l\'llSSIONAL PRINCI PLES FOR THE CHURCH IN N O RTH EAST INDIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE EVANGELI CAL CONG REGATI ONAL CHURCH OF INDIA A Thesis submitted to the Th. M. Committee, We stern Theological Seminary, Holland, Michigan, USA, in partial fu lfillment for the required course of Master of Theology. By Lalrosiem Songate 2004-05 �Vestern Theological Seminary h 101East 13 t Street Holland, MI 49423 United States of America W�sWrn TlleolO" 101 i: 1 ' \ Holl •n'l i 3 This thesis, Missional Principles for the Church in North East India with Special Reference to the Evangelical Congregational Church of India by Lalrosiem Songate, is accepted in its present form as satisfying the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Theology. Professor of Congregational Mission Western Theological Seminary (Advisor) � - ___ _,, Date: _____ cr-__16_)-+--� o_S- _ To my wife Ro vi my closest friend and my most ruthless critic. Abstract of Thesis This Paper is an attempt to bring out holistic rnissional principles ror the church in North East India as it responds to the violence, ethnic tensions, economic stagnation and the epidemic of AI DS. It is written vvith special reference to the E\'angclical Congregational Church of India. The first chapter deals with the origin and background of the people inhabiting the south eastern hills of Manipur. It brings out their ethnic and cultural differences and peculiarities from the people of mainland India. It also discusses the entrance of the gospel and the beginning of the Evangelical Congregational Church of' India. The second chapter deals with the problems that the region is facing in general. The ethnic and cultural differences of the region from mainland India seems to be the root cause of political tensions. The economic stagnation due to the negligence of tile government and the scarcity of employment opportunities encourages the growth of insurgent movements. The region's proximity to the Golden Triangle makes drugs easily available for the frustrated young peopk. The high percentage cir AJDSIHIV cases draws the world's attention to the small state of Manipur in North East India. The third chapter deals with scriptural principles regarding the problems of the region . The churches here need to look to the bible for instructions regarding matters of ethnic relations, political problems, violence, poverty and AIDS/HIV related issues. The fourth chapter deals with 1111ssional principles from the themes of Missio Dci and the Reign of Goel. The church involved in the mission of' God should not be lV distracted by other concerns,but should consistently focus on God's mission in the \Vorld. The Reign of God theme contains a fuller understanding of salvation and the gospel. The evangelical Christians in North East India need to develop a holistic understanding of the gospel and align their understanding and practice of mission accordingly. Thi s paper concludes with a call to conversion. This is not a call to the heathen, but to the church. lt is a call to change in its understanding of the gospel and mission. Thi s is extremely crucial for the church in North East India in order to respond effectively to the problems that it confronts. v Table of Contents Abstract .. IV Acknowledgements ..................................... ...... ................. .................... vii Map of India ..... ............. ..... ......................... ... ............................ .......... ix I ntrocl uction ....................... ..................................................................... I I. Background History ................... ......................... ........... ....... ................. 3 A. Cultural Background B. Ecclesiastical Background C. Birth of a New Mission JI. India's Turbulent North East ............. ............ ...... ................ .............. ..... 18 A. Political Instability B. Economic Stagnation C. Health Crisis Ill. Biblical Principles Regarding the Problems . .................. ......... .................... 32 A. Ch1istianity and the Struggle for Identity B. Christianity Versus Violence and Gun Culture C. Christianity Against Poverty and Economic Stagnation D. Christianity Against AIDS/HIV and Social Stigmatization IV. Missional Principles for the E.C.Church in North East India. .................. ..... ... .. 51 A. Missional Principles from Missio Dei B. Missional Principles from the Reign of God Conclusion .. ...... ....................... ........... .... ............. ............... ............. 64 Bibliography ................ .. ................... ... .................. ......... ...... ................ 69 VI Ack nowI cd g cm en ts I am grateful to Western Theological Seminary and the Th. M. Program Committee forsel ecting me to be a pati of the student community during this year.lam grateful to the persons \vho have a heart for India and donate funds to enable s tudents from India like me to come and pursue their studies here. I am gra te ful to Rev. and Mrs. Wendell P. K arsen for their love and commitment for international students. They have walked a lot of extra miles to make our stay here more comfortable. I am grateful to all my friends in the class from \Vhom I learned and draw tremendous resources. I owe a whole lot of gratitude to my adviser Dr. George R. Hunsberger, Professor of Missiology, Western Theological Seminary, for his thoughtful guidance throughout the writing of this paper. His resourceful knowledge of the subject with which I am dealing and the valuable advice he gave were a wonderful asset to my writing project. In fact, it was his course on Missional Church that greatly helped me in developing this idea right from the beginning. My deep appreciation is extended to Dr. Eugene Heideman , who is not only my Second Reader, but he and his wife Mary have been among my closest friends during my stay here. I also greatly appreciate the motherly concern t hat Ruth Hi ll has sho\vered upon me, always having a gift or a card on many of the spec i al clays. I am also t,rrateful to Pastor Paul Hontz, Senior Pastor, Central Wesleyan Church, Hollanci, Michigan, who helped me to be connected to the church and whose inspiring Sunday Messages were always a refreshing touch to my life. I am gratefu l to my friends in the Sunday School Class for th eir fri end ship, love and support during the year. I am particularly grateful to Joy and Don Vanden Brink, I-Jenni and Riley Combs, Audry and \'I l Ed ward Hislop, Lone and Lnrry Hildenbrand, Mary and fom NewhoC Donna and Nick Medendo1v, to name a few, for sharing their time and n�sourccs with me to make my time here in the United States worthvvhile. I am deeply grateful to Shirl ey and Dr. fohn P. Ragsdale, Director of Global Ministries, E.C. Church, USA for their valuable assistance during my stay here in the United States. I am grateful to my friends and co-workers in the office ofthe Evangelical Congregational Church oflndia, who shouldered extra responsibil ities and faced inconveniences caused by my year-long absence. My profound gratitude goes to my wife Rovi and our four chil dren David, Priscilla, Bernard and Rebecca for their constant prayers, and for being willing to be without a husband and father for one \vhole year. I am grateful to God for the spiritual insight he gave us during this period of prolonged separation, enabling us by His grace to take this pain of separation as a part of our sacrifice as we seek to be his instruments in the work of his kingdom. I am also grateful to both our parents and our brothers and sisters for their constant support of my family during my absence and also for their valuable prayers. Above all else is my joy and gratitude to God my Savior, who not only picked me from the gutter of sin and hopelessness and made me his child, but called me and chose me to be an instrument of his love and peace in a hu11i ng world. I am grateful to God for sustaining me during this period of studies and also for al l the many new spiritual insights he taught me during the year. My utmost prayer and desire is that my experiences here would enable me to become a more effective channel for bringing glory to His glorious name in North East India! Amen. VIII INDIA States and Union Territories N CHINA PAKISTAN "'""'"�" ,,,,,,.,f BANGLADESH \ YANAM BAY OF BENGAL {Po:11J1d1erry} s 0 0 E 'J ¢ o, A 0 LAr�Sl·l.O.Dl"IEEP Porl EHa11 ' ANDAMA� & hllCOBf,R ISLANDS Copy,rigtr: ·l�) Comp�·::ua fr:foba.Sf? Pvt. Ltd. 2GD3 lX Introduction In the middle of the year 1997, a violent ethnic conflict broke out among two major tribal groups in the part of the state of Manipur, India, where I live. The conOict lastec.J 16 months. Many innocent civilians were killed and much property was destroyed. I had heard of stories like this before, but the sight of the devastation, the experience of fear and turmoil, the sight of refugees, the amount of property destroyed, the conflagration of houses burnt and displaced people running helter-skelter in search of shelter left a deep impact on my heart. We called ourselves Christians and we were killing each others like this. How do 1 explain that" Since the entry of the gospel of Jesus Christ in 1910, and after almost a hundred years of being immersed in a Christian culture, our war-like nature has just been lying dormant and is always ready to explode any moment like a live volcano. And what I saw in that year was a d�vastating eruption of our war-like nature. The apostle Paul was indeed emphatic about the power of the gospel when he declared, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, becau:e it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes... " (Rom. l: 16, NJ V). l was struggling with the question, is the gospel not powerful enough to save us from our war-like nature? \Vherc is the power of him who ''is able also to save them to the uttern10st that come unto Goel by him ..