DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 3 (MExN): The Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (ABAM) sesquicentennial jubilee to celebrate 150 years of Christianity in the Naga Hills adopted 5 resolutions in Impur today to strengthen spiritual foundation and mission work, take social change action, re-evaluate ABAM’s structure, and support offspring institutions.
On the final day of the three day celebration, the ABAM SQC resolved that the churches would “prayerfully work to strengthen its spiritual foundation.” To achieve this end, greater importance and resources shall be given to vitalize the Sunday School and Child Ministry in churches, it held. Alongside this, ABAM resolved to bring out a book series on Discipleship wherein systematic teaching on various aspects of Christian belief and practice shall be given.
It noted that ABAM and its affiliated churches have been going out beyond the borders and carrying out “tremendous” mission works to the present days. It resolved that these mission works would continue to be strengthened and be accomplished with a “greater vision.”
Along with a “strong” outreach mission, the ABAM SQC agreed that there should be no shortcoming in their own home mission. It resolved that the “Search for the Lost Sheep Mission” shall be set up and implemented with clear cut action within the church. “For those of other faiths and religions who have come and settled in our land, all churches will carry out definitive measures of evangelism among them,” it further said.
The ABAM SQC also called for social change action to address issues like corruption, alcoholism and drug addiction, lack of work culture, adultery, debauchery, violence, increasing gap between the rich and the poor, and mammonism (love of money). It resolved that, following the SQC, the work of the ABAM Social Concern shall be formulated into a fully fledged ministry of ABAM and work with renewed strength to overcome these challenges at the level of the individual, church and ABAM.
In addition, following the SQC, all stakeholders shall work corporately towards inculcating the Christian culture of hard work and industry among the youth so that they may become economically self reliant believers through their own entrepreneurship, it further held.
Further, recognizing that the condition of the times and the norms and mores of humankind undergo change, it resolved that the structure, ministries and working system of ABAM need to be evaluated and restructured. “Through this the ABAM and affiliated churches will be able to carry on its works more appropriately, effectively and successfully.
Therefore, it is resolved that a special Committee shall be constituted to execute this task of evaluation,” it agreed.
Meanwhile, the ABAM SQC resolved to support ABAM the four offspring Institutions of ABAM, Clark Memorial Higher Secondary School, Impur Bible School, Impur Christian Hospital and Clark Theological College. To enable these Institutions to grow to higher level of excellence and impart better ministries, it resolved that ABAM in commemoration of the SQC shall extend appropriate assistance to these four institutions, and that the member Churches shall also uphold these Institutions with “greater vigour.”
