DAWN Fridayfax 1999 #07

News from Canada and China

In this issue:
Canada: 3 million visitors, over 20,000 saved
China: Continued openness for the gospel

Canada: 3 million visitors, over 20,000 saved

'Toronto' celebrates its 5th anniversary

"On 17 January 1999, over 2,000 people attended the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the longest-lasting revival in church history," writes pastor John Arnott, the fellowship's founder and leader. Many thousand also followed the proceedings via live Internet link. According to the church's own newsletter 'Spread The Fire', the revival started "when John Arnott, influenced by the Argentinian revival movement, invited evangelist Randy Clark from St. Louis to speak at some meetings in January 1994. There, the now well-known phenomena started, in which people suddenly start to laugh or cry, fall to the ground and experience God's presence." The report continues, "In the past 5 years, over 50,000 churches all over the world have been inspired by the TACF experiences, including the pastoral team at the Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Florida, which has itself become an important revival centre. Since 20 January 1994, almost 3 million people have visited services at the TACF, including 20,000 who decided to follow Jesus for the first time in their lives. In May 1994, Ellie Mumford returned to England with her experiences at the TACF, which she passed on to the Anglican Holy Trinity church in Brompton, London. Since then, over 7,000 English churches from almost all denominations have been touched by the awakening, and many books and hundreds of articles have been written about it. John Arnott says that revivals normally lasted only between 18 months and two years. Since the beginnings in the Dixie Road industrial area, 5 years have passed, in which evening services have been held 6 days a week, with hundreds or sometimes thousands of visitors."

Keith Green's widow healed

"It is not only significant that the Toronto revival has lasted 5 years; this makes it one of the longest-lasting revivals in church history," says Arnott. Among others, Melody Green Sievright, the widow of deceased singer Keith Green, spoke at the anniversary service. She spoke of not only having been healed of breast pains, but also 'having fallen in love with Jesus as never before.'"

Source: Richard Fox, "Spread The Fire" magazine, Toronto. TACF, 272 Attwell Drive, Toronto, Ontario M9W 6M3; Tel: (+1)-416-674-8463; Fax: 674-8465. Website: www.tacf.org

China: Continued openness for the gospel

As a result of the many years of atheistic influence, many people in China no longer have any hope or aim in life, according to the US mission agency 'Project Partner'. For that reason, Christianity has an important influence, particularly in the mountainous areas and villages, where people continue to be open for the gospel. Due to the difficulties for foreigners to evangelise in China, Western Christians should rather support Chinese Christians' vision and initiative, helping their mission efforts and church planting movements.

200,000 people became Christians last year

One example of this is a Chinese Christian (name and address withheld) who has been supported by 'Project Partner' since 1984. At that time, he was responsible for some 350 pastors; today, he heads a movement of some 4,000 churches and meeting places with 800 pastors and missionaries and 228 missions teams showing the Jesus film. Because of the continued official repression of Christianity, the films are normally shown to groups of no more than 25 people, but up to three times per week. They use video CDs which can be copied cheaply, and the people pass the CDs on to their relatives. The result is that some 800,000 Chinese hear the gospel each year, around 25% of which decide to become Christians. This means that 200,000 people became Christians last year through this one house church movement alone. (In comparison: that is more than the total number of evangelical Christians in Switzerland.)

Another 15,000 house churches by the year 2000

This underground house church movement of 1 million Christians now has over 1,000 full-time staff, supported by 36,400 volunteers. In recent years, this one movement has reached some 20 million Chinese with the gospel, of which 4.3 million have become Christians. New churches are planted every day, so there is a strong need for new leaders. For this reason, 20- to 40-year-olds are now being trained in 6 locations to assume leadership roles. So far, 2,500 pastors have been trained. The movement aims to plant another 15,000 house churches by the year 2000.

Communist officials become pastors

During the Cultural Revolution in the 60's and 70's, 95% of Beijing's church buildings were closed, but the Christian churches did not disappear. "Quite the opposite," says Project Partner's Donna Thomas. Preaching is possible only in church buildings and above all in houses, not on the street. Funerals, birthday parties and family events are particularly good evangelistic opportunities. "We meet many Communist Party officials, not only because we want to have a good relationship with the government, but also because officials and members of the government need Jesus too.," says a speaker for the movement, adding "A number of ex-Communist officials have become pastors." Project Partner reports that the movement's leader wants to "make the Word of God known in China, whatever it costs", and says "If I am imprisoned, whatever you do, don't come to free me. There will always be a way forward."

Source: Project Partner with Christ, Inc. Email: partner@projectpartner.com

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