Saturday, July 26, 2014

The Students Special Issue of The CALL



Students Special Issue of The CALL_Cover

“I am late to school, it is post-lunch and I know that I won’t be permitted. But I have to go. I can’t keep it with myself” with these thoughts I cycled and as I entered the school my Headmistress was for sure confused either at the first-time-ever smile on my face or at what I said, “Ma’am, I am saved”. These were the only words that came out of my mouth as I rushed to my class of eleventh standard. I was bubbling with joy of being born again as I had given my life to Jesus Christ. Coming to know of the saving power of Christ through my classmate began the journey of making Jesus known to other students. I am so excited as we bring out this ‘Students Special’ issue of The CALL.

‘Success Statutes for Students’ presents the pointers to help every student who has started the year with lot of hope and ambition to finish it successfully. This issue is filled with many real life stories of students of various backgrounds and age groups, catering to a wider audience. Two missionary kids share their life’s experiences of being a MK and a Student in ‘I am God’s Own Tribe’ and the choices that they made and the difference those choices made in theirs and others lives.

The Cover Story ‘From Circus to Classroom’ presents the story, the search and struggles in the life of a Nepali boy who found Christ and his life’s purpose and became a student of the Bible to learn to proclaim the Gospel. The article in the Magnifying Glass column portrays how Timothys like him are trained and prepared to transform the society through the Gospel of Jesus Christ at GEMS Timothy Bible College.

‘Showing the Saviour to Students of the Spiritual Capital’ showcases the life of a couple who came to know Jesus, coming from a different faith, during their school & youth days and how they committed to be missionaries and serve among students and raise leaders for nation building. ‘Student Worker to Student of Theology’ presents the need for every believer and Christian worker to equip themselves and shows practical ways to become an obedient Student of the Word to become an effective Teacher.

‘Rescuing, Respecting & Rising Up Girls’ is a research article that probes the reasons for the rise in crimes against girls, studying spiritual, political, anthropological and historical causes and presents the answer that “God is calling for committed students as missionaries who would pursue God’s purpose”. This article goes on to say that “Over the centuries whenever God called, people sensitive to His voice & discerning the times responded.” But all over the world there is a decline in this response. The lead article rightly and Biblically shows the way in reminding the students and the parents saying, ‘Remember Your Vows’.

According to the 2011 Census Data, in India there are 315 million students; that is India has the most students in the world. While 97,120 students went to the US & 29,713 students to UK from India for their Higher Education, 26,779 students came to India to pursue higher education in 2012 and the most number of students are from Nepal, Bhutan, Iran, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka & Iraq*. This trend presents a great opportunity to reach out to the Diaspora Indian students and the International students in India, with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Respond. Rise up. Remember to fulfil your vows!

 

Response prompting reading,

Mariyosh J

Chief Editor, The CALL

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* UNESCO Institute for Statistics


To receive The CALL click http://thecall.gemsbihar.org/p/subscription.html


Monday, July 21, 2014

“Ban Bossy”–Can it Cure Sexism, a Social Disease?



"Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg recently (March 2014) launched a female empowerment campaign called “Ban Bossy” to eliminate the use of the word “Bossy” to describe women who are assertive and leaders. This has grabbed headlines and many other prominent women including Michelle Obama have extended their support for this campaign. Such movements to promote gender equality are not something new....
However radical the media is trying to be these days, women are more and more “objectified” in advertisements, magazines, art, and so on....
Even with passing of numerous laws and acts in favour of women, there seems to be no end to the growing atrocities against women.... Was the woman created to be treated thus?" asks Sumithra in this article in The CALL and critically and biblically answers whether this & such campaign the social disease of Sexism?

Ban Bossy-Can it cure Sexism, a Social Disease_The CALL

This article is part of the "Social Issues Special" issue of The CALL that voices out social evils like Casteism, Racism, Bribery, Corruption, Gender Discrimination; addressing a few such Social Issues and presents the prospects in Biblical perspectives. Click to read to know the pulse of this magazine. http://thecall.gemsbihar.org/2014/04/social-issues-special-of-call-release.html

To read this article and to receive The CALL click http://thecall.gemsbihar.org/p/subscription.html


Thursday, July 17, 2014

Kindness is a Boomerang



"The very same day in the evening they brought two sweets made of wheat each of which were in the shape of pancakes; one for my wife and one for me. When I came home my wife gave me that sweet and it was delicious. The girls had made those sweets all by themselves specially for us!
How thoughtful they were! We were put to shame....
Even as I was thinking about this simple but profound act of those girls, they grew bigger in my mind. I learnt a big truth that day “Kindness is Contagious”." writes Mariyosh in The CALL.

Kindness is a Boomerang_The CALL

This article is part of the "Social Issues Special" issue of The CALL that voices out social evils like Casteism, Racism, Bribery, Corruption, Gender Discrimination; addressing a few such Social Issues and presents the prospects in Biblical perspectives. Click to read to know the pulse of this magazine. http://thecall.gemsbihar.org/2014/04/social-issues-special-of-call-release.html

To read this article and to receive The CALL click http://thecall.gemsbihar.org/p/subscription.html


Friday, July 11, 2014

Grand, Gaudy or Godly Indian Wedding?



"Many are confused in choosing the bride for the bridegroom. Beauty, Earnings, Education gets priority in a wedding ( A – Age, B – Beauty, C- Caste, D – Dowry, E – Education, F – Family status, G – Gold, H – Height, goes on and on), without giving priority to God’s purpose about bride or groom or how one can fulfil His purpose by one’s right choice... I am writing this because I feel that it is high time people realized about these unbiblical practices in marriages." writes Bro. D. Augustine Jebakumar in The CALL.

Grand, Gaudy or Godly Indian Wedding_The CALL

This article is part of the "Social Issues Special" issue of The CALL that voices out social evils like Casteism, Racism, Bribery, Corruption, Gender Discrimination; addressing a few such Social Issues and presents the prospects in Biblical perspectives. Click to read to know the pulse of this magazine. http://thecall.gemsbihar.org/2014/04/social-issues-special-of-call-release.html

To read this article and to receive The CALL click http://thecall.gemsbihar.org/p/subscription.html


Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Church: Answer or Accessory to Casteism or Racism?



"We are living at a time when nations around the world are falling apart due to ethnic wars. At such a time as this we see political parties making use of these pitiable positions to further their own political agendas. In the pretext of promising justice we only get to see personal and political vendettas, where peace seems like a long forgotten thing..." writes Mariyosh in this article in The CALL and talks about global Racism, Casteism in India and brings in what the Bible says about these and shows the way forward thru what Jesus did.

Church-Answer or Accessory to Casteism or Racism_The CALL

This article is part of the "Social Issues Special" issue of The CALL that voices out social evils like Casteism, Racism, Bribery, Corruption, Gender Discrimination; addressing a few such Social Issues and presents the prospects in Biblical perspectives. Click to read to know the pulse of this magazine. http://thecall.gemsbihar.org/2014/04/social-issues-special-of-call-release.html

To read this article and to receive The CALL click http://thecall.gemsbihar.org/p/subscription.html