DAWN Fridayfax 1999 #33

World news

The world is still turning...

Nostradamus and, recently, a German sect leader named Uriella predicted that the world would end on 11 August 1999 - the day on which Europe experienced one of the many total eclipses of the sun. All over the continent, signs of a society almost completely separated from God were visible: many people plundered their bank accounts and spent every last penny; in Zurich, an orgy was held for people wanting to get rid of every last inhibition before the end came, and even in our small German village, a woman bought hundreds of eggs so that she would be able to survive another few days... but the expected catastrophe failed to materialize, the world is still turning, the false prophets have been forgotten in the blinking of an eye, and the next ones are on the way. Whatever they say, the end will only come when God himself says 'Time up' and turns off the lights.
Ed.

Israel

Reconciliation Walk reaches aim

After 3 1/4 years, the Reconciliation Walk reached its aim in Jerusalem on 15 July 1999. Some 2,500 participants walked at least part of the 2,500 km (1,600 miles) from Cologne to Jerusalem. The idea behind the Walk was that Christians would follow the route of the Crusades 900 years after they took place, to ask for forgiveness for the violence committed by supposed Christians which left scars still vivid in the minds of many Muslims today. 500 Christians from 43 nations took part in the final proclamation in Jerusalem. Messages of reconciliation were presented to Jerusalem's chief Rabbi Lau, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Diodoros and the Islamic Mufti Sheik Sabri, among others. One Rabbi's comment: "You took 900 years, but better late than never."
Source: Reconciliation Walk

Denmark

The healthiest church in the world is a house church

With their global study, German church growth researchers Christoph Schalk and Christian Schwarz have already dethroned many overly pragmatic quick-fix methods of church growth. They investigated the relationship between church quality and church growth on the basis of 8 so-called 'Quality Factors'. A result of 65 in one of the factors after completing the carefully-constructed questionnaire is already excellent in the 'Natural Church Development' system. The movement's Danish branch has found what is probably the world's healthiest church: a Danish house church with 20 members. Its worst quality factor, which is small groups, has a rating of 97 - stuff of which other churches' dreams are made. Their strongest point is evangelisation, where they reached 147 points. The participation in the survey is also a world record: 100 percent. All 20 members completed the questionnaire...
Source: Foreningen for Naturlig Kirkevaekst, Denmark, & Christoph Schalk Tel/Fax (+49)-931-29110

Mexico

"10,000 para el 2000"

Galo Vasquez, President of VELA Ministries International, sums up the situation of church mission in Mexico: "The church, as we have known it for decades and centuries, is simply unable to complete the task of filling the earth with the knowledge and glory of the Lord (Hab. 2:14)". Many people know that Mexico City is the world's largest metropolis, with 26 million inhabitants. What many do not know: Mexico City has never experienced a spiritual breakthrough as seen in many Latin American countries. That seems to be changing, mainly as the result of a movement whose aim is to start 10,000 evangelistic Bible study groups by the year 2000. In the last 12 years, for example, the number of churches in Mexico City has grown from 896 to 2,150, a growth rate almost 2 1/2 times the already astonishing population growth of 3% per annum. "The vision to plant small groups has caught on," says Vasquez, and many denominations have adopted it. The movement looks like reaching its target, perhaps even more. One large denomination used to plant only large local churches, but has now recognized the value of working decentrally and directly in the neighborhood through small groups. They have instructed their members to open their homes for others, and now have over 2,000 cells.
Source: Galo Vasquez in Dawn Report 8/99
Editor's note: The Dawn Report is a quarterly publication. Free subscriptions are available from Dawn Ministries, 5775 North Union Blvd., Colorado Springs CO 80918, USA. Fax (+1)-719-548-7475.

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