Joshua Daniel's NEI Tour: June 2011

By Lunminthang Haokip *

Dr. Joshua Daniel speaking at Tamu

Moreh, Manipur
The 24th June, 2011

Heavenly Call-Sheet: The Christian world has a way of conducting spiritual meetings. A date is fixed. A committee is formed. Details of the proposed event are chalked out, cross-checked and chiselled by the event managers. When the actual day of action comes, all concerned get cracking to perform roles assigned to each individual in movie shooting-script-like precision.

But globe-trotting itinerary preacher and TV Speaker, Dr. Joshua Daniel's Gospel campaigns tell another story. The will of God is mandatorily sought first. His schedules are arranged with the approval of heaven, his messages spiced with divine revelations and his resources come from the outsourcing enterprise of the richest committee, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

Youth Camp at Imphal: The premises of Laymen's Evangelical Fellowship, Langol, Imphal threatened to burst at the seams on 17, 18 and 19 June, 2011. About 570 youngsters from parts of Manipur and Nagaland states of India, whose ages ranged from 13 to 30, converged to have spiritually dealt, deciphered and hopefully get delivered.

Poor Pastor Prakash of LEF, Imphal centre, who had just fractured his legs in a scooter accident, had a tough time managing the logistics and soul-winning tactics of the annual LEF event. Uncle Joshua Daniel's exacting extempore sermons sufficiently addressed the inner needs of the young and the old who filled up every space of the evening meetings on 18 and 19 June. The concluding message moved many hundred hearts. All knew Joe Daniel meant it when he spoke with conviction that he happily works under the Government of Lord Jesus Christ.

Tamu Visit: On 20th June, 2011, around 500 Christians of Myanmar's North West township, Tamu, gathered to hear the Word of God from God's most mobile servant, Joshua Daniel. The host were Grace Assembly of God Church, Swabwa-5 in the outskirts of Tamu. As usual, the group songs sung by Mizo Presbyterian , Mizo Methodist, Chindwin Theological Seminary and Grace AoG Thadou choirs were lively enough to prepare hearts to tune on to the ensuing sermon.

God's servants, Mrs Lily Daniel and Uncle Joe spoke in turns with love and concern for Burma. The theme was on holiness "without which no man can see God". True to type, the Jeremiah-like fearless preacher of odd times did not mince words in renouncing sin – be it Myanmar or India. The Burmese interpreter, Pastor Doupao of Christian Church of Myanmar did his job well. The Holy Spirit ensured that there was no mismatch of role to player even in the Budhist country.

Lunmingthang Hapkip at the Tamu meeting prelims

MELC Single Service: The border town of Manipur, Moreh came alive in the evening of 20th June, 2011. The action station of Joshua Daniel's Gospel campaign, then, was the predominantly Zou tribe–dominated Moreh Evangelical Lutheran Church. Brother Jamkholun took the preliminaries and Brother Chance gave a brief testimony. Aunty Lily's precise and piercing sermon calmly preceded the main message. The interrupting power-supply break-down for several minutes did not deter the speaker. He spoke on while this author and chance interpreted in Thadou and Manipuri.

The focus in that meeting was on righteousness, forgiveness and burden for lost souls in one's neighbourhood. Uncle Joe recalled his tryst with Lutheran churches in the past and the transformations that followed his humble labours. The anecdotes struck a chord with the Moreh-ites. The enthusiasm that Joshua Daniel's posters and hoardings stirred up saw the huge MELC hall packed to the brim, for a change. The impact of the distilled Word of God delivered by a man who is on the "warpath to perfection" will linger on still for a long time.

Tamu service on 20.6.11

Meeting at Churachandpur: The non-stop travel took a heavy toll on Dr. Joshua Daniel's health which owes a lot to the strict dietary strictures of his better-half for his betterment. The distances were far and wide; the roads were not so good; but the TV preacher's zest to move people and insatiable desire to lift up souls was unstoppable. The vehicle that carried the man of God conked out in the forenoon of the 21st June, 2011 on the way to Imphal at Pallen.

Forced to take a hitch-hike-like ride, Uncle Joe was out of his comfort zone and usual form on the way. Yet, back on the pulpit at LEF centre, Churachandpur at 6 pm on 21 June, 2011, the seasoned Evangelist took to sin-banging as a duck takes to water. No ill of contemporary Manipur was spared. But endowed with a graceful skill to get his audience on his side of righteous thinking, if not living, in the course of the CCpur service, the Spirit added more admirers to JD's brand of raw and basic Evangelism.

Aizawl - the Next Port-of-Call: Thanks to the cable networks of Aizawl like Zonet, Skylink and LPS which regularly telecasts Dr. Joe's messages, Vanapa hall of downtown Aizawl, the city of Cheer, saw the Spiritual elite and Gospel aficionados of Mizoram's capital city drawn in to the Spiritual bash it hosted in the evening of 23 June, 2011. Similar meeting of the same speaker in the same hall in 2007 had more empty seats than occupied ones.

The relentless efforts of Brother Emmanuel of LEF, Aizawl centre to win the church-folks of the hill-top city with love and effusive simplicity, paid rich dividends. A congregation of 700 people gathering to hear a non-Mizo non-Presbyterian outsider in a highly ethno-centric settlement was amazing. Baptist Church and Bible college choirs sang full-throated in the first night meeting in the music capital of India. The newly established rapport between the Christ-loving people and the Christ-possessed Christian leader is hoped to fructify in repentance of many souls in the future. With insulated Christianity put on hold, the Faith will surely reap the benefit.

See a photo Gallery on this event here

Lunminthang Haokip

* Lunminthang Haokip, a resident of Old Lambulane, Imphal and posted at Moreh, Manipur is a regular contributor to e-pao.net. He can be contacted at lunminthang(dot)haokip(at)gmail(dot)com or his blog here
This article was webcasted on June 28, 2011.