The Rev. Dr. Joab Lohara

Since 2005, Joab Lohara has been one of three Free Methodist bishops in India, a country with a population of 1.3 billion. He serves as bishop of the Immanuel Conference Church, which ministers to 14 states in northern India.

For the past 30 years, Lohara has served in missions, social service, and church planting, founding three missions agencies — Calvary Commission India; AIM Asia; and Immanuel Fellowship Churches (now part of the India Free Methodist Church), which comprises 900 churches and more than 87,000 members.

Lohara is the author of 18 books on Christian apologetics and missions, including 14 in the Indian vernacular. He holds a master of arts in English literature, a postgraduate diploma in journalism, a master of arts in theology, a doctor of ministry (missions), and a doctor of philosophy (comparative religions). Joab and his wife of 25 years, Suchitra, have two sons and live in Hyderabad, India.

To learn more about Bishop Lohara, read the Response magazine article.