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West African Christians use the Asoriba app to fellowship through church-wide devotionals and planned events. They can also tithe online, making the Ghana churches some of the wealthiest institutions in the country, CNN reports. (Allison Stillwell Young/Flickr/Creative Commons)
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This revolutionary app can ignite revival around the world and even solve significant church problems like a lack of tithing, according to a recent CNN article.
West African Christians use the Asoriba app to fellowship through church-wide devotionals and planned events. They can also tithe online, making the Ghana churches some of the wealthiest institutions in the country, CNN reports.
The donation feature is one that excites the developers the most.
"Clearly, the benefits and statics of going electronic as a church today is so glaring, however, the most exciting part of it is that, it's going to happen all over the world," the developers write in a blog post.
By allowing members to tithe through the app, the developers say churches remove all hindrances from their members not giving their best to God.
Without the app, the developers propose the following situation:
1. Member goes to the bank. (Probably picks a car or drives there, time & fuel used) 2. Withdraws cash and place it in an envelope. 3. Wait till Sunday. (Between the period, he may use that money) 4. Deposits it in the offertory bowl and is prayed for. 5. His details are recorded. (Prone to error; some churches don't do this) 6. After church, money is counted at the back office (Issues of error and theft may occur) 7. On Monday or Tuesday, money is sent to the bank and banked. 8. Wait till the end of the month to get a bank statement.
"In Ghana alone, 20 percent of adults have mobile money (5 million mobile wallets), Kenya 58 percent, Tanzania 34 percent and Rwanda 17 percent. These numbers are rising speedily by the day," the developers write. "This means most people are increasingly using less cash each day. So on a typical Sunday, a member may not have physical cash to give, but electronic money. As a church you must make provision for this member to make such payments easily and instantly into you churches bank account. As your technology partner, Asoriba makes this possible via your Church's mobile app found on the playstore."
"Pentecostal churches are booming in Nigeria, indeed across much of Africa," The Economist reports. "(T.B.) Joshua's satellite television channel, Emmanuel TV, airs his prophecies live to millions worldwide. Admirers have included Ghana's late president, John Atta Mills; Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, ex-wife of South Africa's late president, Nelson Mandela; Julius Malema, a radical South African politician; and Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's opposition leader."
Perhaps the app could continue the revival.
But the app is not only about church administration. The next step for the platform is to create a social networking function, which would make it the new Facebook for churchgoers.
CNN reports the team envisions creating a virtual space for users to engage with others of the same faith about sensitive topics, such as sex and marriage, which they may struggle to bring up with people in real life.
"We want people to express themselves, and we want to make it possible to have these conversations," Nana Prempeh, co-founder of Asoriba says.
Do you think you would use this? Sound off!
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The Real Reason the Pentecostal Movement Keeps Growing
Here are some reasons the Pentecostal Movement continues to grow. (Lightstock)
There are parts of the globe where the greatest church growth is happening through the Pentecostal movement. One of the most frequently asked questions is: "In a world where the church seems to be declining in many areas, how they are bucking the trend?"
There is never one reason why a movement succeeds. But some factors rise to the surface. Pentecostals will say they are growing because the Spirit is moving in a powerful way. I get that, and actually would affirm that as part of the reason, but from a sociological perspective, other things are happening and worth exploring.
I was recently asked (by Pentecostal leaders) what some sociological reasons might be. So following that meeting, and in this brief post, I want to explore how the beliefs of Pentecostals actually promote and produce growth compared to other more "mainstream" groups.
Pentecostals Value Their Shared Experience
From a statistical perspective, Pentecostals tend to be less "nominal" than other believers. The reason is often obvious—the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
In almost all Pentecostalism (as contrasted to other continualist streams), speaking in tongues follows the Holy Spirit's baptism. After that experience, it's hard to say, "Oh I don't take this whole thing serious, I don't even know if it's real."
When you believe you're speaking in another language, that belief reshapes the way you think about faith!
Being a nominal Presbyterian, Methodist or Baptist is easier, though there are some outward expectations, like baptism (among credobaptists), that can mark a spiritual commitment. But Pentecostal believers and churches constantly emphasize spiritual practice and engagement.
That helps make a more robust faith.
So more often than not, stagnation is not as compatible with a real Spirit-filled experience. The end result—it's harder to be a nominal Pentecostal—the beliefs of the movement tend to weed out nominalism. Because of what is happening in church and the community of faith, people tend not to just hang around as casual observers.
Either you join in it, or you move on. Many join. Movements populated by nominals are usually in decline. Nominals don't populate Pentecostalism, so it grows.
Pentecostals Want to Share Their Values
Not only does a valued distinctive encourage participation and growth in the local body, but it also provides an imperative for growth outside of the local body. When you appreciate what you have as much as Pentecostals do, you aren't satisfied to experience it yourself. You think others should have the same opportunity to partake of the movement of the Spirit of God.
When I meet with Pentecostal leaders, they're strategizing about where to plant a church. They break out the maps and determine where they need to focus their attention.
Never mind there are already six churches in a 10-block community. To them, there's not a Spirit-filled church in that community until they plant one. So they are often avid planters, not just in their own area, but also around the world.
Worth Sharing the Spirit-Filled Experience
Pentecostals believe in their approach. Their Christian walk has benefited, and they think everyone should have access. While others are figuring out what to do now to achieve growth, Pentecostals are focusing on who they are and are achieving growth.
When you think your expression is worth sharing (be it Pentecostal, Calvinist or Anabaptist), you are more likely to share it with others and start new churches.
So What Does It Mean for the Rest of Us?
One key to growth is for you actually to believe what you have is so important that propagation to other contexts in its current version is necessary. The Vineyard Church movement exploded in growth in the 1980s for this reason. They thought that people needed to experience what the Vineyard had to offer.
Baptists thought that way in the 1950s. Methodists thought that way during the Second Great Awakening.
Pentecostals believe they have something worth propagating. And that's worth learning from.
Odd Distinctives
Of course, to non-Pentecostals, all this seems odd. Sometimes for younger or dissatisfied Pentecostals, they want to de-emphasize the supernatural.
Well, I'd have some theological nuances I'd like to bring in, but from a sociological perspective my response is: "I wouldn't downplay what is in the engine." You don't care for some of their expression? That's fine. But Pentecostals are trying to reach the lost and grow the kingdom.
Their distinctives apparently aren't hindering their growth—their distinctives are propelling growth globally.
People Want a Faith With Flavor
One of the dangers today is "bland evangelicalism." Many evangelical churches and denominations are in a state of plateau or decline. Some groups are trying to downplay their distinctives to be more acceptable. Who wants to duplicate that? Nobody.
Sometimes the difference between an expanding movement and one that is retracting is how they deal with their distinctives. Some are in protection mode. They feel like they have to preserve their specialness by locking it down and guarding it. Ironically, they end up smothering the mission by covering the light that would shine through their specially designed glass.
Others embrace and celebrate their unique values and expression. In doing so, they attract people who are seeking something more than bland.
For example, I recently reviewed the stats for the 25 largest faith groups in the United States. In the year I reviewed, the only two orthodox Christian groups growing on the list were the Assemblies of God and Church of God (Cleveland). So what do all of the declining denominations have in common?
Most are mainline, a few are evangelical, but most simply are not as excited about what they believe—and don't think it needs to be propagated as much—as the Pentecostals do.
Ed Stetzeris the executive director of LifeWay Research. For the original article, visitchurchleaders.com.
- See more at: http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/48148-the-real-reason-the-pentecostal-movement-keeps-growing#sthash.gWsXe9aM.dpuf
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