THE GOD GIVEN MINISTRIES
Thank you very much indeed, for the opportunity to share about the God given ministries. Before I could share about the ministries I must begin with the way how God has led me into His majestic ministry.
I thank the Lord for His grace and mercy which enabled me to live and serve for His glory, honor and the establishing of His Church in the Land of Myanmar.
CONVERSION AND GOD'S CALLING INTO FULLTIME MINISTRY.
Although I was born and brought up in a Christian family(my parents were 1st generation Christians) I did not have the assurance of salvation untill the age of 19. It was in 1983 that I began to seek the meaning of life and its end. I was assured that I did not have the assurance for eternity. I began to attend revival meetings and read the Bible. The Lord spoke to me through 1 Jn. 1:7-9. I am assured that God forgave my sins and cleansed me. I received the assurance of salvation through Jn. 3:16 which was on the 31st of December, 1984. After a month I received God's calling into full time ministry through Isa. 6:8.
TRAINING PERIOD AND CLEAR VISIONS
As I heard the calling of God I responded immediately and then the Lord led me to the Bible Seminary in India in 1985. I studied there for five years and earned the Bachelor of Theology and Bachelor of Divinity. And then I returned home in the year 1991 and began to work the Lord's ministry in Yangon.
During my theological training I perceived the importance of media, particularly literature in the Christian ministries. And the training of young committed men and women for the planting and building of the body of Jesus Christ.
INITIAL STAGE OF MINISTRY( LITERATURE AND EVANGELISM)
Since 1991 I began to enter into the ministry initially working in the field of literature. I do have a great burden for the dire need of evangelical Christian literatures in my country. Thus I began to be involved in translation, writing, publishing and distribution of evangelical Christian literature in Burmese. Today after 10 years I could published 54 titles in Burmese, 3 in Tedim Chin, 2 in Lhaovo, one in Lisu. Thank the Lord for such opportunities. The ministry has no visible resources except from above. It has been done by faith and faith alone. Thank God for His faithfulness.
THE FOUNDING THE BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH
While doing the literature ministry I also began witnessing the gospel to the lost people. Many people are so glad to hear but some responded negatively. Witnessing among the Buddhist is one of the most tough job. In spite of all these hardships the Lord blesses and some have come to the Lord. Meanwhile I had to do the follow up and discipleship ministry. Since 1996 the Myanmar Christian fellowship began and as the fellowship grows it is necessary for us to start the Church. In the last week of October the seven founding members of Bethel Baptist Church agree to form as a Baptist Church. Our purpose and objective is to penetrate the gospel among the unreached people while there is only 5% Christians. We do feel the great need of sending the gospel to all nations beginning from our Jerusalem.
In the year of 2000, 12 new members added to the church and in the year 2001, 14 new members added which makes the church 46 total baptized membership. In the past nearly two years the church met at a house where about 35 people could gather. Now as the room does not permit us to add more we have shifted to the chapel of Far Eastern Fundamental School of Theology for the time being. The cost of land and building is high in the city like Yangon. Thus it is not easy for us to own the building yet but still it is our great need to get a permanent place to worship and we have been praying for this great need.
The on going ministries the Lord has been entrusted us are as follows;
Media ministry
Evangelism and discipleship ministry
Church planting ministry
Children ministry
Bible Institute ministry
Camp ministry
Media: As mentioned above, the Literature has been the initial stage of the ministry. We have been publishing and distributing the literatures which are in great need, for the spiritual awakening of the churches as well as the reaching of the lost. Beside the literature ministry we have been doing the Jesus film ministry where we show to the homes. The Lord has given this ministry to saturate the initial stage of our whole ministry.
Evangelism and Discipleship: It is not possible to do mass evangelism and we have been doing personal, friendship, media and home visit evangelism. After having good relationship we follow up and make sure that he/she is genuinely become saved and follow Jesus Christ.
Church Planting: Church planting has been our great goal. We plan now to move into church planting. We aimed to plant 3 new churches in the year 2002. We aim to plan 100 churches within 15 years. This could be done through multiplication. We have been made stragedy for church planting.
Children: We have the clear vision to reach the children. Most of the children we have been reaching is among the non-christian community. We do have 3 locations in Yangon city where about 184 children are attended regularly. We have only 3 teachers for the children. The demand is great and we are pressing on to meet those great needs. Due to lack of funds we could not get more teachers and rent the houses.
There have been a nursery school founded at Jacob's home town where the children need to be brought into the right path. Since the Tamu is a border town to India many youngsters turn away from the church and live worldly lifves. The Nursery is called Adullam Day Nursery where we have about 50 children regularly with two teachers. The need for a proper building and facility is required as there has been request to send more kids.
Bible Institute: The theme for the church is Matt. 28:19-20 to Make Disciples, Teach and Baptize and to edify the believers according to God's Truth(1 Tim. 2:4). To fulfill our vision the Lord has helped us to begin the Bible Institute. Thus we name Bethel Baptist Bible Institute in the year 2000 and began to open it by faith in June 2001 with 14 students. The motto for the Institute is 2 Tim. 2:15. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God. A workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Our purpose is to give training to the committed young men and women who are apt to teach others in the context of Myanmar so that the gospel will reach to all people and the church of Jesus Christ be established throughout the country.
We have started in a rented building and we are in need of the permanent building for the Institute.
Camp: This is important for the Youths and Adult. We have been doing these camps annually during the summer.
We do appreciate very much for your prayer supports and in various ways as the Lord leads. Kindly continue to uphold us before the throne of Grace so that our ministries may be effective more and more and we might bring the many lost souls to Jesus Christ and lead them to the truth and into maturity which is our ultimate purpose and the only reason that we have been doing the ministry.
We give all the glory and honor to God. May the name of our most high be exalted forever and ever.
In Christ,
Staff
