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

BMin where the focus was on ‘Church Planting.’ 60 The curriculum history of FBC
reads, ‘we started offering Bachelor degree programme for the first time in 1989.
As we have given focus to train the students mainly for church planting ministry
we prefer to offer Bachelor of Ministry (BMin).’ 61
As discussed in chapter three, many organizations began to shift their focus from
reaching the oppressive districts in the north to the responsive districts of south
Rajasthan. Some argue for the need to wait for when the situation is favourable
before working in unresponsive contexts, and so they try to concentrate on more
responsive contexts instead of creating tensions in the communities where there
are repressive regions. Some others have recognized the need to change the
strategy of direct preaching and evangelistic activities, and have started to engage
in prayer evangelism. Many leaders suggest that prayer evangelism is the most
effective strategy in the present oppressive context as there has been clear
evidence of changes in the attitude of people when they spend extensive hours in
prayer. ‘Spiritual Mapping’, ‘Prayer Walking’ and other such spiritual means are
used to strengthen prayer evangelism. The leaders meeting in Jaipur, as discussed
in chapter three, focused on the importance of prayer evangelism. They argued
against engaging in open air meetings or literature distribution, but recommended
engaging in prayer so that ‘the stronghold of the enemy will collapse.’ 62
As discussed above, Pentecostals have learned to be sensitive to socio-cultural
issues. Although there were tensions in the early days regarding certain issues,
60 ‘Church Planting ministry’ is understood as a pioneer ministry.
61 ‘Programme and Curriculum Details,’ FBC, 1.
62 This was expressed in the Leaders Seminar, Jaipur, India, 8 May 2006.
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