Darrow Miller and Friends

THE SOURCE of Transformation: An Indian Testimony

One of the people who most influenced the writing of my first book, Discipling Nations, was my Indian friend, Vishal Mangalwadi. Vishal, founder of The Revelation Movement, is an international lecturer, social reformer, cultural and political columnist, philosopher, and author.

Vishal and his wife, Ruth, wrote The Legacy of William Carey, a book which profoundly impacted the early direction of the Disciple Nations Alliance. In their chapter, “The Mind of the Modernizer,” Ruth and Vishal argue that development flows more from the human mind—metaphysical  capital—than from physical capital. The Hindu mindset often led to poverty, corruption, and the exploitation of women. By contrast, William Carey’s Judeo-Christian mindset brought emancipation to women, restoration to the land, and flourishing to education. It also launched the establishment of science, and built a new appreciation for beauty.

As we move from the modern Western world to the post-modern neo-pagan worship of nature, the West is becoming more like the India Carey found when he first landed there as a missionary. What was the mind of India and the contrasting mind of Carey? What was the mind that laid the groundwork for the progress and development in India? Read The Mind of the Modernizer.

“Carey … believed that the real battle is in the mind. False beliefs lead to wrong behavior and harmful culture. Therefore, Carey strove to fill the Indian mind with the truth of God’s word. That he understood, was conversion – the cornerstone in the task of civilizing.”

– Darrow Miller

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About 
Darrow is co-founder of the Disciple Nations Alliance and a featured author and teacher. For over 30 years, Darrow has been a popular conference speaker on topics that include Christianity and culture, apologetics, worldview, poverty, and the dignity of women. From 1981 to 2007 Darrow served with Food for the Hungry International (now FH association), and from 1994 as Vice President. Before joining FH, Darrow spent three years on staff at L’Abri Fellowship in Switzerland where he was discipled by Francis Schaeffer. He also served as a student pastor at Northern Arizona University and two years as a pastor of Sherman Street Fellowship in urban Denver, CO. In addition to earning his Master’s degree in Adult Education from Arizona State University, Darrow pursued graduate studies in philosophy, theology, Christian apologetics, biblical studies, and missions in the United States, Israel, and Switzerland. Darrow has authored numerous studies, articles, Bible studies and books, including Discipling Nations: The Power of Truth to Transform Culture (YWAM Publishing, 1998), Nurturing the Nations: Reclaiming the Dignity of Women for Building Healthy Cultures (InterVarsity Press, 2008), LifeWork: A Biblical Theology for What You Do Every Day (YWAM, 2009), Rethinking Social Justice: Restoring Biblical Compassion (YWAM, 2015), and more. These resources along with links to free e-books, podcasts, online training programs and more can be found at Disciple Nations Alliance (https://disciplenations.org).

12 Comments

  1. Samuel Luna

    May 31, 2012 - 3:09 pm

    I agree, the way we think reflects the reality of a Nation. My country: Dominican Republic, is a good place to produce anything we want, BUT, the level of corruption is so high that corruption looks normal.

    Samuel Luna
    Nation In Transformation
    samuel7net@yahoo.com

    • admin

      June 1, 2012 - 7:24 am

      Thank you for your comment, Samuel. May God use you and other Christ followers to bring transformation to the Dominican Republic.

      – Gary Brumbelow

      • Samuel Luna

        June 1, 2012 - 11:14 am

        Thanks Brother,

        Samuel Luna
        NET

  2. Jon

    June 1, 2012 - 6:55 pm

    I once began researching the theory that all reform in India began with William Carey, including reform initiated by people who did not embrace Christ.

    I have that Mangalwadi book somewhere. I’ll have to read it now.

    🙂

    • Jon

      June 1, 2012 - 6:58 pm

      I’m reading through “The Mind of the Modernizer” right now. So far it’s pretty interesting and useful.

    • admin

      June 4, 2012 - 8:31 am

      Yes, Jon, I hope you have opportunity to read the book. I have given away many copies of it in my own circle of missionary friends. It’s very powerful.

      Thanks for your response.

      – Gary Brumbelow

      • Jon Davis Jr.

        June 5, 2012 - 2:02 am

        I saw that it is out of print. The used copies are quite expensive, but I believe I actually have a copy somewhere in a box in storage. I’ll have to dig it up!

        • Darrow Miller

          June 11, 2012 - 6:17 am

          Jon

          You can buy a copy of Mangalwadi’s book The Legacy of William Carey, from which this piece is taken, from the DNA Bookstore.

          – Darrow

          • Jon

            June 11, 2012 - 7:47 pm

            The excerpt chapter says it is from Carey, Christ and Cultural Transformation.

            Is The Legacy of William Carey a reprint of that book, or are they separate books?

          • admin

            June 12, 2012 - 12:41 pm

            Hi, Jon,

            Carey, Christ and Cultural Transformation is another book, by Ruth Mangalwadi (wife of Vishal).

          • Jon Davis Jr.

            June 12, 2012 - 12:54 pm

            Howdy again!

            So it is a separate book.

            The excerpt chapter “The Mind of the Modernizer” says that it is from Carey, Christ and Cultural Transformation, it does not say that it is from The Legacy of William Carey. The source is written right across the top of the document.

            The article says the chapter is from The Legacy of William Carey.

            This article and the top of the chapter excerpt are not saying the same thing!

            I am confused.

            But I still like you.

            🙂

          • admin

            June 12, 2012 - 1:15 pm

            Jon,

            Sorry for the confusion. In the meantime, your abiding affection is a gift!

            I see that my copy of The Legacy of William Carey includes chapter 5, The Mind of a Modernizer.

            As you point out, our post linked to a PDF of that chapter that noted it was from Carey, Christ and Cultural Transformation. That notations was not on my radar when I responded to your question about whether these are two separate books or, rather, one was the reprint of the other.

            I simply went to Amazon and found a book by Ruth Mangalwadi entitled Carey, Christ and Cultural Transformation and concluded it was a separate book.

            (To complicate things further, the fly leaf of The Legacy of William Carey says it was first published under the title, William Carey: A Tribute by an Indian Woman. !!)

            If your first question has been answered by knowing that the chapter The Mind of a Modernizer is a chapter in The Legacy …, I’m glad!

            If not, it may be that when Darrow has some discretionary time he can clear up the puzzle.

            Thanks, Jon.

            Gary Brumbelow

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