Nepal Harvest Network Ministry

Introduction

Nepal is the name of a region of magnificent mountain in the Himalayas range. Nepal stretches 885 km from east to west and 193 km from north to south, making a total area of approximately147,18839 sq-km (5543 square miles). Nepal has the highest mountain summits of the Himalayas, having eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks. It is land –locked, acting as a buffer zone between two Asian giants-China in the north and India in the south.

Christianity

Before democracy was instated in 1991, Nepal generally was a closed land to the gospel of Jesus Christ. During this time, however, God had been working to raise faithful people even in the midst of severe persecution to bring the gospel to Nepal. Many people around the world prayed for Nepal so that, even in the midst of persecution and difficulties, churches expanded in many parts of the country. The work of “soil preparation” continued and it became evident that nothing could stop the driving force of the gospel. Since 1991, Nepalese Christians were given freedom by the government to process and practice their religion but not to proselytize. Nepal was the only Hindu kingdom in the world until June 2006, when it was declared a secular state. Now God has opened the previously closed doors as never before to the gospel message. Now is the right time. The fields of Nepal are ripe for the harvest of souls, but the workers are few.

Christians presently make up a tiny minority in Nepal. The Hindus comprise about 80.6% of the total population. Buddhist and Muslims comprise 10.7%, and 4.2% respectively. Kirant 3.6%, other religions 0.4%. Christians make up less then 1% of the total population as of 2001, and these include many non-evangelical, or even cultic groups. Outside the border of Nepal, over 3 million Nepalese are now scattered throughout the world, especially in India and the Middle East. The diaspora, likewise, is primarily made up of Hindus and Buddhists.

Nepal is a land of many ethnic groups. These include Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotes, Rai, Limbus, Sherpas, Chepang among others. Since the People are primarily Hindu, the people are further divided into four castes, with Brahmin and Chhetri considered the highest castes. Very few Christians in Nepal come from the highest castes. Many individuals and ethnic groups have never even heard the name of Jesus.

Nepal Harvest Network

God has given me a burden and vision to win Nepal for Christ with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to establish churches in many parts of Nepal and reach the millions of Nepalese who live outside of Nepal. Both inside and outside of my country, Nepalese are dying without Christ.

In order to fulfill this vision, I seek to organize “Nepal Harvest Network Ministry”, (NHNM) as soon as my theological study is completed. This vision emerged in my heart when I realized the calling of God for His work in my own land, Nepal; for this vision to be fulfilled, prayerfully, I am seeking better seminary for study to equip myself for future ministry. At this time, it has no link to any Christian organization, mission agency, or churches. However, partnership is needed, for there is no way to execute this plan by my efforts alone.

Therefore, I kindly invite Christian brothers and sisters, churches, mission agencies, and Christian organization around the world that have a burden and vision for God’s great work in Nepal, to be a prayer partner. Let us join our hands together in prayer and commitment to win Nepal for the Lord. Nepal is in need your prayer support.

Vision: To win Nepal and the Nepalese for Christ.

Vision statement: To plant the church in each ethnic group in Nepal and Nepalese Diasporas through the training and equipping of potential Nepalese church planters, local church pastors, leaders and holistic social ministry.

Mission: We will train, equip and send believers for the church planting work and prepare local church’s pastors and leaders for the ministry according to their gifts and callings.

Nepal Harvest Network Ministry will build the relationship with evangelical churches and Christian ministries around the world for the together partnership ministry in Nepal.

Objectives:

Ø To plant the church in every ethnic group and city in Nepal

Ø To speed-up the works of evangelism to entire nation with every available means and efforts using literature, audio-visual etc.

Ø To train local Churches with every effort like Church-planting, Discipline, equipping the leaders and Pastors.

Ø To arrange trainings, seminars, and conferences for pastors and Church leaders for their Wholistic upliftment.

Ø To launch holistic Social Ministries

Ø To publish books with translation and produce audio-visual material for speeding up the evangelistic activities and trainings.

Ø To organize researchers and publish the usable research works addressing the Nepali Church, cultures and to contextualize the biblical teachings in contemporary world today.

Ø To initiate an "Harvest Training Institute and Harvest Bible College ".

Ø To work for the community development in partnership with working local government and NGOs/INGOs.

I. Goals:

1. Church Planting: “Nepal Harvest Network Ministry” is to reach out Nepal with the gospel of Christ through motivating, equipping and training God’s people to plant, grow and multiply new churches in a systematic and measurable way.

Nepal Harvest Network Ministry seeks to establish two churches per year. By this, I mean establish at least two self-sustaining church bodies consisting of at least 30 baptized members each, every year.

.Reach target Peoples. The two major target peoples for ministry will be:

Professionals and high-caste individuals living in cities. These would include businessmen, engineers, doctors, nurses, political leaders, army & police officers, government officials, teachers, professors, advocates and students. Cities

Ø are growing rapidly in Nepal, and have to be a major focus of outreach.

Ø Marginalized people group in villages and in the countryside. These include Tibetan, Sherpas, Chepang, Bhote, Tharu and Damai communities. Most of these people live in high mountains while some live in the plains.

2. Short Term Training: Short- term, evangelical training will be conducted.

i. Purpose: This (training) will prepare equip people for evangelism and church planting work.

Types: One week (3-6 days). This will be mobile Leadership Training for pastors and lay leaders of independent local churches who cannot go for 4- months or long-term training. These training will be held on an as-needed basis.

-Four months Residential Leadership Training for local Church leaders and church planting workers.

ii. Name of this Training: Harvest Training Institute (HTI)

i. Numbers of students: (4-month): 10-15 students per term.

ii. Duration of HTI: This training will be held twice yearly from January to April, and August to December.

iii. Location: Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

iv. Courses: The following basic courses will be offered:

1. N.T. Survey (40 hours)

2. O.T. Survey (50 hours)

3. Mission, Evangelism and Discipleship (60 hours)

4. Church Planting Methods (60 hours)

5. Bible Doctrine Survey (40 hours)

6. Pastoral and Leadership (60 hours)

7. Bible Study and Interpretation Methods (40 hours)

8. Biblical preaching (30 hours)

9. Community Health (medical care, Sanitation and first-aid) (40 hours)

10. Earlier Church History (20 hours)

Total 440 Hours in a term.

After training, eligible students having God’s calling, burden and vision will be

i. selected for church planting work.

ii. Students: Students will come mainly from Nepal, with other coming from India and Bhutan, depending on the need for church planters in their respective regions.

II. Long Term Training: The goal is for the short-term training to be done solely for 5-6 years. After that HTI will be develop into a Harvest Bible College, and eventually a seminary. Short-term training will also be available depending as another option for training if needed.

III. Wholistic Social ministry: Social ministry will be used in sharing the gospel and in church planting.

Benefits of wholistic Social work:

v It will provide an easy way to reach out to all types of people and communities of the country with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

v People can experience Jesus’ love through the direct demonstration of Christian love.

v Social ministry allows Christians to gain respect both with the People and the government.

v Social ministry can help with livelihood issues and allow churches to be self–reliant, and financially sustaining.

I. Types of Social Ministry:

The following types of projects will be launched in order to reach out to the people with the gospel of Jesus Christ and make the churches financially self-sustaining:

v Income Generating Project. This project will be launched both in cities and in the countryside, targeting specially those below the poverty line. In the rural areas, these can include goat farming, fish keeping, poetry forms, bee keeping and so forth. In cities these could include small business support, micro-finance, and skill training.

Sanitation and Medical Camp. Since, Nepal is a developing country; there are an insufficient number of hospitals and medical clinics, especially in remote areas. In these places medical treatment is often 4-7 days travel away. People in these places often will not-undergo the difficult and expensive travel, and

v choose to suffer with their condition-often dying due to lack of treatment. Others may seek shamanistic forms of treatment based on local religious belief. People suffering and dying from preventable and curable illnesses is all too common. Sanitized and medical camps, in these places, can play a very effective role to reach out to these people with the gospel and demonstrate God’s love to the needy of Nepal. Therefore, “Nepal Harvest Network Ministry” has the vision to launch out programs of sanitation, health awareness and medical camps in needy areas with the gospel.

Orphanages. Many children have lost their parents during the war between Maoists rebels and the government of Nepal. Many others have became orphans as the result of AIDS, drugs, natural disasters and other tragedies. Further, some children with parents are forced to live on the street due to extreme poverty, polygamous family structures, and debilitating parental habits. Without

v intervention, there is little hope for these children. As Christian we must recognize our responsibility to care for these children. “Nepal Harvest Network Mission” will seek to care for them and teach them, breaking the cycle created by the societal structure.

v Water project: Water needs take on two forms. In rural areas, water is a critical need for their livelihood-agriculture. Yet, irrigation often is unavailable. “Nepal Harvest Network Mission” will seek to develop small-scale irrigation projects through partnership with NGOs and local governments. For all Nepalese, safe drinking water is a necessity. In some places, people have to travel 3-4 hours one way for drinking water. Often this water is not safe. . Nepal Harvest Network Mission “” will also partner with government and non-government entities to create safe potable water sources.

These types of project will be launched into surrounding communities through the initiative of local Churches.

V. Publishing books and translation: Most of the Christian books, Theology and literatures are written in English. We need to translate those books into Nepali for teaching materials in Training and Bible Schools as well as other literature for evangelism ministry. Translating and publishing books is not an easy task, it requires both manpower and fund. Nepal Harvest Network Ministry will publish and translate the books with the help of partnership work with other Christian Organizations and ministries that are willing to work with us as a partnership ministry.

You are welcome and needed as a prayer partner for “Nepal Harvest Network Mission”. If you are interested in becoming a prayer partner, you are most welcome.

In Him:

Tej Kumar Niroula

(President & Founder)

Temporary contact Address (up to 2008, October):

Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary

P.O. Box 7, Baguio City,

2600, Philippine

Email:

tejniroula@yahoo.com or tejniroula85@gmail.com


A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

You can help this ministry through:

Prayer

Giving

Going

Sending

Equipping (leaders)

National Committee yet to be form:

International Advisory Board Members:

1. Robert (Bob)Monson (USA)

Email: bob2046@yahoo.com

2. Rev. Bruce R. Francis (UK)

Email: bruceinphp@yahoo.com

3. Dr. Flint James Miller (USA)

Email: flintndeb@yahoo.com