Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 25 (EMN): With the Naga society rapidly changing in all its aspects, the churches in the community may be facing great and overwhelming challenges. ‘It can conveniently shy away from the challenges, or thoughtlessly drown in the problems,’ a church leader stated during a seminar that was conducted with the theme ‘Bible for all,’ organized by the Bible Society of India, at the Rengma Baptist Church in Kohima.
The executive secretary of the Angami Baptist Church Council (ABCC), Dr. Atsi Dolie, said that the church must rely on the prompting of the Holy Spirit in areas needing its involvement, and refrain from treading where it should not.
While acknowledging the contribution of the churches to transforming the society, Dolie nonetheless wondered how the church can land that ‘punch’ that the society needs today. He asserted that it was only the Word of God, the Bible, which can land the needed punch that can bring the desired change. As the church is entrusted with the Word of God and called to proclaim it faithfully, he said that the church ought to be instrumental in taking God’s word to the people. The church leader observed with disappointment that the Naga society today was now embroiled in corruption, and evils such as rape, kidnapping and murder were all unbecoming of a predominantly Christian-populated society.
Paraphrasing evangelist Rick Warren, Dolie said, “We have more of what he called ‘worldly Christians’ who are saved, but self-centered and looking to God primarily for personal fulfilment.”
Dolie challenged the churches: “In this hazy scenario, amidst all the problems and challenges, the church must continue to play a vital role in ministering to our deteriorating society.” The church, he said, must continue to proclaim the Kingdom of God and promote ‘kingdom lifestyle,’ i.e., righteous life not hypocrisy; peace not alarm or panic, and joy in the Holy Spirit’s abundance, not a feeling of limitation in life.
