500k: The Mission to Plant a Church in Every Village in India

In this episode of God on the Move, Ed Michaelson shares how his calling to missions led him to work as a tentmaker bi-vocationally as an A&E doctor in southeast London while founding 500k, a charity that trains and supports Indian leaders to share the gospel and plant churches in unreached villages. He explains the vision for 500,000 churches—one in every Indian village—citing research that many villages have no Christian presence, and describes growth from supporting 30 local missionaries to over 1,300, alongside 2,000 trained evangelists. Ed recounts testimonies of healing, family restoration, and a “person of peace” opening a village to the gospel, while also addressing rising persecution and adaptive strategies. He closes with a call to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and to pray for “no place left” in global mission.

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Guests in This Episode

Ed Michaelson

Ed is the founder and CEO of a charity called 500k International, whose vision is a church in every village in India. 500k trains and sends Indian people to plant churches in Indian villages in partnership with local Indian leaders. Ed also works part-time as an A&E doctor in London.