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Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, Nov. 1 (EMN): The highly anticipated three-day sesquicentennial celebration (150 years of Christianity in Naga Hills) began in a grand manner at Impur centre on Tuesday evening.
Rev. Watson Rajaratnam, region director, Serving in Mission East Asia, who was the main speaker at the event, said without the grace of God, “we were lost and blind in this world but with his amazing grace the Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (ABAM) is here today crossing many mountains and storms through much danger, toils and snares”.
“We are here today after 150 years to worship the living God and give him credit with all glory and grace.
“This is the grace that has brought us thus far and this grace will continue to lead us as long as ABAM exists until the Lord Jesus comes,” he asserted.
He also reminded the congregation to remember the journey taken by the Rev. Dr. Edward Winter Clark and his wife Mary Mead who brought the good news of the Gospel to the Ao people in the Nagas Hills facing many obstacles and challenges.
In this connection, he said the growth of churches and the believers in Nagaland is ‘beyond expectation’.
He also told the congregation that if worship is not motivated by love, gratitude and recognition of who God is, “then is not worshipping God”. In this connection, he advised all to whole heartedly thank and witness Him everyday through life.
Rev. L Yapang Mollier Secretary, Church and Mission, ABAM, Impur informed that as of 2022 there are 166 Churches and 10 fellowship; 124697 Baptist members under ABAM.
Rev. Dr. Along Jamir, translation director, brought greetings on behalf of the Bible Society of India. He shared that the Ao people have many reasons to thank the Lord; it is the first among the Naga tribes to have the complete printed Bible and the first audio Bible. He also maintained that there is a lot of witnessing and Bible translation work remaining as only 724 language groups out of 7,388 have their entire Bible translated.
Rev. Sentisashi Aier President ABAM, Rev. Prof. Dr. Mar Pongener Executive Secretary ABAM, Biren Gowalla, Pastor, Central Baptist Church, Sivasagar, and Rev. Dr. La kari Longchar, former Executive Secretary ABAM also spoke at the event. L Bendangla Jamir, former ABTM, later released the sesquicentennial souvenir.
More than 2000 delegates from different parts of Naga Hills and other parts of India have registered to participate in the ABAM Sesquicentennial celebration at Impur.