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FUTURE SALT & LIGHT FOR EUROPEAN SOCIETY!

New Europe Student Forum 5- 9 Sept 2001 in Brussels

May 16th, 2001

Students from across Europe will gather this September for a four-day meeting in the EU capital of Brussels to explore how to be 'salt and light' for European society.

The aim of the Student Forum is to help Christian students develop a biblical view of their social involvement in society. "Many students have had a dualistic worldview imposed on them, which tells them that their religion should be kept private and is irrelevant to the workplace and public domain", says Julia Doxat Pursor, Socio-political Officer of the Evangelical Alliance, and member of the organizing committee. "A dualistic worldview does not give them a solid basis for involvement in the political, social and economic realms of our society as a Christian. The forum helps them see their profession as a vocation from God. If they live out the values of the Kingdom of God - such as righteousness, compassion, humility, purity and peacemaking their service will flavour future European life."

The New Europe Student Forum is initiated by several Christian organizations such as Care for Europe, IFES, YWAM and the EEA under 'Hope for Europe', an umbrella of networks, alliances and partnerships, aiming to promote the hope of Jesus Christ in European life and society.

Main speaker at the forum will be Matt Bird, director of Joshua generation. He works as a consultant to churches and organisations regarding leadership development, cultural and generational issues.

Besides a visit to the EU institutions, the Student Forum offers opportunity for participants to interact with Christian politicians, business people, journalists and lawyers.

According to Jeff Fountain, director YWAM Europe, who also will be speaking, God has used small faithful Christian minorities to have a disproportionate impact on European society throughout history. William Wilberforce and the Clapham society fought hand and tooth to see the curse of slavery broken in 19th century England. Also Abraham Kuyper and Elizabeth Fry are mentors from history whose examples have been highlighted in earlier forums. "We believe that we will see heroes of the faith stand up, as we challenge young people to lay down their lives for God in public service."

(for more information see the NESForum website)

UK EVANGELICALS TO HOLD ASSEMBLY IN 2001

A general Assembly of Evangelicals will be held in Cardiff in November 5th - 7th, 2001 at the Cardiff International Arena.

The Assembly has been called by the Evangelical Alliance UK, which represents over one million Christians in 30 denominations throughout the UK.

The Alliance are expecting 4,000 Christians at the event which is open to all delegations from churches and all involved in church leadership.

Rev Joel Edwards, general director of the Alliance said: "This Assembly will help us to refocus the agenda for the Evangelical Alliance in the third millennium as we seek to challenge the people and governments of our nations to recognise the bad choices we have made as a society and offer leadership in new directions which are morally and spiritually sound."

SOME GLOBAL STATISTICS

According to Patrick Johnstone, director of research at WEC International...

In the past 25 years, the total number of Christians had grown by 60% from 1.25 billion to 1.95 billion. Percentage of world population remained stagnant at approximately 34%, while the percentage of Muslims increased from 15.9% to 19.6%.
Number of Muslims more than doubled since 1970 from 564 million to 1.3 billion--main reason is high birth rate.
Today 58% of Protestants worldwide live in Africa and Asia (almost 600 million)
Evangelicals had an annual growth rate of 5%. From 125 million in 1970 to over 300 million.
In 1960 there were only 25 baptized Christians in the Hindu Kingdom of Nepal, on the 'roof of the world'. Today there are 200,000 Christians out of a population of 20 million that is 89% Hindu, 7% Buddhist, and 3.5% Muslim. During government persecution in the 1980's, 2-3 Christians from every church were imprisoned. The Nepalese Christians are striving to reach the goal of one million Christians by the turn of the century.
Tibet is closed to the gospel- occupied by Chinese forces. Only 200 Christians among a population of 5 million Tibetans.
In 1990 there were only five known evangelical believers in the communist atheist country of Albania. Today there are 129 churches with 6,000 believers.