Christian News around the country

Thousands of Chinese Students Accepting Christ in America

Hundreds of thousands of Chinese students come as atheists to study in colleges and universities in the United States. Thousands of them accept Jesus into their lives as they get exposed to Christian beliefs, according to reports.

More than 304,000 Chinese studied in American colleges and universities in 2015 alone, according to Institute of International Education. And these institutions often become the first places where they get to know about different religious tenets.

It is estimated that thousands of Chinese students have embraced Christianity, the Foreign Policy magazine says, and quotes Gregory Jao, national director of campus engagement for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, as saying that his organization serves between 1,600 and 1,800 overseas Chinese out of a total of about 5,000 international students it ministers to.

Valerie Althouse, who served as a chaplain at NYU, is also quoted as saying that Chinese have been the majority of those involved in the school’s spiritual programs. “Part of it is language-based — it seems most Chinese greatly desire to improve English — and also curiosity about Americans, American life, and even our religious beliefs and democratic system.” China’s communist rulers have restricted religious freedom ever since they came to power in 1949, when they expelled Christian missionaries while allowing churches to function under the government’s control. Chinese Christians then faced severe persecution during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and the 1970s under Mao, who saw religion as “poison.”

Churches are now allowed to function, but only after they register with the government which results in lack of autonomy. While hundreds of thousands of unofficial house churches, largely indigenous, exist all across the country, restrictions remain. Evangelism is allowed, but only in state-approved religious venues and private settings.

But when young Chinese students come to America, they are free to exercise their religious freedom even as they struggle with issues that most immigrants face. “When people go to a new place, their identity as immigrants makes them look for meaning: ‘Why me? Why is this happening to me?’ When people start to ask questions like these, Christianity provides answers that many find acceptable,” Yang Fenggang, a sociology professor at Purdue University and the author of Chinese Christian in America: Conversion, Assimilation, and Adhesive Identities, tells Foreign Policy. “They need to learn how to interact with classmates of other races, how to interact with professors. A person won’t be able to lead a normal life if they look to Marxism or Maoism to guide their daily life here.”

Chinese students became more receptive of the Gospel especially after the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, as they got disillusioned with communism, according to Yang, who says, “For my generation, it was a real struggle between Marxism; communism versus Christianity.” In 2014, Yang predicted that even within China, the Protestant population is likely to swell to 160 million by 2025. “By my calculations China is destined to become the largest Christian country in the world very soon,” Yang told The Telegraph at the time. “It is going to be less than a generation. Not many people are prepared for this dramatic change.” Yang predicts that China, which had over 58 million Protestants in 2010 according to the Pew Research Centre’s Forum on Religion and Public Life, will have around 160 million by 2025. This would mean China will likely be ahead even of the United States, which had about 159 million Protestants in 2010. Yang went on to say that China’s total Christian population, including Catholics, would be over 247 million by 2030 and thus become the largest Christian congregation in the world. “Mao thought he could eliminate religion. He thought he had accomplished this. It’s ironic – they didn’t. They actually failed completely,” he said.

Arrest of China’s Largest Megachurch Pastor ‘Will Shake the Spirit’ of Christian Leaders, Says China Aid Founder

China Aid, a Christian human rights organization based in the U.S., believes that Pastor Gu Yuese of Hangzhou’s Chongyi Church, the largest government sanctioned church in China, has no chance to escape sentencing by the Communist Party for standing up against the crackdown on churches. “I think the likely scenario to happen is that he will be indicted, and depending on his confession, and how cooperative he is, the length of sentence can be negotiated,” Bob Fu, founder and president of China Aid, told The Christian Post in a phone interview on Thursday.

“All factors combined, I do not see any way that the Communist Party will let Pator Gu leave the prison without a criminal sentence,” Fu added.

Gu was taken into custody and placed under “residential surveillance at a designated location” on Jan. 28, but was only formally charged on Feb. 6 on charges of embezzling funds, Fu told CP. While Chinese authorities, led by the Communist Party, have claimed that Gu is being investigated for corruption, China Aid and other persecution watchdog groups have pointed out that Gu is being punished more so because of his opposition to the crackdown on churches in China, which includes the forced cross removal from hundreds of churches in several provinces.

Although authorities have arrested several Christian pastors of underground churches and Christian activists for protesting against the forced cross removals, Gu is the highest ranking government-sanctioned church official to be arrested since the cultural revolution in the 1960s. Fu said that the pastor’s arrest is “politically charged,” and pointed out the irony that Gu had previously been considered almost as a “poster boy” by the government for religious freedom. The China Aid president noted that Gu has built a large international following, especially in Hong Kong and other oversees church communities, with petitions supporting him gathering over 1,500 signatures by influential church leaders.

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/china-arrest-megachurch-pastor-gu-yuese-government-sanctioned-church-persecution-157537/

National Worship Center (NWC) – Vision & Revelations

When  I started worshipping in the Centre Jesus came  near me. I felt his presence and saw  light shining .He spoke to me like this” I have come as a light to shine in the world.You have been chosen to be the light to everyone and shine in the world and you will be a witness to me.”      

Kamala Chatterjee

At the time of my worshipping in the Centre  God spoke to me like this “ All the deception of the enemy will go away.The servants of God have all turned away from me and now started  leading  wordly life. Immediately go and preach my  words  to  the people.”

Tulika Barla – Jharkhand

As soon as I entered the worship centre I felt the presence of God. When  I started singing ,  my head, two hands and legs started shaking and felt a power entering in to me. Again when I started praising I was filled fully with power.

Susheel – Jharkhand

God showed me how he is protecting me and the family in all the critical situations. God clearly told me to wait patiently for His coming (Rapture).

Julyani – Jharkhand

Message for reflection – Sr.Angelica

Lent & Easter

Today February 10th, most of the Christians around the world celebrate as “Ash Wednesday”. What is it?  Christians go to the Church and get  a sign of the cross on their forehead with ashes. I remember my childhood days where the sisters  (nuns) who taught us, would check the foreheads of all the students on Ash Wednesday  if all of them have attended Church . Some even used to take ashes from the oven  and make a sign of the cross  for themselves so that they can escape from getting beaten up.

Lent of 40 days begins with Ash Wednesday. Christians believe that it is a time for purification for all the sins committed thus  far in their lives. As anybody  can understand  from history lent originatess from Semiramis, the wife of Nimrod (Gen. 10: 10-13) who asked the women of their land to observe a 40 days lament over her son Tammuz who was dead.  

Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD, and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Eze 8:14 

so that he might be raised from the dead, since she had made them believe that She herself is the woman mentioned in Gen. 3:15 and her son Tammuz was the redeemer of mankind. From Nimrod and his wife  Semiramis originated the first pagan religion of Sun God & Moon God worship.

During Caesar Constantine’s period, many of the pagan practices entered into the Roman Catholic Church and later into all the other Churches. Lent and  Easter are among them. So the question arises, “Can I observe Lent and celebrate Easter?”

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Col 3:17 

Christian News around the country

20 arrested for assaulting villager over conversion charge

Jalaun: Police in northern India have arrested 20 people from a hard-line Hindu group for assaulting and parading a young man on a donkey accusing him of trying to convert three people to Christianity. Police said Awadesh Savita, 35, was attacked Jan. 29 in Rendhar village of Uttar Pradesh state. Some 20 men barged into his house, assaulted him and his wife and took Savita to the nearby Orai town. There they hired a barber to shave his head, half of his moustache and one eyebrow. They also put a garland of shoes on him and paraded around town before taking him to the police station, accusing him of trying to convert others. Some 200 people took part in this incident.

“The complaint is not valid as preliminary investigation has proved that Awadesh Savita was not involved in conversion activities,” Manoj Kumar, police official at the Orai police station told ucanews.com. Police arrested 20 people belonging to the Bajrang Dal, a militant Hindu organization. “More arrests will follow in the coming days,” he added. Savita’s wife Rekha told ucanews.com that some villagers were upset about their family because of their interest in Christ after they sought treatment for their 7-year-old son at a Christian hospital in Varanasi.

Rekha maintains that she and her family did not convert to Christianity. “Why would we engage in conversion? What will we benefit from that?” she asked. The Uttar Pradesh state government has no law banning religious conversions but Christian leaders say hard-line groups are against conversions in the state, where Hindus from 80 percent of its 200 million people. Christians are negligible minority in the state. Christian leaders also say attacks against religious minorities as well as those in favor of such groups have increased across India ever since the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in New Delhi almost two years ago.

Village fines people for saying ‘Christian’ prayers

Julwania:  A village council in central India has fined four people for practicing Christianity and is closely watching them to prevent them continuing to do so. The Dahar village council in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, fined the four 5,000 rupees (US$75) each, Shankar Singh, one of those fined told ucanews.com Feb 4. The punishment on Jan. 19 came five days after police arrested and later released 12 people who had gathered at Singh’s house.

The arrests followed accusations by a Hindu group that the people at the gathering were attempting to convert to Christianity. Members of the Hindu group surrounded the house and called police, Singh said. “We are under tremendous pressure to give up our faith in Christ,” the 40-year-old told ucanews.com, adding that he had been prevented from leaving the village for the past two weeks. He and the other three denied allegations they had converted to Christianity or indulged in any conversion activity. “I am a member of the Bhilala tribe and continue to be in it,” Singh said. “I’m simply happy to attend Christian meetings and prayers, which have helped me overcome my financial worries, alcoholism, unhappiness and other negativities in my life.” The state, run by pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party, has an anti-conversion law that criminalizes conversion if done without permission from government authorities. Fines and jail terms are stipulated for those involved in “fraudulent” and “forced” conversion and for “alluring” people to change their religion. Fined for breaching harmony Singh recounted that for more than two weeks he has been closely watched by a self-appointed “vigilance team” and that he and the other people fined were “prevented from leaving the village.”

The village of some 2,000 people has only four people attending Christian prayers, the rest follow tribal traditions, Singh said. Jurla Bhai, 36, who also was fined, said the council threatened “to expell us from the village after accusing us of converting to Christianity and going against local traditions.”

Bhai also denied converting. Village headman Mukud Randa confirmed the imposition of the fines. They were fined for “breaching peace and harmony” in the village and “picking arguments with their own family members,” he said. In breaching harmony, “they were refusing to offer prayers and sacrifices to their goddesses and eat food offered in our worship,” Randa said. “This led to family discord and the fine was to discipline them and to keep the community together,” he said. Those wanting to follow Christianity are facing a “hostile situation,” according to Jagdish Mehara, a local minister, who was among the 12 arrested, told ucanews.com. Christians have been opposing the state’s anti-conversion laws on the grounds that they violate religious freedom as enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

TEACHING: DO NOT BELIEVE EVERY SPIRIT – Dr. Arun

But test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

This verse clearly teaches about discerning and not judging.(Judging can be condemnation, Discerning is the analysis of good and evil).

How can we test the spirits?

* Always check if they speak and teach according to the Bible.

* Check their  Kingdom fruits.

If we don’t analyze them, we will be deceived.

Satan is good in Word Knowledge, but he always twists the Truth to induce disobedience.

He blocks people from producing the fruit of Holy Spirit

Where is Holy Spirits, there is freedom

(2Cor 3-17), also means if there is evil spirit there is no deliverance.          

Why many believers in the church are not delivered?

Why no big miracles take place as in the Apostolic days.?

Why there is no discipleship?

But the Word of God preached  here (BFF) is deep, I am interesting and appreciated.

Simple questions that can expose the Truth.

Just go to your church and tell your pastor, I am going to baptize a new soul.

📌 Pastor :- No, bring them here, make them confess repent(1week), Baptism class (3wks), based on my appointment I will  baptize.

 📌 Word:- Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt 28-19)

Who is correct Word / pastor??😱

You are not judging but analysing what’s correct and what is not based on the Word.

But if you lack Word Knowledge you can be deceived. Altered truth cannot deliver you.

If it is not based on the Word, it cannot be from the Holy Spirit, if it’s not from the Holy Spirit, then there is no deliverance.

(Analyse every spirit based on the Word to prevent any deception).👍🙏

Work of Nicolaitans (Contd)

What are the scriptures that churches use to promote the ideologies of a government in a church that is ordained by God?

This section will explore the various scriptures used by churches to promote that a government in a church is ordained by God.

Lessons from Moses — Where did he get the information from?

Exodus 18:13 to 27:  And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening.  So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.  When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.  Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself. Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.

Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.  And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you.  If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.”

So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.  And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.  So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.

Exodus 18:13 to 27 is the fundamental doctrine used by all churches to appoint ministers, evangelists, rabbis, priests, so that people can be taught the way of the Most High Elohim.

We need to examine the above-mentioned verses as we have a big problem. From the scriptures prior to Exodus 18:13 to 27, we find that Moses is asking God for instructions on how to do things. When we come to Exodus 18:13 to 27, we have a situation that is similar to the one we had in the garden of Eden, where a third person is now entering the picture with advice on how things are to be done.

The common belief that people have is that God told Moses to set into motion the events that took place in Exodus 18:13 to 27. But it was not God who told Moses what to do, but it was a third person. This third person is Moses’ father-in-law and his name is Jethro. Jethro was a priest of Midian. Midianites worshipped multiple pagan gods and Jethro was a priest of Midian and its people. Therefore, Jethro was a pagan priest. Later in the scriptures, we see YHWH Elohim telling Moses to destroy the Midianites (Numbers 25:17-18 and Numbers 31) because of their wicked ways.

Instead of asking God for advice on how to teach the children of Israel, he heard the advice of Jethro as shown in Exodus 18 verses 24 to 26. So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.  And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.  So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

Why did Moses listen and do what Jethro told him? He did it because it was pleasant to Moses’ eyes/hearing. Because Moses made this decision without consulting with God in the first place, God allowed this to happen. Moses here failed the “test of faithfulness”. Keep in mind that such decisions are not small; these are big decisions that require the counsel of the Most High Elohim. But Moses heard the counsel of Jethro, who was a pagan priest.

So the hierarchy of people to rule was put in place by Moses who received advice from a pagan priest (seed of serpent). This was a mistake that Moses did. God did not tell Moses to do this; it was a decision Moses made on the advice of his father-in-law.

The hierarchy to rule the children of Israel came from a pagan priest, not from God.

– To be Continued

Be Formed and Form (BFF) Testimonies

I gained a lot of understanding and what I need to do to live a spiritual life Meditation should increase in my life. Lot of truth were hidden but I got revelations about all. I only pray that what I got in this camp will be materialized through me and other’s also receive the truth.

Francisco Rolando, Goa

After this camp I am fully equipped to do the work of God in my life,I was a wonderful experience to know the various teaching in depth.Really the Lord humbled me and cleansed me during all the specially on the last day a deep cleansing took place in my life . The stay was wonderful so also the food and hospitality. I enjoyed the practical specially the hospital visit. Got an opportunity to exercise the authority ad witness the power Christ.

Basil Francis ,Goa

Be Formed and Form (BFF) – Batch 23

Be Formed and Form  is a 5 day short time course. This training is a benefit to the present Church. Because our Lord Jesus Christ (Head of the Church) wants the Church to be transformed according to Ephe 5:26,27 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her as a radiant Church. Today the Church is ignorant about the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. By this BFF training , the Church awake and rises, making the world shine.

The Last batch of BFF training was held from  February 02 to 07, 2016. 

05 participants attended and they were fully transformed in Christ
. That means their mindset about the structure of the Church was corrected. After that they take a strong direction to build the Church according to the of original pattern. Our Lord was doing miracles and wonders in his Church. They were all living the whole period of training, in the Most high God presence. They were all received many revelations form God. Now a call for you. Come!! And sit to know I am the Lord. You will be changed according to the will of God.

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Troop Fellowship Meeting – GOA (26.01.2016)

Troop Fellowship Meeting was held on 26.01.2016 at YMCA, Campal in Goa,  co-ordinated by Ms. Lorrane Sequeira. Totally 35 members attended the meeting.

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Testimonies shared in the meeting :

Jogindar :

I was on the 3rd floor of the building and was working there. I fell from the third floor in the duct of the lift when the construction of the building was going and I thought I will die. I saw three persons in white as light, then I was saved.  When I told them the incident, they (Hindus)  all said “How great is your God !”.

Premanand, Vasco

Demolishing work was carried out phase wise in Baina where I live. It is government. property and we are staying there for decades. We started praying to God, as 150 houses were to be demolished. We prayed for the  Ministers of corruption.  There is a stay order on demolishing of  houses. Praise the Lord !.

 

Dr. Chaya and Dora

Chaya informed Dora to pray for students and youth who are committing suicide.  Due to suicidal tendencies many youth are in problem.  Suddenly Dora told Chaya she and her family are having this problem too of suicide and asked for prayer.

Dora showed Dr. Chaya  Job 11 13-20

All troop members present at Fellowship meeting were asked to pray for Dora and her family and also for suicidal tendencies in today’s youth to disappear.

Arvind :

My Mother had naval problem and she went to the Doctor for a  checkup. The doctor checked her  sugar  It was high (300) and asked her to come the next day for naval operation.  That night I prayed and asked for prayers. Next day along with my mother  I went to the doctor in the hospital for operation. The doctor examined and said her sugar had come down and operation was not required. After two days, she said the naval which was outside had gone in.

Tania (my wife) was coming home from work, Since I  had to attend troop meeting else where, she had to walk home. It was 7:00 pm, the road that day was full of heavy traffic and no street lights. In the opposite direction she saw a figure from a distance with something protruding from the hands, it was a stick and the hair was thick and jetting out. It was a horrifying figure.  She knew it was a mad lady / man coming in opposite direction.  Tania was in a fix,  to go on the left she would be in the middle of the road, to go on the right she would be in the trees.  She had no choice but to walk straight. I am sure she was scared.  As she reached near the lady,  the lady looking towards the trees screamed, Tania peacefully walked ahead and later narrated the incident to me.  I told her “Angels are protecting you”.

Elias :

Panchayat was not giving the house number for my new house.  I was praying Then I remembered some years ago a similar situation I had prayed and got house number for my old house. I prophesied for the Sarpanch  to change and to get my house number. After prophesying the Sarpanch was transferred and after 8 days, now I got my house number.

Jerome :

Our troop members are going to Gwalior and UP.  2 persons are going to UP and 1 person to Gwalior to their native place. They also want to serve the Lord.

There were 6 children living with the mother who is very poor, her husband a drunkard, after keeping in prayers, 2 children are in Verna and  2 children in Panjim, in  a care home and 2 children are with the mother.  The mother has agreed to work and look after the children

Jerome and Rosy asked for prayer , as they knew God had plans for them to visit UP, Punjab and Jharkhand .  The entire group prayed for them.

Each troop along with their members were asked to come forward and the rest prayed over.  To multiply and evangelize.

Many were touched with the Holy Spirit and felt great Anointing.

Message for reflection – Sr.Angelica

Jesus’ friends

From Jan 21-26 a group of 16 members came from Ranchi, Orissa and Kolkata to attend the “Be Formed and Form” training. One of them was sharing  his experience.

“Sister these days I do not hear the voice of God”. I asked him  “Have you ever heard the voice of God?” .sdas

He said “Yes. I first came to the Lord in the  Shekinah Evangelization Programme. I did not know who was in charge of  conducting the programme.  While I was moving around the Lord showed one sister (in Ranchi) and told me, “This is my beloved daughter”  (Later I  came to know her responsibility in conducting Shekinah program). As we were walking along in the garden  the bell rang. The Lord asked me to go to class. I did not want  Jesus to leave me and hence hesitated to go. As Jesus  compelled me to go, I started crying like a child. He patted my shoulders and said,  Don’t cry. Don’t go to the class with a long face. Take the hanki, wipe the face and go”. The innocence in his face showed that he was not telling a lie. He continued, “Sister, I don’t hear such voices these days”. How can I hear  it again?

The childlike question made me spellbound.

“………………….but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:15