DAWN Fridayfax 2005 #08

Iran

Armenian woman meets Jesus on her death bed

"An Armenian woman lay dying in hospital," reports Open Doors in their latest monthly bulletin. "The doctors discharged her, so that she could die at home. She was a Christian, at least in name, but her faith never meant much to her. One day, she suffered an attack of self-pity while lying in bed waiting for her Muslim neighbours to visit. Her gaze wandered to a picture of Jesus on her wall. 'Why don't you help me?' she complained. Suddenly, Jesus started speaking. Somehow, he appeared in her room, and said 'I've been wanting to come to you, but you never invited me.' He touched her softly, and the woman gave him her life. Right then, there came a knock at the door - the Muslim neighbour and his wife had come. As they came into the room, they sensed that something was different. The room was still filled with the glory of Jesus' presence. They both fell to their knees, and the Armenian woman told them what had happened. The couple were so shocked that they both gave their lives to Jesus. Since then, nine of the husband's employees have also been saved."
Source: Open Doors

USA

Dominique DiPiazza: star musician finds his calling

"Dominique DiPiazza, the legendary bass guitarist who used to play with the John McLaughlin Trio, recently astonished music aficionados by appearing in the recent NAMM show in Anaheim following a long pause," reports ASSIST News Service's Janey L. DeMeo. As Charisma News reported in 2002, he gave up his successful career in mainstream music. Many considered him an icon in the music business, one of a number of ultra-talented musicians. "No-one understood why this famous virtuoso wallowing in wealth and celebrity had cast aside undaunted prestige for some 'higher cause' at the very peak of his career," writes DeMeo. He gave up his music career to follow Jesus' calling on his life after a fellow musician shared the Gospel with him.

Music was like a drug

"I'd reached a point where I seemingly had so much: family, fame, touring the world, but I was empty. Something was missing!" he says. "I had no peace. I realized music was my whole identity, and that it actually dominated me, like a drug. I felt a struggle within, and sensed God was asking me to put my instrument aside completely." Following his dramatic conversion, DiPiazza recognised that most French people do not know the message of the Gospel, so studied at a Bible school in southern France and started working as an evangelist, doing everything from street preaching to outreach in India. After some time, he picked up his guitar again, this time to use it for God, initially in churches, then on the street. He then released the mainstream CD "Front Page", on which he plays with drummer Dennis Chambers and guitarist Bireli Lagrene, which won the French equivalent of a Grammy Award. Today, he produces CDs to support orphans, leads fans to Christ, and wants to renew the Christian worship scene...
Source: www.assistnews.net and www.DominiqueDiPiazza.com

Hong Kong

Revival at the universities?

"Since 2004, things have started moving in Hong Kong. The 'Embrace the School Youth Movement' has spread to almost every high school and university," reports Jaeson Ma, founder of Campuschurch.net, which last year challenged young people to devote themselves to God, pray, fast and fearlessly preach the Gospel on school and university campuses. The result, says Ma, was that "students are praying and fasting for revival everywhere, and there are evangelistic breakthroughs happening all over the city." "From 25th February to 7th March 2005, conferences are being held in Hong Kong and Taiwan about how united prayer, power evangelisation, prophetic worship, apostolic preaching and organic church planting can turn universities upside down," he continues. In Hong Kong, the movement works together with Citywide Renewal, founded by Mrs. Linda Ma, which aims for a radical reformation through unity in the Body of Christ, inspired by the Love Singapore initiative, among others. Jaeson Ma and his Campus Church Net are part of the Church Multiplication Associates network, founded by Paul Kaak and Neil Cole. Source: Jaeson Ma, www.campuschurch.net, www.jaesonma.blogspot.com and www.cityrenewal.com.hk

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.