New Constitution in Nepal Bans Converting Others
November 05, 2015
 |
A convert to Christianity is baptized in Nepal.
|
Nepal has quietly enshrined a long-time ban on proselytizing in its
new constitution. For an indigenous ministry in Nepal that has long
found ways to quietly proclaim Christ as Lord, that means business as
usual.
As did the interim constitution of the prior seven years, the new
constitution signed by Nepal's president on Sept. 20 outlaws "any act to
convert another person from one religion to another or any act or
behavior to undermine or jeopardize the religion of another," with
violations punishable by prison and/or fines.
The ban fails to allow choosing one's faith to be seen as a matter
of individual rights as required by international treaties that Nepal
has signed and ratified, advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide
noted in a press statement. "Nepal's Treaty Act of 1991 requires the
nation's laws to conform to the principles of the international treaties
it has signed and ratified," it stated.
While the ban on proselytizing appears to contradict Nepal's
assertion of the right to profess and practice one's faith, Christians
were relieved that framers ultimately did away with a reported
concession to Hindu groups to ban all religious conversions and rejected
their demand to restore the Hindu monarchy.
The government instead approved a constitution defining the state as
secular and thus neutral toward all religions, over rancorous
objections and violence that included attacks on three church buildings.
Nepal thus completed the transition it began in 2008 from the world's
only Hindu monarchy to a secular, multiparty, constitutional republic.
In the process, however, the Hindu groups showed their extremist bent,
and a leader of the ministry based in Nepal said possible backlash
remains to be seen.
"There could be some reaction," he said, "though not so much in the
majority-Nepalese-speaking areas. But in other areas where there's not
been much gospel work, there could be some reaction. We'll just see how
things go."
Ethnic demands, along with violence that killed more than 40 people,
overshadowed the religious concerns in the constitutional framing
process, he said, and in any event Christianity has flourished in spite
of legal restrictions in recent years. Originating during a harsher
period in the 1980s and '90s, the ministry learned from the outset how
to proclaim Christ in discreet ways. Bible correspondence courses were
primary.
"It started with my mom copying down 100 names and addresses from
the back of a magazine of youths looking for pen-pals – basically, they
were looking for love," said the ministry director, whose name is
withheld for security reasons. "My mom started writing letters to them,
and she would say, 'If any of your friends would like to read my letters
or would like to read more about Jesus, then please send me their
addresses.'"
People sent addresses of their friends and relatives, and the
current director's parents officially began the ministry in 1992. When
students began completing the courses two years later, however, those
who had earned certificates sent them back to the ministry leaders.
"Some were torn to pieces," the director said. "They didn't accept
the certificates. Basically, the problem was they wanted more of the
gospel. That was their way of protesting."
Some of the students showed up at the ministry office desiring more
knowledge, and others waited two days at its Post Office box, eager to
accost the leaders and request more instruction.
 |
A villager examines a gospel tract he received from an indigenous ministry in Nepal.
|
"It was new; so many had never even heard the name of Christ
before," he said. "They wanted to know who these people were that were
sending all these gospel materials. Except for one person, all of them
were college graduates. Some were in the police and military, some were
judges and professors. That's when the ministry of discipleship training
started. We realized it's about time we start a face-to-face."
For the first on-site training session, the ministry sent out 50 invitations; 265 people showed up.
"We thought 10 might show up," the director said. "It was a
seven-day class, and at end of the training, more than 100 took
baptism."
Since then, more than 500,000 students from Nepal's 75 districts
have enrolled in the Bible correspondence courses, with 50,000
completing them. The Bible correspondence courses are tailored to reach
Hindus (75 percent of the population), Buddhists (16 percent), animists
and communists. After taking the Bible courses, more than 10,000
students have taken part in the ministry's discipleship training
process.
With a philosophy of ministry geared toward quality rather than
quantity, the ministry then provides a 75-day leadership training for
potential gospel workers, as well as pastoral training. Taking place at
different church halls every three months, the pastoral instruction
involves nine, week-long sessions over two years. It is designed for
those already in leadership but without adequate training.
The ministry is training two groups of 25 pastors each, at a cost of $15,000 to $20,000 per year for each group, he said.
"When there was persecution, professing the name of Christ was very
costly, but since the government became secular there's freedom, and
because of that there's a lot of false teaching coming in, so it's
imperative that they know what true teaching is," the director said.
"With Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, prosperity gospel and others coming
in, that problem is increasing, and the people that they are shepherding
need to get fed the truth of the Scripture."
As unreached peoples are a high priority, the ministry's strategy is
to reach out first to those who know both Nepalese and a tribal
language, he said. These new, bilingual Christians would then reach
their own people in their own local language.
"Ideally we would like to be training 100 people – four groups," he
said. "But we need teachers able to do that, so we're working to get
them, and of course we need finances to get that going. The teachers are
paid, and we use local pastors. We do have pastors with just biblical
degrees, but ideally we're looking for guys who have a master's of
divinity and are pastoring local churches."
Five years ago
Operation World estimated the Christian
population of Nepal at 2.85 percent, or 850,801 people, the vast
majority evangelicals; that figure is now estimated at about 1 million.
With 309 unreached people groups,
Operation World estimated 55 percent of Nepal's people had never heard the gospel.
After a period of persecution in the 1990s and more freedom since a
transition to a secular democracy began in 2008, the ministry that has
quietly proclaimed Christ as Lord has planted hundreds of churches. At
present it is helping to develop 66 churches, 13 less developed
fellowships and 14 incipient cell groups.
"The harvest is plentiful, the workers are few," the director said.
"We need the people capable of taking the work forward. We can
definitely use more funding."
To help indigenous missionaries meet needs,
you may contribute online using the form below, or call (434) 977-5650.
If you prefer to mail your gift, please mail to Christian Aid Mission,
P.O. Box 9037, Charlottesville, VA 22906. Please use Gift Code: 702NGOC.
Thank you!
Everyone
is feeling the effects of the declining and uncertain economy. This
includes our church budgets! I know as a church leader, one of the first
things we consider in order to save money is cutting back on attending
conferences. Let me give you some reasons why during these difficult
times you need to consider attending the Celebrate Recovery One-Day
Seminar:
