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"Our approach has been lopsided," Karthak admits, saying an emphasis on outreach is sometimes out of balance with teaching Christian doctrine to new disciples. "Our churches are like transit camps. We don't want people to treat the church like a hotel, but a home."

But Adhikari, while noting the drop out problem, adds: "Not more than 10 percent leave the church. In Nepal, those who make a decision to follow Christ are genuine, and they stick to their newfound faith." Christians are encouraged to join small groups after their baptism. Nearly 300 such fellowships have mushroomed in Katmandu. But over the years, those fellowships have led to denominational association (which was unknown before 1990) and, in a few cases, splintered congregations.

Such fragmentation has at times cooled religious commitments. "We are neither hot nor cold but lukewarm Christians," Karthak says. Gospel for Asia's Sharma is blunt: "We need faithful people. I believe that healings will continue only if there is holiness and godliness in the church."

After suffering for years, the church in Nepal has found strength in spite of persecution. Now that overt religious persecution has declined, Christians in Nepal are reassessing their purpose and overall mission. One enduring realization is that Christians in Nepal remain vulnerable. There were several incidents of official harassment in 1999. If Nepali law is strictly enforced, severe restrictions on Christians could again be in effect. Faced with this dilemma, Nepali Christians ask themselves: Does the church in Nepal fear persecution in the future? It is a question that many do not want to consider.

"I feel there will be persecution, but there are people within Nepali society who believe in human rights and will stand up for us," Satyal says.

Another church leader says he is not worried. He just reprises Saint Paul's words: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first the Jew, then also the Gentile and the Nepali Christian."

In 1986, Gyani Shah challenged Nepali men and women never to be proud while serving the Lord, for pride causes loss of opportunity. The church in Nepal now heeds that advice as it prepares for the twenty-first century. In this newfound freedom, churches are springing up all over the country representing most ethnic groups and castes in this movement to Christ.

The Nepali church is no longer solely focused on itself, but is starting churches in Dubai, India, and other Asian countries. It is a big step of faith.

Nepali missions leaders say their goal is to "remain faceless" to be of use to Christians throughout Asia. That unusual quality is something Nepali Christians possess in abundance.

For more on Nepal, see Britannica.com, Info-Nepal, and the Library of Congress.

Nepali Around the World: Emphasizing Nepali Christians of the Himalayas (Ekta Books, 1997) is a very hard to find book. But for those truly interested in the subject, Cindy L. Perry's book is apparently the only major work on the subject. A review is available at the Web site of Studies in Nepali History and Society (SINHAS).

Adherents.com offers statistics on religion in Nepal.

CBN aired a report in 1998 on Christianity in Nepal.

The Nepal Bible Society offers a few statistics and information about the organization and country.

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April 3 2000, Vol. 44, No. 4