The GGMI Inaugural Meeting At Tamu

IBC Soloist and Pianist
Naga Baptist Youth Trio; Tamu
Methodist Youth Choir Tamu
IBC Youth Choir, Tamu

Tamu, the 19th September, 2010

IBC Hall Filled: At the stroke of 1:30 pm, the new hall of Immanuel Baptist Church, Tamu was filled. About 200 young and old church people of Myanmar's north west border town gathered to participate in the inaugural monthly meeting of GGMI - Go Gospel Ministry International at Tamu. It was a good turn-out for a new ministry's maiden venture through mouth-to-mouth publicity.

The Motivation: Tamu has a sizable Christian population. The border township of Sagaing Division had become a happening business hub. Almost all the organised churches of Myanmar make their presence felt at Tamu. Given the right doses of the Gospel, churched folks out there are ripe and ready for harvest. If Moreh is the only functional eastern corridor for India, Tamu is Myanmar's only north western all-season trade outlet by road. The twin-corridors can be joined by frequent evangelical fellowships to form a spiritual channel for the business of cross-border Gospel transaction.

The Zeal To Learn English: Like many other ASEAN nations, Myanmar too had been bitten by the English bug. The victim age groups are more inclusive than exclusive. The itch to communicate to the world through the internet had triggered the young and the young-in-heart to have a working knowledge of the Queen's tongue. Other languages are also offered as media of communication; but where is the fun in corresponding only with one's ethnic friends. There is thrill in passing on the spirit that is one's own in a language that is not one's own. The only way to socially peak and go global is through mastery of the language the West speak. That is the lake of troubled waters where GGMI wants to fish with the English-craze as the bait.

The Facilitators: With the blessing of Rev Thangpao Haokip, Pastor, IBC who opened the service in the afternoon of 19 September, 2010, with invocation prayer, GGMI's first international meeting took off. The Youth department of IBC deserves commendation for their dedication and skill in setting the stage for inter-denominational worship. A lot of running around was required. Getting things done across the border was made easy by IBC's Youth Pastor who is fresh from a Bangalorean Seminary, Douthang Haokip. He made all the contacts on GGMI's behalf. In short, he was the man of the match.

The Warm-up: Apart from the two group song items IBC Youth enthused the audience by, Youth choir of Methodist Church, Naga Baptist Church and CBS, Tamu, warmed up hearts with Gospel numbers sung in English, Mizo and Burmese. Loud music played on keyboard lifted up the spirit of worship. Diction and fluency in speaking English, I encouraged the song teams, will improve by leaps and bounds if they learn how to think in English instead of their own dialect.

The GGMI Theme: I was made to preach with GGMI's theme "Give Youth The Truth" as the topic. Half-truths and the ignorance of the full Truth had ruined millions of souls who could have been wonderful achievers otherwise. Potential YWAM ended up as YWNM - Youth with no mission, all because they made the wrong choice at crucial turns of life. Giving the Truth in time, therefore, is saving the future of the Church from going berserk. The youth know many things they need not know. Bad knowledge brings one under bondage. One should be led to true knowledge. "You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32)".

Why Preach The Gospel?: Someday the good spell of grace will come to an abrupt end. We are living in extra time. The Giver of life can blow the end-whistle any time. And billions of Christ-ignoring citizens across the continents had not been saved. In Mark 16:15, the resurrected Jesus commanded His Disciples and future believers to "preach to every creature". It is our bounden duty to make His last commandment our first commitment. The Gospel is aptly named the Good News. It is the only news that has the power to cut a penitent sinner off his sinful past to start a life afresh. Every person, place and nation that was touched and influenced by the Gospel gained respect, honour and harmony.

The Right choice: Choices make or unmake a man. David made a wrong choice after making many right choices. His choice to rubber-neck around from a balcony, when he should have been focusing on the battle, brought total chaos and bloodshed in his family. He was known more for his wrong choice than the right choices. In Exodus 32:26, Moses threw a challenge on his people. In the thick of idol-worship, the towering Jewish leader insisted that whoever was on the Lord's side should follow him. When the 11 tribes of Israel turned away, the Levites chose Moses and secured their future as a priestly clan. Matthew chose to give up a lucrative Collector's job to follow Jesus. Matt. 9:9. He never looked back. He got the privilege of recording the Lord's first Gospel and became a household name.

Choices For The Youth: Coke or Pepsi may be touted as the right choice in the ad slogans. It's right as far as cold drinks are concerned. But when it concerns eternal life and death, only Jesus is the right choice. In making choices, a miss is as good as a mile. The remedy for the curse of Genesis 3:16 is given at John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life". When a guy does not choose to claim the promise of God in John 3:16, chances are that he may end up holding an M-16 in distress. The devil hides the bitter truth of the consequences of choosing M-16 over John 3:16. Preaching the Gospel highlights the demerit of the former and the merit of the latter.