Church website welcomes two million visitors
More than two million people have turned to the web to find their local parish church in the last 12 months, according to figures released today. The Church of England's http://www.achurchnearyou.com/ website welcomed 2,084,444 visitors in the 12 months up to April 2011, an increase of more than 28 per cent on the previous 12 months. In January, the Church's location database was integrated within the new CofE website at http://www.churchofengland.org/ leading to a steady increase in visitors. A link to the Crockford's clergy database ensures contact information for the vast majority of parishes. Peter Crumpler, Director of Communications for the Archbishops' Council, said: ‘The increasing popularity of the site is one further indication of the trend for people to use the web when looking for a place for worship, to attend a wedding, funeral or baptism, or to seek a quiet place for prayer or reflection.’ Praise: God that the airwaves are open to all who are searching even for God and His Church. (Ecc.7:25)
Russia: Moscow Church spearheads revival
In a land where the Russian Orthodox Church dominates, an evangelical charismatic church is creating spiritual waves. ’The Protestant movement is growing very strongly,’ said Rick Renner, senior pastor of Moscow Good News Church. Renner and his wife Denise moved their family to what is now the former Soviet Union. Nine years later, in September 2000, they started Moscow Good News Church in the Russian capital city. Moscow church is approximately 3,500 people in regular attendance. That's big for Russia, where most Protestant churches attract less than a thousand people to each of their congregations. While the goal is to reach a broad section of those living in Moscow, the church puts a special emphasis on reaching the upper class. ‘Specifically, a part of our vision is to reach a higher class of people,’ Renner said. That's because ‘they need God, too, and there aren't many churches that they can actually feel comfortable in,’ he explained.
Praise: God for the continued growth of the Good News Church. (2Cor.9:8)
More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=36238&PN=1&TPN=1
Russia: Moscow Church spearheads revival
In a land where the Russian Orthodox Church dominates, an evangelical charismatic church is creating spiritual waves. ’The Protestant movement is growing very strongly,’ said Rick Renner, senior pastor of Moscow Good News Church. Renner and his wife Denise moved their family to what is now the former Soviet Union. Nine years later, in September 2000, they started Moscow Good News Church in the Russian capital city. Moscow church is approximately 3,500 people in regular attendance. That's big for Russia, where most Protestant churches attract less than a thousand people to each of their congregations. While the goal is to reach a broad section of those living in Moscow, the church puts a special emphasis on reaching the upper class. ‘Specifically, a part of our vision is to reach a higher class of people,’ Renner said. That's because ‘they need God, too, and there aren't many churches that they can actually feel comfortable in,’ he explained.
Praise: God for the continued growth of the Good News Church. (2Cor.9:8)
More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=36238&PN=1&TPN=1
Saudi Arabia: House Church Christians jailed
Two Indian Christians, members of a thriving Pentecostal house church, in Saudi Arabia, have been moved from pre-trial detention to a prison in the Saudi capital Ryadh where they are ‘forbidden to pray or read the Bible’ and ‘suffer of a lack of food and medical attention,’ an elder of the church has told Worthy News and its news partner BosNewsLife. Vasantha Sekhar Vara, 28, and Nese Yohan, 31, who are members of the ‘Rejoice in the Church of the Lord’ congregation, were initially detained in January and received 45-days of ‘pre-trial detention’ on charges of ‘proselytizing’, said the church elder speaking from Riyadh in a telephone interview. ‘They were later moved from the police station to a notorious central jail in Ryadh without a trial,' he added. He said it was not known when and if the trial will start. Pray: for Yohan and Vara that God would strengthen them in their ordeal and pray for an early release. (2Ch.19:9a) More: http://www.worthynews.com/10176-saudi-arabia-jails-house-church-christians-exclusive
