———————————————————————– Missions Insider Report by Christian Aid January 29, 2003 Vol. 4 No. 4 Visit our website at http://www.christianaid.org ———————————————————————– John Lindner, Editor ———————————————————————–

This issue features three leadership training stories: 1. Gospel Outreach Continues in Nepal 2. Pakistan Ministry Trains New Workers 3. North India Ministry Reports Open Doors for the Gospel 4. Testimony: New Life for Tibetans 5. Photo of the Week: Gospel Correspondence Course

Note: It is the policy of Missions Insider to refrain from mentioning names that could make the subjects targets of anti-Christian activity. Names can be mentioned of ministries conducting work commended by authorities or located in areas of greater religious freedom.

———————————————————————– 1. Gospel Outreach Continues in Nepal

Despite the activity of Maoist rebels, the gospel is going forth in the Himalayan country of Nepal, winning souls, planting churches and training leaders.

A ministry run by Nepali leaders told Christian Aid this week that despite the disruption in their country through terrorist rebel activities, their Bible correspondence course is reaching thousands. “Even though many hundreds of post offices have been destroyed, our Bible correspondence course is increasing day by day and more and more students are coming for training, especially in remote parts-more than we expected,” the leader said.

He said that new churches are being planted, and as more people place faith in Jesus Christ new worship fellowships are being formed.

The ministry has an extensive leadership training program that reaches Christians in Nepal, India, Bhutan and Tibet. This year the ministry plans to send five missionaries to different parts of Nepal and others to Bhutan, India and to the border with Tibet.

Despite the critical situation in Nepal, the ministry was able to complete four leadership training seminars in different parts of the country last year. “God is opening the door for us,” the leader said, “as more requests for meetings come from remote parts of Nepal.”

The leader is planning five such leadership training opportunities in Nepal and one among people of Nepalese ancestry in India in 2003.

Because of the distances and the danger of ground travel, the trainers will have to be flown to some of these events. The ministry is looking to the Lord to provide the funds needed for these training sessions. To learn more about how you can help, write and put MI-404 702NMS on the subject line.

———————————————————————– 2. Pakistan Ministry Trains New Workers

Despite recent attacks against Christian churches, a ministry in Pakistan is training and sending out more workers to the Lord’s harvest fields.

The ministry gave 40 new leaders 112 hours of training for church-planting work in January. “We are encouraged that the Lord is giving laborers for a great harvest of souls,” the leader told Christian Aid this week.

The ministry also is sending out 10 church-planting teams. “Your prayer and financial support always have been a great encouragement in ministry partnership,” the leader said. “We urgently need bicycles, sound systems, musical instruments, audio-video tapes, Bibles, teaching materials and monthly support for these new workers.”

“A persecution spirit is working against the churches,” he said. “However, the Lord is merciful to us to continue His work.”

Those desiring to help may write and put MI-404 470-PGA on the subject line.

———————————————————————– 3. North India Ministry Reports Open Doors for the Gospel

In the midst of hostile Hindu rhetoric and persecution, one indigenous ministry working in northern India reports “a tremendous breakthrough” in the state of Uttar Pradesh and open doors across the northern part of the subcontinent.

The ministry focused on training Christians amid 12 states of northern India last year. Some were trained in the group’s “Great Commission Training Centers” and others in church-based video Bible schools. “As a result, thousands of new house churches were established,” the leader told Christian Aid last week.

The group now has 700 missionaries on the field and has trained over 3000 lay workers. Together they have established at least 9000 worshiping groups (including 7000 house churches) in 12 states of northern India.

The group operates a number of balwadis (informal schools) and primary schools in two major cities of North India. Many non-Christians attended the Christmas programs put on by these schools, and some have opened their homes for fellowship and learning.

One of the schools in Kashmir attracted 1000 people including 400 pupils. Many of those attending heard the gospel for the first time. War in the region prevented such gatherings in 2001.

One of those who came to Christ was a former Muslim moulvi or clergyman. When he confessed Christ, his own brothers tried to kill him with a spear. He dodged the spear but it struck and killed his 12-year-old son. He escaped with his wife and three other children.

His younger brother also came to the Lord and was stoned. He now is in serious condition in a hospital. His wife and three children also are under the protective custody of another moulvi who has become a Christian.

Pray for this ministry and its missionaries on the front lines of evangelism in strong Hindu and Muslim territories in India. To learn how to support this ministry, write and put MI-404 652-OPA on the subject line.

———————————————————————– 4. Testimony: New Life for Tibetans

There were no Christians in Tibet before 1950. It was home to the world’s strictest form of Buddhism. The Dalai Lama was worshipped as a god with absolute power. Any person who taught differently was killed immediately.

When the Chinese communists took over Tibet they began to crush Tibetan culture and religion. The Dalai Lama was forced into exile, and thousands of his followers fled to India and Nepal. This opened an opportunity for Tibetans to hear the gospel of Christ through indigenous missionaries in India and Nepal. Many have turned to the Lord and now, with help from Christian Aid, some are returning to Tibet bearing the truth of God’s Word and an urgency to see their friends and relatives turn to Christ.

Slowly, one changed life at a time, God is starting to build His kingdom in Tibet. One Tibetan woman found Christ through an indigenous ministry supported by Christian Aid in India. She tells how it happened:

“When I finished my studies in Tibet I was told I should try to go to India, so with great difficulty I made my way over the Himalaya Mountains to this free land.

“In India I was studying Buddhist scripture. One day I saw a book about Jesus on my guru’s bookshelf. I never heard this name before. I did not know who Jesus is or why He was crucified on the cross. My guru told me not to touch this book, but I got a chance to take it and read it.

“I had to quietly read the Bible in secret when I was absent from my guru. It said that God made the world and all living creatures. I knew in my heart it was true and desired to know more. Also I read ‘I am always with you, wherever you are.’ This sentence made me think because in my life I never heard any Buddhist god say anything like this.

“Therefore I left the Buddhist school and tried to find other Christians in Nepal. I found many friendly Christians who wanted to help me learn but the teaching was always in Hindi and Nepali. It was very difficult being the only Tibetan from a different worldview and not knowing the language and culture.

“Finally I found a fellowship group of Tibetan Christians. The people there loved God and understood my culture and language. God answered the prayer of my heart, which was, ‘Father, give me a good chance to study your Word and make me able to understand your Word in a deeper way.’

“I feel that now God’s vision for me is to go back to my homeland and serve Him and make His Word known to my people.”

Christian Aid helped supply Bibles for Tibetan new believers. Many are now learning of a personal God who loves them and will never leave them through a ministry to ethnic Tibetans in Nepal. To learn how you can help, write and put MI-404 702-TAF on the subject line.

———————————————————————– 5. Photo of the Week: Gospel Correspondence Course

http://www.christianaid.org/pow/pow-4-04.asp

Workers in Nepal check and send back 400 to 500 Bible correspondence lessons per day to Nepalis who have requested the course. To date, 225,000 are currently enrolled in the three-year course and 22,350 have already completed it. After completing it, some of them apply for on-site discipleship training. To learn more, write and put MI-404 702-GOC on the subject line.

———————————————————————– Mission Statement:

Missions Insider is a free weekly email report from Christian Aid Mission, your link to the world of indigenous missions. We seek to establish a witness for our Lord in every tribe and nation (Matthew 24:14) by supporting highly effective native missionary ministries based in poorer countries overseas, or where believers are persecuted. Christian Aid has contact with more than 6000 indigenous ministries that have a total of 300,000 missionaries on the field or ready to go when support is available.

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