DAWN Fridayfax 1998 #46

News from Latin America, Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan, Uganda

In this issue:
Latin America: Agreement to plant 500,000 new churches
Zimbabwe: "Cops and robbers" results in new church
Uzbekistan: As in the first century
Uganda: Charismatic revival in prayer-answering rain

Latin America: Agreement to plant 500,000 new churches

At a Dawn conference in Miami, USA, from 16-19 November 1998, well-known representatives of Latin American church planting networks agreed to cooperate in planting 500,000 new evangelical churches by the year 2010. According to research by Pablo Deiros, Rodolfo Zapata and Dawn, Latin America is the only region in the world where the number of evangelical Christians is growing three times as fast as the population. Deiros estimates that 75% of the nearly 70 million Latin American Evangelicals are Pentecostally- or Charismatically-oriented; in Chile, the figure is 90%. 75% of the pastors of Latin America's estimated 760,000 churches have no theological training, according to a study by R. Watson. Despite - or because of? - this, the number of evangelical Christians has grown one thousand fold since the start of the century. Evangelical churches are currently growing at an average of 15% per year. The 70 million Evangelicals make up around 14% of the region's population of 500 million; given the growth rate of 15%, that means that around three quarters of a million people join a church each month, or some 1,000 per hour. Some reasons for the growth, according to denominational leaders, are the leaders' unity of vision and mission, a strong emphasis on prayer and the constant and strategic planting of mostly small cells, house churches and small fellowships.

Source: AMANECER and others

Zimbabwe: "Cops and robbers" results in a new church

Churches are sometimes set up in strange circumstances. The last thing pastor Solomon Chauke expected when a thief broke into his church was that the event would lead to the planting of a new church. A thief had broken into the Alliance Church in Masvingo and stolen the electronic keyboard. That was a great loss for the church, which then had to sing "a capella". Some weeks later, while visiting Zvishavane, a town 200 miles from Masvingo, a church member was asked if he would like to buy a keyboard. The keyboard in question turned out to be the one stolen from the church! The man immediately told the thief to give the keyboard back. John, the thief, ended up in prison, where he was visited by church members. During one of the visits, he decided to become a Christian. Following his release from jail, he asked members of the Alliance church to hold a service in his house, to which he invited his family, friends and all sorts of criminal acquaintances, most of whom decided to become Christians during the service. The services are already attended by over 100 people, and the Alliance church is considering making John, who is an active member, leader.

Source: Solomon Chauke/Ted Olson, Dawn Report

Uzbekistan: As in the first century

In the three months since a secret study week for Christians in Uzbekistan, the participants have already started 6 new churches, according to the mission organisation Open Doors. "Azia" (name changed), a 16-year-old girl, has won 8 people for Jesus since becoming a Christian three months ago. She found an English article about Jesus in the Koran in front of her church in Tashkent, and translated it into her own language. She gave the translation to a Mullah (Islamic spiritual leader) among others, who confirmed that it contained the truth, known by all Mullahs, and told her that he could not explain why everything in Islam is centered on Muhammed. Another Christian, "Anwar", met many other Usbekistani Christians for the first time in his life. He returned home encouraged, and started a house church. There, the members experienced how a woman suffering from cancer was healed following prayer and fasting. The fellowship has since grown to 34 people. Observers report that mouth to mouth propaganda and healings play a large part in the growth. Many young Christians made themselves available to God, ready to plant new churches in Central Asia. "That's how it must have happened in the first century of Christianity," the report closes.

Source: Open Doors

Uganda: Charismatic revival in prayer-answering rain

In Uganda, a country in central Africa with a population of some 20 million, a Charismatic revival started on Pentecost 1995 which has spread to many parts in the Southwest of the country, reports German journalist Rainer Straub. Church growth has been accelerating for 18 months, and has now reached Kampala, the capital. Straub: "The gospel is preached to the poor, the sick are healed, people are freed from demonic powers and all sorts of addictions, and the new converts also go out to preach salvation in Christ. The unusual part is that it is taking place within the Catholic church. The new converts form cells and prayer groups in the thousands. Father Ernst Sievers, the leader of the Charismatic revival, said 'It is wrong to come to the church today and worship Jesus, but continue to sacrifice to your gods at home.' Now," says Straub, "there are places in front of many churches for burning all sorts of cultish objects. According to some reports, God has answered Christians' prayers for rain in areas of drought: it started to rain just after or even during the services. For Ugandans, this is a visible sign of God's blessing."

Source: Rainer Strub, C-Report, fax (+49)-6146-61496

This Web version of the DAWN Fridayfax is maintained by the Jesus Fellowship Church (Jesus Army) as a service to the Christian church. Please visit our web pages which feature the e-zine Streetpaper and its special Revival section.

Text © DAWN Europe. Redistribution is explicitly allowed as long as the copyright remains intact with the text. Editor: Wolfgang Simson. The Fridayfax is also available by email. These web pages are copyright © 1998 Jesus Fellowship Church (Jesus Army) in this form. Webmaster: John Campbell