DAWN Fridayfax 1996 #2

DAWN News from England, China, Zaire, Ivory Coast, Israel

Signs of Life: Anglican church-planting shows fruit

After 30 years of sharply decreasing attendance, the downwards trend has stopped. The Anglican Church announced in a report halfway through the "Decade of Evangelism" that they are planting one new church per week, which is faster than the rate at which churches are being closed. Donations and offerings have also increased as a result of the increasing number of churches at an average rate of 20 percent over the last three years. "More people in the church are now giving more money than at any point in history," said Bishop Nigel McCulloch. Often, a pastor and part of a church's active membership are sent out when planting new churches, one of the main aims of the "Decade of Evangelism". Canon Robert Warren, the Anglican church's national advisor for evangelism and author of the report "Signs of Life", says that in the first three years of the decade of evangelism, 102 churches were planted and 84 declared as 'surplus'. The report emphasises that "group courses, not large evangelistic events, are currently the most effective way to reach non-believers."
More from England

England: "The Evangelicals are now unstoppable"

According to the journalist Victoria Coombe, the English Prime Minister John Major recently met with Clive Calver, the General Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance, to discuss the "booming evangelicalism". It is estimated that there are around 450,000 evangelicals in the Anglican church. "The evangelicals," according to the Daily Telegraph, "are now the largest, richest and most influential Christian movement in England. Even in rural areas, the 'happy clappies' have taken over the churches, removed pews and replaced organ music with guitars. In the 50's, 10% of the ordained graduates from theological colleges were evangelicals; today, it is 60%." The report continues that "previously, the word 'evangelical' called to mind an 'impertinent, bible-swinging North American'. Today, evangelicals are far more integrated and socially accepted. A typical evangelical is educated, belongs to the middle class and lives in the suburbs. The evangelicals," the report closes, "are now unstoppable."

Source: Victoria Coombe, The Daily Telegraph, 6 January 1996

Unsuccessful house search in China

A few months ago, Leili, a Chinese Christian who eagerly distributes Bibles, was visited at night by the police, who wanted to confiscate Bibles. She opened a store-room containing only old newspapers. Only days earlier, she and a few friends had moved 15,000 Bibles into an adjoining room. Disappointed, the officers left. The following night, the 'treasure' was split up to be stored by other Christians; the following morning, the police returned to Leili's house demanding to inspect the adjoining room in which the Bibles had been stored. Again, they had to leave in disappointment.

Source: Open Doors, January 1996

Zaïre: 66,000 churches pray weekly for world mission

Reports from Zaïre indicate that 66,000 local churches and a total of 15 million Christians pray every week for the world's unreached nations.

Source: Johan Combrinck, AFNET, Fax +1-408-249-7774

Africa: women in strategic prayer

Violet Mzega from the Ivory Coast reports that women in 23 African nations have developed a strategic prayer network. Their aim is to pray for the African peoples which still have no access to the gospel.

Source: Johan Combrinck, AFNET, Fax +1-408-249-7774

Israeli and Arab pastors reconciled at "prayer summit"

Arab and Israeli pastors reconciled their ethnic differences, fears and bitterness during a 4-day prayer summit on Israel's Mount Carmel. 35 pastors from around the Sea of Galilee met from 27-30 November 1995 for a "Pastor's prayer summit" in the Stella recreation centre. "Most of the pastors had never been together in the same room, and were cautious about taking part," reports Joe Aldrich, president of the American Multnomah Ministries. Aldrich and Tom White, the only American present, acted as guides during the summit. "After two days of prayer and worship, the wounds, fears and bitterness ebbed away, and at the end, the pastors hugged each other and acted like brothers who had not seen each other for a long time. At times, we all lay with our faces on the floor, unable to speak, because God's presence was so strong" says Aldrich, who described the pastors as hardened by years of isolation in small churches, social pressure from their families and persecution. The pressure increased after the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, because the religious Israelis were held responsible for the murder. Since the summit, the pastors are not only meeting each week, but have also planned another "prayer summit" for next year. According to Tom White, they expect a significant evangelistic harvest in Galilee.

Source: NIRR 12/25/95

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