[This article took 1st position in Tuailai Day 2012 Essay Competition]
INTRODUCTION
God has been so good. Let us sing this song unto the Lord - Jehovah Jireh! The Lord has provided it! This year marks the 20th anniversary of EBCC Delhi, though it is not new in its beliefs and practices. A lot has changed and happened over these years. This year as we mark the completion of 20 years, I would like to re-trace the footsteps to our genesis and count the blessings as we surge forward with the challenges ahead.
In the year 1910, Christianity reached us. The Manipur Christian Convention Church was established in the year 1948 which is now known as Evangelical Baptist Convention Church. The blessings available to a Christian are of infinite worth. Absolutely nothing in life can transcend being born again in the spirit of God, knowing Him personally, being saved from eternal death and judgement, experiencing God’s pardon, peace and power. These are all blessings of grace provided by the sacrifice of His only begotten son, Jesus Christ. It is the Christian missionaries who honour their faith by expressing the message of Christianity through humanitarian work. It is the Christian missionaries who brought education to us. Education is the most powerful agent in the development and well-being of a person. Literacy has accounted for the huge number of our fellows moving to urban city spaces from villages, in search of knowledge and opportunity.
THE EARLY YEARS OF EBCC DELHI
As more and more believers of our community arrived in the city of Delhi in the late 1970s and early 1980s, they started worshipping God together and developed prayer cells. On the first Sunday of June 1992, Evangelical Convention Church Delhi was established which is today known as Evangelical Baptist Convention Church Delhi and on March 13, 1993, the new congregation began its regular Sunday worship. Initially, worship was conducted at a rented Church, and Quarters of the local Church members. The Good Lord continued to bless the Church and its members. The Church which could just set aside Rs. 2000 for building in the year 1997 could afford a plot of land for constructing a Church. The same was dedicated for the glory of God on November, 12, 2000. On April 25, 2010, another Church which was partitioned from EBCC Delhi was inaugurated by the Local Pastor.
Our programs for the Church are accredited. We are perennially recognised. Yes, our buildings and programs have matured and improved. To some extent we can say that we have grown and by God’s grace we have developed. As the Church is the body of Christ which is composed of its members, the people are created in one spirit and in Jesus Christ. It is one of the main vehicles through which God carries out His purposes on earth. So the head of EBCC Delhi is Jesus Christ and is based on the teachings of the Bible which gives importance to Missions in spreading the gospel, development of the Local Church, different fields of Good Samaritan work as well as having good relationship with other Churches, believers and non-believers. EBCC Delhi visited jails, slum areas, train stations and hospitals; it has been actively involved in Tsunami Relief, Cold wave relief operation; and has been part of different ministries, besides starting the Nehemiah Project. In flashback, it is safe to say that we have done commendable work. But let us ask ourselves whether our ways of worshipping, our offerings, our humanitarian missions satisfy our God. We must never forget what God has given to us. It is because of His blessings alone that we could achieve all that we did.
20 YEARS OF EBCC DELHI AND BEYOND
For 20 years it is Jehovah Jireh who has blessed us this far. While we have done something for the glory of God, is it enough? Beyond these 20 years, what are the other ways that we can look forward to? There are certain things we can do to glorify our saviour Jesus Christ:
EBCC Delhi Always Based on Jesus Christ -
Numerous changes have taken place over the last century. We now face a new world in the city. We need to become oriented to new realities and operate under new sets of assumptions. As a result, the Church faces significant challenges as it seeks to understand a new world. The world is shrinking. That is, cultures and religious world view from within the globe are mixing and intermingling at the local sphere. As Christ is the head of the Church we should firmly continue to build upon His teachings.
EBCC Delhi for Hope, Love, Peace -
Today there is little to celebrate in many cities. There is an increase in alienation, anomie and loneliness which overshadow the liberation that city life promises. Due to this, the Church plays a significant role. The Church should be a place where real people seek to encourage each other and experience God’s love. No matter who one is or how one finds oneself, EBCC should be a place where one is warmly welcomed and can have a sense of belonging and attachment. With God there is hope - hope enough to keep us going and hope enough for everyone. It should be where one finds the comfort of Jesus Christ. As a Christian, one enters into a realm of love not only with the Father and Son but also with a community of faithful believers - the Local Church. Therefore, it must bear the warmth and comfort of one’s own home. The fellow members here should bear concern and love for one another. As a city Church, it should restore peace of the creation of God and renew individuals, families, cities and cultures as people trust and follow Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing....” (1 Corinthian 13:1-3). Thus, the role of EBCC Delhi as a city Church should be to be a place where one finds love, hope and peace.
EBCC Delhi for the City of Delhi -
The Church is the whole company of those who accept Jesus Christ as their personal saviour, the faithful, called and gathered out of the whole, who are by faith partakers of all good graces that are freely offered through Christ. Without intentional engagement in the city, the Church influence becomes irrelevant in the larger culture. Cities are where the discourse of society take place. Cities always have regional impact. Cities are the headquarters of global influence. Cities are the hub of power. So the potential for the Gospel crosses not only cultural barriers but also great distances in reality. Therefore, the goal of every Christian Church should be to participate in the life of the city and its culture. As Christians, we must become the light and salt of believers and non-believers alike. We should shape the City of Delhi for the glory of God.
EBCC Delhi for our Society -
The risks are great, but so are the rewards. For over a year EBCC Delhi has been working on Project Nehemiah for rebuilding our society. It is a fantastic effort which benefits the underprivileged section of the society. The Bible teaches us that our responsibility as believers is to work uncompromisingly as the Lord has gifted us and led us this far. Our money, time, talents, blessings should be contributed for the glory of God and for the uplift of the needy and underprivileged sections of the society. God knows our value. He sees our potential and has a great plan and a purpose for placing us in a city like Delhi. The city Church of EBCC Delhi should be a blessing for others. As Mordecai said to Esther, “…who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this..? (Esther 4:14). Therefore, EBCC Delhi as a city Church should hold and cherish its social responsibilities.
CONCLUSION
What beliefs, practices or elements of Christianity must we hold onto and live out more fully so that EBCC Delhi as a city Church can move forward and influence the world in the future? Loving God and loving people are the responsibilities of being a Christian. We are commanded by Jesus to go and preach the gospel. We have a mission not only to preach the gospel but also to make disciples. The core should be discipleship driven, which means we should not just tell people about Jesus; we should show them Jesus and help them along their paths of spiritual growth.
By:
Manthianching Guite
Siamsinna: Jawaharlal Nehru University
Area min: JNU-VASANT AREA FELLOWSHIP
Contact No.: 9711968170
