Today’s Leader of Faith
SADHU SUNDER SINGH
Home Call : 19 April 1929(?)
The Sadhu Missionary of India, A Spiritual Flame of the Gospel, A Pilgrim who walked with Christ, A Christian Leader honored around the world, a man of Deep Spiritual Experiences, A Teacher rooted in Indian Tradition, Writer
Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929) was born into a Sikh family, embraced Jesus Christ, and became a prominent Christian missionary. He is well-known among Indian Christians. A remarkable evangelist, he travelled on foot through challenging regions like Tibet and Nepal, where the gospel was forbidden, and ministered even in harsh weather conditions, with his feet often bleeding. His service in the Himalayas, entirely on foot, is particularly impressive. He skilfully preached the gospel to the hardened Buddhist monks and Hindu scholars, with great wisdom. Even when he was imprisoned, like Paul and Silas, he encouraged the lives of other prisoners with prayers and songs. Despite facing life-threatening situations many times, he never wavered in his Christian faith. During his missionary journeys, he preached the gospel not only in India but also in Europe, America, Australia, and many other countries, always dressed in the same sadhu attire. He believed that wearing sadhu dress would help him lead a simple life, free from worldly desires, living completely for Christ. He lived by the words, “Apart from Christ, I have no desire for anything in this world.” He led many to the Lord by sharing God’s love and performing numerous healings and miracles in the name of the Lord. His gospel sermons were delivered in a simple style, enriched with meaningful parables. The miracles performed through him by the Lord were countless, and many souls were won with the great burden of the gospel. During a time of severe illness, while resting in Himachal Pradesh, he also wrote books.
Sadhu Sundar Singh was born on September 3, 1889, as the youngest son in a wealthy and devout Sikh family in the village of Rampur, Punjab. His father, Sardar Sher Singh, was a prominent landowner. His beloved mother passed away when he was very young. He learned Hindu religious texts from a young age. Although he was studying in a Christian school, he became a leader among the students, inciting them to hatred towards Christianity. He took the Bible from the teacher and burned it in front of her. However, from that day on, he lost his peace of mind. One morning, in his room, he prayed to all the gods he knew, but to no avail. He decided to commit suicide. Finally, he prayed fervently for God to appear. Just as the Lord Jesus Christ had appeared to Paul, a light shone around him, and he saw two hands stretch out toward him. A voice spoke to him, saying, “My beloved, I gave My life for you. Why do you persecute Me?” That day was December 18, 1904. In response to his prayer, the Lord Himself appeared and answered him, filling him with immense joy. He openly testified to everyone that Jesus Christ was the true Savior. Seeing this, his father, who had initially ignored the situation, tried to force him to renounce his faith. He made repeated attempts to end his life by offering poisoned food. However, by the grace of the Lord, he overcame all of these trials. Unable to endure any longer, his father eventually cast him out of the house. Sundar Singh, who placed his faith in God, renounced all worldly pleasures and from that moment on, as a witness for Christ, he removed his turban, cut his hair, and resolved to preach the gospel. On his 16th birthday, he publicly accepted Christianity and was baptized. Understanding that for an Indian to embrace Christianity, it was good to wear the traditional attire of a sadhu, which was worn by the religious leaders of their sects, he identified himself as Sadhu Sundar Singh in 1906. Not only this, but the love of Christ, humility, and radiance were clearly visible on his face. Many started seeing Christ in him.
As part of his early ministry, with a heavy heart, he decided to proclaim the gospel among the Buddhists in Tibet and Nepal, where the doors to the gospel were closed. He joyfully sang, “I have decided to follow Jesus; no turning back; the world behind me, the cross before me; no turning back.” With only a Bible, a black blanket, and no shoes on his feet, he set out to travel through the stones and snow-covered paths to Tibet, proclaiming the gospel. There, the foolish people who could not understand the love of Christ that he preached caused him many difficulties, opposition, and even life-threatening dangers, but he kept looking to Jesus. Once, as a punishment, he was thrown into a sack and the lids were tightened, but the Lord miraculously saved him. Similarly, when he was in prison in Nepal, where the gospel was banned, he was subjected to terrible torture because he was preaching the gospel to his fellow prisoners. The secret of God that he knew was to rejoice in the Lord under any circumstances. When asked how he endured such trials, he said, “In my sufferings and afflictions, the cross of Christ is my comfort and hope.” He would also say, “As my Jesus bore the sufferings of the cross for me, these sufferings were never enough to win souls for my Jesus.”
Sadhu Sundar Singh went to Tibet to spread the gospel and disappeared there. There is no exact information about his death, but no one had seen him since April 19, 1929. He journeyed to the very end with the conviction, “Preaching Christ to the world is my life’s goal.” Having started his ministry from a young age, his 23 years of service became a powerful inspiration for Christians and missionaries. Historical accounts suggest that he seemed to know beforehand, prepared everything in advance, and was ready for his final journey.
— John Michael, Rajahmundry