https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptist_Church_of_Mizoram Ka Edited Ve Hmiah Mai.

Note : A hnuaia thute hi han chhiar la. rawng pawla chhinchhiah chin zawng hi Dt. 09.08.2014 (11.09PM) hian ka Edit ve hmiah mai. A bak a inziak sa hi chu ka khawih danglam lo ( dik lo, edit ngai a tam hle) BCM member zat hi 2007 statistic angin tarlan a lo la ni a. Tin, Education a kan hmalakna Baptist Higher Secondary School, Serkawn hi tarlan a lo la ni lo bawk. Hei bakah hian Mission bul intan dan tlem leh. 2012 thleng a, Mission thlirna tawi ka tarlang bawk. Wikipedia a thil ziahte hi Account neih chuan Edit theih a lo ni a. A tih chhinna chauh a ni a. A tul chuan revise/ennawn emaw la tih zel pawh ka tum ang. Tum lawk lem lova ka thiltih a nih vangin hriat reng nan hei hi tah hian (ka blog-ah hian) kan tarlang ve mai mai a ni e.

Baptist Church of Mizoram
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Baptist Church of Mizoram, abbreviated BCM is a Protestant denomination of India and the second biggest church in Mizoram state in northeast India.

The church was founded by Baptist English missionaries Rev. JH Lorrain (Pu Buanga) and FW Savidge (Sap Upa) in 1894. It has its headquarters at Serkawn, which is a missionary station and town close to Lunglei city, the second biggest city in Mizoram, a minor part of India bordering Myanmar.

Today BCM has 160,344 members in 606 local churches (BCM Statistics 2013-2014).It is the second biggest church in Mizoram after the Presbyterian Church of Mizoram, which was founded in 1897 by an English Presbyterian missionary Rev. D.E. Jones.

Rev. R.A. Lorrain, younger brother of Rev. J.H. Lorrain and founder of the Evangelical Church of Maraland (est. 1907), was the first pioneering missionary to the Mara people in the southernmost part of Mizoram state, completing the task of evangelizing the people of the whole state - Presbyterians in the north, Baptists in the middle and Evangelicals in the south.

Contents

    1 Education
    2 Mission (Beginning)
    3 A Concise Account of Mission Department
    4 Affiliates/Association
    5 See also
    6 External links

Education

The Baptist Church of Mizoram operates the following:

    Seminary Academy of Integrated Christian Studies for theological studies
    Christian College Higher and Technical Institute of Mizoram for further studies in Arts and Commerce.
    Nursing College in Christian Hospital Serkawn
    Higher Secondary School Baptist Higher Secondary School, Serkawn

Mission (Beginning)

The year 1968 had remarkable significance for the Baptist Church of Mizoram. In that year, the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS), after working for almost 65 years, decided to withdraw their mission work in south of Mizoram due to the Indian Government’s rejection of their permission to stay longer in Mizoram. In the same year that the BMS decided to withdraw their mission work, the ZBM also sent Rev C.Rokhama as the first cross-culture missionary outside Mizoram. Moreover, on 18 January, 1968, Rev C.L.Hminga was appointed as the first full time ZBM Secretary, and the ZBM had also organized its own office in a separate building. From this time onward, until the Assembly of BCM decided to form a new structure, all the office works of the ZBM was conducted from this office.
A Concise Account of Mission Department

A concise account of the BCM Mission works, as it stands for 46 years (1966 – 2012) from the inception of the BCM Mission Department as the Zoram Baptist Mission, can be made as follows:

Missionary Personnel ZBM started cross-culture missionary work employing only two full time missionaries in 1939. Now, in 2012 BCM Mission Committee has more than 800 mission workers including missionaries.

Mission Fields and Stations

BCM Mission Committee has 23 mission fields including mission stations in different parts of India and works in partnership with other mission agencies outside India.

Mission Fund The ZBM (as its previous name) had only Rs. 12.50p (Rupees twelve and fifty paisa) in its initial stage. Now the BCM Mission budget of 2012 - 2013 has grown to Rs.11, 79, 78,000.00 (Rupees eleven crore seventy-nine lakhs and seventy-eight thousand).

Churches

BCM Mission Committee has established more than 1436 local churches and 25 preaching stations  among different tribes and people groups.


Believers

BCM Mission Committee has roughly 1,81,768  believers in different mission fields and mission stations.

Schools and Students

At present Mission Committee run 54 mission schools within and outside Mizoram, of which 10 are High Schools, 5 Middle Schools, 39 Primary Schools and having around 6500 students.


Affiliates/Association

BCM is a member of the Baptist World Alliance, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and an active member of the BMS World Mission.
See also

    Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India
    North East India Christian Council
    List of Christian denominations in North East India

External links

    http://www.mizobaptist.org/ official site of the Mizoram Baptist Church
    http://www.mtkp.org/ official site of the Mizoram Baptist Youth Fellowship
    A brief history of Pioneered Churches in Mizoram
    Baptist World Alliance Member bodies

"BEAR THE MESSAGE OF HOPE AND ANCOURAGEMENT"

(SERMON ON 03.08.2014)

ISIAH 41:8 – 13; MT 10:24 – 33

Prayer    : Lord, though there is power in your words,  human tongue/mouth is not sufficient (enough) to make known the power, deepness and wisdom of your holy words.
Therefore, Lord, we humbly submit this supplication unto you that – as your words have power, touch every one, and let the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable unto you, O Lord, our rock and redeemer.

The assigned and chosen texts for today have already read by our friends, and these texts are taken from the book of Isaiah and the gospel according to Mathew (Isaiah 41:8 – 13; MT 10:24 – 33)
The first one, historical context of Isaiah 41 is very fascinating to hear. The main content of this chapter is divided into 3 parts;
-    God's care of his people. (v1-9)
-    The people of Israel are encouraged not to fear. (v10-20)
-    The vanity and folly of idolatry. (v21-29)

It may also be good to acknowledge that this particular chapter falls in between chapter 40-55, that means, this particular chapter is belongs to ‘second Isaiah’ or ‘Deuteron-Isaiah’  where the main theme is presented as the second prophet (or anonymous Exilic author) is believed to predicts the coming of king Cyrus, who will liberate the Jews from their Babylonian Captivity and will bring them to the Promised Land.

However, one could get to know that, the contents of this chapter are God’s messages to his people who are under the captivity of their enemies. And these messages are being brought to the people of Israel trough the prophet Isaiah, probably in the year 545BCE.

Therefore from this particular chapter or verses and from behind this particular chapter, there can be a number of significant points which closely have interrelatedness to the service of God and which are at the same very applicable for today context. Therefore, some of the significant points what I want to pickup from this particular texts are;

1.    The people of Israel were captivated. Though this particular chapter does not clearly tell us how the people of God are being captivated, many commentators, the historical context of this verse as well as the message of these particular verses itself tell us that – God’s messages were given to the  people who were under the captivity of Babylonian.
Therefore during this captivity, it is discernable that the people of Israel might lose their hope because of their suffering, they might also experience and undergo diverse forms suffering and pain. Like depression, spiritual and mental dehydration, and many more difficulties.

2.    There was something/reason behind their suffering. Why they have suffered/what was the reason behind their captivity under their enemies?  - One apparent answer we can simply give is - because they have committed sins against God/they have forsaken/they have gone away from the path of God/Their own sins/dis-loyalties cause their suffering –( Read - Is 1:2-4,  & in Ch5:8ff we have seen the denouncement of social injustice)

3.    There was God, for people who are suffering under all forms of captivity. (Many of you might perceive and consider this phrase as plain and simple statement). But this is how the texts appear to let us know – The God, who is always available for his people, is also the God who knows the weakness of his people, who could change his mind, who is able to humble himself for the cause of his people. He is also the God who sees the suffering, pain, anguish, distress, misery, and the sorrow of his people, who is also able to make himself get ready to help, to liberate, and to save his people. This is one of the pivotal points we could find from behind the texts.

4.    This passages also tell us that -The message of God was revealed, and how God showed his love and care to his people – This is found in v 8-10.As the message of encouragement and not to fear, as the message of reaffirmation, and as the message to endorse them that they are chosen people of God. It is also included God intention/assurance to deliver, and the message about God’s willingness to strengthen again his people.

5.    These messages were being made known to the people through the prophet who was also lived among the exiles. This is one of the striking intentions what God always has. If the message of God is to be reached to the targeted people, God allows his messenger to experience whatever the targeted people are facing. In another words, if God has special program for particular people, he puts his messenger to the context where the people lived.

Lastly, as we are focusing the context of these passages, there is another one more thing which i want to mention, and it may be good only for our further contemplation. i.e – in 41:11-12 God is portrayed as ‘one who use to wipe out the opponent of goodies/ favor persons’. The reason why I mention is, this portrayal of God sometimes contradict some of the New Testament teachings, particularly the teaching of Jesus. If we look, Mt 5: 44&45 it says - he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.& in Mt 9:13 Jesus says, I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.
Therefore the teaching that portrays God as ‘the God who is only at the side of the goody/above the margin, but not to the side of people who against him, and the portrayal of God as God who does not want to put himself at the side of offenders/ wrongdoer, etc is becoming unacceptable teaching, especially looking from the NT perspective.

Nevertheless, from these particular passages, we will try to make our main focus. Therefore, the topic I chose for today is - “Bear the Message of Hope and Encouragement” OR “We are/you are called to bear the Message of Hope and Encouragement”.

When I chose this topic, there were two things that came in and suddenly struck my mind.

1. In order to bear witness or in order to bear the message of God what would be the most important thing for God’s servant that could make us qualify?  (This question talks about our qualification/prerequisite that can make us qualify before God)

2. How significant place/position do we have in the mind/heart of God? /What value do we have/ does human have in the mind of God?
Probably, no one can become the rightful person to give the right/finess answer for this. But, today we will try to give the answer from these particular selected texts and from my experience.

1.    How significant positions do we have/ does the human have in the mind of God?
As soon as this question strikes our minds, we may simply reflect on John 3:16 which says –‘For God so love the world that he gave his only son…’ yes, reflecting from this verse, it is also rightly to say that ‘God puts value human in his heart’ because the text tell us that ‘God love the world’. It is also rightly to say that, God values human because - in the mind of God there is love, which means the place we have in the mind of God is defines in term of love.

But since we have another particular chosen text, we ought to find another suitable answer from this text.

Therefore, if we return and look back to the texts, we know that the people of God have committed many sins against God. How much sins they have committed? – may difficult to recollect within a short span of time. But another significant point what we could see from the text is - they have suffered immeasurable difficulties.  Moreover, another wonderful episode we could found from this text - is God’s messages have come to the prophet Isaiah - the message of God’s willingness to deliver his people from their suffering.

Therefore, reflecting what had been happening in Babylonian, let us put this question before us. So that we can easily get the point - What was in the mind of God?
Was he not the one who punished his people for their sins, was he not the one who sent his people in foreign land to become exile? If he was or if our answer is ‘Yes’, then another important question what I want to put again before us is – If God is the one who punished his people for their sins, then who took  initiative/ responsibility to deliver the people of Israel? Who showed his willingness to deliver his people? Who gave the message of hope and encouragement? The answer is simple – He is/was none other than God, the God of Israel and the God of sinful people.

That means, at the initial stage, God punished his people for their sins, but in a later period, reversing his mind, he showed his willingness to deliver, his willingness to forgive, or his willingness to accept them back as his people. He have shown not only his willingness to deliver, but also have directed his prophet to bring the message of encouragement and hope, and the message of not to fear.

Therefore very significant lesions we could learn and get from this short account is;
-    God is one who could and has authority to punish his people for their sins; he is also the one who allowed and has authority to let go his people in the valley of suffering, pain and sorrow, as well as in darkness. He is also the one who allowed and able to put his people in danger and difficulties.

-    But at the same time, this passage also tell us that - our God is also the magnificent God, the gracious and wonderful God who is able to forgive, who is able to change his mind, who is always get ready to accept and receive back his people. He is able, even for people who forsake, disloyal to him. He is the one who is ready to cleanse the sinners who committed sins against him.

-    Therefore, the concluding answer for this question is - in his mind and in his heart, God puts valued his people. He is willing, often passionate, and even able to eagerly stand for the sake of his people. Therefore, in short, this passage tells us that everyone has value; everyone is precious and valuable in the mind and heart of God.
-    We may also say that – the preciousness/worth we have in the heart/mind of God is something that compels God to do so many wonderful things. And this wonderfulness of God is also something which the human mind unable to comprehend without the help of Holy Spirit.
-    Read - Eph. 2:1-7 

2.    In order to bear witness or in order to bear the message of God, what would be the most important thing that can make us qualify? What important degree does a human need to satisfy God?
Many of us (many people) may simply think, the necessity and importance of educational qualification, where as other may put the importance of commitment, perseverance, sacrificial life at the top. Of course (undeniably), everyone will accept these as human needs for the service of God. And no one will deny the fact that these are some of the inevitable requirement that a person need to possess for the service of God.

But then, what will be the best degree to make us qualify? (Before I give my answer, I want you to give your own answer. And remember that I am not delivering this message to people who have no life in Jesus Christ, but to people who already have long time relationship with Christ).
O.k, just before, we give the answer, let us make some reflection from some ordinary men whose later life became so excellent;
-    Paul was a persecutor before he experiences the great light in his way of Damascus.
-    Peter was also a simple fisherman, who betrayed Jesus several times.
-    Gideon was a simple and ordinary man who comes from the weakest tribe of Manasseh, according to Judges 6:15.
-    St. Augustine’s earlier life was so unpleasing, due to his worldly life, and for having relationship with woman without legal marriage.
But, all have done so many wonderful things for God, in spite of their weaknesses and shortcomings. And in spite of their past life they were rather known as the builder of the church, significant contributor for the growth of the first community, some are also known as - liberator and redeemer of the nation from their enemies, and the defender of the Christian faith.
What important degree have they bore in their lives? What vital important degree did they have to meet the criteria of God to make them qualify to serve God?

My answer is – the degree that can meet the criteria to be a servant of God or to bear the message of God is merely not educational qualification, not good character or highly equipped personality. But rather it is only - ‘The grace of God’, the grace of God which is in the mind/heart of God. I strongly belief and accepted this because only by the grace of God we are made capable to serve God. We are made competent to meet the criteria to serve God.

Eph. 2:5-8 say, “By grace you have been saved…this is not your doing; it is the gift of God” This grace is given not only to save the sinners but it is also one of the foundations of his mission that enables Paul to serve God (Rom1:5; 15:15; ICor 1; 12). He says “I have become the servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me…” (Eph 3:7)

However, when we say that ‘the grace of God is our basic foundation or source that enables us to serve/ to bear the message of God’ it does not mean that – we do not accept the importance and necessity of those human qualities that we need to acquire. Rather we should peruse it, as long as we live.
Therefore friends, let us praise God. Let us adore our Lord God for he makes us qualify to be his servant through the grace that he has in his mind.

Lastly, other important point we still have is; as it is made known to us that - by the grace of God, we are made competent/ we are made capable to serve God. But, we cannot simply stop here, because - we are also given important tasks – the task and responsibility to bear the message of hope and encouragement (as it was given to the prophet Isaiah).
Then, for the concluding part what I want to add another more is;
To whom, why and how we must present this important message? (I will try to give only some of the important highlights)
1.    Remembering the people of Israel who were being captivated under the Babylonian rules. Let us remember that - by the grace of God, we are being called to bear this message of hope and encouragement among the captive people who are being captivated around us under different forms of captivities.
2.    We are also responsible to bear the message of God among the people who have forsaken God, and who committed many sins against God. This message of hope and encouragement is suitable till today, because God is God who is able to forgive and able to admit back the sinners for his people.
3.    We must also remember our beloved neighbors/friends whose life was at the beginning loved God but disloyal to God at the later part of their lives.
4.    Let us also bring this message of hope and encouragement to our own church, the church that has been facing many trails and temptations in the context of plurality and in the context of faithlessness.
5.    As we bear this message of hope and encouragement, let us not forget to remember that our God is a faithful God, who is willing to show his faithfulness even to the unfaithful servant.
6.    Bearing this message of God – one important thing we need to remember is - to bear this message of hope and encouragement, someone will need to immerse/identify him/her-self to the context where s/he is going to present this message. As the prophet Isaiah has done.
7.    As we bear this message, Let us not forget the omnipotent and omnipresent God, the gracious God who is willing to go before and behind his people event to the valley of sorrow where many of his people experience diverse forms of difficulties. As Israelite have suffered many forms of suffering in the land of Babylonian.
8.    Moreover, as Mt 10: 30-31 says, “The very hairs on your head are all numbered. So, don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God…” what a comfortable and confirmation words it is! For those who bear the message of God. Let us hope that the authenticity of this message will remain the same for those who believe in God and for those who bear the message of God.
9.    Lastly, as God said through the prophet Isaiah that-‘I will help thee’. Let us also remember that - God promise us that he will help us – Even if we face personal and spiritual crisis, God says, “I will help you.”Even if we face a work crisis, health crisis, or financial crisis, God says, “I will help you.”

God has made promise to his people, he promises to people whose commitment is pleasant for God. He also promises us to give strength for every situation. He is the God who does the impossible. (Phil. 4:13, Luke 1:37).

MI PUITLING LEH NAUPANG ZIA

                                                                                                                                           K.Lalzarliana

(Note: He ka thu ziak hi "Kohhrana Mi Puitling leh Naupang Zia" tia ka ziah a ni a, 2013 kum thar ni khan BCM "Kohhran Beng" Editor Upa KMS.Dawngliana 'thuziak 3 vel ka lo present ang che' tia ka thawn zing a mi a ni. Kohhran Beng/Chanchin Bu-a chhuah atana thawn ka ni lova, a lo chhiar ve mai mai atana thawn ka ni. Marawh chu June, 2013 khan "Baptist Today" ah a hnuai ber sub-point tel lo hian a lo chhuak tehngawt a. Chhuah tur an tlakchham vang nge, Kohhran mamawh bik vang tih hi tun thlengin ka hre ta lem lo. Han chhiar ve phawt teh le)

Pathian khawngaihna avang chauhin tualchhung kohhran eng emaw zat ka hrut kual ve ta nual mai. Tualchhung kohhran, kum lama upa leh changtlung tak, inkaihhruaina  thlenga  nghelnget leh mam thluamah pawh hian thil awihawm loh tak tak a thleng fo thin. Nu leh Pa, mi puitling tura ngaih, hruaitu ena en theih turte zingah pawh ‘nawi taka che duh pawl’ kohhran-ah hian kan awm fo mai. Inbih letna atan a tangkai tak mial beiseiin- ‘Kohhrana mi puitling leh Naupang zia’ tih hi tuntum atan  kan thawh ve ang a, tehna chi hrang hrang hmanga a hnuai thute hi teh dan thiam kan awm chuan ‘inhnialna pawi khawih phak lem lo’ chawk chhuak thei pawh a awm nual turah erawh ngai tel i la  a fuh mai awm e.

Mi Puitling leh Ze Chihrang hrang:

Mi puitling zia sawi fiah tur chuan ‘Puitling emaw Puitlina’ hrilfiah a tul a, ‘Thianghlimna hrilfiahtu-in Thianghlim lohna/bawlhhlawhna atanga thianghlimana chanchin fiah taka a sawi thei thin’ ang deuhin ‘Naupang zia’ hrilfiahna hian ‘Puitling zia’ hrilhfiah pawh a tiawlsam em em a ni. Tin, kohhran chu Thlarau lam thil a nih avangin, Kohhrana Puitling leh Naupang zia kan sawi chuan ‘Tisa leh Thlarau lam zia’ chanchin kan sawi tihna a ni thei bawk ang.

Saptawng Dictionary hrang hrangah chuan, Mi puitling chu; thankin ( a sate or quality of being mature), mihring nun pumpui thanglian tawh(fully developed humanity) etc. tite a hrilfiah a ni. Mi thenkhat chuan ‘Mi Puitling’ chu ‘kum zat tam lam’ hian a hril hlein an hre bawk. Tom Stoppard chuan “Mihring kum hi puitling ni tura manto tak a ni (Age is a very high price to pay for maturity)’ a ti ve hial a ni. Tin, puitling tih thumal hian ‘chhawr tlak(kawng hnih khatah chauh ni lo), mi dang tan rin zawh/rin tlak thei tura thang lian tawh’ tih hi a kawk tel tlat a ni.

Psycologist(rilru lam chanchin zirtu) hriat hlawh tak pakhat Eric Barne chuan ‘Transectional Analysis- Mihring nun phung zir chianna’ a tihah chuan; mihring tupawh, pianghlim a ni emaw tar, thi lek lek khawpa upa pawh ni se, mi zawng zawngah hian ‘Mize’ pathum englai pawhin a awm a, chungte chu;

1.    Child Ego (Naupang zia)

2.    Adult Ego (Puitling zia)

3.    Parent Ego (Nu leh Pa zia) te an ni.

Ze Mak tak chu:
He thu ka ziah lai hian, khawvel kumin kum 40 ka hnaih ve ta thuak mai. He hun chhung hian kei aia kum lama naupang tak, mahse mihring mizia a ‘kei aia puitling’ si ka va hmu tam em. Chutiang deuh bawk chuan kum 60 hmang ral tawh leh khup bih a dam mekte zingah hian mize lama ‘kei aia nawi leh naupang’ si hi ka va hmu hnem em. A chhan chu mihring mize puitlinna hi ‘kum tam lamin a hril ber lo’ tihna a ni. Mizo-te zingah ‘Tar naupang thaleh’ kan awm chhan hi kan ngaihtuah ngai em? – Mi a lo upat hle a, a tha a lo zuai a, engmah ti peih mang lo khawpa a lo awm khan, amaha ‘naupang zia’ kha a lo thangharh a – ‘a naupang thaleh’ kan ti ta a ni. A bikin hmeichhe tleirawl zingah hian kum phu lova ‘che fel, tawngkam fel, ngeiawm lek lek khawpa chetzia reng renga fel thlarh’ an awm thin. Engvang nge an kum phu lova an lan fel bik?- a chhan chu an mahni a ‘puitling zia’ kha a thangharh hma a, ‘naupang zia’ a luahla’n thin vang a ni.

Puitling zia zir nan naupang Zia:
Khawvel huapa langsar, mihring nunzia leh rilru lam chanchin zirtu Doctor ni bawk Sigmund Freud te, Carl Jung te, Erik Erikson te, Chomsky leh mi dang dang lehkhabu ziak chhiar tawhte chuan chiang lehzualin kan hrethiam thei ang. Mi thiamte hmuh dan point nga emaw chauh tarlang i la;

1.    Naupang chu an ti(insecure) chawk, dimdawi taka enkawl  mamawh nia inhriatna an ngah.
2.    Hlimhlawp thil an ngaina a,  chak zawng leh mamawh an ngah bik.
3.    An harhvang a, dawhtheihna  an tlachham.
4.    Pawisak an nei tlem a, an rilru a chiai hma hle.
5.    Thil tak tak aiin a hlimthla (milem, cartoon etc) an ngaina. (sawi sen a ni awm love) etc.

 Kohhran Huangchhungah
Tisa lam thil leh thlarau lam thil hi ‘thil’ then hran theih, amaherawh chu inkawp rem laklawh tawh erawh chu ‘zawngfian phel’ an sawi ai pawha angkhata ngaih theih a tam hle. Kohhran huang chhungah pawh hian tisa/kum lama upa fer, thlarau lama sawngnawi angreng tak – tisa thila kan khawsa zia leh nun danin kan thlarau dinhmun min tarlang sak hmuh tur tam tak a awm thin. Mi a kum lamah upa-in rawngbawlnaah experience ngah hle tawh mahse a hnuai ami (Kohhrana Thlarau Puitling lo zia) anga a khawsak chuan ‘puitlin’ a zir a ngai a ni;

1.    Kohhran huang chhungah - Eng thil avang pawh a ‘nuar leh tihtauh’ hi naupang zia a ni.
2.    Naupang chuan Bal (hmai bal,Kawr bal) an ngaithei ang bawkin, Thlarau tivui thei sual tih zauh pawh an awlsam.
3.    Naupang mai an nih avangin ‘maltlat nun’ ah an tlei zo lo fo.
4.    Thutak aiin ‘a huau huau/behbawm’ lam an lawm. Pathian thutak tluangtlam zawka lungawina khawp hmu lo ‘thu khirhkhan buaipui zawk’ ho zingah hian ‘rinna kawnga mi puitling’ an vang khawp.
5.    Kohhrana ven ngai renga awm ho leh thlem lungawi chhen ngaia awm ho hi ‘naupang’ an ni.
6.    Naupang chuan an rilrua awm ang ang an puakchhuahpui pawp pawp thin. Mi dang tan a pawi thei em (mi dang pawisakna)? tih hian a thunun tehchiam lo.
7.    Kohhran huang chhunga ‘mi dang er-na leh itsikna rilru’ awm thin hi naupang zia dik tak atanga lo chhuak a ni.
8.    Naupang hian vision leh plan reng reng an nei lo. An nung tawrh.
9.    Naupang thil khal hian, an thil neih an ning hma khawp. Thil nin thuai thuai hi naupang zia a ni.
10.    Naupang hian ‘nghah hram hram’ an harsat fo. Dawhtheihna an nei tlem.
11.    Naupang min nelsa ni lo hi ‘han fak’ (Praise, worship a ni lo) teh, thenkhat chu an nun zia pangngai hloh lek lek khawpin an zauthau thei. Kohhranah pawh hian ‘fak’ chauha nawr kal theih ringtu an awm.

Bible-a Mi Puitling chu:

Thlarau lamah ‘ka puitling ta’ tithei hi an vang hle mai. Ringtute thanlenna tur a nih tlat avangin Pathian mi hmasate pawhin an ngai pawimawh em em a, helama inzirtirna chanchin pawh ringtute zingah hmuh tur a awm nual mai. Thuthlung Thar lehkhathawn hrang hranga ‘Mi Puitling leh Puitling tura’ zirtirnate i lo en leh thuak thuak teh ang;

1.    John 21:18    : “I Naupan lai khan…i duhna apiangah i kal thin a; nimahsela i upat hunah i kutte i phar ang a, mi dangin an hren sak ang che a, i duh lohna lamah an kai ang che.” Hrilhfiahtu thenkhat chuan ‘upat’ tih hi ‘puitling’(mature) sawi nan an hmang.  He lai thu hi hrilhfiah dan hrang hrang a awm thei ang. A hun leh a hmun a zira in siamrem (in adjust) thei, mawhphurhna  kawng hrang hrangin a nawr chet theih ringtu a tih theih ang.

2.    Phil 3:15    : “Puitling apiang chutiang rilru puiin i awm ang u...” Paula’n Puitlingte hian amah angin eng rilru nge pu se tia a duh? – Pathianin Krista a mawhphurhna a pek tipuitling tur hian a bei fan fan a,  a lo experience tawh thil tam takte hi chhuan tumna rilru emaw, indal tir nan a hmang duh lo a ni.

3.    Hebrai 5:14    : “Chaw rum erawh chu puitlingte tan a ni…” Mi puitling,  hemi changing a sawite chu – ‘A chhia leh a tha thliar thiam tura mahni insawizawi thinte’ hi an ni.

4.    Jakoba 1:4    : “Chhelna chuan a hna a thawk zo zet ang a, tichuan in lo puitlingin in lo famkim ang (A saptawng keima lehlin)”. Mi puitling ni tur chuan chhel taka mawhphurhna/ mahni hna hlen chhuah a phut.

A tawp nan, Shirley Conran  chuan, “Puitlin lam pan tur hian upat lutuk/thankin a awm thei lo.”  a ti a. Kohhrana ringtu -‘hmasawn thei lo, hmasawn lam pan lo, thang lian thei lo, thlarau lama sawngnawi leh naupang zia’ hian kohhran a tichhangchhia a ni. Mi dang tan a ruka harsatna thlen thintu an ni bawk. Chuvang chuan tisa leh thlarau-ah  kohhran avang leh Pathian ropui nan  puitlin hi zir zel i la, tu pawimah hei hian a khawih lovang.

                                                                                                                                                   14092012

AW BIBLE, AW BIBLE

Tun hnai khan kan department (Communication) bik leh library development-na chi khat atan Office lamin lehkhabu leina Rs. 17,000/- min pe a, Flipkart.com ah hian ‘cash on delivery’ –in (a lo thlen hun huna pawisa pek chawpin- online shoping a ni) a lo lei theih a, lehkhabu 13 emaw chu ka chah thleng ve a ni. Chung zinga lehkhabu thenkhat chuan a hnuai ami ang hian ka ngaihtuahna a hruai peng nasa hle mai.

 

Heng lehkhabu-te hi i lo thlir thuak thuak teh ang a.

1. The Road Ahead. Bill Gate-a, khawvela pa hausa ber ziah a nih vang nge a to fer fer hle mai Rs. 650/- man a ni a, phek 45 lek, kohhran beng/Thalai Entu ang leka chhah a ni. Phek mal 1 man hi Rs.15 vel tihna a nih chu.

2. The Church in Cyberspace. Victor Counted ziah a ni ve thung a,phek 63 a awm, a man chu Rs. 3724/- a ni a, a phek mal 1 man hi Rs. 60/- vel angin a chhut theih bawk ang.

3. Bible (Mizo Bible, ka chah zing ami erawh a ni ve lo). Hei hi phek 1240(a tawpa Map lanna phekte nen chuan phek 1250 vel a ni). Zipper awm hi a to deuh a Rs. 450/- velin kan lei thin em kha aw? Zipper awm lo phei chu Rs. 150/- emaw lek ten kan lei thinin ka hria! Zipper nei(kawm savun) man ang hian chhut ta i la, phek mal 1 man hi Rs.0.36p/- (Zipper nei lo hi Rs.0.12p/-) a ni.

POST CHHAN: Kan Bible hi chatuan nun min hruai thleng theitu, kan ralthuam, ringtute tan chuan kan engkima engkimte zing ami a ni i ti mai ang. A chunga lehkhabu 2 te hi chu Bible-a lehkhabu mal Isaia ziak ai pawha pan fe zawk an ni a. Mahni pocket money atanga lei ralah phei chuan tuman englai mahin kan lei duhin ka ring lo. Kan ban phakah pawh an awm hek lovang.

 

Amaherawh chu heng aia a let tam taka hlu zawk BIBLE erawh chu mi rethei berte pawhin kan neih zawh theih nan, mi zawng zawngin an chhiar phak theih nan tiang hian BSI in min hralh sak ta a  ni a. Kan lo va vannei em. A chung a lehkhabu 2 man hlutna ang hian lei tur ni ta I la, nei zo lo, chhiar phak lo kan va tam dawn em.

Kan dawhkan, bang kil a let mai mai; inkhawm changa kan lek chhuah ve zauh zauh, mahse a keu pawh kan keu that peih mang loh kha, heng entirna (khaikhinna) hote hmang hian (an khaikhin zo lo hle nachungin) a hlutna han chhut thar leh ta I la. Kan nunna hnar kaitu, kan ralthuam, kan ban phak renga a awm theih nana man man taka kan neih hi eng dang vang ni lovin “Lalpa khawngaihna kan chan’ ava ni em.

“Aw BIBLE ka Nunna ber, van kawng min kawhhmuh saktu, ka van ngaihlu em ve le… “ tih hla hi min ngaihtuah thar tir nasa hle.

I ban phaka Lalpan a hmanruate hmanga a chhawp sak che I Bible hi vawi eng zat nge I chhiar chhuah tawh? I kawmngeih em? I Nun hnaikaitu atan I hmang ve thin em le?

TI ZAWNG HIAN LUANGLIAM VE HLUAI TEH ANG

90s bawr chho vel, college kan kal ve lai a ‘Hla Pawisawi lo’ tia ka vuah ve mai; love song ni lo, gospel song ni bawk si lo, tuna tan chuan ‘Mizo oldist’ huanga dah ve mai theih tawh hla 'duh deuh deuh' ka nei ve a. Tleirawl chhuah hlim atanga ‘in tituavawn’, Kohhran thiltih a nih loh chuan kut pawh beng tha duh lo thinin hetiang hla ‘ka duh thu’ ka sawi mai hi erawh mak tih  awih loh kan timai aniang chu.

Heng hlate zinga 1, Alex RBa hla, “Ka Nu Sikul ka kal peih lo” tih hi tun hnai khan Youtube-ah ka hmu chhuak hlauh mai a, Pathian tana ‘inserh laklawh’ ‘Love song’ tia kan vuah, sak leh ‘kur pui’ hreh laklawh tawhte tan heng ‘Hla pawisawi lo’ ho hi a tha hlawm hle. Buaipui chiam ngai lova MP3 emaw a video a neih theih dan awm se ka ti ngawt mai. A genre hi a fuh em em vek a, uluk taka ngaihthlaka ‘rilru tinui thei’, contextual affect nei, zirtir nei ril raih an ni hlawm tih hi han ngaithla ve la I hre ve mai ang.

Chung ‘Hla Pawisawi lo’ tia ka vuah thenkhat-te;

1.    "Pipu Chhuah Tlang Hlui"

2.    A thunawn thenkhat chiah ka hriat, ‘Ecological Song’ tia ka vuah ve mai, “…an leng e, hlimlai chenin, an ngai lo tudang par, he lei chinah….”

3.    "Ka Nu Sikul ka kal peih lo" (Alex RB-a)

4.    "Hostel?" (Alex RB-a), he hla hi ka hmu chhuak zo ta lo.

5.    …(Ka hre mai tawh lo, heng hi awlsam te a min share thei an awm chuan, lawm taka ka dawnsawn theih turte zing ami a ni ve ang)

“Sikul ka kal peih lo” hi kan hlui ve reng reng ang che u.

Sikul Ka Kal Peih Lo

Ka Nu sikul ka kal peih lo,

Ka thiam thei lo si,

A hreawm em.

‘Lehkha zir rawh’ tih leh mut mai zawng;

A dik deuh hian ka hre bik lo.

A thiam thei chi an awm a,

A thiam thei lo chi kana wm a;

Kan dinhmun hi, tumah hian,

In dawn chiang lo.

Kan zirtirtu-te tak pawh hi,

Ka dem dawn e, ka ngaihdan hian.

Thleibik nei hian min zirtir a,

A thim thei lo ho kan lungawi lo nasa.

A thimthei chauh an duhsak a,

A thiam ve lote min hnualsuat a;

Eng tin nge maw, hetiangte chuan,

Kan thiam reng ang.

Homework thiam lo zingah pawh hian,

Thiam chak tak tak an tam em.

Vuak tuar tura sikul lo kal hi,

Kan chak bik lo, kan ning em em;

Rum em emin min melh a,

Hlau leh khurin kan ding a;

Min hmangaih vang a nih hi,

 Kan ring si lo.

Kan duh ber chu hei hi a ni,

Lehkha zir san kan duh ve a.

Hmangaihnain min enkawl la,

Puitling turin min chher chhuak teh.

Chutin suihlung phang lo ten,

Sikul run kan lo kai ang;

Chun leh zuaPa thinlai na,

Reng a dam ngei ang.

CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES ACCORDING TO WACC

                                                                                                                          K. Lalzarliana

Introduction:

The World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) is an international NGO registered as a charity in both Canada and the United Kingdom. It is a worldwide network of ecumenical Christian communicators whose global office is based in Toronto. It is a membership organization bringing together some 1,500 institutions and individuals in more than 100 countries.

Organizations and individuals become members of the global Association, organized for practical purposes into eight Regional Associations (Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America and Pacific).

History:

The origins of WACC date back to 1950 when Christian communicators from Europe and North America began seeking guidelines for the future of religious broadcasting. Several organizations, including the World Council of Churches, shared the same concerns and they eventually joined forces to establish the ‘old’ WACC in 1968. Rapid developments in mass media worldwide and a concern to integrate the work of the Agency for Christian Literature Development of the World Council of Churches led to a merger in 1975 that created the present WACC. In 1986 WACC adopted its Christian Principles of Communication as a statement of core values based on Liberation Theology's option for the poor.

Activities:

WACC’s wide-ranging activities include support for communication projects mainly, but not exclusively, in the global south; the promotion of analysis, reflection and action on important topics related to its areas of concern; support for networking within and beyond its membership; and publication and sharing of information. WACC’s project support has traditionally been largely of a responsive nature. WACC's largest single activity is the Global Media Monitoring Project a worldwide longitudinal study (1995, 2000, and 2005) on the representation of women in the world’s media.

Over the last 25 years WACC has been instrumental in developing the concept of Communication Rights and their relationship to participatory development communication.

       

Vision: Communication for All

Mission: 

In its mission statement, the WACC states, “The World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) is an international organization that promotes communication as a basic human right, essential to people’s dignity and community. Rooted in Christian faith, WACC works with all those denied the right to communicate because of status, identity, or gender. It advocates full access to information and communication, and promotes open and diverse media. WACC strengthens networks of communicators to advance peace, understanding and justice.

CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION

The World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) adopted its Christian Principles of Communication in 1986. It is an official WACC document which was drafted to guide the members of the Association in their thinking, planning and working. The document states, “These principles should guide the work and mission of Christians in communication”  and “to examine their communication practices and policies on the basis of the Good News of the Kingdom”.  Though the WACC recognized mainly the problems of the existing structure of the mass media and the impacts of information and communication in general, the principles also demonstrate its interest in encouraging communicators to engage in people’s communication process and Christian mission.

 

1. Communication from a Christian Perspective 

According to the WACC document, the kingdom of God, the proclamation of the Gospel, human beings and other creations, and Christ’s own communication, etc are at the very centre of Christian communication. The document states, “Jesus announced the coming of God’s Kingdom and commission to us to proclaim the Good news to all people until the end of time. Hearing the Good news, living by it and witnessing to it, is the basic calling to all Christians.”  Jesus, through his act of self-giving took initiative to communicate the good news of the kingdom of God which addresses itself not only to the whole person and to all people, but also to all creations. Thus, as Jesus set an example, all Christian communicators are also expected to communicate the gospel of love and to show action of self-giving love in their communicative process.
 

Moreover, since Christian communicator proclaims God’s kingdom where God reigns and in which the will of God is done, and that every individual could partake in it, there is no distinction in Christian communication. Rather Christian communicator proclaims oneness and unity by witnessing to the one body of Christ.
 

The document also recognized the church as a community of believers which is chosen as the instrument for promoting the kingdom. Thus Christian communication sees the church as a means to embody and testify to the central value of the kingdom, in which oneness, reconciliation, equality, justice, freedom, harmony, peace and love are given precedence.  The document further notices the importance of an act of worship in which sharing and action of communitarian living prevail among the worshiping community. Furthermore, every Christian communicator is challenged to witness to God’s transforming power in all areas of human life. Because of this, the glory of God and the joy of the people are taken very seriously in Christian communication.
 

2. Communication Builds and Shapes Community 

WACC builds on the assumption that genuine or effective communication cannot take place where there is division, alienation, isolation and barriers that disturb prevent or distort social interaction. Just as the document states that “one aim of our works is the breaking down of all kind of barriers which prevent the development of communities with right and justice fall all”,  every Christian communicator is directed to work for building up community. It further states, “True communication is facilitated when people join together regardless of race, colour or religious conviction, and where there is acceptance of and commitment to one another”.  The statement therefore indicates that the concern for community occupies a central place in the WACC. In Jesus’ ministry, one can also see this concern for community, for example, the calling of the disciples, the innumerable feasts which Jesus partook, the institution of the Lord’s Supper, and the resurrection appearance etc., which affirm Jesus’ desire to enable community. Since the words ‘communication’ and community’ come from the same root word ‘communis’ which means ‘to share’, any true communication should enable building and sustaining community.
 

3. Communication Enhances Participation 

One of the most serious concerns of the WACC in Christian communication is participation. This concern arises from the WACC’s belief that participatory communication “can give people a new sense of human dignity, a new experience of community, and the enjoyment of fuller life”.  For the WACC, communication is by definition, participatory in a two way process.  It refers to the full involvement of participants in communication processes and includes giving individuals access to communication channels and enabling them to participate freely and equally in any Christian communication. Since participatory communication shares meaning and establishes and maintains social relationship, every Christian communicator is anticipated to maintain this principle in their communication process.
 

Though the WACC stresses its recognition of individual participation in modern communication process especially in Mass media, it is makes concerted efforts to anticipate participatory communication within the body of Christ. This communication demands that the believer, having been incorporated into the body of Christ, ought to participate according to the grace given him/her in the planning, implementation, evaluation, etc., of the communication that builds and sustains the body of Christ. It is essentially necessary to stress the importance of communication which could not only provide space or platform for participation but also facilitate the expression of people’s needs and priorities through effective communication.

4. Communication Liberates

 Though the WACC stresses its focus on liberation from the power or hegemony of modern Mass media, the focus can also be integrated with the church’s mission in general. The document clearly showed where the WACC stands with regards to liberative dimension of communication. It states, “Communication which liberates, enables people to articulate their own needs and helps them to act together to meet those needs. It enhances their sense of dignity and underlines their right to full participation in the life of society. It aims to bring about structures in society which are more just, more egalitarian and more conductive to the fulfillment of human rights.”  It further states, “Genuine communication presupposes the recognition that all human beings are equal worth. The more explicit equality becomes in human interaction, the more easily communication occurs.”  In the Bible, Yahweh is seen as the God who entered into human history to liberate the oppressed. This liberative dimension of God’s communications is found in different parts of the scripture as seen in the Exodus event. Thus, as Joshva Raja says, “Mission should be liberative in its praxis, liberating people from exploitation and the force of hegemony… Church and the Christian institution should show solidarity with communities at the margins who are affected by the dominant groups.”  In line with this statement or liberative dimension of God’s communication, the WACC appeals to all Christian communicators to persuade their communication for a liberative purpose.
 

5. Communication Supports and Develops Culture

 The term “culture” may refer to the complex collection of knowledge, folklore, language, rules, rituals, habits, lifestyles, attitudes, beliefs, and customs that link and give a common identity to a particular group of people.  It also refers to the environment that humans create as social beings.  Since every human being is totally immersed into his/her culture, this limits as well as creates the possibility to engage in communication. The WACC holds that “people’s basic culture and need for cultural identity are part of the dignity of the human person”,  and affirms that “many countries and people are now rediscovering and redefining their basic cultural identities. This is particularly urgent where culture, language, religion, gender, age, ethnicity or race have been attacked or treated with contempt by members of other cultural groups.”  Hence, Christian communicators are anticipated not only to nourish and strengthen other culture but also to support and develop indigenous forms of communication. Moreover, they are also expected to cultivate symbolic environment of mutually shared images and meanings which respect human dignity and religious and cultural values. 
 

6. Communication is Prophetic

 Prophets are regarded as ones who bridged the gap between God and human or the world. Through the medium of the prophet, God communicates with human. In a similar way, the WACC appeals to all Christians to be prophetic in their communication process in the context of oppression, discrimination and marginalization. The prophetic vocation is to be exercised within the context of the conflict between powers and powerless. It is the responsibility of the church or Christian communicators to exercise the role of prophetic communication combining the memory of freedom in Christ and the vision of God’s community. The document states, “Prophetic communication expresses itself in words and deeds. Such prophetic action must be willing to challenge the principalities and powers, and may carry a high price.”  Furthermore, since lies and half-truths are a great threat to communication, the document further appeals to all Christian communicators to serve truth and challenge falsehood and help people to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Conclusion

The WACC document therefore makes a concluding remark by stating, these principles should guide the work and mission of Christians in communication. They also set out the corporate agenda of the World Association for Christian Communication - for project support, studies and dissemination of policies. Communication must be seen as central to the churches, as the process in which God's love is received and shared, thus establishing communion and community.

References(footnotes are pasted here):

      John Joshva Raja, Facing the Reality of Communication: Culture, Church and Communication (Delhi: ISPCK, 2001), 332.
      Ibid., 328.
      Franz Josef  Eilers, Communicating in Community (Indore: Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra, 1996), 328.
      Ibid.
      Ibid.
      Ibid.
      Christ Arthur, Religion and Media: An Introductory Reader, op.cit., 278.
      Ibid.
      Ibid., 279.
      Ibid.
      Ibid., 280.
      Ibid.
      John Joshva Raja, Introduction to Communication and Media Studies. op.cit., 202.
      Ibid. 93.
      Christ Arthur, Religion and Media: An Introductory Reader, op.cit., 280.
      Ibid.
      Ibid., 281.
      Ibid.
      Ibid.

PRINCIPLES APPLICABLE FOR ESTABLISHING RELEVANT STRATEGIES OF COMMUNICATION IN BCM MISSION

                                                                                                                                         K.Lalzarliana

Based on the WACC (World Association for Christian Communication) document and the (my) research findings, the following principles are presented as suggestions towards working out relevant and helpful strategies of communication. It is believed that these principles will allow more individuals to participate and open a wide range of space or platform in presenting effective communication in BCM mission.  However, the researcher does not claim to come up with fool-proof ready-made strategies, but will present principles that could help give directions for the Mission Department or any individual responsible in creating and establishing relevant strategies of communication in BCM mission. 

 1. Principle of Formulating Basic Theological Foundation

Establishing principles that underline the significance of theological foundation is a vital need of BCM mission. Apart from the previous statements( this is posted seperately), it is necessary because formulating reliable basic theological foundation will help Mission Department or any committed person to study and apply God’s example in the effort to communicate the gospel. It will also help committed person to learn and how to engage him/her-self in God’s work according to his way, and will also help to find out the best way to involve in the ministry of communicating the gospel. In other words, this will facilitate mission-minded people to participate and provide space for others to take part in the communicative acts of God. The following significant points are suggested for consideration under this aspect.

•    Formulating Communication as Theological Concept

Today a growing number of theologians see communication not just as an activity which needs a theological dimension. They either see communication not as one of the many areas of theology or are looking for a theology of communication. They rather project communication as a basic principle and essential dimension of any theology.  According to this perception, God is seriously seen as a communicating God and his expressions are also considered as communication. The very creation of God, incarnation, Trinitarian nature of Divine, giving of the Holy Spirit, revelation and the whole salvation history, etc., are seen as an acts of God’s self-communication. Moreover, it can also rightly be said that the self-communication of God finds its fullness in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Thus, looking from communication perspective, one can rightly consider that the central theme of Christian traditions is the idea of God’s communication.

To substantiate this, the Bible clearly records God as one who is always in communication with creation, especially with human beings. The very creation of humans is seen as an act of God’s self-communication. In creating human beings in his or her image and likeness, God gave human beings the capacity and need to establish communicative relations with each other. Karl Rahner clearly mentions that what is communicated in this self-communication of God is not something about God, but that God shares God’s self with humans in an ontological sense.  In realizing all the above views, one can therefore conclude that the concept of communication is right from its beginnings a theological concept. Gisbert Greshake, probably the first to express his view on communication in theological circle, substantiated the mere word of ‘communication’ as, right from its origin a theological expression, Eilers quoted, “communication is from its origin a decisive theological idea which grounds in Christian revelation and has as its theme the centre of the Christian understanding of God and the world.” 

Communication is thus a theological principle or a concept which reliable to guides and directs the way how human see, study and live a Christian faith and other. Communication is a fundamental divine fact, and is also a fundamental human fact. The church which is called to communicate the words of God should be constantly aware of this fact in its life, witness and mission. This theological foundation and concept is what the Mission department needs to implant and develop in the minds of its people in creating communication strategy and witnessing the words of God.

•    Formulating Principles Applicable for Missiological Communication

In developing a theological foundation of Christian communication, several theologians have presented different theological aspects or bases which have theological significance, for example M. Thomas Thangaraj listed six aspects of God’s communication,  Frenz-Josef Eilers also listed the four dimension of communication in which the inner Trinitarian communication, revelation, incarnation and church as communication are considered as the four basic steps.  Obviously, each of these aspects or dimensions could bring to light the indispensability of divine communication into church mission. At the same time, as long as the church and the people of God are participating in the communicative realm of God, it is inevitably necessary to present and develop Missiological communication principle in order to enlighten committed people and to build up individuals’ perception on mission and Christian communication.

Though it is not possible to present in detail due to limited space, based on the above suggestion, the researcher would like to present here some important elements to exemplify Missiological communication principles as formulated by Viggo Saagard. These principles however can be considered as example guidelines and principles applicable in Missiological communication and are believed to be relevant in this contemporary situation and context. According to Saagard, Missiological communication starts with the commission given by Christ, Missiological communication place the person at the centre, Missiological communication is receptor oriented, Missiological communication is centred on community, Missiological communication is a process, Missiological communication needs good research and information, and lastly Missiological communication uses approaches that are based on cultural context of the receptor.  In line with this above example, the researcher here further suggests the following principles for developing communication strategy in BCM mission.

2. Principle of Using Trinitarian Model of Communication

    Belief in God as Three-in-One is as old as Christianity itself.  According to Maylene the term was first used as ‘Trias’ by Theophilus, the Bishop of Antioch in AD 180 and later by Tertullian as ‘Trinitas’  to signify that God exists in three persons. In this Trinitarian perspective, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are intimately communicating to each other in their inner Trinitarian movement. These three persons also live in the supreme mystery of oneness in perfect, loving intercommunion.  Because of this intimacy and oneness in Trinitarian life, it is possible to assert that God is rich in relationships, communication and love for all people. This God models to every individual what the dynamic Trinitarian life is all about - communication, relationship, affection and participation. Therefore, the quality of Christian life is to be based on the imitation of this interior life of the Trinity.  The Trinity is the model of every human community.

Eilers stated that in the Trinitarian communion the dialogue between the persons is ongoing.  God sent Jesus Christ to the world, his disciples recognized him as a sign of God and He revealed the Father and the Holy Spirit. He further quoted Martini’s statement by mentioning that, “It is also the Holy Spirit who ‘opens’ the Trinity to the world and at the same time unites the world to the Son and the Father”.  Considering this mystic nature of God, it is possible to assert that Trinity is not merely communicating God, but a sharing, interacting and participating God.

In the context of developing and rapidly progressing world of today, many people including people in different mission fields are still facing major problems like poverty, illiteracy, starvation, exploitation and danger of losing their identity. All these factors not only hinder effective communication, but in some places, prevent people from participation in their own communitarian lives and to others. Due to these hindrances and failures in communication, relationships and the enthusiasm to participate in the communication process between individual, neighbour, and family, even in the church are in decline. In such a situation, the role of the Trinitarian communication is crucial and would be very applicable. Since Trinitarian communicating God is the God who creates human beings as His image and likeness. Because of this nature in human, human beings are able to communicate, and this could be taken up as a model for communicating the gospel.

3. Principle of Using Incarnation Model of Communication

Incarnation is, according to Viggo Sogaard, “the climax of God’s Communication”  and for Eilers, “the high point of God’s communication”  with human. It is a demonstration of God’s self-communication and willingness to identify with those who are to receive his message. From the creation of the world, God has been communicating himself to humanity. He expressed himself at the time of creation; He not only spoke and accompanied with human, but also let his son live too in a social context and led his people into a warm community of believers. By sending his son, He bridged the gap between him and humans and communicated in a way human beings could understand. Incarnation is also the highest expression of God’s giving of self in love. Through incarnation, God was bending down to disclose himself through ordinary situations of human life, thus completely becoming relevant to the context of human beings.  In other words, incarnation is an indication of God’s love, acceptance, and respect for humanity. It is also a mark of receptor-orientations that he has chosen frame and references of human beings rather than demanding that human uses his. In doing so, He built a bridge all the way across from his frame of reference to human beings. Through incarnation God has confirmed his approval not only of human form but language as a worthy vehicle to communicate heavenly truth.

Therefore, communication through incarnation is being involved in a context, entering into the real problems, issues and struggles of the people. When God incarnate in the form of human as his beloved son Jesus Christ, he did not just speak to the Jews, but he became a Jew and identified himself with all aspects of the Jews’ life.  Through this primary model, God not only seeks an interactive relationship with human but invites every individual to participate in his communication realm. Likewise, the BCM mission has to be framed and modeled on this incarnation communication.

4.  Principle of Developing Reign of God-Centered Model of Communication

Trinitarian model of communication leads the researcher to present the dominant theme of Jesus in the gospels, the reign or kingdom of God. It was centered around Jesus’ proclamation in his earthly life on earth. This one phrase sums up his whole ministry and his whole life’s work. However, it is possible to assert that every thought and saying of Jesus was directed and subordinated to one single thing; i.e., the realization of the reign of God upon the earth.

As seen in the scripture, the characteristic of the reign of God would be love, peace, justice and participation.   The reign of God is where persons from all walks of life are invited not only to participate but to enjoy and to share the love of God and living in harmony and equity with all individual. This reign of God model could be a very powerful tool in communicating the gospel. As Jesus gathered his disciples to be the seed and the beginning of God's Reign on earth and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide them, he continues to call all people to come together around him and to spread the kingdom of God across the entire world.  Having this vision and realization of the reign of God, Mission Department can also establish the community of the reign of God where every individual could participate, enjoy and share the community of the love of God, peace, justice and freedom. This model of communication as apparatus to formulate strategy has to be developed in her communicating of the gospel.

5. Principle of Using Holistic Model of Communication

As Julian Saldanha says, the main concern of Holistic approach that the researcher wishes to present here is “to avoid separating the proclamation of Jesus Christ from the struggle for what he stood for. And the effort is to embody the value of the Kingdom of God in society: peace, justice, freedom, brotherhood, concern for the needy and respect of for human right”.  According to this approach, missionaries or any gospel communicators have to focus on the felt needs of human beings. Moreover, immediate human needs such as socio-economic problems, injustice, sickness, starvation, ecological problems and many other concerns can also be included. Therefore, in order to respond to the felt needs of the people - Medical help, skill training, school education, relief and developmental works, social works, and dialogical methods of communication can be utilized as a means. Since this approach concerns not only saving individual soul but aims for the well-being of every individuals, it could be one of the most powerful method employed in BCM mission.

6. Principle of Utilizing Indigenous Forms of Communication

From the beginning of its cross-culture mission, Mission Department has been employing the principle of the three indigenous process, i.e., self-supporting, self-propagating and self-governing. The purpose of this principle is to create an authentic Christian community. Though the church strives to achieve its goal in various ways, it often tends to forget or ignore the effectiveness of indigenous forms of communication in presenting the gospel message. As every culture has its own forms - song, dance, festivals, plays, storytelling, and symbols and so on, such Indigenous forms of communication have to be emphasized and utilized in communicating the gospel. Since these channels allow local people or particular groups of people to communicate among themselves and provide space to participate in communication process, it can be one of the most powerful tools for establishing participatory as well as interactive communication in the process of presenting the gospel message.

Since missionaries are always accused of destroying their culture, and being accused of trying to implant a duplicate Mizo culture to other tribal culture,   such indigenous forms of communication can also be utilized as a mechanism to safeguard particular tribal identity, tradition, custom and culture from assimilation or exploitation phobia.

7. Principle of Learning Language as a Starting Point to Focus on Socio-Cultural Context of the Receptors

The investigation of the research has disclosed that missionaries are sometimes accused of not taking an interest in the social-cultural context of the people. In those same places, they are accused of destroying the culture and dividing the society of the people they served. Obviously this could be one of the reasons why a number of missionaries failed to present effective communication and ignored the significance of participatory communication. In such a situation, it is therefore tremendously necessary for the missionaries to learn the socio-cultural context of their receptors. Though learning of social cultural context of other people can take place in different ways, the first and foremost step that the missionaries have to take up is to learn other language. The researcher strongly recommends laying emphasis on the necessity of learning the other’s language and of adapting oneself as a principle for the Mission Department.

Failure in learning and speaking the native language is one of the big stumbling blocks that the missionaries have been facing in BCM mission till today. For example, the researcher learned through an interview with the Field Director of Chakma mission that only six out of one hundred forty two missionaries could speak and preach the gospel message in Chakma.  This type of situation happened not only in the Chakma mission but in several mission fields and stations.  Since language is an integral part of every culture and the most important means of learning a new socio-cultural setting, Mission Department has to take this up. Hesswelgrave says, “If one wants to communicate Christ to the people, he must know them. The key to that knowledge always has been, and always will be, language”.  And apparently, the mother tongue is believed to be the best medium for communicating the gospel as well as to attract people for establishing more participation in Christian communication process.

This principle is also laid in the scripture, as God who communicates and draws the people near to him to participate in his/her communicative realms spoke with men and women in their own language.  The gospel of John also narrated memorable conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus  which shows Jesus as the prime example of receptor-oriented communication. Though it is not possible to understand deep meanings of another culture without knowing their language well, as Newbigin wrote, “The communication has to be in the language of the receptor culture”. 

8. Principle of Establishing Intercultural Communication Training Programme

    Though Mission Department is aware of the necessity of providing proper training to its missionaries, lack of infrastructure and facilities for missionary training programme and financial problems has prompted it to send out missionaries after giving them only the most rudimentary training.  The lack of formal missionary training could create adverse effect on the life and work of missionary, and the success and failure of the missionaries in communicating the gospel across cultures largely depends on the kind of knowledge they have gained about the theories and practices of intercultural communication of the gospel. Thus, it is imperative that the Mission Department gives up sending out missionaries without giving proper training. For J. Herbert Kane, it is an act of consummate folly for anyone to proceed to the mission field without professional as well as theological training. He was convinced that as well as a good theological foundation, missionaries needed training in cross-cultural communication, missionary anthropology, the history and theology of mission, world religion and contemporary issue. He believed that it is time to call halt to the unsatisfactory procedure of sending out missionaries who were not adequately prepared. He stated that, “We should do our very best to send out fully qualified missionaries. Anything else is unfair to the national churches and dishonoring to the Lord”   Therefore, if the church wishes to reap a better achievement in communicating the gospel and wishes to take seriously the task of reaching the unreached people among the multi-cultural ethnic groups in India and even outside India, the church or the department should provide and establish intercultural training programme to all its missionaries.

9. Principle of Giving Attention to Ground Reality and Research-Based Approach     to Planning Strategy

    In relation to the ‘felt need and real need’, F. Engel, in his book ‘Contemporary Christian Communication: Its Theory and Practice’ mentioned an overriding principle when he stated that “people will not listen to the gospel message and respond unless it speaks to the felt needs.”  This leads to the necessity of giving attention to the ground reality and research base in planning strategy. Or in order to find out people’s felt needs and their real needs, one has to give attention to the ground reality and make strategic plan according to the research base. In order to do so, we can follow the functions of communication research in strategy development for church and media as given by Sogaard. According to him, “research can be used to: sharpen the vision, provide information on the audience, make receptor-oriented communication possible, help evaluate media products and programme, assist in strategy development, direct in goal setting, guide in planning, test the effectiveness of ministry, and reveal the necessity of seeking the direction of God.”

Is the church or any mission agency aware of wrong approaches which do not lead to positive results but instead lead to the nullification of the very noble purposes? How can the church or Mission Department acquire such knowledge and understanding so that committed person can strategically and effectively reach the least-evangelized people groups? Here the researcher would like to present three ways for doing it: by empowering people with information, by training them to do research themselves, and lastly by formulating reliable principle which gives attention to ground reality and research based planning strategy. It is vital that the Mission Department takes this principle very seriously.

Conclusion

    In Many Bible narratives, God is shown as one who is engaged in the human communication process in a variety of ways.  God shares His care and love within the limits of human understanding, and expresses this within the framework of human communicating abilities. He also conceded to people’s demands in order to show them that He participates in their communication process. His involvement in the midst of human lives is thus seen as an interactive participation. Therefore, God and human beings mutually participate in this communication process by which both participants tried to understand, share and interact with each other. In the same way, the New Testament also portrayed Jesus as one who interacts with his disciples and with his hearers. In order to interact with his hearers or disciples, He was willing to use human culture, language, life-situation, and context. Through this, Jesus tried to build relationship or a community of love where every individual could participate in it.

    If the BCM, through its Mission Department, desires to be more effective in communicating the gospel and wishes to take seriously the task of reaching the unreached among the various cultural and ethnic groups in India and abroad, and if she expects a more fruitful ministry, it must follow the example set by God and Jesus. And it is suggested that she may be able to do so by incorporating applicable principles suggested above which are believed to be relevant in communicating the gospel.

References: (Footnotes are pasted here)
1. Franz-Josef Eilers, Communication in Community: An Introduction to Social Communication (Indore: Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra, 1996), 32.
2. Karl Rahner, Foundation of Christian faith (New York: Seabury Press, 1978), 117. According to Rahner, “God’s self-communication means, therefore, that what is communicated is really God in his own being…that objectivity of gift and communication which is the climax of subjectivity on the side of the one communicating and of the one receiving”.
3. Ibid.
4. M.Thomas Tangaraj, “Toward a Theology of Communication: A Christian Perspective” in Communicating the Gospel Today, edited by Gnana Robinson  (Madurai: Vanguard Press,1086), 59-65. In his ‘Biblical foundation’ there are six aspects of God’s communication such as; God’s communication dispels darkness, God’s communication affirms personhood, God’s communication enables community, God’s communication sustains dialogue, God’s communication awakens self-consciousness, God’s communication exemplifies participation.
5. Franz-Josef Eilers, Communicating in Ministry and Mission: An Introduction to Pastoral and Evangelizing Communication (Bangalore: Brilliant Printers Pvt. Ltd, 2004), 23.
6. Viggo Sogard, “Go and Communicate Good News” in  Paradigm Shifts in Christian Witness, edited by Charles E.Van Engen, Darrell Whiteman and J. Dudley Woodberry (New York: Orbis Books, 2008), 62-65.
7. Louis George Mylene, The Holy Trinity (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1916), 62.
8. Geevarghese Mar Osthathios, Sharing God and a Sharing World (New Delhi: ISPCK, 1995), 1.
9. Franz-Joseph Eilers, Communicating in Community: An Introduction to Social Communication (Indore: Satprakashen Sanchar Kendra, 1996), 36.
10. Ibid., 37
11. Viggo Soggard, Media in Church and Mission: Communicating the Gospel (Bangalore: National Printing Press, 1998), 12.
12. Franz-Josef Eilers,SVD, Communicating in Ministry and Mission: An Introduction to Pastoral and Evangelizing Communication . op.cit., 25.
13. Viggo Soggard, Research in Church and Mission (Pasadena: William Carey Library, 1996), 28.
14. Viggo Soggard, Media in Church and Mission: Communicating the Gospel. op.cit., 15.
15. Rom 14: 17;  Isa 11:3-9
16. Matt 10:7-8; 28:16-20
17. Julian Saldanha, “Development of Missiology” in Missiological Approaches in India: Retrospect and Prospect, edited by Joseph Mattam and Krickwin C.Marak (Mumbai: St.Paul Press Training School, 1999), 23-24.
18. Interview with Bokbonokumar, Missionary Retired, chawngte, 29 April , 2012.
19. Phone Interview with Rev. R.C. Lalthanzama, Field director, BCM Chakma Mission, chawngte, 6 July, 2012.
20. Phone interview with Rev. R. Lalrintluanga, Mission coordinator, BCM Mission Department, Serkawn, 5 may, 2012.
21. David J.Hesselgrave, Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally (Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 250.
22. Acts 2:5-11; 26:14.
23. John 3.
24. Lesslie Newbegin, Foolishness to the Greek: The Gospel and Western Culture (Grand Rapids: W.B. Erdmans Publishing Co., 1986), 5.
25. J. Herbert Kane, A Concise History of the Christian World Mission (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983), 176.
26. James F.Engel, Contemporary Christian Communication: Its Theory and Practice (New York: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1979), 117.
27. Viggo Sogaard, Media in Church and Mission: Communicating the Gospel, op.cit,. 82.
28. Heb 1: 1-2