In solemn thanksgiving to the Almighty God for His everlasting mercies, grace and faithfulness, the Longsa Baptist Church will be commemorating the 50th year since the great revival at Longsa village (Mokokchung) from June 9-11, 2017 to give thanks to God, to invoke God’s blessings once again and to renew our commitment to the Lord till His second coming.
The Longsa Baptist Church since the first coming of the gospel in the year 1916 has undergone a lot of trials and tribulations but the Lord has always been merciful towards the faithful. But the biggest trial came during the year 1956 when the Longsa villagers were living at Ungma village during the ‘Grouping’ period at the heights of the Naga political movement. The Longsa people, who deeply missed their native village, prayed intently to God and made a promise that; ‘if God allowed them to return home, then they would give up all their sinful ways and do His will’.
On their return to the Longsa village, the villagers did not forget their promise to God while at Ungma village. They rebuilt the church, and womenfolk started a prayer group and God deeply spoke and moved the hearts of the villagers. During such a time, in 1965, the Longsa Baptist Church attained its 50th year, and in 1966 a missionary, Rev. Riküm (Mangmetong) arrived at Longsa and conducted a Bible study during which the reverend preached to the villagers to move away from the path of evil, to give up taking harmful substances and to be born again and also preached about heaven and hell.
The next year, in 1967, group of women while working in their fields, recollected the preaching of Rev. Riküm, and resolved to walk in the path of God; also a group of men resolved to give up taking harmful substances, and reformed their lives. This was the beginning of the revival movement at Longsa village. But, there were many who did not accept the revival movement; however, by the power of the Holy Spirit slowly everyone came to accept the revival movement and renewed their faith in God.
After the revival movement in 1967, the Longsa Baptist Church understood that it should spread the blessings of the revival movement to other places and tribes also. Therefore, the LBC started to reach out to other tribes like Sangtam, Chang, Phom, Konyak, Yimchunger, Khaimungan etc so that others can also renew their faith in God and live as born-again Christians.
However, there were criticisms from many other Ao Churches, but the Longsa Kosasanger Putu Menden, the church leaders and whole Longsa villagers in 1971 proclaimed in God’s name that ‘Longsa is a missionary land and a church dedicated to mission works’. Thereafter, on November 18, 1971, the Longsa Baptist Church Missionary movement was started and a fund of Rs 14,807.20p was created which was used to sponsor a missionary at Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (ABAM) Tirap Mission (Arunachal) in 1974. The sponsorship through the Longsa Baptist Church Missionary Movement opened the eyes of other churches, touched their hearts and the Holy Spirit made them realize that the LBC revival is real and the work of God.
After that, lots of believers from other villages came to Longsa Baptist Church, got healing through the revival fire and went back to their respective villages to start their own revival movement. From 1976 onward, there were revivals in many Ao churches and slowly it spread to all the Naga areas like a spiritual wildfire. Many people were blessed by the Holy Spirit, many repented their sins to God and resolved to give their life to God and serve Him only.
Now, 50 years since the first revival movement, and while introspecting and in retrospection, the Longsa Baptist Church has come to understand that the almighty God had anointed Longsa church to be a ‘spiritual pedestal, a nest for spiritual revival and a missionary church’ and give all glory to God.
As we venerate this 50th anniversary, the Longsa Baptist Church is conducting house to house counseling from June 6, 2017 and renowned missionaries Rev. Dr. Imchayanger and IEF president Tsüknung will be the main speakers at the three days revival programme which will be held on the theme: Oh Lord! Revive us again’.
The Longsa Baptist Church prays that God blesses the Naga people and bring out more missionaries like He did during the past fifty years. The Longsa Baptist Church also asks all the churches to join us in our prayer for a new revival so that we can all receive God’s abundant blessings and live as God’s children for the Glory of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
