Moreh-Tamu meetings: A Report

By Lunminthang Haokip *

Frontal facade of LEF Centre, Moreh

Moreh, the 10th July, 2011

Revival Meeting at LEF, Moreh: To follow up the series of Gospel meetings conducted in the month of June at Moreh and Tamu with Dr. Joshua Daniel as the main speaker, a special Revival meeting was held at Laymen's Evangelical Fellowship centre, Moreh from the 8th to 10th July, 2011. A team of humble labourers in God's vineyard came from Imphal LEF and Churachandpur LEF centres. Pastor Prakash of LEF, Imphal centre was the main motivator and coordinator in this Evangelical work.

The Testimonies: God blessed LEF with heart-rending testimonies. Brother jangpao, Brother Brojesh, Sister Margrete and Sister Hatkim shared what the Lord had done to change their lives to the small congregation that passionately attended the series of meetings. The fruits of repentance, indeed, brought forth.

Brother Atong testified through worship song items the wordings of which came straight from the core of a heart that is overflowing with gratitude to the Author of his life. The spirit's movement could be sensed, if not palpable.

The Messages: Brother jamkholun Haokip, an Assistant Engineer by profession, who played a major role in the establishment of an LEF centre at Moreh when Dr SV Job was the centre-in-charge at Imphal in the early nineties of the last century, was the main speaker in the Moreh LEF services. This blogger helped in the spiritual labours in delivering a sermon in the morning service of 9th July, 2011.

My text was from Luke 6:36, "No man putteth a piece of new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old". The grace of God revealed the relevance of the verse to the ambivalent implications in the dangerous mix of traditional beliefs and the Gospel Truths in contemporary Christianity in my community. It always is a contradiction in terms to make the powerful universal Gospel servile and apologetic to man-made traditions.

The tamu Grace AG Church

The Anniversary Report: I was assigned to give the 76th Anniversary Report of LEF in the morning meeting of 10th July, 2011 at Moreh. A long story was presented succinctly. I began with the calling of Late N. Daniel from The Canadian Baptist Mission School in Kakinada in AP, India where he was working as a Maths Teacher.

Assured of his chosen mission by a Gideon-like heavenly sign, N.Daniel never looked back. He countered setbacks with claims of Biblical promises God gave him in Isaiah 60:22, "A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation" and "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring (Isaiah 44:3)".

The Fellowship of 3 persons in 1935 had been increased in geometrical proportions to go global as a worldwide Literature, Radio and TV Channel Ministry with over a million believers to support in prayer and keep it growing.

The Fellowship's Strong Points: LEF strongly believes in the Spiritual faith of the 1st century Christianity. Seeking the will of God is of paramount necessity before any individual or collective decision is to being taken. In the congregation of Lay people, holy marriage has no alternative.

Conscious efforts are taken to keep wedding traditions simple and its cost very low so that the poorest brother/sister can afford to enter couple-hood in the will of God and without the burden of debt. In this age of sponsors, LEF, for any minor or major need, as Uncle Joe stressed often, solely relies upon the richest sponsors, the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The God "who seest us (Gen. 16:13)",in this era of moral degradation, saw to it that the Fellowship thrived in holiness and righteousness.

The Monthly English Service at Tamu: Moreh's better-planned twin-town Tamu may have many things its poorer Indian counterpart lacks. But when it comes to the issue of English, Indians are the privileged lot. It is weird but true that every Myanmarese Theological student has to spend the first two years in the seminary in struggling to learn basic English.

The motive, of course, is not always evangelical. Yet, to capitalize on the youth of Tamu's craze to speak better Queen's tongue, I with LEF Moreh team, prayerfully began a monthly English service with a view to win more souls from across the border . Immanuel Baptist Church, Tamu had magnanimously allowed us to use their hall for the purpose. The response is encouraging.

Arranged by Youth Pastor Douthang of KVTBA, Choirs and singers, of which there is no dearth in Myanmar, enlivened the meetings with their soulful singing. All concerned are requested kindly to pray fervently for the humble endeavour to go further south to othe MM cities like Kalemyo, Mandalay ang Yangon.

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 July 14, 2011.