Church Growth
The Outreach team is working hard to expand the New Church by spreading the truths of the Word and the Writings to people across the world. Encouraging progress has recently been made in Asia and Africa.
If you are interested in supporting the following initiatives, please contact the Outreach team.
Japan
Japan is home to over a hundred New Church members. In Tokyo, a large group worships under the leadership of Shiro Matsumoto. They hold a study group twice a month and the congregation is hoping to run the 'Rise Above It' campaign in the near future. In the Osaka area, a group headed by lay leaders, Mr. Ohara and Mr. Fujimoto, meets every month. They study the Heavenly Doctrines and run an active discussion group.
Dan and Mineko Frost have established the Arcana Press in Shikoku and run a Japanese New Church website intended for the spreading New Church doctrine. Two lay leaders are working to translate New Church doctrine into Japanese, and five people are currently training to become ministers through correspondence courses offered by the ANC Theological School.
Korea
Swedenborgian teachings are embraced in Korea. There are currently about two hundred New Church members. The largest congregation is in Seoul where they also have a Swedenborgian publishing center and a prayer house. The new minister, Rev. Yang, is actively trying to grow the church. There is also a group in KwangJu under the leadership of Rev. JongUi Lee. He has a many plans for evangelization and is receiving heartfelt support from Korean Church members.
Many people in Asia are interested in the Heavenly Doctrine, however, the cultural and religious differences make it difficult to spread the New Church. Rev. Jin comments, "We need the Lord's love and wisdom to guide us. Please join us in praying for the growth of the New Church in Asia."
Ghana
The New Church thrives in Ghana, even though some congregations are presently without churches to worship in. Some groups have worshipped on old poultry farms, in goat shelters, and spare rooms in tailor shops. A recent visitor to Ghana remarked: "The people are hungry and thirsty for spiritual nourishment. They are excited about the Church and have faith that the Lord is establishing it among them." There is a large group in Accra with a church building and a Theological School. West of Accra, two groups worship, one in Dome where the church is situated amongst seven other competing churches, and one in Fisi where land has been bought for a proper church building.
To the East, Tema also has a substantial congregation and is home to the largest New Church school in Ghana. The school, which has achieved a 'Grade A' status in education, is attended by 260 students. The congregation in Tema is looking forward to the dedication of a magnificent church building when it is completed in January. There is also a congregation in Asakraka, a rural town north of Accra. They have a church building and a New Church school which has 200 students.
Cote D'Ivoire
There are three New Church congregations that meet in Cote D'Ivoire, district of Abidjan. While two are quite small, the third attracts over a hundred members and they hope to grow towards two hundred members in the near future. The African Theological Institute of the New Jerusalem is also located here under the direction of Rev. Sylvain Agnes. The school educates its six future ministers in a way that is culturally relevant to the needs of West Africa. It is hoped that the theological students being trained here will become church leaders and establish half a dozen more congregations in Cote D’Iviore within the next decade.
Togo
The church in Togo is rapidly being established under the care of the Reverend Segno Kodjo Ayi and the newly ordained Eric Souka.
Reverend Ayi is building a group in Lome, the nation's capital, while Erik Souka is developing a congregation in Vogan, a community to the North East. There is tremendous enthusiasm for the New Church in these areas and the groups are making surprising progress.