Integral Development & Empowerment for Action (IDEA) in Rukum East

Since its establishment in 1991, the Naya Jeevan Assembly of God (NJAG) Church in Rukum District, Nepal, has primarily served the marginalised communities living in remote mountainous regions. Due to the area’s weak infrastructure, including limited access to roads, electricity, healthcare, and educational resources, the local population faces significant challenges. Despite the many needs of the impoverished neighbours in the area, NJAG had not actively engaged in community work for many years, restricting its activities to regular worship services and remaining largely disconnected from the local communities without forming substantial ties. However, after NJAG joined our Integral Mission training programme, the church’s role and sense of mission began to transform.

During the Integral Mission training, the church’s pastors and members came to realise that the church should not merely be a place for religious worship but should serve as a beacon within the community, leading people towards a brighter future. Following the training, the church leaders began actively considering how to apply Jesus’ teachings to everyday life, using concrete actions to bring about change in the community. This renewed sense of mission inspired them to rely on God’s guidance and mobilise the church’s limited resources to address the needs of the community’s most impoverished and marginalised groups despite the challenging circumstances.

The church first focused on addressing the issue of children’s education. They partnered with the local Shree Dashrath Primary School, mobilising community members to work together and gather wood from the forest to renovate a dilapidated children’s classroom in the community. This initiative provided 23 children with a safe and comfortable learning environment, promoting their physical and mental development. Moreover, this change significantly enhanced cooperation among the church, the school management committee, parents, and other community members making everyone more united and effective in tackling common problems. The church was no longer an isolated entity detached from the community but had become a key player in the community’s development.

Despite these successes, CEDAR’s partner has not been complacent. We recognise that the path to encouraging local churches to engage in community work is still long and requires sustained effort. In the future, we will continue to provide holistic mission advocacy and skills training, facilitating the exchange of experiences between neighbouring churches and offering guidance to more communities. We believe this successful model will be replicated in other regions, further expanding the impact of these changes.

The transformation of NJAG Church reflects not only a change in the church’s internal attitudes and actions but also a positive development for the entire community and its schools. Through Integral Mission training, the church has truly become a beacon for the community, demonstrating the power of faith in action and providing valuable experience and a model for other churches and communities in Nepal.