Nepal

Words of Hope has been helping to produce radio programs in the Nepali language since the 1980s. In the country of Nepal, we have partnered with Cross-Way Church for radio broadcasting since 2009.

Nepal is a hard place to do ministry. This mountainous country is home to eight of the ten highest peaks in the world, making distance a real barrier to spreading the gospel. The first church was formed in Nepal in 1952 with just 25 Christians. Successful church planting has seen this number grow quickly, recently swelling to 850,000 converts. This, however, still only accounts for 3% of the population.

Leadership training is urgently needed among these fledgling Christian communities. Illiteracy is also a problem in Nepal, with less than half of the population able to read or write. How best can churches raise up leaders and replicate themselves? Words of Hope donors are having a positive impact in the country of Nepal as they come alongside Cross-Way Church to expand the reach of the gospel through media and holistic aid efforts. Donations allow Cross-Way Church to better the community around it in practical ways, and utilize radio and video recording to train up new pastors and nurture church groups in hard-to-reach areas.

“I like the program very much, especially the skits. I am happy to learn more.

Languages

The vast majority of Nepalis adhere to the Hindu religion. There is also a subset of Buddhist followers in the country. Only about 1% of the population identifies as Christian, and new laws against conversion in Nepal make it a very difficult place to share the gospel. The Words of Hope Nepali team attempts to share the love of Christ wisely and carefully through radio programs and CDs. These resources can reach individuals who have never heard the gospel story before. Media also assists in the process of training new church leaders to shepherd church plants in currently unreached areas.

Target Area: Nepal
Broadcasters: Arbin Pokharel, Amit Karthak
Partners: Cross-Way Church
Transmission Site: Network of Local FM Stations
Times: Saturday and Sunday Mornings, Monday and Friday Evenings

Prayer Requests

  • Pray that the power of the gospel would reach the hearts of many more listeners and that they would find hope in Jesus Christ.
  • Pray for ongoing church planting efforts.
  • Pray for continuing relief and rebuilding efforts following the devastating 2015 earthquakes.