Harish Patel

As a young man, Harish lived in Kenya and faithfully followed Hinduism like many of his friends and family. But when he met some Christians from a similar background, he heard the gospel for the first time, and everything changed. 

“As I heard the gospel of the Lord Jesus, through the faithful believers, I was convinced and convicted that Jesus is the Lord, and He is his answer to my deepest needs. He freely gives me eternal life by His Spirit in the forgiveness of sins. This changed me completely and I now had a new purpose."

Harish’s heart has deepened for the lost, particularly those from a similar background to him. In the last four decades, Harish has led ministry to local shop owners, helped churches to start conversations about Jesus on the high-street, and supported churches to disciple believers of different backgrounds.

“I have grown both deeper in my faith in God, and for his Kingdom purposes for our broken and needy world. As a follower of Jesus from a Hindu-background, I find myself at home in London’s vibrant culture to share the good news of the Lord Jesus through words and deeds.”

Harish oversees LCM ministry across west London. He supports his team of missionaries share the gospel alongside churches in the communities least likely to have heard it.

A large proportion of people in west London have a strong identity in the Sikh, Hindu or Muslim faith, with many regularly attending their local temples, Gurdwaras or mosques. This makes them unlikely to have ever heard the gospel, and it may have even been impossible in their homeland. Even in London, cultural barriers to following Jesus exist, as some churches have distinct cultures of their own, which can make newcomers feel unwelcomed. 

“London is a great mission field with people from across the globe, especially the Indian subcontinent. We long to see many peoples from other faiths engage with Jesus’ followers, hear and follow Him, and become part of His family.”

Harish lives with his wife in west London, and they enjoy taking walks together, watching sports and movies, and meeting friends for coffee. 

Harish shares, “I would love to hear further from you. So please send me an email (harish.patel@lcm.org.uk) and I can share more about God's work here in West London.  You are welcome to visit here with us. We can have a samosa and a nice cup of masala chai."