Jakha Town Baptist Church celebrates golden jubilee in Kohima
Share
KOHIMA — The Jakha Town Baptist Church’s golden jubilee celebration was held at Jakhama local ground, Kohima district, on January 3 and the 4th.
The speakers for the programme were Rev. Dr. Rachulie Vihienuo, executive director of Angami Baptist Church Council (ABCC); Rev. Dr. Mechiehol Savi, managing director of Baptist High; and Rev. Dr. Zotuo Kiewhuo, senior pastor of Koinonia Baptist Church (KBC).
On January 3, a monolith was also unveiled to mark the golden jubilee celebration, with Rev. Zapovil Sophie, senior pastor of Jakhama Baptist Church, ministering the act.
During the culmination service on Sunday evening, Rev. Dr. Zotuo Kiewhuo delivered a message on ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer.”
He maintained that God has ordained three divine institutions, namely the Church, marriage, and government, out of which the Church stands as the highest institution ordained by God.
He added that the establishment and foundation of the Church was first pronounced by Jesus in the book of Matthew when he said, “And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
The faith and declaration by Peter that Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah is the primary essence of church ordination, Rev. Kiewhuo said.
Thus, the Church is no ordinary place of gathering but is meant to be a house of prayer (cf. Isaiah, Luke), a place where people meet God, the lost find hope, and the repentant sinner attains salvation.
The speaker asserted that after the ascension of Jesus, the rise of the Church is seen in Acts 2, where conversion began. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and Peter’s convicting sermon on repentance brought more than three thousand people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
More people were continually added to the Church and the body of Christ through prayer, witness, and the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts).
He highlighted that had the American missionaries not brought the gospel of Christ to the Nagas a hundred and fifty years ago, the people would still be living in a dark and barbaric state.
Highlighting that Nagas were once head-hunters, he said the Nagas then “were socially worse than animals, mentally uncivilised, and spiritually sons and daughters of Lucifer.”
Rev. Kiewhuo said, “Neither the government nor religion could change the Nagas. Yet the gospel of grace and truth—the good news of salvation from eternal damnation that Jesus offers—brought about change in our land. Now we have become soul hunters for Jesus Christ as legitimate sons and daughters of God.”
The speaker also maintained that the gospel has changed the Nagas and has spread to every part of the state, of which Jakha Town Baptist Church is also a recipient of God’s grace. He invoked that the church grow as a church that prays fervently for all people and nations.
Furthermore, he asserted the need for Jakha Town Baptist Church to produce and send disciples who will preach the gospel to the ends of the earth as soul winners.
During the service, special songs were presented by the jubilee choir, Shieshülie Kro-u, and Dr. Watinaro Kiewhuo. A memory verse was recited by the Sunday School students, and the programme was led by Meyiengonu Tetso.