Jarrell Waskom Pickett

Pickett published in 1933, Christian Mass Movements in India, as a
result of the research in which he gave a systematic account of the survey
findings accompanied by recommendations for facilitating people-
movements. This was the first critical survey of Christian people
movements ever made in India and became the standard work if its kind for
missiological study. Donald McGavran said of the book:
It marked a turning point in mission history. To leaders
convinced that Christianization is necessarily a very slow and
difficult process, Dr. Pickett’s accounts of the triumphs of the Gospel
and of its redemptive power in areas where men had accepted it in
the people-movement fashion caused a revolution in thinking.
Leaders realized that while much of Mid-India seemed sterile, still
there were occurring and had occurred numerous group conversions
similar in nature to the movements that led to the establishment of
the great Churches in Chhota Nagpur and the Andhra country
(Pickett, Warnshuis, Singh and McGavran 1956, ix-x).

In spite of recurring difficulties in people movements in terms of
reactions, breakdowns, lapses, and di sappointments,
19
the survey revealed a
truly remarkable achievement of mass evangelism among the lowest of
India’s most depressed lower castes. As Pickett investigated the
movements, he discovered that the numerical aspect was only the beginning
of the movements’ significance.… (más)