a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

example is the recent acknowledgement of Mary Mathews as the co-founder of
FFCI, following the death of Thomas Mathews. She is now equally respected and
honoured and given a voice in the church. There are female deaconesses in some
churches. For example, RPC in Udaipur has Mrs. Mathur and Mrs. Dolly as
deaconesses along with seven male deacons. FBC has four south Indian women,
namely Mary Mathews, Rosmi Abraham, Christy Paul and Dimple Wilson on
their faculty. Many Pentecostal organizations in Rajasthan have women
evangelists. Anitha Mathew, Mathur, Ribecca, Santha, Leelamma Varghese and
others of FFCI and Thresiamma V.A. of Bethel Fellowship are examples. Apart
from paid evangelists, there are many doing voluntary ministry. There are many
female choir leaders, like Jyothi (from FFCI, Kherwara). Many churches have cell
groups coordinated by women. For example, Santha is the leader of Katchi Basthi
area of RPC church. She is the only woman leader among seven area leaders.
However, this does not mean that there is equal participation of women in every
aspect of church life, especially in church administration. For example, there are
no female ordained pastors as their theology prohibits this.
3.4.4. Eschatology
Pentecostals in Rajasthan hold a premillennial eschatology. 107 They also believe in
the secret rapture of the church, insisting that the church will not pass through the
Great Tribulation that precedes the Second Advent of Christ. As mentioned
earlier, the classical Kerala Pentecostals had a important role in shaping the
theology of Pentecostalism in Rajasthan as many of the pioneer missionaries were
107 For example, see the Statement of Faith of FBC (Prospectus 2006, 6).
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