelism in age groups seen as most impressionable and crucial for future missionary success.

These frameworks guided the Joshua Project’s focus on regions and age groups considered most in need of evangelization.

Joshua Project’s data collection and objectives

The Joshua Project’s primary activity involves extensive data collection on ethnic and religious groups worldwide, particularly those with few or no Christians. This data, used to strategize conversion efforts, is aligned with the biblical Great Commission to “make disciples of all nations.” The database includes:

• Ethnic Groups: Information on over 16,000 people groups, categorized by ethnicity, language, and religion.
• Population Statistics: Data on the size of these groups, their geographic distribution, and the number of Christians among them.
• Religious Affiliation: Detailed breakdowns of religious adherence within these groups.
• Conversion Progress: Tracking of missionary efforts and the number of conversions achieved, with detailed maps showing areas of “low progress” or unreached groups.

The Joshua Project’s data is actively applied in missionary work, providing resources such as prayer guides, vision documents, and maps for use by evangelical missionaries. The website also offers tools to track progress in reaching unreached people groups, with a specific focus on areas resistant to conversion, such as Muslim-majority regions.

Bharat is a primary focus area for the Joshua Project due to its vast and diverse population, much of which remains non-Christian. The project’s database includes detailed information on Bharat’s numerous ethnic groups, languages, and religious practices, extending down to specific states, cities, and even villages.

Bhaskar ground report: Reality of Christian conversions in Bharat

A comprehensive investigation by Bhaskar was conducted over 18 days in 110 villages across Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha. This investigation focused on the activities related to the Joshua Project and the reality of Christian conversions in these regions.

Key Findings

The report revealed that about 24 lakh people are being converted to Christianity every year in Bharat. The Joshua Project is said to have reached 6 crore people, with a conversion rate of 3.9% per year.

New churches have been built in many villages, and the project has categorized 2,272 castes across the country, with each caste assigned an agent. A new church has recently been established in Jashpur, Chhattisgarh. Bhaskar’s investigation across the 4 states revealed that converted individuals reported improved financial and physical conditions after attending church. According to a conversion pastor, the Joshua Project’s website claims that with Bharat’s population at 143 crore, they have reached 6 crore people, equating to a conversion rate of 3.9% per year. However, when Bhaskar attempted to discuss the Joshua Project with Bishop Emmanuel Carratta DD of Queen of the Rosary in Kunkuri, one of the largest churches in the country, the bishop declined to meet.

Investigation Findings

Cyber expert Pawan Duggal explains to Bhaskar that the Joshua Project website, which has been operating from Colorado, USA for 24 years, is run by an unknown entity. The website reportedly pays 2,000 rupees for a two-year religious propagation study.

Bhaskar found information about a former agent, Madan Tigga, who lives in Khuntapani village, Pathalgaon, Chhattisgarh. Tigga confirmed his past involvement with the Joshua Project and detailed the activities involved, such as data collection on caste and religion, Bible study, and preaching. Conversion agents receive food and drink during studies and a monthly salary of 2,000 rupees for fieldwork. This money comes from abroad via cheques.

Conversion Tactics

The investigation revealed that conversion agents target sick and troubled individuals, promising them health benefits and free education. In some villages, conversion is incentivized with benefits like charismatic water and education. In Chhattisgarh, it is reported that 50,000 people converted over 10 years. In Jhabua and Alirajpur, churches were built rapidly, and conversions were often motivated by promises of improved health or education. In Odisha, churches are built with government funds and free health camps are organized, leading to conversions under the guise of treatment.

Operational Structure

Pastors and priests involved in the project are salaried employees, earning between 10,000 to 20,000 rupees per month. They are responsible for finding locations for new churches and acquiring new converts. Previously, they received motorcycles, but now they are provided with vehicles like Bolero. Pastors who are also heads of schools or hospitals receive a monthly salary of up to 1 lakh rupees. They report to bishops and are tasked with overcoming obstacles to conversions.

The investigation also revealed a lack of awareness among government officials about the Joshua Project. Chhattisgarh’s Home Minister and law enforcement officials in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Odisha claimed no knowledge of the project or its activities in their regions.

Alleged connection between Joshua Project & caste census

Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have been advocating for a caste census in Bharat, arguing that it is essential for understanding the socio-economic conditions of marginalized groups and ensuring equitable resource distribution. However, there are concerns that the detailed data collected through a caste census could be exploited by Christian missionaries, particularly those associated with the Joshua Project, to facilitate targeted conversion efforts.

It is seemingly clear that the caste census data could provide missionaries with the demographic data needed to tailor their conversion strategies more effectively. The caste census could offer detailed insights into Bharat’s diverse caste and ethnic groups, helping missionaries identify vulnerable populations for conversion. The fear is that state-collected data could be shared, directly or indirectly, with organizations like the Joshua Project, raising questions about data privacy and the ethical implications of such actions.

The establishment of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in 1998, a few years after the Joshua Project was launched, adds to the suspicion that these efforts are part of a broader strategy by American evangelical groups to influence religious dynamics in countries like Bharat.

The Joshua Project, while officially a research initiative, is seemingly part of a broader geopolitical and religious strategy to influence non-Christian populations, particularly in Bharat. The project’s detailed data collection on ethnic and religious groups aligns with its mission to facilitate Christian conversion, and there is concern that this data could be enhanced by the information gathered through a caste census.