Congregation lit candlelight at the concluding day of CBCC Mission Conference at PTBC on November 10. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | November 10
The three day long Mission Conference 2024 of the Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC) under the theme “God’s Mission, Our Task” concluded today at Phek Town Baptist Church.
The Sunday worship service on November 10 witnessed an attendance of around 7000 congregations, which includes 1437 registered delegates of Reverends, Pastors, Youth Leaders, Children Teachers, Women Pastors and church leaders and 38 missionaries.
During valedictory service this afternoon, Rev Dr Zelhou Keyho, General Secretary, Nagaland Baptist Church Council spoke on the topic “God's Mission, Soul Winning.”
“The best thing that foreign missionaries gave was the word of God. Thus, building church, establishing school, raising leaders is not the first priority but the first priority is to share God's word,” he said.
He maintained that the main focus of the missionary is soul winning, adding that “Soul saving is a missionary calling. It is a missionary task.”
Rev Keyho encouraged the present missionaries not to be discouraged when they do not see any fruit in their mission.
“Their task is to share the word of God, to change the head is the task of the Holy Spirit,” he said.
Stating that “our task is the task of winning soul,” he reminded the congregation that the field is ready to be harvested and “therefore we must be empowered by the Holy Spirit to win the souls.”
Corporately work for mission
Taking on the topic “ God’s Mission, Our Task” at the Sunday Worship service, Rev Sehu Belho, Strategic Coordinator on Course Mission, Nagaland, told the congregation on Clark's prayer when he first entered Nagaland.
He prayed for strength and good health to be able to share the gospel to the Nagas that the gospel may be spread to all parts of the Nagas.
“God has given us one task, that is to disciple the nation,” he said.
Rev Belho urged that “we have to make God's mission our task” adding that there is urgent need to do mission to a greater level, to reach the unreached.
The Great Commission needs to be accelerated, he said.
He shared statistical figures on the unreached countries and people groups. Among the top 10 unreached countries, India stands at the top.
Re Belho said Nagas have the capability to send more missionaries.
Further, he challenged the congregations to prioritize the unreached people group; pray for the nation; and for the church and family to corporately work for mission.
‘NE is epi-centric for doing mission’
Sharing greetings, Rev Lipok Pongener, secretary, Nagaland Missions Movement, NBCC said that North East is epi-centric for doing mission.
“The world is counting on us as the centre for doing mission,” he said.
He challenged the congregations to recommit and do mission to a greater level, send missionaries whether or not it has reached 10,000 missionaries.”
Rev Pongener also stressed on the need to plan and send missionaries to people groups that have not been reached.
He challenged the congregation to go to places that have not been penetrated yet.
‘Reach the unreached people groups’
Rev Dr Sülüveyi Rhakho, Coordinator of Globe Serve International in Minneapolis, USA, in a plenary session with local mission board leaders on Saturday said that 2.9+ billion have heard the Gospel but are not Christians.
The Christians population in the world stands at 2.38 billion.
Approximately 7,400 people groups are considered unreached.
40% of the world’s people groups have no indigenous community of believing Christians.
Over 42% of the world’s population live in these over 7,400 people groups.
There are currently 151 unengaged people groups in the world.
The churches are sending missionaries to the regions where there are already measurable Christians, but not sending missionaries to the unreached people groups world, he said.
Touching the present realities of the church involvement in world missions, Rev. Dr. Rhakho challenged the church leaders to focus more on reaching the unreached people groups.
“Do mission in places that have not been reached out”
In plenary session with pastors on Saturday, Ravikho-ii Kera, former women secretary Angami Baptist Church Council said that mission must strive along as the church exists.
She also stressed on the need to train people such as cross-cultural training before sending one to the mission field. Kera shared important things in doing mission such as working guidelines, networking, co-ordination and partnership.
She urges the congregants, the Pastors & deacons, to awaken the mission concern.
The church sends the missionaries but often forget to reach out to them, she said and urged the pastors and church leaders to be available and to constantly reach out to them.
Further, she encouraged the church to do mission in places that have not been reached out.
Earlier, on Saturday evening service, Dr. Rema Chhakchhuak, Asia Mission Mobilizer, Baptist Mission, Australia spoke on the topic “God’s Mission for the Nations.”
Rev Dr Kedoungulo Mero, former director CMS, CBCC led the evening Gospel service on Saturday and experiential sharing by Vetalii Rhakho, Missionary Kulajan.
Rev Dr Thiipucuyi Khesoh, pastor Phek Town Baptist Church led the Sunday Worship service on November 10 and experiential sharing by Vechivolii Chizo, Missionary, Jonai.
Vesalii Swiiro, member CMS Board led the valedictory service and experiential sharing by Kiidephuyi Tetseo, Missionary, Ollo.
Rev Dr Vezopa Tetseo, senior pastor CBC Diphupar prayed for missionaries while vote of thanks was proposed by Rev. P. Bonny Resii, chairman, CMS Board, CBCC.
