DAWN Fridayfax 1995 #30

News from Israel, Azerbaijan, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Chechenya, Myanmar

Historic Conference in East Jerusalem

In East Jerusalem at the end of July 1995, the Lausanne Movement organised a conference which attendees have labelled "historic". 100 pastors and Christian leaders from Israel, Egypt, Jordan and the West Bank came together to pray, discuss and build contact with each other. One particular topic was help for the West Bank Christians, who have little contact with the outside world. According to Dr. Stephen Nash, who presented the DAWN vision at the conference, advances in unity and co-operation in the region were achieved as God led the attendees through prayer and repentance.

Source: Dr. Stephen Nash, London, 100345.2614@compuserve.com Tel/Fax (+44) 181-699-6974

New Openness in Azerbaijan

In his book "Operation World", Patrick Johnstone recorded that no more than 50 indigenous Christians were known among the 7.6 million inhabitants of Azerbaijan. According to an English missionary in Ganja/Aserbaijan, Per Akvist from the Swedish "Word of Life" movement founded a church in Azerbaijan which is now attended by 800 people each week. She also told us that it is not unusual for 50 people to be saved each week through this church. Akvist recently baptised almost 300 people in the Caspian Sea.

Source withheld

COEF 5: Plans to Reach the 500 Million French-speaking People

A new term is being heard increasingly in the French-speaking Christian community: COEF 5 - "Communion des Oeuvres et Eglises Francophones sur les 5 continents". It stands for a holistic evangelistic vision which encompasses the whole French-influenced world. The first large-scale conference happened in Bordeaux in summer 1993, during which 1700 Christians from 33 countries committed themselves through "The Bordeaux Declaration" to the vision of reaching the 500 million French-speaking people in 50 nations on all 5 continents through church planting and evangelisation.

From 25-30 July 1995, a strategic follow-up conference took place in Yamoussoukro on the Ivory Coast, with the title "Healing the Nations". Around 2,000 Christian leaders from 39 nations planned how to link the various ministries in the French-speaking world; release potential previously repressed by isolation; encourage more initiatives and expert commissions and to set and enact strategic aims in church-planting.

Source and info: Philippe Jouret, COEF 5, 3401 Route d'Auch - Verlhaguet, F-82000 Montauban, France, FAX (+33) 63-203240

Gestures of Reconciliation between Hutu and Tutsi

One of the high-points of the strategy conference in Yamoussoukro (Ivory Coast) was, according to missionary Heidi Johner (Basle), when Francois and Emmanuel, Hutu and Tutsi Christian leaders respectively, embraced each other in front of the conference attendees. Their embrace demonstrated the power of reconciliation through Christ triumphing over the tragedy of civil war. The Ivory Coast's Interior Minister and the Mayor of Yamoussoukro increased the amount of financial support they were providing for the conference following a courtesy visit during the proceedings. They both "enjoyed the atmosphere very much".

Source and info: Heidi Johner (100561.3441@compuserve.com)

Chechenya: Bomb Failed to Explode

As the son of Grozny's (Chechenya's capital) Baptist pastor was walking through the almost completely ruined city recently, he suddenly saw a Russian aircraft approaching, which fired a rocket in his direction. It came directly towards him, so he quickly ran a few steps out of the way. The rocket dug into the ground only a few meters from the young man, and sprayed dirt all over him - but that was all. The explosive did not detonate.

Source: Light in the East

Not Just a Vision for Myanmar

"Vision + Prayer + Action = Harvest of Millions" That is what Pastor Ron Goulton of the worldwide Pentecostal denomination "The Apostolic Church" sees as the key for winning millions of people for Jesus. Goulton cites the experiences of Pastor Liang Thang from Myanmar (previously Burma) which has recently been brought back into the international spotlight by the film "Rangoon":

"As I and a few pastors came together for prayer on 9 July 1995 in Tawngyi, the capital of Shan State, God renewed our evangelistic vision for Myanmar. We now aim to win 3 million people and to plant churches in every city, town and village."

Myanmar has a population of over 46 million and has been under a severe military dictatorship for over 35 years.

Source: Ron Goulton, in: Apostolic News Vol. 15 No 6, Apostolic Church, New Zealand

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