Christian Leadership in the Context of North East India

By Thangbiakmuang Guite & Sumrengchung Hmangte Paper presented on November, 2011, Manila. ______________________________________________________________________________ For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. (John 13:15-16, NASB) The focus of this paper is on the people and believers of North East India. It attempts to give an overview of Christian Leadership that begins with the planting of churches to the emergence of leaders and some of the concern that accompany these. An Overview of Christianity in India Christianity in India is nearly two thousand years old. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, once said, Christianity in India is as old as Christianity itself.1 This is supported by the claim that Thomas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus reached the soil of India in AD 52. On the occasion of the St. Thomas Day celebration in New Delhi on December 18, 1955, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India said: "St. Thomas came to India when many of the countries of Europe had not yet become Christian, and so those Indians who trace their Christianity to him have a longer history and a higher ancestry than that of Christians of many of the European countries. And it is really a matter of pride to us that it so happened."2 And tracing the history of the global expansion of protestant Christianity, William Carey known as the father of modern mission reached Calcutta, East India in 1793 under the Baptist Missionary Society.3 This movement had a great impact on the people of North East India. As a result today four North East states are dominated by Christian like Nagaland (90 % Christian), Mizoram (90.5 % Christian), Manipur (34% Christian) and Meghalaya (70.3 %). This percentages seem to indicate that majority of the North East India are believers. However, a different picture occurs when we consider the national population. It can be observed that despite the long history of Christianity in India, its following remains to be a minority when considered in light of the national population. According to 2011 census, the total population of India hits 1.21 billion whereas the total percentage of Christianity in India is only 2.3 % which is approximately 27.83 millions. When India got independence from the British rule in 1947, the number of western missionaries gradually declined due to political reason. As a result, there was a great demand to raise local leaders to fill the vacuum in leadership. Many theological colleges/seminaries sprang up to develop and train leaders who will continue the ministries of the church and reach the entire nation.4 After a decade there was a great revival and the reorganization of the church structures. An indigenous Indian mission existed in the 1960s, however, Western mission agencies continued to train the local for indigenous works until the local leaders could train their own people. There was unity and understanding among all the mission organizations and churches irrespective of different denominations, theologies, and traditions within the country. They all worked together to fulfill the Great Commission of Christ.5 In the early 1970s till 1

1980s, people considered this period as Cross-cultural mission. Many young men and women from South and North East India moved towards the Central, Northern and Western part of India. The India Missions Association (IMA) was founded in 1977 and has grown into the largest missions association in the world with more than 220 organizations sending out nearly 50,000 Indian workers.6 Many churches were planted all over northern part of India. However, George observed that in 1980s there was a great shift from cross-cultural missions to Mono-cultural missions. The cross-cultural mission seemed ineffective due to language and culture barrier. On account of this the visionary leaders trained local leaders as church planters and sent them back to their own people groups. This strategy proved very successful in several areas because the local leaders reached their own people group.7 The Development of the Churches in North East India and its Leadership The North Eastern people were tremendously blessed by the ministry of William Carey under Baptist Missionary Society (BMS), Serampore. After a few years however the work was discontinued. Firth explained that the American Baptist arrived in Assam from Burma (Myanmar) in 1836 and established a permanent Christian community.8 After 30-40 years of the arrival of the American Baptist, most of the states in North East India were reached with the gospel. This can be accounted by the united work of many mission agencies, Snaiting and George summarize them as follows: The Gospel of Salvation was brought by Welsh Mission to Khasi-Jaintia (Meghalaya) in 1841, The Gospel was brought to Nagaland by E.W.Clerk, and Godhula Brown in 1872. The mission work in Manipur by William Pettigrew in 1894, Frederick W. Savidge and J.Herbert Lorrain came to Mizoram (Lushai Hills) in 1894 under BMS. In the early 1900s the Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM) took over the leadership which was started by BMS. Moreover, in 1936 the Young Mizo Association (YMA) became a central body in the lives of the Mizo youth.9 Because of the rapid growth of mission, the churches and organizations sensed the need of having a common platform. Goldsmith explains that in 1937 a joint leadership conference was held in Assam, and decided to form a church body for the region, hence the Assam Christian Council (ACC) was established. After the reorganization of the region into different states, the ACC took the name of North East India Christian Council (NEICC). The NEICC is affiliated to National Christian Council of India (NCCI). This Association is an important link between the Christians in the North East and those on other parts of the country and the world. And today almost all the Protestant Christian denominational churches come under the leadership of North East India Council of Churches (NEICC).10 The Indigenous Leadership Initial Stage The mission work in North East India was very progressive under several Protestant denominations and the Catholic Mission. Unfortunately, the rapid growth and significant developments in the region suffered for a time due to the sudden withdrawal of foreign missionaries. This happened due to the Naga insurgency which began in mid 1950s, the Mizo insurgency followed which began in mid 1960s. The insurgent were demanding sovereignty for the states. The Government of India asked the foreign missionaries to leave the politically sensitive North East region. It was a great challenge for the indigenous leaders as they took over 2

the leadership. This sudden transition immensely affected the leadership. The missions and churches were paralyzed for awhile. The situation compelled the locals to embrace the great privilege of leading their own people and reaching other to people group as well. As a result they developed local leaders and generated local resources to support the mission works.11 Emerging Local Leaders and the Challenges Despite of insurgency issues and hardships in North East India, it can be satisfactorily noted that the churches have grown numerically. They built leadership structure under the initiative of local leaders. The church which was supported by foreign mission became an emerging sending church. Many missionaries were sent to the Western, Northern and Central part of India and even to the neighboring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, and China. The leader plays a vital role in shaping and developing people. He is the person responsible to cast vision and make mission. Each leader influences the worldview of his followers and directs the programs of the church/organization with the consent of church elders/deacon board/cabinet/council. Even though the leader has a great responsibility to lead his people, he has no freedom to implement according to his own ideas. No leader can simply implement or change things directly for the interest of the members or for someones convenience. Many ministries are started however by visionary and committed leaders. The ministries were productive as long as the leader leads the church/organization; but when the term of the primary leader is completed; he leaves the ministry; or is otherwise removed from that ministry, the ministry dies gradually due to lack of leadership. This is the present challenge for Christian leaders in North East India. It is imperative to reconsider the importance of mentoring successors, and developing leaders for the future generation. A leader usually takes the responsibility and initiative to resolve conflict. North East leaders embrace the collaborative way of taking decision, which means win-win approach in solve the conflict. If two parties fail to agree with each other, a third party, a neutral, or a commission team is formed to deal with the problem and bring about reconciliation. The North East Christian leaders have been under pressure both internally and externally. Apart from leadership conflict inside the church, the leaders cannot run away from insurgency problem, ethnic conflict, the political arena, and social issues. It is always challenging and often ambiguous to lead the people. Most of the leaders are directly or indirectly involved in making peace and harmony in the region. Even though they could not control the issues, the insurgency groups highly respect the church leaders voices. The churches are actively involved in social issues like working with NGOs to prevent HIV/AIDS, drugs abuse, rape, child abuse, child trafficking, caring widows and orphans etc. Christian leaders have strong spiritual authority, and they are holistically oriented; but, many leaders in North East tend to misuse their leadership power and authority. There is a superiority complex, where some look down upon their subordinate and also suppress the growth of juniors. There is lack of mutual trust and mutual support hence the utilization of member resources is very limited. And some leaders always intend to retain their leadership position and authority, and expect to be served instead of using their power and authority to serve others. 3

This self-centered style of leadership leads to conflict and division in the church. Leaders must reconsider their leadership style. They must understand that following the example of Jesus Christ, they are to serve the people and impact the society. It is true that Christianity in North East India had reached a hundred years. The churches have been growing rapidly and numerically. However, when we look at the present leadership scenario, there is no unity among the leaders. The tribal Christian couldnt reach out to the Hindus particularly in North East due to communal/ethnic clashes. The Christian leaders could not control the growing enmity between the tribes, communities, and other ethnic groups. The identity crisis continues to disturb human relationship. The Christian principle of Love your neighbor as yourself is not visible in the lives of many Christians. The churches leaders are filled with this tribalism mindset as well. It is a high that Christians leaders re-examine the environment of the present leadership in North East India. Who will build this broken society? What is the vision and mission of the church and its leaders? Where and how did we start? Where are we headed to? Do we continue to impact and transform our society? Do the leaders stand firm on the truth? Are the leaders influenced by the wave of tribalism/communalism? In the leadership of today, love and compassion, call and commitment, and the passion to dig out, live out, and give out the word of God are lacking. Politics, power, position, jealousy, and hatred are prevailing even in the Christian leadership. India is waiting for a godly servantsteward leader, a man of integrity, Christ-like character, competence, a visionary, a man of prayer, people and relationship oriented, and sensitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the needs of people.

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Thangbiakmuang Guite earned his Master of Divinity from Faith Baptist Bible College and Seminary (FBBCS), Kerala-India. At present he is doing Master of Theology at International Graduate School of Leadership (IGSL), Manila-Philippines. Sumrengchung Hmangte earned his Bachelor of Science (BSc) from DM College of Science under Manipur University, India. Presently, he is taking Master of Divinity, major in Intercultural Studies, and emphasis on Church Planting at International Graduate School of Leadership (IGSL), Manila-Philippines.

O. L. Snaitang, Churches of Indigenous Origins in Northeast India (Delhi: ISPCK, 2000), ix.

Samuel Hugh Moffett, A History of Christianity in Asia: Beginning to 1500, vol i (San Francisco : Harper Collins, 1992), 24. Samuel Hugh Moffett, A History of Christianity in Asia: 1500-20th Century, vol ii (San Francisco : Harper Collins, 1992), 253. J. N. Manokaran, Re-thinking Training of Pastoral Leaders? in LausanneWorldPulse: http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com/worldreports/710?pg=all (accessed May 22, 2012). K. Rajendran, Indian Sending, in Perspectives on the world Christian Movement, 4th ed. Ralph D. Winter and Steven C. Hawthorne (California: William Carey Library, 2009), 373.
6 5 4 3

Ibid. K.M. George, Christianity in India through the Centuries (Secunderabad: Authentic Books, 2007), 317-

347.
8

Cyril Bruce Firth, An Introduction to Indian Church History (Delhi: ISPCK, 1998), 267.

L. Jeyaseelan, Impact of the missionary movement in Manipur (New Delhi: Scholar Publishing House, 1996), O. L. Snaitang, Churches of Indigenous Origins in Northeast India (Delhi: ISPCK, 2000), and K.M. George, Christianity in India through the Centuries (Secunderabad: Authentic Books, 2007). Amrit Kumar Goldsmith, The Christianity in the North East India: A Historical Perspective https://indianfolklore.org/journals/index.php/Ish/article/.../290/306 (accessed May 22, 2012).
11 10

Ibid.