DAWN Fridayfax 2001 #41

USA

Awakening among the Amish

"Young people in one of the most ultraconservative, religious areas of the country are encountering God in a new way," writes Charisma News. A Bible study group started 4 years ago has become a weekly revival service attended by over 1,000 teenagers and young adults from the rural Amish areas. More than half of those who attend the TBS (Tuesday night Bible Study) held by the Petra Christian Fellowship in New Holland come from Mennonite or Brethren churches; many of them have experienced baptism in the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts for the first time, according to the report. "Our churches have struggled to reach young people," says Matt Buckwalter, pastor of the "Old Road Mennonite Church". "We've tried all sorts of programmes, without success, but now we're seeing a new excitement for Jesus in the kids, who are suddenly sitting in the front rows in their own churches." Four years ago, six high school graduates started meeting informally to discuss their faith with their friends. "We didn't have any expectations about what would happen," says Mike Stolzfus, one of the TBS founders, "but had a great time of fellowship, and God met with us." When a 22-year-old member of the leadership team was killed in a car accident, some thought that they should end the Bible study. However, 1,000 people came to the funeral, and 50 of them responded to an altar call. The Bible study group grew rapidly, and the young Christians asked a group of local pastors for assistance, and started inviting guest speakers. The awakening has led to tension in some churches, but many are pleased with the developments. "I met a 70-year-old woman who told me that she had been praying for something like this for 40 years," says Stolzfus. Lester Zimmerman, pastor of PCF, the host church, says "God is using the youth to bring unity between Christian leaders and churches in the region."
Source: Charisma News, www.charismanews.com

Germany

Come to the Light - hundreds give their life to Jesus

On 13th October 2001, over 2,100 people from all over Germany and the neighbouring nations travelled to Ludenscheid for a celebration service, filling the town's largest hall. According to the Freien Christlichen Jugendgemeinschaft (FCJG, Free Christian Youth Fellowship), 120 people decided to follow Jesus for the first time. The event was the 18th of its kind. "Many non-Christians came expecting to meet God. The focus of the service is on worship and evangelisation," says Walter Heidenreich, leader of the FCJG. "This evangelistic worship service is currently our most effective evangelistic instrument. At every service for years, we've seen around 100 people give their lives to Christ. So far, around 35,000 people have attended the 'Come to the Light' services, and over 1,600 have made a first decision for Christ here," he says.
Source: www.fcjg.de , tel. (+49)-2351-358039

Switzerland

Super-regional services on the way?

There have always been occasional regional or super-regional church services, but their number is growing. Increasingly, Christians are organizing regular or occasional services in which the focus is on the region, and not a particular denomination or confession. In Switzerland, for example, some 2,300 attend the "Teenie Praise Night" in Bern, 1,200 the "Reithalle Gottesdienst Winterthur" (Winterthur Reithalle Service), 1,500 the "Heilungsabenden" (Healing Evenings) in Thun, and 750 the "Godi Frauenfeld" (Frauenfeld service). Other meetings with an attendance between 500 and 800 take place in Basel, Bulach, Gruningen and Frutigen. "We regularly see dozens of people giving their lives to Christ at these services," says pastor Florian Baertsch from Luzern, where city-wide services have been started , involving as many Christians as possible. Often, but not in every case, the initiative begins with young Christians. The "Holy Spirit Night" in Weinstadt, Germany, with an attendance of 1,800, demonstrates that this is not a purely Swiss phenomenon.
Source: Wolfgang Simson

Brazil

Stubborn government official finds Christ

"Each week, Gorete and I visited Canabrava, an Indian village," reports Germany missionary Renate Lindner from Brazil. "The children ran out to meet us, followed by their parents, greeted us and participated in the services. A government official employed to look after the Indians eyed us suspiciously, mumbling 'I would ban these visits. When they come, everyone runs, but when I come, nobody even stands up?'. Antonio, a colleague of the official, attended the services and finally came to believe in Christ. He now even plays the violin in the services. 'I used to play at dances, now I play for Jesus,' he says. The change in Antonio didn't please his colleague at all, and through lies and slander, he managed to have Antonio fired. Antonio is now a faithful member of staff in the church. Later, a commission visited the village to discover the truth in the matter; they uncovered the other official's lies. Months later, Antonio received a letter from the other official: 'I was evil, blind and lost, and did you wrong. I could not forget your words. Please forgive me - I am now a brother in faith?"
Source: Renate Lindner, DMG, fax (+49)-7265-959109

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