Ziangruangah Baptist Ka Si?

Thuhmaihruai

"Ziangruangah Baptist ka si" timi hi thate'n ka rak ruat aw dah lem lo. Mi pakhat khat in nang teh ziang ruangah "Pawl" dangah na tthawn ve lo tiah in suttu um bangta sehla ka let thei cuca lo ding. Ka pa lam ih ka pu le ka nu lam thisen ih ka pu te an pahnih hi kan  khua ah Pathian awi hmaisabik pawl an rak si. Cui' Pathian thu cu Baptist Missionary (Mirang & Karen) pawl in an rak sim ruangah an zum ih rirai biaknak ihsin Khristian ah an rak cang.  Missionary pawl ih an rak kenmi cu Jesuh Khrih lawng siloin an Pawl/Denominaton a si mi,  "Baptist" tla zumtu thar pawl cu an rak sin ter cih. Cui' Missionary pawl ih Lairam ih an rak tuh ta mi "Baptist" cu ka pi le pu te ih sungsuak faa te hnenah sankhat hnu sankhat phuaktheih nawn lo mi angki/kor bangtuk in tu ni tiang kan run sin sawng vivo. Curuangah ziangah Baptist na si in ti sehla, "ka nulepa/ ka pilepu pawl Baptist an si ruangah" tiah ka leh hai ding. Hi thu hi thudik a si. Asinan, tuni ah cun hi thu lawng hi Baptist ka sinak ih kan ttansan (reason) dingah ka duh tawk thei nawn lo. Baptist ka sinak sim fiangnak dingah thuk deuh ih laihsuahmi ttansan (reason) pawl phorhsuah ka duh. Curuangah hi Cahram ngan dingah ruahnak a suahnak a si.  

 A pahnihnak ah, hi cahram ngan dingih i tultubik thil pakhat cu Laimi pawl hi ramdang kan thleng tikah Pawl/Denomination a thupi nawn lo titu tampi an um. Culawng siloin, "Baptist" timi hmin hman thei paihlo khop ih a huat ih huatu kan Laimi lakah an um vivo. Cutikah "Kei teh ziang ruangah Baptist ka si? Ziangruangah hi tluk ka ttan? Ttantlak teh a si maw? ka ttansan hi ziang a si? ..etc…,.ti  pawl hi i ruatter zet. Curuangah Baptist thu hi thaten ka ruatsal ih ka tlin tawk te'n ka hliakhlai tikah "Ziang ruangah Baptist Ka Si" timi pawl tawkfang ka hmu fiang aw. Cumi pawl cu casiartu pawl hrangah a thahnem pangah ti'n hi cahram hi ka run ngannak a si.

I. Baptist Thawhkehnak

Kawhhran dangdang ahcun dintu (Founder) an nei cio. Thuthimnak ah Martin Luther, John Calvin le John Wesley te pawl hi anmah ih an zumnak thupom (Theology) ih zirin Lutheran, Reformed Church le Methodist Church ti'n pawl dintu  an rak si. Asinan, "Baptist" cu milai daan in dintu (Founder) fumfe a um lo.  1609 kum ah John Smyth le Thomas Helwys te pahnih cu Holland ram ah Baptist Kawhhran an rak din. Asinan, "Baptist" zumnak (Faith & Belief)  pawl hi an mah ih suahpimi  thupom (Theology) a si lo. Cuhleiah an mah hi Bible lamah zirnak sang nei (Theologian) tla an rak si lo ruangah hi bangtuk thupom (Theology) thu thuk zetzet suahpi thei khal an rak si lo. A um ciami zumnak thupom tampi sung ihsin Bible Zirhdaan thawn a mil aw bikmi pawl lakkhawm ih fehpitu hmaisabik pawl an rak si fang. Curuangah Baptist cu zo nih a din ih, ziangmi ni, hla, kum ah an rak thok timi felfai zetin rel theih a si lo.

Asinan, kan rel theimi pakhat cu "Baptist" thupom cu Khristian Santiluan thleng danglamtu Protestant Reformation (c. 16^th Century) san lai ih Reformation Theology (Serthar Salmi Zumnak Thupom) sung ihsin a irhsuakmi asi timi a si. Protestant Reformer pawl sung ih hmin thangbik pawl cu Ulrich Zwingli, Martin Luther, John Calvin te pawl an si.  An zaten Bible hi an tansan ah an hmang. Kawhhran sungah Pope hnak in thuneitu dingah Bible an hril. Bible hi mi hmuahhmuah ih siar ding a si an ti cio. Cun, Bible ih zirh daan vekin Rundamnak cu Kawhhran sungah um lo in zaangfahnak ruangah zumnak thawn kan co mi a si ti pawl an au pi. Himi thupom pawl hi tusun ni tiang kan nih Baptist pawl khal in kan run pom sawng vivo mi a si.  Asinan, hi Reformer kan pa le pawl hi an rak tthanlennak an Mother Church ih thupom tampi cu thlah thei lo in an keng telcih mi tampi a um. A hleice in Tihnimnak thu ah an Mother Church ih hman daan Nausuakpek baptisma peknak (Infant Baptism) le  tithlorh baptisma (Sprinkle) cu an hmang lan ta. Asinan, Baptist kan pa le pawl cun himi tipil innak cu Bible thawn a mil aw lo a si an rak ti. Curuangah Zumtu lawng tipilnak (Believer Baptism) le tidai sungah Hnimpil (immersion) hi Jesuh Khrih a mah rori ih in zirhmi a si tin ttan an lak ih tusun ni tiang kan run hmang lan ta. Curuangah Baptist ka sinak ka ttansan (reason) hmaisabik cu Baptist thupom/feh daan pawl cu Bible zirhdaan thawn a milaw ih Jesuh Khrih amah rori ih rak thokmi asi tiah ka zum ruangah a si.

II. Baptist le Zalennak

a). Thlarau Zalennak

Baptist hi thlarau zalennak uarbik pawl kan si. Pathian kan biak theinak dingah le sual thlah thawinak kan tuah theinak dingah kan mah le Pathian karlak ah Palai  kan tullo ti tu pawl kan si. Zumtu hmuahhmuah Puithiam Sinak (Priesthood of All Believers) hi kan pom ruangah Pathian hnen ah simsaktu/dilsaktu palai tullo in kan mah te'n zalen zetin Pathian kan biak thei ti tu pawl kan si.

Cuvek thotho in Pathian kan biak tik khal ah a hmun le hma hi thupi zet ih retmi Kawhhran kan si lo. Judah pawl cu an Biakinn sung lawngah Pathian um ding ah an ruat ih Biakinn sung lawng ah Pathian biak dingin an ra pan theu. Kawhhran dang dang khal ah Pathian hi a hmun le hma, tikcu caan neihter in an biak theu. Cuhleiah, Biakinn sungah rimhmui cu khang tahratin meikhu lak ah Pathian biak hi Pathian duh zawng sihmang ti'n Pathian a biaktu tla tampi an um. Kawhhran hrek khat lala cu minung ih phuahcop zumnak thupom (creeds) pawl cu biak khawmnak sungah salnon rero ih biaktu khal an bo lo. A hrekkhat Creed pawl tla cu hlanlai Latin tongfang pawl tla an si ih zohman ih a suullam thei lomi tla tampi a um. Asinan, Baptist pawl cun Pathian biak timi cu thutak le thlarua thawn biak ding asi timi Jesuh Khrih ih in zirhmi cu thupi ah ret in hmun le hma, tikcu caan a hranpa ih nei cuang lo in zalen zetin kan umnak tinkip ah kan thlarua thawn Pathian a  biatu pawl kan si.

Cuhleiah Baptist hi Hrintharnak uarbiktu Kawhhran kan si ti seh la ka sual lo ding. Ziangah tile tipil kan lak zik tikah "Jesuh cu i runtu le ka Bawipa asi tiah na zum maw?" tiah a zumnak thu  sut a si ringring. Culengah Kawhhran sungtel sinak dil tik khal ah " Jesuh cu i runtu le ka Bawipa asi tiah na zum maw?" timi thusutnak hi neih ringring asi. Ziangbangtuk minung khal Jesuh Khrih hnen ah zalen zetin a ra thei ih zalen zetin Bible khal a siar thei asi timi hi Baptist pawl ih pom dan a si.

b). Kawhhran Zalennak

Kawhhran hrekkhat kan zoh asile Kawhhran uktu le thuneitu cu a dotdot in an nei. Cumi cu mirang tongin Hierarchy tiah an ko. Asinan, kan nih Baptist pawl cu Hierarchy system cu kan duh lo. Ziangah tile kedam sungih a lo suntu hling umnak cu kedam a hruktu nangmah nih na thei bik vekin Kawhhran thansonak dingah Kawhhran sungtel pawl nih a tulmi an thei bik. Curuangah Kawhhran kaihhruinak ah zovek pawlkom, party le bulpak khal in kan Kawhhran tlunah thu an nei theilo ih Kawhhram cu a mahte zalen zetih ukawktheinak (Local Church Autonomy) a nei  a si tiah kan pom.  Curuangah Kawhhran thu ah Jesuh Khrih cu kan lu, in uktu a si ih Bible cu sual/palh theilo le Kawhhran tlun ah thuneitu sangbik a si tiah Bible uar zetmi Kawhhran kan si.

c).  Biaknak Zalennak

Khristian san thuanthu sungah Siangpahrang ih thuneihnak cu Biaknak sungah nasatuk in a lut ruangah cui' san ih Kawhhran pawl cu thangso lam pan loin tumsuknak le siatralnak sawn a thlenter phah thluh. Cui' san, kum 400 sung cu Dark Age tiah an rak ko. Curuangah Baptist pawl cun Acozah le Biaknak lam hi hnuaihnih aw ding a si lo tiah thupi zetih ruattu le fehpitu kan si. Acozah cu a ram sungah daihnak le thansonak a um theinak dingah daan le duun (Law & Order) thawn uktu ding an si ih Khristian Biaknak cu ram mipi hnenah Pathian thuthangtha simtu ding kan si tiah Baptist cun a fehpi. Curuangah Acozah le Biaknak lam cu kan hnatuan a bangaw lo law law ruangah pakhat le pakhat hnuaihnih aw loin zalen zetin mah ih hnatuan cio kha tuan ding kan si tiah Baptist cun tusun tiang a feh pi. America ram ih Baptist kawhhran rak din hmasabiktu Roger William (c. 1631) cu amah vek ih Biaknak zalennak hawl in America ram a ra thlengtu a rualpi pawl ih dinmi Massachusetts acozah cu Biaknak lamah thu nan neituk tiah sual a puh hai ruangah England ram ih kuatkir (Deport) ding tiang a thu an rel dah. Asinan, an ram ah an kuatkir man hlan ah Rhode Island ah a tlan man ih cutawkah Native America pawl thawn Baptist Kawhhran an rak din vivo a si. Hi thu pawl kan zoh tikah Baptist pawl cu hnaihnoktu um lo in zalen zetin Pathian a biak duhtu pawl kan si timi a fiang. Curuangah Baptist ka sinak ih ka ttansan (reason) pakhat cu  Pathian cu zalen zetin kan biak theinak ruangah a si.

III. Baptist le Serh le Sang

Baptist hin serh le sang pa (2) kan nei. Serh le Sang kan timi cu mirang tongin Ordinances ti ah an ko. Ordinances timi cu Order (Thupek) timi tonghram ihsin a ra mi a si. Curuangah serh le sang Ordinances cu minung ih phuahcop siloin Jesuh Khrih nih tuah dingah thu in pekmi, order in pekmi tinak a si. Kan zoh tlang hnik pei.

i. Zumtu Lawng Tihnimnak (Believer Baptism)

Baptist le Kawhhran dang dang pawl ih kan danglamnak bikcu Tihnimnak (Baptism) ah a si. Baptism timi cu Greek tongin Baptizo timi ihsin a ra an ti. Baptizo timi cu hminpil tinak a si. Curuangah Baptist pawl cu tihnimnak kan lak tikah tidia sungah kan ruangpum zaten hnimpil a si hnu lawngah kan di a riam ih kan cohlang thei. Tihnimnak ih  a suullam cu kan Bawipa Jesuh Khrih ih a thihnak, an phumnak le a thoksalnak langternak dingah a si. Curuangah Baptist pawl cun Bawipa Jesuh thihnak le  thawksalnak a zumtu,  Zumtu lawng Baptisma peknak (Believer Baptism) a hmangtu le a uarzettu kan si. Baptist Kawhhran ih kan Pa bik a si mi John Smyth hi a nauhak lai ih  Baptisma a rak lakmi cu a di a riam thei lo ruangah rundamnak a congah hnuah a mah le a mah ti a hnim aw sal ih cumi hnu ah a dungthluntu pawl tla a hnim hai vivo. Cuticun Holland ramah 1609 ah Baptist Kawhhran a rak din a si. Curuangah Baptist pawl cun  Tihnimnak hi rundamnak conak a si tiah ziangtik khal ah kan ruat dah lo. Rundamnak kan co mi kha langter (outward Expression) dingah kan tuahmi a si sawn.

ii. Bawipa Zaanriah

Kawhhran hrekkhat cu Bawipa zaanriah an hman tikah Sabitti le Sangreu cu Bawi Jesuh ih thisen le taksa ngaingai (Transubstantiation) ah a cang tiah an pom. Cun, hrekkhat lala cun Bawipa zaanriah an hman tikah Sabitti le Sangreu cu Jesuh Khrih ih thi le sa thawn an um tlang (Coexist) asi tiah an pom. Tahthimnak ah thirpum pakhat cu meisa sungah kan hlon asile thirpum le meisa cu an um tlang (coexist) ih thirpum cu a ling hluahhlo. Asinan, thirpum le meisa cu a dang dang an si tho tho. Hi thupom hi Consubstantiation tiah an ko. Asinan, Baptist pawl cun a pahnih ten kan cohlang thei lo. Ziangah tile Bawipa zaanriah kan hmang timi cu kan Bawipa Jesuh Khrih ih kan hrangah a tuarnak le a thihnak pawl cingmang salin mah le mah cekfel awknak thawn kan sualpalhnak  ihsin siirawk saal in a thar in thlarau thazaang (Genuine Spiritual Strength) laksalnak dingah kan tuahmi a si. Simduhmi cu kan hmanmi a thilri (Substance), sabitti le Sangreu kha thupi ah ruatloin a suullam kha kan thupitter sawn tinak a si.                     Himi a tlun ih Serh le Sang pahnih hi kan Bawipa Jesuh ih in zirhmi le in fialmi ta mi pawl an si. Curuangah Baptist pawl ih serh le sang kan hman daan hi Bible thawn a naih awbik ih a milawbik fawn. Hi thu pawl thate'n ka ruahsal tik khal ah Baptist ih ka um hi a tha ka tibik hrih thotho.

IV. Baptist le Mission Hnatuannak

Pathian nih leitlun ah minung  a retsannakbik cu miphun hmuahhmuah hnen ah leilung a deng tiang a thuthangtha phuan dingah a si. Hihi Jesuh Khrih a mah rori ih in fialmi a si. Hi thupek hi Baptist cun thupizet ah retin Leitlun khuaza ramkip ah Missionary palai tampi a thlah. Sum le pai cem in an thlanhri a put ih an thisen a luang khal le an bansan cuanglo. Minung nunnak tampi a ziam ral.  Laitlang hmanah Baptist Missionary pawl ih thlanmual hmuh ding a um lai. Asinan, Mission hnatuannak cu a cak deuhdeuh. Tusun ni tiang Baptist pawl hi leitlun ah Missionary Palai thlah tambik an si ringring. Laimi dinhmun in kan sim khal asile kum 16 sung CCOC hna kan rak tuan. Kan faate pawl hman kan pek siang lomi inntangih arti tiang zuarin ttan kan rak lak cio. Ramdang  bomnak piakhat telloin Lairam ih Baptist pawl ih suah pi mi  sumpai Ks. 170 milloins (Ks. 170,000,000/-) lai a rak cem. Palai pa (9) nih an nunnak an liam phah.

Cuhnu khal ah cawl cuang lo in. "Jesuh cu Bawi a si" timi thulu tar in CMC (Centenary Mission for Christ) ti’n Kawl le Vai lakah kan tuan thotho. Atu khal ah kan ruan rero lai. Chin Baptist Convention (the late ZBC) tang ah CBM (Chin Baptist Mission) tin kum 2013 ihsin 2028 tiang  Project tumpi tuah in Leitlun ih Laimi Baptist hmuahhmuah kom khawm in thlanglam Laitlang le Kawl le Vai pawl hnen ah  kan tuan hrih ding. American hram bun, Chin Baptist Association of North America (CBANA) khal in CBM tang ih Chindwin Mission Field ah Palai (33) thlah in Mission hna kan tuan rero.  Kum 2028 ah Chin Baptist Convention (the late ZBC) pi kum 75 a kim dingih cumi hnu khal ah Diamond Jubilee Mission (Holistic Mission) cu nasa sinsin in kan tuan ding. Hitivek ih Mission hna kan tuannak ah an thlarau lawng runsuah siloin an nuntu khawsak daan tiang runsuah dingah Baptist Mission cun a tumtah ringring. Curuangah fimthiamnak hrangah tlawng thatha an sak, Hardamnak hrangah Sizung thatha an din. Miharsa pawl an bawm ih tthansonak an khih hmuh. A naibik in simseh la Kawlram,  Yangon University pi khi Baptist Missionary pawl ih a hram rak tohter mi a si. Asinan, tusun ah cun tlawng sungih a ummi Judson Biakinnpi lawng hi Khristfa pawl nih an run co. Cuticun Khristian santhuanthu sungah siseh, tu ni ih a luang reromi santiluan sung khal ah Bawptist pawl cun Mission hnatuan cu a thupibik ah kan ret ringring ih Kan Bawipa Jesuh Khrih a raksal  lai hlan lo kan tuan hrih ding. Hi thu pawl ka zohsal tikah Pathian duhnak thawn a pialnak ka hmu lo ruangah Baptist ih um hi ka zahpi awlo ih ka duhbik thotho.

V. Baptist le Ttanrualnak

Baptist Kawhhran thuanthu kan hliahhlai tikah Baptist Kawhhran pawl cu ziangtluk in an lian hman ah an mah ten "Paksai" in an um dah lo. A bur a bur ih um pawl kan si. Thuthimnak ah Falam khua ih  Falam Baptist Church hi an mah te'n um bang sehla ziangtluk in zo an lian ding!!! Asinan, an mah lawng an um dah lo. An naihmi sumpai tla an mah lawng in an hmang dah lo. A pawngkam ih ummi Kawhhran pawl thawn hmunkhat te ah an um ih a naihmi tla an hlawm aw ringring. Cuvek in a naih aw deuhmi Kawhhran pawl hmunkhat ah kan um tlang ih cumi cu Association pakhat tangah kan kom khawm aw. Cumi Kawhhran tampi komkhawm aw mi Association cu a mah vek Association dang dang thawn an komkhawm aw lala ih cu mi cu Convention tiah kan ko. Cuticun ram tin ih Convention pawl cu an komkhawm aw lala ih Leitlun pi huap Baptist pawlkom (Baptist World Alliance) ah a hung cang ih cumi tangah kan zaten hmunkhat ah Pathian ram hrang ah hna kan tuan tlang.

Culawng hman siloin, Baptist pawl cun Greek tongih Oikoumene tiih an timi Pathian ih Innsungsang (The Household of God) timi pom hngettu kan si. Curuangah zumtu hmuahhmuah cu Kawhhran thlaihdannak umloin kan zaten Pathian ih Innsungsung ah sungtel kan si  tiah kan pom ( Zo ih Kawhhran hman "Mithi Kawhhran" tiah kan sawisel dah lo).  Thuthimnak ah Falam khua ah Falam Christian Council (FCC) timi pawlkom a um. Kawhhran tintian ihsin hi pawlkom ah an tel. Hi pawlkom hi Baptist pawl ih rak hoha ringring mi a si. Zung hrangah FBA in zungkhat pakhat tla a pek. Cuvek thotho in MCC timi Myanmar Council of Churches cu Yangon ah zung an nei ih hruaitu pawl cu Baptist ihsin an tambik ringring. World Council of Churches (WCC) cu leitlunpi huap Khristian pawlkom a si. Himi sung khal ah Baptist pawl cun nasazet in Kawhhran dang dang thawn hna kan tuan tlang. Curuangah Pathian ram hrangah  Kawhhran thlaihdannak um lo in, "Ttanrual cu cahnak" timi  thu hi a dik asile Baptist ih ka um hi ka sual lo tiah kan sangaw duh thotho.

VI. Baptist le  Mah Ke Tlun ih Dinduhnak

1953 kum ah Zomi Baptist Convention (ZBC) timi Baptist pawlkom cu Lairam ah an rak din. Hi pawlkom sungah Falam Baptist Associaton (FBA), Hakha Baptist Association (HBA) le Teddim Baptist Association (TBA) ti'n association pa (3) lawng an rak um. Sumlepai harsatnak tampi an rak tong. Asinan, Baptist kan pa le pawl cun ram dangmi hnenah bomnak paisa piakhat hman an rak dil lo. An mah ke par ih ding thei dingin an rak zuam. Cuih ziin cu tusunni tiang Chin Baptist Convention (the late ZBC) cun a run sunzom vivo. Kan neinung zet lonan, mi kan daw ve ce lo. Anthur hang le Thlahmai beu kan ei khal le kan hni siamsi thei thotho. Ziangah tile maih Loram sungih thlairah cu mi dang Loram sungih thlairah hnak in a thaw deuh ti'n kan ruat ruangah a si. America ram kan thlen hnu khal ah Baptist dik tak pawl cun American pawl hnen ihsin bawmnak diltu siloin a bawmtu ah kan cang sawn. US ram ih Laimi Baptist Kawhhran pakhat tla cu ABCUSA sung hman ah kum tin sumpai  thawhtambik lamah a ding ringring. Curuangah an pastor pa tla cu ABCUSA sungah E C  tiang a thleng ban a si. Hi thu pawl kan zoh asile Baptist pawl cu midiltu hnak in mi bawmtu, ziangmi in pek ding timi hnakin ziangmi ka pek thei ding timi lungput, mah ke tlun ih ding a duhtu Kawhhran kan si zia kan thuanthu sungah a lang a si.

VII. An Lungkhawng Man Zuar Sian a Si Lo

Siangbawi Arthur Carson le a nupi Laura te pahnih cu  March  15^th   1899 ah Lairam  Hakha khua ah an rak thleng. An thlen zaan ih an tontehmi thu cu Siangbawinu Laura Carson ih nganmi, "Pioneers' Trials, Trials and Triumph" timi cabu sungah hi tin a ngan,"A hmaisabik Hakha khua kan thlen zaan cu zaan hi a sau cuang ce. Kum zakhat lai a rei vekin ka thei. Ka mithli hnul phah in, "Arthur, hivek ramthing le ramcar ah hivek fihnungza minung pawl thawn cun ziangtin so kan um thei ding... kei ka lo umpi thei lo ding" ti ah ka ti ih Arthur cun nuam te'n hi tin i leh, "Cuvek in tong hlah hmen, Duhmi…. Daite'n ittaht tum sawn aw.  Zing khua a vang cing ding. Cutikah khua tleu mawi kan hmu leh ding. Kan kutken Bible bungcang te kha na mang nawn lo maw si, " Jesuh thawn ziangkim ka ti thei" timi kha......". Cuticun zinglam khua tleu hngak in kum 9 sung hna a tuan hnu April 1^th 1908 ni ah Siangbawi Arthur Carson cu a duhdawtmi a nupi le Laimi pawl tanta in Pathian tang sungah in colhsan. A ruak cu Dr.  E. H. East nih Hakha khua Missionary Compound ah a vui liam ta a si.  Siangbawi Arthu Carson ih thlanlung tlun ah lairam zuk an suai ih cumi tlun ah " Rev. A. E. Carson, First Missionary to the Chins, Born August 6, 1860, Died April 1, 1908" ti ah an ngan. Cuih lungtlep tlunih an ngantami ca cu tusun ni tiang Laimi Baptist pawl ih thinlung sungah phiahtheih nawnloin a run ngan aw cih vivo. 

Nuraltha Siangbawinu Laura cu a pasal ih a tansan hnu kum (12) tiang rori Laimi pawl hnen ah Pathian hna a run tuan ta. Tuih kan sak rero theumi hla (Hymn) fing 126 in let sak hlei ah Thuthangtha pa (4) le Tirhthlah tla in let sak. Laimi tampi Jesuh ke hram ih a hruai hnu, Lairam ih zing ni tleu mawi tantan in  July 19th 1942 ah America ram ah in tansan a si.

Laimi pawl hrangih nunnak rak pek hrihtu Baptist Missionary pakhat cu Siangbawi Rev. Dr. C H Cope a si. A mah hi a nupi thawn Laimi pawl  hrangah kum (30) sung rori Pathian hna rak tuantu a si. Fimthiamnak lam ah Laimi pawl mibang dingin lam in hruaitubik a si. Laica ngan daan in tuahsaktu le Teddim Bible in letsaktu khal a si. June 11, 1938 ah Pathian hnen ah in colhsan ih a hnatuanpi Arthur Carson ih thlanmual kap te ah an rak vui ve a si. Carson te nupa ih theh thei lomi hnatuan cu bawmtu dingah Baptist Missionary pakhat hnu pakhat Laitlang ah an ra ih Thlaraulam lawng siloin, fimthiamnak, hardamnak le kilkip thansonak hrangah thlanhripi putin, suurhan kianloin an rianmi Bawipa hna an rak tuan khawm a si. Hivek pawl ruah tik ah Baptist phahsan in bawmtu thatha hnen ih fehsan men ding hi thil harsa zet a si.

Curuangah Baptist ih ka umnak ka ttansan pakhat cu Missionary pawl, kan pulepa pawl ih lukhawng zuar sian a si lo ruangah a si.

 Thunetnak

Hi Cahram hi keimah vek "Ziangruangah Baptist Ka Si?" timi thei cuca lo pawl hrangah thathnemnak um pang sehla ti saduhthatnak thawn ka nganmi a si. Thungai ti ahcun Baptist Kawhhran tla sambaunak tampi nei mi Kawhhran a si ve. Cuhleiah Baptist thu cu keimah vek mihlawhsam zet in kan ngan tikah a hlawhsam sin sin. "Arbawm ih Tidai Khai Bang," an ti theu bang in hi cahram ah a dokmi le a ong tampi a um ko ding. A hahdammi kha lak tum in siatsuah theitu a um pang asile tansan dingah ka lo sawm hai.

Hiti'n ka thu ka netter hnik pei, kei mah hi Baptist pacang ka si ti fiangte'n ka thei aw. Cucu tuni tiang ka di a riam zet. Asinan, Baptist ka sinak hnakin ka di i riamtertu sawn cu  Jesuh thisen ruang ih “Rundammi Khristian” pakhat ka sinak zawnah a si. Hi zawnah hin kan zaten kutkawi aw in Pathian hnathiang ttuantlang cio uh si.

Khrih ah,

Biak Lian Thang

Battle Creek, USA.

Ronmi Cabu le Cahram pawl:-

1.       ABC,USA, "Baptist Distinctive and Diversity"

2.      ABC, USA, "We are American Baptist".

3.      Bill J. Leonard, "Baptist Ways: A History,".

4.      Gene E Bartlett, "These are Baptist".

5.      ZTC, "Chin Church History,"

6.      Articles…

Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 11 Things I Learne

April 24, 2013 299 Comments

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UPDATE: Listen to the podcast episode about this post.

I was their church consultant in 2003. The church’s peak attendance was 750 in 1975. By the time I got there the attendance had fallen to an average of 83. The large sanctuary seemed to swallow the relatively small crowd on Sunday morning.

The reality was that most of the members did not want me there. They were not about to pay a consultant to tell them what was wrong with their church. Only when a benevolent member offered to foot my entire bill did the congregation grudgingly agree to retain me.

I worked with the church for three weeks. The problems were obvious; the solutions were difficult.

On my last day, the benefactor walked me to my rental car. “What do you think, Thom?” he asked. He could see the uncertainty in my expression, so he clarified. “How long can our church survive?” I paused for a moment, and then offered the bad news. “I believe the church will close its doors in five years.”

I was wrong. The church closed just a few weeks ago. Like many dying churches, it held on to life tenaciously. This church lasted ten years after my terminal diagnosis.

My friend from the church called to tell me the news. I took no pleasure in discovering that not only was my diagnosis correct, I had mostly gotten right all the signs of the impending death of the church. Together my friend and I reviewed the past ten years. I think we were able to piece together a fairly accurate autopsy. Here are eleven things I learned.

1. The church refused to look like the community. The community began a transition toward a lower socioeconomic class thirty years ago, but the church members had no desire to reach the new residents. The congregation thus became an island of middle-class members in a sea of lower-class residents.
2. The church had no community-focused ministries.  This part of the autopsy may seem to be stating the obvious, but I wanted to be certain. My friend affirmed my suspicions. There was no attempt to reach the community.
3. Members became more focused on memorials. Do not hear my statement as a criticism of memorials. Indeed, I recently funded a memorial in memory of my late grandson. The memorials at the church were chairs, tables, rooms, and other places where a neat plaque could be placed. The point is that the memorials became an obsession at the church. More and more emphasis was placed on the past.
4. The percentage of the budget for members’ needs kept increasing. At the church’s death, the percentage was over 98 percent.
5. There were no evangelistic emphases. When a church loses its passion to reach the lost, the congregation begins to die.
6. The members had more and more arguments about what they wanted. As the church continued to decline toward death, the inward focus of the members turned caustic. Arguments were more frequent; business meetings became more acrimonious.
7. With few exceptions, pastoral tenure grew shorter and shorter. The church had seven pastors in its final ten years. The last three pastors were bi-vocational. All of the seven pastors left discouraged.
8. The church rarely prayed together. In its last eight years, the only time of corporate prayer was a three-minute period in the Sunday worship service. Prayers were always limited to members, their friends and families, and their physical needs.
9. The church had no clarity as to why it existed. There was no vision, no mission, and no purpose.
10. The members idolized another era. All of the active members were over the age of 67 the last six years of the church. And they all remembered fondly, to the point of idolatry, was the era of the 1970s. They saw their future to be returning to the past.
11. The facilities continued to deteriorate. It wasn’t really a financial issue. Instead, the members failed to see the continuous deterioration of the church building. Simple stated, they no longer had “outsider eyes.”

Though this story is bleak and discouraging, we must learn from such examples. As many as 100,000 churches in America could be dying. Their time is short, perhaps less than ten years.

What do you think of the autopsy on this church? What can we do to reverse these trends?

Pa Tin Hrang A Nung Saal Zo

A ngantu: Anthony Thawng Hlei

Chin Christian Centenary cu 2004 kum ah hlunghlaizet in Khuasak khua ah tuah a si ih hihi Chin Christian Centenary ti loin "Chin Baptist Centenary" tiah ti sawn sehla a dik deuh ding. Ziangahtile American Baptist Missionary a si mi Carson teih nupa Lairam an thlen hlan ah Sui Hliang (Tial Hmung) cu Pathian rak awi in Khristian a si zo a sisi tiah Dr. Henry Siang Kung cun Chin Christian Centenary Magazine 2004:271) sungah a rak ngan. Culawng a si hrih lo. Lairam ah zumtu hmaisabik tiah kan theih larbikmi le kan sim ringring theumi Pau Suan le Thuam Hang in Pathian rak awih in 1904 kum ih Khristian an rak si hlanah Falam peng Zathlir khua ah Pa Tin Hrang khal in Jesuh dung a rak thlun ve zo. Ram dang siangbawi pawl in anmai' kut sungih zumtu thar an si lo ruangah Sui Hlaing le Tin Hrang pawl hi an hmin an rak ngan khum lonak a si pei maw? Asilole an rak theih lo hrimhrim ruangah an hmin an tarlang lo tla a si thei.

Ziang a si hmanah ramdang siangbawi pawlin anmah Lairam an thlen hlanah le Pau Suan te an ngah hlan ah Pathian nung rak awitu an rak um zo ti cu an thei ko ding zum a um. Hih thu hi Johnson khal in History of American Baptist Chin Mission timi a cabu sungah a el ve lo. Cun Dr. East ih Hualngo tlangtluan Tedim le Tonzaang peng tiang 1909 kum ih a khualtlawnnak thu a rak ngankhum mi khalin tawkfang cu a sim fiangzet in ka thei. 

"Hualngo mi khrihfa a rak tong hnuaihni ti lawng hman si loin Hla ca-uk le Baibal a then a zarte an kenmi ka hmu ti ih a diary sungah a ngankhummi a um na'n milai hmin pakhat hman ngankhum mi a nei lo. Curuangah fiang fukfi ih hmin saal ding a har na'n biakinn thawn kawhhran dinsuah taktaktu an um lo hman ah 1909 hlan ah khatlam Aizawl ram mission hnatuannak thawngin zumtu khrihfa hmuh ding an um zo a si ti cu a fiangzet” (FBA Golden Jubilee 1998:9).

Hih a tlun ih ngankhummi a palh lo a si ahcun Pa Tin Hrang ih thu cu ruah tlak taktak a si ding. Cu a si ruangah Pa Tin Hrang cu zo a si? ti thusuhnak a leh kantum hnik ding.

Pa Tin Hrang cu Falam peng Zathlir khua mi a si ih a suahthlak in a thih tiang Zathlir khua le ti ah thanglian mi a si. Rang thawn khualtlawng ih pum cawmnak rak hawltu a si. Neta ahcun an sungten Lusei ram ah an rak vaai lawlaw. An rak vaih kum hi a cekci theih a si lo na'n 1890 hnu deuh hrawng ah sidawh a si. Cutin Lusei ram ih a vaih hnu khalah Rang thawn khualsuk khualso tlawng in a um thotho. Cun 1894 kum ih Mirang missionary Savidge le J. H. Lorain te pawl Aizawl an ra thlen thok tikah ziangtin si maw Tin Hrang thawn an rak tong aw ngelcel. Aizawl ah ramdang siangbawi pawl thawn an ton awk kum le nithla felfai ih theih a si lo na'n 1898 hrawnghrang hlan a si ko ding tiah zum a um. Ziangahtile Lusei ca ngan le siar tla a rak zir ih Hlabu le Baibal then tete a siar thiam hnu tiang Lusei ram ah an um lai. An innsungsang in taimazet in thla an cam ih an khawm theu ti a si.

Cutin kum thum-li a rei hnu ah Rampi acozah lam ih remcan lonak a phunphun le sunglam nun ah Pathian tirh-kawh ih a theih-awk ruangah Pa Tin Hrang cu a tingaihnak thei loin an sungten an suahseemnak Zathlir khua ah an rung kir saal. An rung tlun kir kum hi 1902 a si. Zathlir khua an rung thlen hnu khal ah innsang khawmnak cu anmah te an nei rero lai. Zathlir an rung kir pek ah an zanriah ei laifang an va leng ngelcel ih "Ziangha nan hmeh?" tiah an sut ih Tin Hrang tei' sung cun "Enga" tiah an rak ti. An zaanriah hmeh an zoh tikah "ngasa" le a um fawn lo. Cutikah "enga" cu zianghmeh a si pei aw tiah mangbang awloksong in an um. Enga ticu "ziang e" tinak si ti an rak thei lo. Nehhnu ahcun hnihsuahsainak ah a rung cang riangri.

Cuti in Pa Tin Hrang cu Pathian awihtu innsang an si ko na'n Zathlir lal a rak tihtuk ruangah a puang a zar in Pathian thu a rak sim ngam lo. A thup a thiar tete lawngin sawldai hnuai minung pawl hnenah a sim theu. Pa Thang Tsin le Pa Tsong Kham vekin ralthazet in Pathian thu tlang rak au-pi ta sehla cu a thuanthu hi puan bang zar a si ding nan. Cuti a thup thiar tei sim cing hman in innsang nga-ruk lai cu Khristian an cang ih Tin Hrang tei' inn ah a thupten biakkhawm thlacamnak an nei theu. Cupawl cu Tin Hrang tei' sung, Nung Hnin tei' sung, Kam Hliang tei' sung, Hrang Tin Thang tei' sung, Than Zam tei' sung le Tai Ceu tei' sung pawl tla an si. Hiti ih Pathian biakkhawmnak an neih kum cu 1903 a si (Zathlir Christian Centenary 2006:74). Hihi Pa Thuam Hang le Pa Pau Suan (Tedim peng Khuasak mi) pawl 2004 ih Khristian an rak si hlan kumkhat duh ah a si. Lairam ih Kawhhran hmaisa bik (House church) a rak si taktak ko. Curuangah 2003 hi Zathlir khua ih kawhhran din kum tiah kan tinak a si.  Asinan Zathlir khawpawh ih Pathian an run awih thluh ngaingai cu 1952 kum lawng ah a si. Cutin ZBC civuipi Satawm, 1948 tiang cu Baptist kawhhran an si ringring.

A tlun ih kan sim zo vekin Pa Tin Hrang cu a suk a so khawtluang ah a vaksuak lo na'n a um hmun ah a thup a thiar in Pathian thu cu a ti theitawk nuamteten a sim vivo. A reituk hlanah zumtu ziang maw zat an rung um ih Zathlir Lalpa Pu Lian Zik tiang in Pathian a run awih hngehnge. Cumi lak ah Lian Lut Lo khal a tel ve mi a si. Lian Lut Lo cu Yangon ih Myanmar Baptist Convention zungpi ih pharpar tarmi hminsin tlak hmin pawl ah a tel ve mi a si (Lian Lut Lo 17/26). Cuti'n Lian Lut Lo cu a hmin theih larzetmi asinan khuitawk in, zo hnen in khrihfa ah a cang ti hi ramdang siangbawi pawl ih ngankhummi ah siseh, ramsung nganmi cabu dangdang ah khal hmuh ding a harzet. Himi in a run fiangtermi cu Pa Tin Hrang ih thlaici tuhmi a rahvui pakhat a si kan tile kan sual lo ding.

Hih thu thawn peh aw-in Rev. Lan Thuan ih "Taungdaan Sasana" cabu khal in a fiangterzet ti'n ka ruat. Rev. Lan Thuan cun hitin a sim “Saya San Tun cu Baibal tlawng a `heh veten 1920 ah Falam a hung thleng ih Zathlir zumtu pawl in banhla hmin, fubawi, sangzawl, vaiphawt le khuaitizu pawl thawn an rak hmuak ti a si. Cun 1922 kum ah Saya San Tun cu ordination a ngah ih cuveten Zathlir khua ih zumtu amah rak hmuaktu hrekkhat pawl cu Baptistma a pek. Cu pawl cu Pak Rawl, Thang Dun, Tai Thluai, Tai Zing, Bil Hnin, Hoi Hmung, Kap Thul le Lian Lut Lo tla an si (Chin Evangel Centenary 1899-1999, ZBC: 51; Zathlir Christian Centenary 2006:75).

Hih a tlun ih kan tarlangmi Baptistma latu minung pariat sungah Lian Lut Lo khal a rak tel ve. Asinan amah lawng hi mi tampi ih theihmi le cabu dangdang sung ih hmin ngankhum a si. Ziangruangah ti a cekci theih a harzet ding na'n a si thei deuh ding ih ruahmi cu Zathlir lal Pu Lian Zik in Pathian a awih hnu 1922, Lian Lut Lo le tla ti an hnim kum ah mualpi an hau ih lawki pawl in kan rirai biaknak hmun Khristian pawlin in siatsuah sak tiah (Mirang) acozah hnenah taza an cuai. Cutikah Pathian awi pawl ai-awh in mi pathum thawngthlak a tul ta. Cumi ah Nung Hnin, Kam Hliang le Lian Lut Lo tla an pumpe aw ih Falam ah thawng an thlak. Asinan Kam Hliang cu Tedim ah an rak kuat. Curuangah Lian Lut Lo hi mi tam deuhih rak theihmi a si thei men. Ziang a si hmanah hih Zathlir zumtu pawl hi Pa Tin Hrang ih thlaici tuhmi a rah vui pawl an si ti cu a fiangzetmi a si.

Hih thu hi a thi thla lo nan kum 100 sung a it-that ih a hlo cuahco, mithi cazin ih ret phah thlangmi le zohman in a nung saal ding ih ruahban lomi a si. Culaifang ah Pathian cu a mitirh hmang in a phuanglang aw ih Pa Tin Hrang ih Pathian a rak awi thoknak le a thuthangtha thlaci nung vorhmi cu a lak in a hloral lo ih a tikcu a kim tikah-kum 100 hnu ah mizapi hmuhhngan in tuihsun ah phuansuah a si zo. Pa Tin Hrang in Zathlir khua ah kawhhran a rak din kum (1903) cu kum 2003 ah kum zakhat a kim zo. Hih kum 100 puai (Zathlir Christian Centenary) cu sunglawizet le hlunghlaizet in 2006 April 19-23 tiang Zathlir khua ah tuah suak zo a si (kan ram nai-ngan-zi thubuai ruangah Acozah in 2003 ah puai tuahnak khuan a pek lo ruangah 2006 tuah nak a si). Pathian cu san thuanthu ih Bawi a si vekin sankhat hnu sankhat ih thil cangmi hmuahhmuah cu minung pawl in thei nawn loin, dungkan tun caan um hman sehla a tikcu a kim tikah a phorhsuak saal ringring. Thunmi Arsi Pa Sui Hlaing ih mei pawktu vutcam sungih meiling de Pa Tin Hrang khal Laimi kan san thuanthu sungah le kum zabi 21 cahmai thar sungah a nung saal ve zo a si ti thu Vankau Arsi na tleumawinak hmangin tlang in aupi ve dingah ka lo sawm a si.

Vankau Arsi Magazine Vol.9, No.2 – August 2006 sung ta a si.