According to Pastor Prem Pradhan, the Church grows faster and stronger when the Christians are a persecuted minority. In Nepal, hundreds of Nepalese Christians have been beaten, kicked out from family and community. Nevertheless, Christians are determined to preach about the message of Bible and Jesus Christ. According to the history of Christianity in Nepal, the Christian population in 1960 was only 25. By 1985 it was 25 thousand and by 1991 it was more than 50 thousands. In 1995 the number increased to 120 thousands. The total population of Nepal increased is 2.1% annually. But the population of Christians increased by 13.5%. The total population of Christians in Nepal by 2005 is more than 600 thousands and number of churches was more than 2800. Today the growth records of churches around the whole world show that " Nepal has the greatest rate of increase in the number of church".
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
New direction
As mentioned above Nepal has announced itself a republic democratic country therefore everyone is free to choose and follow his/her faith. But there are many hardships and restrictions to Christians and there is much zeal to reap a harvest for the eternal kingdom. Preaching the gospel is taken as forcing people to change their faith. Similarly the culture and practices of Christianity are called protests against the traditions of Nepalese society. Churches are not allowed to purchase own land to build church building. Many churches are on rent and some have received donated space to regulate the church functions. Even the media hesitates to publish or broadcast materials of Christian faith. Christians have been facing problems to bury the dead body of their beloved because they don’t have a permitted land for it. Christian leaders and community have processed and delegated to get approval from the government for providing graveyard.
The next mission
The next mission to get permission to enter the country was the Nepal Evangelistic Band, a British Faith Mission that is doing medical work. In recent years two other faith missions have entered Nepal and are working under the aegis of the NEB: the International Christian Fellowship. In 1957 the Leprosy Mission opened a hospital in Banepa. It runs a rehabilitation center for leprosy affected people till the date. Wycliffe Bible Translators began work in Nepal in 1966. The National Missionary Society of India has worked in Butwal that maintained by a Syrian Christian Group. Perhaps the most exciting Christian venture in this country is the United Mission to Nepal (UMN), which began in 1954. It has been working and providing services to the oppressed and unreached community since establishment. This helped the local churches to grow and expand. We can see the development of the indigenous church throughout history.
Mission Expanded
Most of these people lived in North India; a few returned to their homeland. In the 1920’s Sadhu Sundar Singh made an Evangelistic trip into Nepal. At his urging, the National Missionary Society of India sent its first missionary to Nepal. He was able to remain only a short time. The revolution of 1950 terminated this long period of isolation. During the 50's diplomatic, economic and other missions entered Nepal for the first time, and with them, a number of committed Christians. Also, Nepali Christians began to return home. The first religious group to enter Nepal was the Roman Catholic mission which had began based in nearby Patna. The four members Peace Brotherhood of Marthoma Church of South India established a permanent work in 1952 called Putali Sadak Church, which is the first church of the Kathmandu Valley. At present this church has extended its work and conducts many ministries.
Expanded mission
They also targeted Tibet and began working in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim, and Bhutan's border with India where churches were established. In 1894 Pastor, Ganga Prasad Pradhan, did Bible translation. Scottish Mission Press was established in 1901 in Darjeeling where tracts were printed in Nepali. In order to raise workers for the gospel from the local people they started intensive Bible training programmers. Since 1815 to 1942 missionaries concentrated preaching the Gospel in the areas bordering Nepal along with different kinds of social work such as hospitals, orphanages, schools, etc. For over two hundred years Nepal was sealed of from all contact with the outside world. For decades, Christian mission in Northern India had hoped that the door would open into Nepal. During this time, they operated schools and hospitals close to the borders of Nepal on the East, West, and south. In this way, thousands of Nepalese heard the Gospel and many became believers.
Historical evolution - 3
The political unity of Nepal began in 1771 when the great Gurkha King, Prithivi Narayan Shah, conquered the kingdoms of the valley of Kathmandu and gradually subjugated the rest of the country. After the valley unification of Nepal, king Prithivi expelled five missionaries, 62 Newar Christians and five other newcomers. The main reason was they opposed the king for his crookedness because they opposed his issued of the death penalty to all who imported salt and cotton into the Kathmandu Valley during the war. Also they were accused of making contact to his rival King Jaya Prakash Malla as well as the British in India. The Christians who were expelled from Nepal went to India and stayed in the place called Chuharion the India-Nepal border where they were given 698 acres of land. The christian work greatly increased there. Their main focuses were Nepalese who moved to India seeking work and Gurkha soldiers working for the British Indian Army.
Historical Evolution of Christianity in Nepal-2
In that house, Capuchin Fathers ran a Christian Center. Patan's king Rajya Prakash Malla also provided a house and garden at Ragat Hiti to Capuchin Fathers. The king also allowed them to preach the Gospel. In 1745, the Christians were expelled from Lhasa (capital of Tibet). They came to the Kathmandu Valley for refuge. In this situation, Bhaktapur Province's king Ranjit Malla sent a letter to the Pope in 1742, which was answered by the Pope. But his reply was not received until three years later in 1745. The refugees were provided shelter and protection for the sake of humanity and its culture of welcoming visitors. But it was very crucial time too, as Nepal had the political relation with Tibet due to the trade and business between in between. Thus; the first half on the 17th century gives us very important records of the growth of Christianity in Nepal.
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