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India Missions Association members and delegates posing for the lens outside the Ao Baptist Church of Diphupar, in Dimapur. (EM Images)[/caption]
Dimapur, Sep. 2 (EMN): The 41st India Mission Summit of the India Missions Association (IMA) on the theme “For such a times as this” was held at Ao Baptist Church Diphupar (ABCD) in Dimapur. The three-day summit cum IMA annual general meeting that started on August 31 with the participation of 97 delegates from across the country was said to be, in the history of IMA, first that a church has hosted the summit.
“IMA, with its headquarter in Hyderabad, has 251 members who are involved in indigenous missions, Christian organisations that are involved in mission. The association’s 41st summit on the theme “For such a times as this” was considered with the intention to look into India’s political-social scenario as the country was inclining towards anti-Christian with news of Christian persecution every year,” said IMA general secretary Wati Longkumer.
Addressing media persons during the interval on Sunday’s Summit, Longkumer said the theme was adopted for Christians to ponder on their responsibility towards such actions.
Referring to September 1 evening missional celebration in which Rev. Dr. Z Keyho from the Nagaland Baptist Churches Council spoke on the topic “for such a times as this,” Longkumer said it conveyed “as Christians our response should not be to react negatively but respond introspecting through prayer.”
“Christians are divided and it was time for us to unite,” remarked IMA secretary Longkumer.
The Summit’s theme that was made available to media persons mentioned: “We need no reminder that we are living in perilous times. The non-state players, though empowered and unshackled, are openly brawling about to enforce their radical religious ideology.
“It was a documented fact that blatant persecution against the minorities, especially the Muslims and the Christians has increased sharply in the past four years with the persecution happening mostly in rural areas targeting the poor and marginalised.
“We cannot, and must not remain mute spectators of all that is going on around us and it was time we prayerfully introspect on the role God wants us-individually and as an organisation to play in order to counter the persecution.”
It was with this conviction that the Summit was held to study the contemporary India- its challenges and opportunities and to listen together, mentioned Longkumer.
