Around the World, Aug 2012
Eleven people were baptized during a two-week campaign in South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope region, said Chris du Preez, a minister and lecturer at the Eastern Cape Bible College in East London, South Africa. Gqotile is a student at the college and minister for a church that meets in his father’s home.
An ex-offender who was baptized after being paroled, Gqotile “has diligently applied himself and has done very well,” du Preez said. “Sizwe is an exciting gospel preacher and evangelist and often gets invited to speak in the border-area congregations.”
AUSTRALIA
Crikvenica— More than 90 youths from the Australian states of Queensland, Victoria, NewSouth Wales and the island of Tasmania attended the annual Cataract Camp,hosted by the Southwest Church of Christ in Ambarvale, Australia.
“Youare God’s field” was the theme, and participants were challenged to share theirfaith and serve their churches. Speakers included Graham Wall, RobertoQuintanilla, Tristan Grant and Joel Gough.
BRAZIL
Candeias— Adriano Freire and his wife, Karol, have planted a Church of Christ in Candeias,a community south of Recife. Freire, 25, is a graduate of a ministry trainingschool in Recife overseen by missionary Randy Short.
Thechurch plant uses a “School of the Bible” method, Short said. Members of thecommunity are invited to take free courses on the Bible and are invited toworship with the congregation.
Short preached for the church recently and found that“the little building they are using is filled to standing room only,” he said.
INDIA
Kolkata— Christians in this northeastern Indian city are carrying on the work ofDaniel Singh, who died earlier this year. Singh, a school principal, became aChristian after completing World Bible School correspondence lessons. He helpedestablish 16 congregations in northeastern India and several more in Nepal.
“Onecongregation is at the border of Bhutan,” which does not allow evangelism, saidPaul Renganathan, a minister in Chennai, India, who has worked with Singh. “Soconverts from Bhutan come to this border congregation every Sunday forworship.”
Singh’sson, James, has coordinated work in northeastern India since his father’sdeath.
NEWZEALAND
Tauranga— LTC is coming to NZ. The Tauranga Church of Christ will host its firstLeadership Training for Christ convention on Oct. 13.
Thechurch-sponsored training program, which features drama skits, Bible quizzesand song leading, draws thousands of youths to 10 venues in the U.S. each year.
“NewZealand Leadership Training for Christ is progressing right along as we getmore and more wanting to participate,” church members said in a recentbulletin.
UKRAINE
KIEV— New Christians in this Eastern European nation are going from prison to thepulpit.
UkrainianMission Work, a ministry of the Westworth Church of Christ in Fort Worth,Texas, recently announced plans to partner with the Obolon Church of Christ inKiev and Jeremiah’s Hope, a church-supported ministry, to plant congregationsin rural Ukraine.
Thenew work primarily uses Christians who were converted through prisonministries.
“Webelieve we are standing on the brink of opening the eyes of many people whohave not previously had the opportunity to hear the Gospel,” said TimothyJohnson, a former missionary to Ukraine.
ZIMBABWE
MARANDURE— Three years ago a Church of Christ in this southern African town launched itsinaugural service with an attendance of 18.
“Nowwe are more than 225, thanks to World Bible School,” said minister GodwinTawanda. The minister praised the Texas-based Bible correspondence ministry,which has assisted in thousands of conversions in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tocelebrate its third anniversary, the church spent a day in prayer, fasting,singing and Bible lessons, the minister said.
