Rev Dr Phuveyi Dozo
The ‘Covenant’ was a catchword and a tool used by God to revive churches and generate missionary wave in Nagaland. The slogan of ‘ten thousand’ is reverberated with prayer in Operation World, (7th Edition) by Jason Mandryk, WEC International, 2010 page 436, “A vision exists to see 10,000 Naga missionaries sent out from this most Christian state in India”. The Church circle of world knows that Nagaland is committed for missionary involvement, meaning people volunteered to go and preach Jesus Christ to the untold and people of other faiths beyond Nagaland which is predominantly a land of Christians.
Circumstances leading to making covenant
Covenant resolution was not an emotional accident or an immature hasty decision. The Church in Nagaland was, by then, 105 years (1872-1977). The Covenant was timely or rather late comparing with the age of the Church. There were preparatory circumstances that preceded and circumscribed making the Ten Thousand Covenant.
1. The Vision and Preparation: It was for missionary vision when the NBCC formed NMM as ‘Home Mission’ in February 1967 at Zunheboto. The NMM Constitution (Aims serial no. 3) stated “Extending its Mission Outreach to the different areas and countries beyond the borders of Nagaland… and sending missionaries”. Nagaland Baptist Foreign Mission was proposed with intention of reaching Southeast region and Asian nations. Longri Ao stated (“Headhunters Make good Soul Winners”, Baptist World, October-Dec., 1970, p. 16): These hill regions having their borders with Burma and China stand on a strategic point from where all the countries in Southeast Asia cane be evangelized. All the Japanese and the Chinese armies at different times have made their way these hill regions and the same war paths can be used by God’s messengers for carrying the good news of the love of God in Chris to those dark places”.
2. Spiritual Revival: The Spirit of the Lord visited and awakened the churches which were featured by repentance, prayer, preaching, miracles, sigs and wonders, and evangelistic enthusiasm like wild storm and unquenchable fire. It was an impetus and a spectacular church growth movement that made Nagaland a land of Christians. The Lord told (Act 1:8) that the current of worldwide mission would begin from Jerusalem when the Power came. The same Spirit came upon the Nagas for them to ripple beyond their boundary to testify what God had done for them. Mission work is the evidence of true Holy Spirit revival. The fire of God and mission thrust coupled together.
3. Kohima Billy Graham Crusade: The crusade with the Evangelist Billy Graham challenged and kindled churches and intensified missionary zeal when his messages were simultaneously translated into 14 Naga languages, November 17-23, 1972 at Kohima. Christians left with evangelistic zeal and enthusiasm.
4. Resolution of World Evangelization: Challenged with mission for surrounding nations, the NBCC held ‘Nagaland Congress on World Evangelization’ at Dimapur, March 1-9, 1975, where Nagaland Covenant for World Evangelization was adopted under the theme “Let the Earth hear His Voice” with declaration of: 1. Every knee should bow and every tongue confesses Jesus Christ; 2. The Bible is the word of GOD and must speak to people; 3. The Church is the body of Christ and is entrusted to proclaim to all mankind in obedience to the Great Commission; 4. Revival is the power of the Holy Spirit which empowers Christians to testify to people for Christ; 5. May 1-7 every year is declared as Nagaland Mission Week to generate funds to promote and support mission; 6. Promoting the mission of the Lord and church ministry, dedicated men and women are called upon for theological leadership training; 7. Knowing that the Lord Jesus is returning soon, it is urgent for churches to proclaim the good news to every people for salvation.
Ten Thousand Covenant: The Covenant was made on October 15, 1977 at Pfutsero during NBCC Annual Council with the following content: “Voted that the plan of enlisting 10,000 volunteer for the Great Commission movement of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel” presented by the Board of Nagaland Missionary Movement, be sponsored by the Nagaland Baptist Church Council and that we through our affiliated bodies... urge all churches to involve... enlisting the volunteers within six months from this day, the 15th October 1977 when this campaign was officially inaugurated (Original record extracted from Longri Ao by OM Rao, CLC, Gauhati, 1986, p121).
Perspective of the Covenant: World evangelization in this generation is the voice ringing throughout the world today and volunteers are being enlisted everywhere to help the world fulfill the Greatest Purpose in the word, “Go into the world and preach the Gospel’. Today the Christians in Nagaland are already involved in it (Ibid, page 121).
Understanding ‘Volunteers’: Volunteers can include all those who make unconditional and voluntary decision for Christ and become pastors, missionaries, theologically trained people, lay volunteers in different positions, teachers, and all who communicate in their professional contexts. In this calculation, the gospel volunteers would be many times of ‘ten thousand’ today, far outnumbering the covenanted number. Accepting this interpretation, we cannot be complacent imagining that the promise our elders and leaders had committed for the Lord is over.
Reading the Intention of the Covenant: The Covenant is not a passive intention that would happen someday. ‘Volunteer’ means ‘commitment with willingness to undertake any risk and task’ without compulsion. It is not an option or choice. For example, biblical personalities were all volunteers. They were not forcibly conscripted. The Lord did not force or compel his disciples to follow him. Modern missionaries were all called by and from voluntary response. They were not a band of compulsory recruited people like a regiment. It is not a matter of negotiability and non-negotiability. People must hear the voice of Covenant, respond and go to preach to the lost people.
The figure ‘ten thousand’ was a great number during the time of adoption of the Covenant. It can be figuratively a symbol for huge and big vision of missionary undertaking. To be a gospel volunteer means a distinct decision distinguished from optional mindset. It is assumable that nations and tribes around and beyond Nagaland state were in the spiritual mapping of the Covenant signatories.
Drive of the Covenant: The Covenant was neither an outcome of a prophetic utterance nor a warning from God. Evidentially, it is the realization of biblical responsibility and missiological timeliness flamed by spiritual circumstance. The NBCC leaders might have a visionary view of teeming unreached millions in NEI, India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, and nations beyond and sending missionaries to preach to them when they executed the Covenant.
Subjective Drive: Churches were driven by the power of the Holy Spirit when they are revived and regenerated. As a result of change and new life in Christ, Christians are urged to testify and witness to others for Christ. This is evidenced by Paul when he was driven to preach (1Corinthians 9:16). A changed heart wants to change others and a healed person is driven to heal others. It is an explosion of truth from inside. Revival song and its passion in Nagaland was “Make me a missionary”.
Objective Drive: A saved person sees unsaved people and goes out to save them at any cost. It is like an urgency to quench fire from a burning house. It is a duty call to save a person from drowning. Paul saw spiritual need in Macedonia when he heard the call from God (Acts 16:9). He voluntarily responded and went over there. David Livingstone saw African nations and responded. God saw the need of the world and sent Jesus Christ to save the world. Nagaland saw spiritual urgency in surrounding tribes and nations and responded (Romans 10: 14, 15). The slogan of Nagaland was “Make me a missionary”.
Imperative Drive: A genuine believer loyally obeys God. Response to mission call is the evidence of an obedient believer (Matthew 28:19; John 14:15). Paul obeyed the Lord when he was called on Damascus road. Isaiah responded to God voluntarily (Isaiah 6:8). Missionaries obeyed the call of God and went out to the world. Nagaland sensed a biblical responsibility of mission and responded. Revival theme in Nagaland was “Make me a missionary”.
Relevance of the Covenant: The Covenant has become a living organ of mission for the churches in Nagaland. It is interpreted from various angles and lanes. But it is not a mistake but with a timely divine purpose as: 1. It has become a prophetic inspiration for mission; 2. It has become a historic challenge and drive for mission; 3. It has generated a passion and vision for world mission.
The Covenant has brought God’s manifold blessings including church growth, theological education and theological colleges, eco-social progress, and rippling of local, national and global mission passion. ‘Ten thousand’ has become a symbolic language of biblical responsibility for mission, and a reminding ringing sound to fulfill the Great Commission. It is far beyond a consciousness of digital statistic and numerical calculation. The Bible says that a year is like a thousand years (2Peter 3:8) with God. The Covenant is a response to and in step with ‘Nagaland for Christ’. God has done a great thing for Nagaland!
