I began writing this article sitting in the Guest room of Aphrezo & Sylvia Krose. They live in the largely Russian populated area of Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia. After attending the 4-day Asia Lausanne Congress on Evangelism from June 1-4, 2011, I spent an extra 3 days with them to encourage and be encouraged by the first Naga (Angami) Missionary to Mongolia.
Before coming here, Mongolia conjured up images of vast desert land inhabited by the fearsome people who I’d like to think were our ancestors. I was not disappointed. I personally saw and also heard stories told of the aggression and free spirit of a people descended from the Great Conqueror and brutalizer of Nations Chenggis Khan, followed by the non-too-less aggression of the erst-while USSR and China. Not too surprisingly alcoholism is a problem. In my brief stay, I saw many unkempt, disheveled drunkards as well as well-dressed girls too drunk to stand.
Aphrezo Krose from Medziphema is a Certified Football Coach from the Dutch Football Association trained in Amsterdam. His main focus and work is among the Mongolian Youth, drawing their attention and energy to sports which otherwise could easily be turned to Alcohol & drugs. And the Mongolian Youth, not all are Christians, who attend his football classes are already matured and growing in their skill and temperament as they learn to control their Anger, practice Self-control. They also learn Obedience & Humility by being disciplined. Something like this can hardly happen in a Church setting or sitting in a boring class room.
This is Transformational Mission at its best. And in the 21st Century this is the way to go if we are to succeed in Evangelizing the World. Each one using their God-given gift and talent to serve as Missionaries. Businessmen, Artists, Musicians, Sports people, Academicians working as tent-makers and spreading the Good news of Jesus Christ.
Traditional Missions have proven to be ineffectual, irrelevant & at time downright unbiblical and unethical in their approach thus being unwanted in many countries and regions. Many so-called Missions group merely try to transplant their denomination or particular group. Some try to show their growth and activities by poaching on what others have done, claiming established ministries to be their own as they unashamedly muscle their way in. This is Mission expansionism at its worst and sad to say being practiced by some of our own Missions organizations.
Instead of being stuck in the past and unable to move forward except going round in circles wasting precious resources, we should humble ourselves and be courageous enough to come out of our boxes. God is continually at work and great things are being accomplished by those who are obedient to God and being led to go where God wants them to be. Many Naga youth like Aphrezo are at the cutting edge of Missions, whether they are acknowledged & recognised by our home boards & Church organizations or not.
Nagas are recognized and acclaimed by others of being highly effective Cross-Cultural Missionaries. Naga Churches have the resources to support not just 10,000 Missionaries but 100,000 missionaries if only they will loosen their fat Church budgets and release it for the Lord’s work. If our local Church Missions Boards, Association Missions department and our very own NMM were to be farsighted and large hearted enough to work together and acknowledge all Naga Missionaries as our Collective Missionaries, I daresay we have long since crossed the 10,000 mark that NBCC/NMM set as a target in 1979!
With 95% of Nagas being declared as Christians, the evangelization of our people is done. What we need is a National renewal which would produce a Christ-honouring, Bible-meditating Nagaland using as our motto the Command that Christ gave us: Love the Lord your God with all your Heart, Soul & Mind & Love your neighbor as yourselves.
However, much of Asia is still unreached. It remains as the least evangelized Continent with vast populations of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists & Communists. Naga Missionaries and Naga Churches can provide a substantial and effective Force to evangelize Asia & the World. Large numbers of our youth are already in Mission fields or are ready to go with the right training, guidance and direction. The Church can be part of this great movement in various ways.
For a start, encourage those already in the field. Visit them intentionally not just as an aside from your tourist jaunts! Even Church/Denominational leaders consider meeting missionaries as secondary from their whatever main work. Or others use the excuse of meeting missionaries/mission fields but spend more time shopping and sightseeing! Spent quality time with them, listening to them, caring about their trials & victories they experience. Visit their mission fields. Send them cards/gifts on their special days like birthdays & anniversaries or Christmas, etc. Or better still offer to pay their fares for home visitation once in a while to rejuvenate & and reconnect with loved ones.
Local Churches/Mission Boards can designate certain percentage of their budget and commit it to fund trainings & field trips for cross-cultural missions. A major reason for failure in Missions is due to lack of proper cross-cultural & Language training. A sound foundation will ensure fruitful partnerships. But these require funds that individuals can hardly raise on their own.
There are many foreign Mission boards/organizations, who are willing and ready to partner with Nagas. The problem is they cannot deal with the divided voice they hear whenever they talk to Nagas. They are discouraged with the myopic vision that we often portray when we talk only of our own mission field and refuse to acknowledge or recognize even our own people just because they did not go through us!
A delegate told me “you must be proud to have a Naga Missionary serving on behalf of your people in Mongolia.” I was embarrassed to say I did not know about Aphrezo until just a week before my departure. But now that I know, I am indeed proud to know a Naga serving us proudly & effectively in Mongolia.
Before coming here, Mongolia conjured up images of vast desert land inhabited by the fearsome people who I’d like to think were our ancestors. I was not disappointed. I personally saw and also heard stories told of the aggression and free spirit of a people descended from the Great Conqueror and brutalizer of Nations Chenggis Khan, followed by the non-too-less aggression of the erst-while USSR and China. Not too surprisingly alcoholism is a problem. In my brief stay, I saw many unkempt, disheveled drunkards as well as well-dressed girls too drunk to stand.
Aphrezo Krose from Medziphema is a Certified Football Coach from the Dutch Football Association trained in Amsterdam. His main focus and work is among the Mongolian Youth, drawing their attention and energy to sports which otherwise could easily be turned to Alcohol & drugs. And the Mongolian Youth, not all are Christians, who attend his football classes are already matured and growing in their skill and temperament as they learn to control their Anger, practice Self-control. They also learn Obedience & Humility by being disciplined. Something like this can hardly happen in a Church setting or sitting in a boring class room.
This is Transformational Mission at its best. And in the 21st Century this is the way to go if we are to succeed in Evangelizing the World. Each one using their God-given gift and talent to serve as Missionaries. Businessmen, Artists, Musicians, Sports people, Academicians working as tent-makers and spreading the Good news of Jesus Christ.
Traditional Missions have proven to be ineffectual, irrelevant & at time downright unbiblical and unethical in their approach thus being unwanted in many countries and regions. Many so-called Missions group merely try to transplant their denomination or particular group. Some try to show their growth and activities by poaching on what others have done, claiming established ministries to be their own as they unashamedly muscle their way in. This is Mission expansionism at its worst and sad to say being practiced by some of our own Missions organizations.
Instead of being stuck in the past and unable to move forward except going round in circles wasting precious resources, we should humble ourselves and be courageous enough to come out of our boxes. God is continually at work and great things are being accomplished by those who are obedient to God and being led to go where God wants them to be. Many Naga youth like Aphrezo are at the cutting edge of Missions, whether they are acknowledged & recognised by our home boards & Church organizations or not.
Nagas are recognized and acclaimed by others of being highly effective Cross-Cultural Missionaries. Naga Churches have the resources to support not just 10,000 Missionaries but 100,000 missionaries if only they will loosen their fat Church budgets and release it for the Lord’s work. If our local Church Missions Boards, Association Missions department and our very own NMM were to be farsighted and large hearted enough to work together and acknowledge all Naga Missionaries as our Collective Missionaries, I daresay we have long since crossed the 10,000 mark that NBCC/NMM set as a target in 1979!
With 95% of Nagas being declared as Christians, the evangelization of our people is done. What we need is a National renewal which would produce a Christ-honouring, Bible-meditating Nagaland using as our motto the Command that Christ gave us: Love the Lord your God with all your Heart, Soul & Mind & Love your neighbor as yourselves.
However, much of Asia is still unreached. It remains as the least evangelized Continent with vast populations of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists & Communists. Naga Missionaries and Naga Churches can provide a substantial and effective Force to evangelize Asia & the World. Large numbers of our youth are already in Mission fields or are ready to go with the right training, guidance and direction. The Church can be part of this great movement in various ways.
For a start, encourage those already in the field. Visit them intentionally not just as an aside from your tourist jaunts! Even Church/Denominational leaders consider meeting missionaries as secondary from their whatever main work. Or others use the excuse of meeting missionaries/mission fields but spend more time shopping and sightseeing! Spent quality time with them, listening to them, caring about their trials & victories they experience. Visit their mission fields. Send them cards/gifts on their special days like birthdays & anniversaries or Christmas, etc. Or better still offer to pay their fares for home visitation once in a while to rejuvenate & and reconnect with loved ones.
Local Churches/Mission Boards can designate certain percentage of their budget and commit it to fund trainings & field trips for cross-cultural missions. A major reason for failure in Missions is due to lack of proper cross-cultural & Language training. A sound foundation will ensure fruitful partnerships. But these require funds that individuals can hardly raise on their own.
There are many foreign Mission boards/organizations, who are willing and ready to partner with Nagas. The problem is they cannot deal with the divided voice they hear whenever they talk to Nagas. They are discouraged with the myopic vision that we often portray when we talk only of our own mission field and refuse to acknowledge or recognize even our own people just because they did not go through us!
A delegate told me “you must be proud to have a Naga Missionary serving on behalf of your people in Mongolia.” I was embarrassed to say I did not know about Aphrezo until just a week before my departure. But now that I know, I am indeed proud to know a Naga serving us proudly & effectively in Mongolia.
Rev. Dr. N. Ricky Medom
Pastor, NCF Delhi
