DAWN Fridayfax 1998 #18

News from Denmark, USA, India, Ethiopia

In this issue:
Denmark: What God brings together
USA: 27,000 attend 'Saddleback'
India: Jesus instead of holy bath
Ethiopia: More raised from the dead

Denmark: What God brings together

A historic meeting took place between pastors of the Apostolic Church and the Pentecostal movement in Denmark recently. 74 years ago, in 1924, the movements went separate ways. "At one meeting, we confessed the sins of our fathers, which caused the division, asked each other for forgiveness, celebrated Communion together and now plan to work together again," according to one report. The Apostolic Church has around 2,500 members in 40 churches, the Pentecostal movement (Elim) around 5,000 in 52 churches.

Source: Hans-Erick Friberg. Tel (+45)-7557 2707. E-mail: hefleika@post9.tele.dk

USA: 27,000 attend 'Saddleback'

27,204 people attended services at the Saddleback church in Lake Forest, California, on its 18th birthday over the Easter weekend. The founding pastor Rick Warren, known for his book "The purpose-driven church" preached nine identical sermons, to satisfy all visitors. Church members brought not only birthday presents for the church, but above all friends and relatives who were not yet Christians. Over 1,000 people indicated their desire to become Christians during the weekend. With that, the Saddleback church is the largest single church in the Southern Baptist Convention, and has baptised over 5,000 new converts in the last 5 years. The average attendance is around 14,000 people per week.

Source: Dr. Katie Brazelton, Director of Research, SVCC

India: Jesus instead of a holy bath

Following unrest at the Kumbh Mela, the world's largest Hindu celebration, all public processions were banned, which are the highlight of the event. Many Christians had been praying that Hindus would meet the living God on their way to the 'Holy Ganges'. Here are two reports:

A 19-year-old Sadhu was clearly looking for peace. He met some Christians, and was so moved by their love and openness that he returned the following day. He had cut off his holy locks of hair and beard, wore normal clothing and enthusiastically joined the service. "You could see the change in his eyes, that he had come from death to life."

Two Sadhus who had arrived by train in Haridwar, where the festival took place, were greeted by some Christians with breakfast and water to wash. They were so moved by the Christians' love and acceptance that they completely forgot to take their ritual bath in the Ganges, which was the reason for their journey! They had realised that it would not change anything in their life, and said that they had never before in their lives been treated with such care and respect.

Source: name and address withheld

Ethiopia: More raised from the dead

(The next two reports have been checked on the spot. The author's name is withheld on his explicit request.)

"I went to the hospital in Atad to speak with people about Jesus and to see if I could pray for anyone. When I arrived, I discovered a dead young woman on a stretcher, surrounded by weeping relatives. I went to them, thinking I could perhaps comfort them, and was told that the daughter had been sick for a long time and had just died. I helped the family in their preparations for the burial, but wanted so much to do more than that. I started to pray. As I did, I felt my hands moving over the dead woman's stomach, and heard myself praying 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if they are dead, will live!' I repeated this prayer over and over. The family soon became disturbed and even angry, but one of the relatives was a Christian. He felt that something special was happening, so asked the others to leave the room for a moment. The young Christian, who I did not know, then joined me in prayer. I felt something like fire enter my body and pass through my hands. Suddenly, the woman opened her eyes and sat up. The relatives rushed in, naturally rejoicing. I was able to explain the gospel to them all. The following day, the woman was released from hospital, because the doctors could no longer find any signs of illness. She told her young Christian relative to teach the family how to follow Jesus."

"In our house church, I heard that one of the Christian's relatives had been taken to the hospital in Addis Ababa in a serious condition. I went with the Christian to the hospital, but we were not allowed to see the sick woman. After some time, a hospital employee came and allowed only me to go to the woman. As I arrived on the ward, I heard as the doctors were told that the woman had just died. The hospital employee left me alone with the dead woman. I was actually perplexed, because I thought God wanted me to pray for the woman's healing. Then I realised that he wanted me to pray for her even now, so I prayed for her, calling her back to her body. Suddenly, she opened her eyes. She felt much better. The nurses, confused, called some doctors, who immediately examined her, asking why they should examine someone who obviously felt much better. The woman was later released from hospital, and soon came to our church to tell of the miracle."

Source: via IRN - http://www.revivalnet.com,

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