In this Issue
- What’s New at www.PneumaFoundation.org
- Reports from around the world
- India: Hindu "untouchables" reach out for salvation
- Togo: dead child revived through prayer
- Egypt: "Evangelical festival" leads to thousands of conversions
- Thought to Ponder: In His Hands
- Excerpts from the Fall 2001 issue of the Pneuma Review
- From "Secret Codes in Matthew: Examining Israel’s Messiah" Part 3. By Kevin Williams
- From "Worldviews in Conflict: Christian Cosmology and the Recent Doctrine of Spiritual Mapping" Part 1. By Larry Taylor
- Periodical Review: "Does God Know Your Next Move?" From Christianity Today. Reviewed by Raul Mock
- Prayer Request & Praise Report
- New on-line article by Kevin Williams "Anti-Semitism in the Church" - added October 4, 2001
- Doctrinal Perspectives by Executive Director Raul Mock - added October 8, 2001
- Many past issues of the Pneuma Informer have been added recently to the Archive. Read lengthy excerpts from the Pneuma Review in nearly every issue of the Informer.
- On-line article from the Pneuma Review: "The Call of the Shofar" by Kevin Williams - added October 12, 2001
- On-line article from the Pneuma Review: Part 3 of 5 from Amos Yong’s important series "Pentecostalism and Ecumenism: Past, Present, and Future" - added October 18, 2001
Also, be sure to check out the "What’s New" section on the Pneuma Foundation
homepage. New articles and other features and being added weekly.
Have a website you would like linked to the Pneuma Foundation? Write
Webmaster Dave Driggs with your suggestion. Or use the on-line form to submit your suggestion:
click here.
Reports from Around the World
India: Hindu "untouchables" reach out for
salvation
Over the past few months, high level leaders representing no less
than 300 million Dalits (the low-caste "untouchables"
of India) have approached the All India Christian Council with a
simple request: "The only way for our people to find
freedom from 3,000 years of slavery in the Caste system is to
embrace another faith. Christianity offers hope for us. We are
happy for our people to become Christians... can you help
us?"
On November 4, 2001, one million low-caste Dalits are expected
to meet in Delhi, India for a mass conversion event to Buddhism.
Originally, these 1 million low-caste Dalits were to be asked to
convert only to Buddhism. Now, by God’s grace, the option
of finding freedom in Christ will also be presented. Pray that
many find Messiah and lead other Dalits to Him.
Source: Gospel for Asia; see
http://www.gfa.org/revival/nov4.html
Togo: dead child revived through prayer
"I was at Tom’s house last Friday. Their electricity
had been cut off because they were unable to pay the bills, and a
prayer meeting was planned at their house that evening,"
reports Cosmos Touleassi from Togo, western Africa. "After
we had praised God for a while, a couple arrived whose 2-year-old
son had just died. They were crying and weeping in desperation.
The dead boy’s mother heard us singing, and told her
husband, ‘We have no money for the hospital’s morgue,
so let’s go in and see whether God will do
something.’ A Christian took the dead child in her arms,
and Tom said ‘If these people bring the dead child to us,
it means that they believe that God will do something.’ So
we prayed for about 20 minutes, until Tom started to cry and
finally said ‘The child is alive!’ The confusion was
indescribable, as everyone excitedly thanked God for reviving the
child. The parents decided to follow Jesus." Swiss
Vineyard’s Markus Moser adds: "Cosmos was a refugee
in Switzerland a number of years ago, and became a missionary,
returning to Togo six years ago to plant new churches with the
Vineyard. There are now over 30 house churches in Lome and
central Togo."
Source:
Friday Fax 2001 Issue 38
Egypt: "Evangelical festival" leads to
thousands of conversions
"The idea came during a weekend for church planters, musicians and young artists: why not
hold an ‘evangelical celebration’ similar to those
held over 40 times each year by the Coptic Orthodox church to
honor saints? They planned a large celebration for all
Evangelically-oriented groups. The youths were excited, and
immediately started writing songs and sketches," reports
one of the initiators. Bayadiya, a predominantly Christian town
near Minyas, was selected as the venue. 30,000 of
Bayadiya’s inhabitants are ‘Christians’,
although only 1,000 attend the services in the town’s six
churches. Five of the six churches were prepared to cooperate, so
prayer and preparations began. Despite initially granting
permission, the police banned the event - one day before it was
supposed to take place! All the tents had to be taken down. The
Christians didn’t give up: instead of inviting the people
to the celebration, they went to the people on the street, in the
churches and in their homes. They performed the sketches on the
back of a truck which drove around the town, stopping at
strategic spots. Hundreds and thousands of people saw the
sketches, heard "Sunday School", took part in puppet
theaters, listened to music groups and even received prayer in
coffee houses.
'' Thousands of people - conservative estimates speak of 7,500,
some up to 15,000 - of all age groups, and including visitors
from the surrounding villages, experienced a spiritual rebirth,
according to the report. A gang leader gave his life to Jesus
after seeing the Jesus film, and led six others of his gang to
the Lord. A number of people experienced physical healing, to
which they testified on video; many were freed from demons, and
whole houses and streets decided to follow Jesus. Young people
saw how God performed miracles through them, and how hundreds of
Christians an non-Christians reacted to the supposedly weak
sermons. Several criminals and even murderers were deeply
touched, and repented in tears. "It was as in the early
days of the church," says one of the organizers.
'' Fifty leading members of Bayadiya’s churches are have
their hands full with continuing the revival. 25 new
"Street meetings" (fellowships) meet every week, some
with up to four parallel meetings. Many people have asked to be
allowed to start Christian meetings in houses. The follow-up work
is centered on planting churches; some 80 of which are planned in
the coming months. A public Christian festival is planned to be
held every two months. The 350 Christians who took part in the
celebration are totally changed, having experienced a paradigm
change in their ministry, and returned to their churches
refreshed in spirit.
Source:
Friday Fax Issue 39
Thought to Ponder: In His Hands
"I have held many things in my hands, and have lost them
all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I
still possess."
- Martin Luther
Excerpts from the Fall 2001 (Vol 4, No 4) issue of the Pneuma Review
The
Pneuma Review is a quarterly printed journal of ministry resources and theology for Pentecostal and charismatic ministries and leaders.
From "Secret Codes in Matthew: Examining Israel’s Messiah" Part 3, by Kevin Williams
Read the full article at:
http://pneumareview.com/secret-codes-in-matthew3-kwilliams/
From "Worldviews in Conflict: Christian Cosmology and the Recent Doctrine of Spiritual Mapping" Part 1, by Larry Taylor
Read the full article at:
http://pneumareview.com/worldviews-in-conflict-christian-cosmology-and-the-recent-doctrine-of-spiritual-mapping-part-1/
In the Next Issue:
- Satan in the Bible
- Satan’s Relationship to God and Creation
- Satan’s Power and the Believing Community
- Is Spiritual Mapping Biblical?
- Analogies and Anecdotes vs. Biblical Authority
- Returning to the Basics
Periodical Review:
"Does God Know Your Next Move?: Christopher A. Hall
and John Sanders debate openness theology" Christianity
Today (May 21, 2001 and June 11, 2001).
Read the full review at:
http://pneumareview.com/does-god-know-your-next-move-christopher-a-hall-and-john-sanders-debate-openness-theology
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for the Dalit assembly to take place on November
4 (see "Reports from Around the World" above).
Millions of souls hang in the balance at this crucial time of
sharing the love, power, and forgiveness of Jesus Christ with the
hundreds of thousands who will gather in Delhi, India. There is
no doubt that the god of this world will be doing all he can to
thwart any efforts to share the gospel with the Dalit Hindus.
Pray that an unprecedented revival breaks out because of this
unprecedented event.
- Please pray for Christians in China. Over the next few years
major transitions will be taking place in the leadership of the
government-permitted church from one generation to the next. Pray
that those Christians who are in leadership will not be
superceded by unbelievers who are seeking political power. If
true Christians are able to lead the state-sanctioned church, the
opportunities for freedom in worship will be greatly
increased.
Praise Reports:
- Raul and Erin Mock report that they are expecting twin boys
in March 2002. Raul and Erin live in Wyoming, Michigan with their
2 year-old daughter, Elizabeth. Both are involved with the
ministry of the Pneuma Foundation.
- Please send us your prayer requests and praise reports. We have a great God who always meets our needs.
- If you would like more information about how you may help in meeting these needs, please send an E-mail to Member Services.
