* THEOLOGIAN WITNESSES EXPLOSION OF CHRISTIANITY IN NEPAL * FRESH EXPRESSIONS OF THE CHURCH EMERGING IN GREAT BRITAIN * CHURCH IN THE PARKS FOR THE HOMELESS ----------------------------------------------- THEOLOGIAN WITNESSES EXPLOSION OF CHRISTIANITY IN NEPAL Theologian Dr. Robert Sanders was one in a team of four who went to Nepal recently.Says Sanders: "In the 1950s there were no Christians in Nepal. By the 1960s there were a handful of Christians, but in the 70s and 80s, there was explosive growth. At the present moment, the number of Christians in Nepal is unknown, but is probably somewhere around 800,000.How did this explosive growth occur? It occurred exactly the way it did as narrated in the book of Acts or in the Gospels. As the New Testament makes clear in repeated statements, He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and further, His aching love was clearly revealed on the cross.None of the gods, goddesses, spirits, or powers known, avoided, feared, or worshipped by the Hindus or Buddhists can withstand or compare to the mighty Name of Jesus." "Furthermore," notes Sanders, "for many, when they see others suffering, such as orphans, the crippled, or the discarded, they feel it is their duty to leave them in their suffering. To interfere would rob them of their opportunity to atone for karma.Regardless of what is taught in the West about these religions, this is how it works out in practice on the ground. For these reasons, when they hear that Jesus forgives all sin in one stroke, that something called karma has no power over them, that they can have a relationship with Christ and with an all-loving Father, that they and this relationship will last forever, they are thunderstruck. They want God, a loving, eternal, gracious, God. For these reasons, and for many more, there is an explosion of the gospel in Nepal.""The Gospel did not primarily come to Nepal carried by missionaries and accepted as part of a "superior" external culture. The Gospel came as in the beginning, by the risen Jesus doing what He always does, healing the sick, casting out demons, forgiving sinners, reconciling families, and giving the hope of eternal life. These are all His works as Saviour.It must be said, however, that the deepest joys are given to those who, over a lifetime, follow Him as Lord. They know the meaning of the words from John's Gospel, "Having loved His own He loved them to the end." Source: Virtue Online ----------------------------------------------- FRESH EXPRESSIONS OF THE CHURCH EMERGING IN GREAT BRITAIN All over the United Kingdom something new is happening in the country's churches. Christians are stepping out in faith and starting new initiatives for people who are right outside the church as it is currently. Known as Fresh Expressions, the new outreach is a Church of England and Methodist Church initiative.Some of the new initiatives-Fresh Expressions of Church-are for young people and children; some are for the elderly and housebound, and some are for families. Some are for everyone, says a website dedicated to the new moves within the Church. The site says: "These Fresh Expressions of Church meet on different days of the week. They meet in different places: schools and cafés, residential homes, gyms and pubs, as well as churches. "Most are started by ordinary Christian people who simply want to offer something to the communities in which they live and work."In 2004 the Church of England and the Methodist Church agreed to work together to encourage this new movement of mission. According to a media advisory, the General Synod of the Church of England debate on Fresh Expressions commended the work of Church Army evangelists in playing a key role in Fresh Expressions. The debate centred around one of the largest pieces of legislation to pass through Synod for 20 years, a motion to facilitate change in church organization at both parish and diocesan level to allow Fresh Expressions to develop more freely. Source: Assist News Service ----------------------------------------------- CHURCH IN THE PARKS FOR THE HOMELESS More and more ministries these days seem to be "taking it to the streets," in effect, bringing the Gospel outside the walls of the church, and making it more accessible to the homeless.One group has helped to begin around 30 outdoor churches throughout the U.S. "It's the kind of ministry that Jesus did," said a spokesman for the group. "He spent a lot of His time with people who were outcast and people who were downtrodden and people who needed healing. So that's what we feel called to do." Source: Citizen Link http://www.ausprayernet.org.au/ August 2007
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