For instance, in the past, the Indo–Lanka Accord had provided for the merger of northeast province that was in interest of Tamil minority community. But now the Marxist JVP has gone to the Supreme Court which has said what the President has done was unconstitutional and illegal and hence northeast should be demerged. But, by demerging the province, it is breaking the Indo–Lanka Accord. In response, India has sent many envoys and emissaries urging the Sri Lankan government to merge the province, saying that it is a violation of the Accord. And, the the Sri Lankan government keeps on promising that a law would be passed in the Parliament to facilitate the merger of the province. But, in reality, while making false promises to the international community, the government has appointed two separate governors to run the two provinces separately.
In other words, the actions of the government are diamentrically opposite to the promises they are making to the international community.
Q. What is purpose of EFA IT Commission that has been set up recently? How will it help in achieving EFA's goals?
We want to exploit the latest technology to the maximum...in preaching the Gospel, in equipping the ministers and sharing and providing the resources. The IT Commission will help make a network amongst the national evangelical alliances. We will be making websites that will be more informative and interactive. We will all be connected through intranet and will be able to communicate with each other and engage in training programs and conferences through live broadcast. Through the IT Commission, the Asian Church will be greatly blessed and it will be easier for us to reach out to the unreached.
Q. What goals have EFA set for itself?
EFA in conjunction with NCEASL believe in not only preaching God's love but also demonstrating it through their work. We have undertaken social welfare projects and we work very closely with the government. Our social development body is autonomous and separate from the church. It is a registered body, recognized and acknowledged by the Social Service and Welfare Ministry of Sri Lanka. In this regard, we are working together with the government and other groups as well on national level.
Meanwhile, our mission work and evangelism are being carried out by our regional clergy fellowships and our churches in different regions. NCEASL's mission is that our nation should be discipled for Christ and through the EFA, all national alliances would be strengthened so that they could disciple their nations for Christ as well. Our final goal is to advance God's kingdom in Asia.
Q. What is the agenda of the EFA Congress that will convene later this year?
Every few years a Congress of evangelicals convenes to discuss particular issues of relevance to the Asian Church. We had one a few years ago in South Korea where 374 delegates attended from all over Asia and addressed the issue of Asian Church renewal and growth. This year we are having discussion on Asian Mission and the implication of Asian Mission on post–modern world. In between these Congressional meetings, we have mini–consultations like the one we had last year on theology of persecution as many of our churches in Asian countries are undergoing persecution. And so it was relevant to bring in practitioners and give them a firm basis of what they are doing. Our next mini–consultation is on child and holistic development.
We formulate our programs by looking at the challenges the churches in Asia are facing and our programs are aimed to meet these challenges. Topics of relevance and topics of need are identified and we address them.
Q. How do you feel receiving International Pro Fide Award 2006?
Society
Interview with Rev. Godfrey Yogarajah, general secretary, EFA
By: Jacob Chaterjee
Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 12:02 (IST)
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