HOW CAN I PRESENT CHRIST
RELEVANTLY TO MY PEOPLE
(A paper written up as a part of my application for participation in
a month-long training at Haggai Institute for Advanced Leadership Training at
Singapore during 1983)
Dr B Langkham
College Road, New Lamka, Churachandpur, Manipur, India
1. Facts about my
people:
I belong to India, which has a population of 685 million, which is
about 1/7th of the total population of the whole world. I could not
speak representatively for so large a people. Out od the 22 states of India,,
my state, Manipur, is one of the smallest. It has a total population of 1.4
million of which 30% are the hilly tribal people. I belong to the tribal group,
which may again be divided again into the Naga stock, and the non-Naga stock, which
are of the Kuki-Chin-Mizo family. To this later group I belong. If you have
read any of the books written by Dr Rochunga Pudaite of the “Bible for the
World” fame, you are perhaps already acquainted with socio-economic and intellectual
background of our people. Let me speak here briefly of my tribe a hilly tribe
of a few thousands populations only, living along the eastern border of India
with Myanmar.
Many of my people still lived in thatched houses made mostly of
bamboos and leaves. A village has around 5—60 houses that are built on top of a
forest hill. Most villages are accessible by on foot-path. A village usually
has middle school run either by the state government or a Christian church
except for the children who go to school or the old folks, every body go to
paddy fields during the day time. Jhumming or shifting cultivation is the main
cultivation. The jungles or forests are cleared at he beginning of the year. In
March-April these fields are set on fire. Seeds are then sown and the grasses
are cleared for at least 5/6 rounds in a year and then the paddy are ripe for
harvest. The year’s produce are stored and it serves as food-stock for the
following year during which similar practices is again carried out in the
adjacent jungle. This kind of agricultural practice is a very destructive one.
Today the yield is so low because inadequate recuperation time for the soil,
the areas have to be
declared, year after year, by the state government as “famine areas”
or “food-scarcity areas”. Search and experiments for better and more suitable
methods of agriculture have been the main job of the state government.
Coming to education, since mot villages have only middle or primary
school, the literacy % of our people is surprisingly rather high for such an economically
backward people- being about 40%. The very few who could go to the towns for
higher education remained in the town being employed there. To get an
employment is the main aim of everybody. An employed person gets barely enough
for making both ends meet. Self-employment is not popular.
In the townships the youngsters indulge in all sorts of vices like
for example drugs, sexual immorality, etc. in examination halls cheating has
become almost an accepted norm. As to get an employment one’s merit count last;
more to capacity to pull strings, to give bribes and other corrupt practices.
Heresy such rampant corruption was never a part of the culture of the tribal
people. But it is like there with us now threatening to destroy the foundation
of our society.
The situation calls for drastic action. Some misguided youth believe
in ‘underground arm revolutions’ like for example the Nagas & Mizo
insurgencies. Some educated young people believe Communism is the answer. But
there are a few who believe that JESUS CHRIST ALONE IS THE ANSWER.
2. Ways of making the
Gospel meaningful to my people:
As Dr Rochunga Pudaite stated in one of his books that “the Bible is
the answer for my people”, I too believe that Christ alone is to the various
problems of my people. Allow me to go back a short while to the history of
Christianity among my people. In the beginning of this century, Christianity
was introduced to us as an off-shoot of Welsh Revival. This brought about
drastic changes in in the normal life of the people. We stopped headhunting,
tribal-feuds, and nomadic type of life because of constant warfare. We learnt
to wash, to wear clothes. Costly rituals and practices were done away with in society.
today thanks he to the advent of Christianity, I of the second generation can
express myself in foreign tongue today. A few people from us in fact today hold
key posts in administration of the country. However somewhere along the path of
development we lose our tribal integrity and also we miss the Christian
character. I am afraid our fathers in their eagerness to bring about
socio-economic upliftment in the society developed a blind eye or a jaundiced
eye to the evil practices. Even the church is not careful enough to nip this in
the bud. Ill-gotten gains did produce quick results. But these gains are
short-lived. Today life has become more miserable.
To make the Gospel more relevant we need more ‘committed’
Christians. When a man is saved and becomes a committed Christian, his total
outlook is changed. He brings in Christian principles and conducts to his
particular situation of life. A disciple
of Christ in politics, state services and Christian services or even
self-employment services are the need of the day. Christ-like sincerity in
works, genuine welfare for the people, carefully observing the holy laws of a
Holy God will bring us closer to the people. The light of the gospel in our
life will make the people accept the Gospel more readily.
A committed Christian can witness by doing personal evangelism in
his neighborhood. He can help others to become committed by means of –Bible
study, discussion, seminars, retreat and camps. To be ‘the salt of the earth’
or ‘the leaven of bread’, by god’s grace, a change in the general outlook,
attitude and reaction of our people.
Christian principles practiced in every field will meet the social,
economic, cultural and intellectual needs of the people.
3. How can I present
Christ in my field of specialization?
A.
Ways of integrating Biblical
faith and Academic studies
As my academic achievements were not much and
my faith simple ans small, there are only a few things I found difficult to
integrate between the two. Eusthania or mercy killing may be much in
literature. But as for me, I would never advocate. Decision for life or death
is not within the scope of man; it should only be God’s prerogative. Medical
Termination of Pregnancy (MTP), even with e high emphasis laid on it by Family
Planning by my country, I would rather not except of medical grounds.
My dual citizenship in God’s kingdom and the
earth do sometimes produce tension. To face is to be ready for embarrassment. Our
regular official meetings are often extended with drinking and various other
forms of entertainment. Not to be participating is to be the odd man out . As a
result of our decision to stand aside because of Christian principle and
practices in our places of work, we might be misunderstood and be molested and
ill-treated. However it is in such situation as Christians by our lives we must
witness.
B.
Ways of relating faith to your
areas of specialization
While discussing this topic, I believe it is
necessary we ask ourselves first what our attitude is to our profession. If we
cannot regard our profession as a calling from God we shall find it a difficult
task to related to Biblical faith in our area of specialization. For those who
recognized God’s plan and purpose in their choice of profession, they can
relate their faith in their particular filed also, even though there may be
tension sometimes.
The motive for services for an average doctor is the enviable income
it brings, promotion as result of good report and good statistics and the cause
of humanity, etc. When a doctor’s approach is to alleviate the suffering of
mankind his approach may be considered correct. However such an approach devoid
of an awareness of his wholistic needs including spiritual need would remain
incomplete. A doctor conscious only of the physical need of his patients may
not be accepted as one who is aware of his spiritual needs also, A Christian
doctor is likely to be gentle, caring, loving and sensitive. Even while he
attends to his physical ailments, he is likely to be more acceptable and likely
to be more open to discuss his other needs also including spiritual need.
C.
Ways in which your occupation
or specialization can be used in Evangelism and building the Church
As a doctor who would like to regard his
profession as a calling from God, first of all, I would like to care as our
Master, the Great Physician, cared during His earthly sojourn. As he took care
of the sick and suffering God’s love flow out through him. As one ‘risen’ with
him, ‘the Christ living in me’ should be allowed to do what he wills. As we
take care of his physical needs we should also witness. Dr Nghakliana Associate
Worker of Evangelical Fellowship of India wrote that ’witnessing shows you
are’. As everyone is not equally open to the Gospel we should witness only to
those receptive for whom the Spirit of the Lord laid burden on us as we look to
him in prayer. To others we can only witness by our behaviour; our life.
What disturbs my mind is – why do we have to
wait to give the good news to people only when they are totally incapacitated –
when they find it difficult o talk, to pray or even to breathe?
4. What are your
long-term goals and immediate Goals?
Immediate Goals:
a.
Personal Bible study and Prayer
As I spend time with God daily I would
endeavor to grow in His likeness ‘that I may know Him!’
b.
Family Altar
Family worship morning and evening which
touch upon the life of each one of us – my wife, my children and other
relatives in the family. I would teach the message of salvation to my children,
we would share our problems and trails, we would pray together meaningfully, we
would the fear of the Lord here. We would daily commit our life, our works and
our study to Him here.
c.
Neighborhood
We have started prayer cells in the
neighborhood where we study the Word of God, share and pray together and for
one another.
d.
Place of work
I would endeavor to work ‘as unto the lord’.
I would make friendship with non-believer friends in the office and would seek
opportunity for sharing the message of the gospel with them. I would distribute
tracts and Bible portions from time to time.
e.
Christian Fellowship
As I participate in various fellowships I
would try too learn as much as possible from my fellow Christians and would try
to imbibe in my life whatever good points I find. I would also try to encourage
others by my life and experience. (People can learn even from my mistakes)
f.
Church
In the local church I would like to bring and
encourage my young colleagues. I would help the church elders in Bible study,
etc.
Long-term goals:
1.
Committed Christians in every
walk of life
As our Lord has commanded us ‘to make
disciples’ – discipleship in the Christians is the most vital for effective
spread of the Gospel. In my corner I would work towards this, even though I
have failed many times.
2.
Social, economic and
intellectual upliftment for my people
When I was quite young I used to say that I
would like to just like my father,. He was a social worker. He read only upto
Class II. But he was a do-gooder. Everyone knew him and loved him. He was then
called a politician. Quite different from today’s politicians for whom the
people have developed fear-psychosis. Today I feel Christian should be like a
politician of my father’s time. We shall see changes when the best efforts of
of the state government are met by a sincere effort on the part of the people
to improve their lot and not to squander what the state government give.
3.
Missionary outreach
Meaningful missionary outreach can be done by
true disciples of Christ. The sent and the sending Church should be servants of
a Holy God.
5. What I hope to gain
from training at the Haggai Institute
1.
Knowledge of what are the
conditions like in other third world countries
·
% Christians and Non-Christians
·
Methods of evangelism
·
Response of the people
·
Difficulties they faced and how
they met them
·
New ideas and information
2.
Among others in the curriculum,
I hope to learn as much as possible from the following subjects:
a.
The ministry of management
b.
Stewardship and reaching and
mobilizing young people for Christian outreach
c.
Law of leadership
d. Christian witness in a Non-Christian culture
.........................................
1.
The written note is typed on
24.4.2019 i.e. about 37 years since the application was typed out in a
type-writer and is taken from the carbon copy of the application sent in late
1982 preserved by the author
2.
The application was successful
and he attended the Haggai Institute Trailing along with Rev. Dr. Kh.
Khaizakham in 1983).
