DAWN Fridayfax 2003 #6

World

The three Evangelical generations

In his book "The Younger Evangelicals" (Baker Book House), American theology professor Robert Webber describes the development of Evangelicals so adeptly that we want to share an excerpt with Friday Fax readers:

	Traditional Evangelicals 1950-1975	Pragmatic Evangelicals 1975-2000	Young Evangelicals 2000-
Theology	Christianity is a rational world view	Christianity is a therapy, meets needs	Christianity is a faith fellowship
Apologetic	Facts	Christianity gives meaning, and can be experienced	'The Great Story'. Faith lived out in community is apologetic
Church paradigm	Constantine model: respectable religion	Culturally sensitive, market-oriented	Missionary church, counter-culture
Church style	Neighbourhood, village, parochial	Megachurch, suburban, market-oriented	Small, back to the city, cross-cultural
Leadership style	Pastor centred	Management model, CEO	Team ministry, common priesthood
Youth ministry	Church-centred programmes	Missionary programmes, weekend camps	Prayer, Bible reading, worship, social action
Training	Sunday School, information	Meeting generational needs	Interaction of all generations living in community
Spirituality	Following rules	Wealth and success	'Living authentically'
Worship	Traditional	Modern	Convergence
Art	Forbidden	As illustration	As incarnation
Evangelisation	Large events	Seeker-sensitive services	Processual evangelisation
Activists	Start Evangelical social activities	Needs-based (drug rehabilitation, help for divorced people...)	Rebuilding cities and neighbourhoods

Korea

Prayer initiative against church walls

The barbed wire and ideological controversies between North and South Korea are not the only walls which Christians in South Korea pray will fall. "Although the Korean church seems very much alive when viewed from the outside, denominationalism is like an aggressive rust in the Christian scene," says Richard Briggs, initiator of the 'No More Walls' prayer initiative. Every Monday, Christians meet on 'neutral ground' at 6:30 a.m. to pray that "the walls of isolation separating pastors and members of Christian churches will fall, and that the Korean church will not be lamed by protectionism and in-fighting." The fear of 'sheep stealing' is so great that some pastors even forbid members of their church to attend concerts organised by other churches. The newly-formed prayer movement has three aims: that North and South Korea will be peacefully reunited; that the walls between the thousands of denominations will collapse; and that true revival will return to the nation.
Source: Richard Briggs, e-mail rsb@iltc.net

Tanzania

Pastors have special rebate - even with bandits

Pastor Rafik Daudjee of the All Nations Believers' Fellowship in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, was on holiday with his children and friends in the Usambara mountains in Lushoto. Travelling in a rented bus after sunset, they were waylaid by bandits who had blocked the road with a tree trunk. Rafik told everyone to pray. The bandits threatened them with machetes and guns, demanding money. As they were being robbed, Rafik asked the bandits "Why are you doing this? We are pastors, I am saved. We have no money. This is my family - don't expect to get very much from us." One of the bandits went away for a few moments, then returned, asking "Who is the pastor?" He shone his torch on Rafik, saying "I know you. Do you remember me?" He then ordered the others to return our belongings. "I grasped his hand and started preaching. The bandit listened, and said 'We're doing this because of the poverty and our problems, pastor.' They returned everything, but I gave them my watch and some money. They left us in peace, completely unharmed. I am amazed that God could give us love even for these bandits..." says Rafik.
Source: Pastor Rafik Daudjee, rafikdaudjee@intafrica.com, PO Box 1373, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

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