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JOEL-NEWS-INTERNATIONAL-410 * 6 SEPTEMBER 2002 * WWW.JOELNEWS.ORG

IN THIS EDITION:

JN410-1. TYPICALLY GOD: A town comes back from the dead
JN410-2. PRAYER FOCUS: Jesus Christ in Switzerland
JN410-3. NEWS BRIEF: Religious trends in the UK
JN410-4. RESOURCE: Churchless faith
JN410-5. RESOURCE: New wave of learning

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JN410-1. TYPICALLY GOD: A town comes back from the dead

Ussinsk, in the Komy region of the Northern Ural, Russia, is an amazing town. Its oil wealth lasted only a short time, and the economy collapsed completely a few years ago. "Three years ago, the mayor publicly proclaimed 'Those who can still leave should do so!' General poverty, unemployment, crime, drugs, unfinished buildings and the growth of heathen cults were the town's major characteristics," says pastor Schenjazarapenko.

A small group of Christians did not accept the town's silent collapse. "We started to pray for three or four months, repenting for the sins of the past (civil war, gulags, rebellions) and the present, including the Satanic rituals in cemeteries and the so-called 'altars of death' where abortions were performed. We walked around the town for months, performed every conceivable symbolic act, including praying on Nawarna-Rodne, a mountain nearby with statues of Lenin and the so-called 'Queen of Heaven' whose birthday is celebrated on 21 September."

"Reconciliation services with Christians from Germany, Switzerland and other nations in May 2001 literally brought a new spirit into the town. Unfinished buildings were completed, houses repainted, drugs have almost completely vanished, and the police and mafia are equally confused. The wages have risen, children's playgrounds cleaned up, the birth rate is again higher than the death rate, and crime has sunk by 60%. There is no more unemployment - quite the opposite, people from the region travel to work here. The average wage of 10,000 Roubles is the highest in Komy. 'Life has returned to Ussinsk,' the people say, whether they know Jesus or not," says Schenjazarapenko, "and we know that Jesus came to our town and has revived it."

Source: Friday Fax

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JN410-2. PRAYER FOCUS: Jesus Christ in Switzerland

Between September 11th and 13th the message 'Jesus Christ in Switzerland' will be delivered to all 3,7 million households in this country. Werner Woiwode, a Swiss prayer leader, says "it is simply the grace of God that makes it possible, that Jesus enters every apartment, every house in this country. If he will be welcomed there or not depends to a good degree on us Christians praying." Let's join our Swiss brothers and sisters in prayer:

1. that the message will be read and many lives changed;
2. that the planned schedule for printing and distribution will be kept;
3. for the still needed amount of 750.000 SFR to come in;
4. for protection and steadfastness for the initiators.

Source: Abraham Verein

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JN410-3. NEWS BRIEF: Religious trends in the UK

Religious Trends recently published the results of a research on church membership and church attendance in the United Kingdom. The most interesting findings were:

- 21% of all British churches saw their congregation grow at least 10% in the 1990s; 79% just kept up with the population growth or declined.
- Growing churches tend to be small, friendly (especially towards ethnic minorities), offer Alpha courses and have a good representation of youth.
- More people go to church in Scotland than in England.
- The Salvation Army has most women ministers (56%).
- 67% of the population believed in God in the 1990s, and 49% said they believed in Jesus as the Son of God, which is remarkably high.
- 48% of bishops use the internet every day, but it is New Church leaders who, pro rata, send the most emails.
- Charismatic churches are often larger than other churches (more than double average attendance).

Source: Religious Trends

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JN410-4. RESOURCE: Churchless faith

Why do people leave their church? Alan Jamieson interviewed 108 people who have left churches in New Zealand and was surprised by what he found: people were not leaving 'mainline' or 'traditional' churches, but evangelical or pentecostal/charismatic churches, predominantly between the ages of 30-45, the vast majority held key leaderships positions before leaving, and had done full-time Christian study/work, they had been involved in churches for an average of 15.8 years and the majority retain their faith while leaving the church.

LINK: http://www.reality.org.nz/articles/33/33-jamieson.html

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JN410-5. RESOURCE: New wave of learning

Young Christian leaders value a different style of learning. Etrek offers that and combines peer group mentoring with real innovation. Leonard Sweet comments: "Etrek is at the forefront of the new wave of learning. It's reality-based, experientially oriented, and highly intentional in its academic design, combining peer-to-peer learning and leading academic and faculty advisors. I would keep an eye on this innovative program. I think it offers something for all of us to learn."

LINK: http://www.advancedministry.com/sites/index.cfm?i=1072

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COLOPHON

Joel News International is a leading special interest bulletin on prayer, church growth and revival. We offer a keen selection of the most encouraging news reports, the most challenging developments and the best resources from over 100 reliable sources in six continents. Joel News International is a great help and time-saver for thousands of Christian leaders and intercessors in over 120 nations.

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