DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 28 (MExN): The four day long National Youth Carnival 2007, which is the largest gathering of the whole India Baptist Youth Convention came to a close on Sunday October 28 with Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio attending the closing function.
In the very beginning Rio said that the government, churches, Hohos and civil societies are trying their best to combat the problems of killing, bloodshed and violence and to bring reconciliation and unity among the Naga brothers.
The Chief Minister said that as long as we live in the ‘principle of revenge’ which only implies ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth there will be no peace.’ We are in the era of New Testament where ‘forgive’ is the best policy, Rio said, and Revenge is like an illness which will only eat you like cancer. By forgiving you are doing more favour to your self than top others. It is natural to get angry for man but let us remember that Jesus teaches us not to forgive seven times but Seventy times seven, he said.
To every Christian, he posed the question of why killing and bloodshed among the Christians. ‘Jesus Christ is the answer’, Rio avowed to the congregation for the reason that Jesus is the one who teaches forgiveness, love and to pray and to have effective communion with God. He continued saying that since the World has realized that peace can be achieved only through Ghandian policy of non-violence which was already propagated by Jesus Christ 2000 years back, as civilized people and as Christians living in the largest democratic Country we must respect the rights of others if we want others to respect our right. Rio also said that he believed in the ‘Power of love’ which is inscribed in 1st Corinthians Chapter 13. Rio also exhorted the young people to be serious with ‘Time management’ in-order to be an achiever.
The speaker of the service was Rev. Dr. Ngul Khan Pau General Secretary Council of Baptist Churches of North East India (CBCNI). Based on his topic ‘Finding freedom in Christ’ he brought two perspective of freedom from the New Testament: Possessional freedom and Practical freedom. He said that when you come to the bottom line of anything but life is the most important.
Christian life is a daily business, it is daily obedience. Freedom in Christ is opposite to the values and patterns of the world around us. The world is commercializing everything with monetary policies, trying to put dissatisfaction in you to the point that you want to go for new things. Rev. Pau made it known to the congregation that ‘Today we are talking in ‘reference point’ of powerful people we know but there is no ‘reference’ only ‘reverence’ to the man who saved us i.e. Jesus Christ.’
The Praise and Worship was led by DABA Youth, the service leader was Iringtie Kaurang, Bible Reading and Prayer by Thingring N. Sangma, worship dance by BOBBCA, song presentation by Subong, Nangshi and Pensy, EBC and MBC choir.
The Officials also announced the New Office bearers of Baptist Youth Fellowship India: President Rev. Samaresh Nayak, Vice President Rev. Alex O Korulla, Treasurer Iringtie Kaurang, Assistant Secretary Thingring N. Sangma and Advisor Rev. Chen Rengma.
