The plentiful land, Myanmar, in which over 50 million people are living and making their tents together, since from the past 500 years ago, is one of the Southeast Asian countries, and made Indochina peninsula as her old rugged backbone. Her internal geographical differences and minimal communication system even from long times ago, caused the socio-cultural and religio-philosophical deviation among her inhabitants. One of the reporters said that there are different 135 minorities in Myanmar. This would be a basic reason among many that caused the political instability in the country until this present time. Even though, all these tribal groups confessed together their Tibeto-Burman origin. The Bhamars, known as Burmans or Burmese, are the most influential tribe and represent about 60% of the whole population. And the 80% of population traditionally confessed Theravada-Buddhism (Conservative Buddhism also known as "small vehicle (Hirnayana)"), which stands as the only major religion than contributed the birth of modern Burman culture and philosophy.
Besides the account of oral tradition without accurate evidence on the arrival of St. Thomas to central Myanmar, it's been more than 600 years long for Myanmar to receive Christian message. Most reliable manuscripts and inscriptions give clear evidence that European Christianity had some way and some how arrived to Myanmar since from the time of Pagan dynasty (between A.D. 1084-1112). This earlier Christianity is believed to be Nestorian form since the Nestorian mission had at that time already settled and flourished in China, a neighboring country of Myanmar.
After 1450, more of Westerners came and settled in Myanmar as craftsmen, merchants, and military personnel in order to evangelize the land some way. A Portuguese catholic friar, Philip de Bristo is a leading figure of the time. But, he was known to Myanmar History as a military person, hired by King Rayakyi of Arakhine state and later became regent-mayor of Thannyin, rather than a missionary. After the fall of Thannyin under the conservative Buddhist prince, prince of Nyiangyan, some Christians were killed and some were taken captives. In that way, the early catholic Christianity spread throughout central Myanmar. By 1700, it is said that there were evidently about 2000 Catholic Christians those who were surviving their lives as captives.
In 1807, three missionaries under the leadership of Felix Carey, from British Baptists Mission came to Yangon and settled there for sometime with no convert. After the dismiss of Bristish Baptists mission, the first American Baptist Foreign missionary, Rev. Adoniram Judson and his wife, Ann, landed Yangon in 1813. They spent their first three years for learning Burman culture, languague, and the Pali, the official language of Buddhism. After six years of toiling and witnessing, the Judsons won their first convert, Maung Naw. But, poor fateful was Rev. Judson for he had to struggle the near intense Anglo-Burman wars. Sometimes he was accused to be conspiracy, sometimes was put to prison as foreign spy, and sometimes was locked in lion's cage. During these troublesome days, he tried to finish translating the whole Bible into Burmese, publishing the first English-Burmese Dictionary and Burmese-Pali Dictionary. When he lost his son, his wife and even his own life at last, people thought that he spent all these for nothing. But, he claimed that he would re-write all his labors on the mount of Zion when his loving Lord comes in glory. He invested his life, his time, and his energy for this land but he did not receive even an inch of land to lay down his corpse. His body was thrown away into the deepest sea by those seamen that nothing of him might be left for remembrance.
With the opening chapter of the 20th century, we can see almost all kinds of Christian denominations were coming and settling in Myanmar that made many faith-investigators confused and sometime even lost. But, these all missions altogether gave their main attention to tribal groups, where the tabula rasa principle can easily be applied, rather than the dominant Burmese those who had strong cultural heritage and religious system. Therefore, Christianity that was identified as white men's religion before was entitled again as "the religion of tribal peoples" from the time when foreign missionaries were forced to leave the country in 1963. Accordingly, we can say that Christian mission found its growth among tribal groups, such as Karens in the southeastern part, Kachins in the most northern part, and Chins in the western part, and more it is being like that the name 'Myanmar Christianity' belongs to these tribal minorities alone since the majority still resist the gospel unto this present day.
Before 1950: This is the continuing period of missionaries' era in Myanmar and is the time that Christianity was being accused as western religion. And more, Christians were also consequently blamed as worshipers of western culture during this time. This impression became a big hindrance to evangelize the non-Christian-majority those who satisfies with their own culture and historic religion. But, Christianity was steadily and rapidly growing among the said minority-groups.
Between 1950-1970: The great mark of this period is spiritual lukewarmness. Since it is the time of new generation to replace the old aged fathers in the Church, the deep feeling, the strong decision, and the pure commitment of forefathers were largely forgotten by these young generation that led the Church to routine-worship service, nominal Christian living, and mechanical leadership. Moreover, some political changes were happened after 1960s that demanded all foreigners, including missionaries, to leave the country and to cut off all foreign ties, in that way the Church in Myanmar became isolated more and more from the outside world until 1990s. In fact, a professor correctly named Myanmar Christianity as "Isolation Theology."
From 1970: From the middle of the sixth decade of 20th century, an evangelical awakening began to blow over traditional churches in Myanmar in spite of their isolation. After 1970, this renewal movement was followed after by Pentecostal/Charismatic revival that had its root in Myanmar since 1924. And new indigeneous mission foundations were formed up, and new evangelistic campaigns and strategies were drawn to reach the whole land as a result to these revivals. Further more, the last decade of 20th century is a remarkable time of evangelization in Myanmar as it is the best time ever since 1963. After 1990s, some political and economic changes had taken place in the land one after another as a result to the fall of 26-years-long dictatorship in 1988 (but the ruling power is remained in the hand of military government). Due to these socio-economic changes, churches are profitably granted some length of freedom to evangelize, even though some places still undergo sometimes unexpected interferences directly or indirectly from our EXTERNAL FOES of faith, and almost all denominations launched various kinds of church planting ministries and opened theological institutions far and near. Far more, foreign missionaries find their way again to visit to Myanmar as business personnel. Consequently, we have numerous mission foundations, new churches, and many institutions in Myanmar even you will be unable to calculate them all. But, Christian percentage remains still the same as the past 20 years ago. Seemed that it does not know to grow little bit higher than 6+ percent of the whole population. But, we do not dare to blame other for this unfruitful labor, except ourselves. We need your prayer, your help, and your encouragement.
I was the third generation for my family being called as Christian. Both of my grandmothers converted into Christianity from their tribal ancestral worship. But, my parent could receive water baptism long time after their marriage when I was four-moths in my mother womb. So how blessed was I that I was baptized even before I was born! I was a born Christian! But not ever knew the real meaning of Christianity until my fourteen. But, I tried to be a good boy as my mother taught even though I was not perfect.
At my 13, I was introduced with the popular "Salvation message" through my father shortly after he himself received the so-called "born-again" experience. I agreed with whatever he said (Really, who could dare to stand against his own dad? Isn't it?). After a year, I experienced the real meaning of Christianity that my father told, through a traveling evangelist. Great changes had happened one after another from then on. I decided to serve all the days of my life and committed my self for His holy service as I received my water baptism. Preaching around and never turning back home until the Lord's come is my recent and intense commitment even though I recently came back home after a month of unsuccessful labor. But, my heart was still burning and that started again but unsuccessfully came back again together with a great fever and sickness. This is the start of my humble evangelistic ministry. Later, I joined Bible College and spent there my first three years, but still too young to graduate. In fact, I spent a year in a very remote area as an inland missionary as if waiting for my full age. In 1993, I went back to Bible College and received my Bachelor degree, majoring in theology after completing extra one-year class work.
After my graduation, I was appointed as head pastor (Senior Pastor) to an orphan local church with around 300 members in my hometown and specially privileged to teach as a lecturer at Bethel Bible College, from where I was graduated. In 1999, I received a higher calling to train leaders in our Capital city, Yangon, therefore I gave up my first teaching ministry at Bethel College and transferred to a new urban place while still continuing my pastoral ministry until 2000. When one of my deacon finished his two years special course from my training center, I passed on to him my pastorship and I was able to establish a new teaching ministry, specially intending toward church planting and pastoral leadership. The scripture passage of this teaching ministry is Matthew 16:24 "Follow His Footsteps." And I could make engagements with four different Bible institutes, teaching and training future leaders there until last July of this year, a month before I make my move to Korea. During summer vacation, I made arrangement with my ministry-related-churches far and near and conducted youth camps or summer Bible Camps. Through this various ministries, the Lord adds new converts, average not less than 100 per year, and I could conduct baptismal services not less than 10 times in different places for different groups of confessed believers. And more, new young people commit their lives and some of them are now serving the Lord in their respective positions while some of them are still pursuing their graduate level degrees for their future ministry.
The following statement is my conviction for establishing a new teaching ministry. The last decade of 20th century is the best time to evangelize in Myanmar ever since after 1963, as we have mentioned before. And more effort is given to new church planting, and churches are consequently growing rapidly that demands new leaders. Therefore, we then and ever will need more to train leaders and produce quality leadership to meet the growing number of churches. Moreover, since almost all new established seminaries and institutes try to maintain their academic standard, we still need special training institution designed for church planting and church leadership. In fact, here are mentioned some policy of David Thangsan Teaching Ministry:
1. It must not emphasize heavy academic standard but rather intend to produce quality leadership skill that new millennial Myanmar churches demand.
2. The prescribed courses and all teaching manuals must focus these two aspects: Church Planting and Pastoral Leadership.
3. This teaching system must be well suited for educated who wants to have specialized study in pastoral leadership and also must be applicable for high school graduate who interests in Church planting and pastoral ministries.
4. The teaching environment must be Church-oriented that trainees can gain experiences required for their future ministry or further research.
5. Therefore, the training center must be a "Pastor's college" for those who seeks leadership position in the church and a "Leadership Research Center" for those who interests in higher Christian leadership studies.
1. Please, pray for great spiritual awakening in the land of Myanmar, which we long for decades of years, and pray for spirit of love and unity among Christians.
2. Please, pray for political stability that we lost shortly after we claimed our independence from British rule in 1948 and again in 1988, pray for economic wellbeing that we lost since the past 30 years ago, and for general peace among tribal groups.
3. Please, pray for my future ministry that I may be able to accomplish what the Lord has put in my heart and able to conduct annual Myanmar pastors' conferences and mission consultations in coming future that may give the best answer to evangelize the whole Myanmar.
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