History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Analysis 195
members to become Christian and abandon Buddhist tradition in their home. It is very difficult for a
believer to go against the family and follow Jesus unless he/she dares to suffer many consequences.
Another weakness is our Shan pastors, preachers and evangelists who do not understand well
about Shan culture, tradition and Buddhist practices in approaching Shan. They don’t know how to
begin the conversation and presentation. When some one is interested and wants to become Christian,
they use to ask the new potential believer to abandon his traditions before baptizing him and accepting
him as Christian. They make him Christian first before baptizing him. Shan preachers seldom make
altar call after their evangelistic preaching. Probably because preacher does not expect unbeliever may
come forward to accept the Lord in one hearing or he has no confidence of making such a call.
Sometimes they may stand up and accept the Lord when invited but they may not take water baptism
quickly, easily and lightly to become Christian.
Matthew 13:3-9 Then He told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his
seed. As he was scattering the seed , some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some
fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was
shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no
root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good
soil, where it produced a crop — a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
1 Corinthians 3:5-8 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who
plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
3. Commitment and Sacrifice
Past
Rev. Bixby said on March 29, 1861, “They may need to make strenuous exertions and perhaps
practice a little self-denial to keep up the interest of the mission during this trouble times in the States
but they must not leave the work of the Lord to suffer. O that the Lord would give us a little of the spirit
of self-denial! If we have not the Spirit of Christ we are none of His. How marked was his self-denial! O
that we may all glory in the cross!” 10 Rev. Bixby said on April 12, 1861, “It is delightful to trace his
hand in all the way thus far. He put into the Board of the Executive Committee to appoint a missionary
to the Shan. He moved the heart of the missionary to accept that appointment at a great personal
sacrifice.” 11
Rev. Bixby said on May 8, 1862, “In the first place it was necessary to get a comfortable
dwelling. And though at first we experienced the greatest difficulty at length we succeeded in obtaining
an old dilapidated house, which has been with much earn and labor converted into a very comfortable
and valuable dwelling.” “Missionaries love to share their good things with others but their sorrows are
too sacred to be revealed. The people are overwhelmed with joy when they hear of a great victory but
how little do they know how little can they know what heart rending anguish was necessary to the
achievement. The sunny side of missionary life may be seen and rejoiced in at home but the shady side
is too deeply shaded to be seen at so great a distance. One only can be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities but this is enough.” “Traveling in the Shan country, for the present, seems rather dubious.
The whole frontier is infested with robbers who do not hesitate to shoot down men of every race and
class who are supposed to have money. Several timber merchants have been robbed lately after being
sadly cut up and Lt. Halhed, superintendent of police, was brutally murdered a few days ago while
attending to his official duties. How long this state of things will last cannot be foreseen.” “The year
has been draught with hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, conflicts and victories, deep depressions
10 Letter From Mr. Bixby. March 29, 1861, Rangoon
11 Letter From Mr. Bixby, April 12, 1861, Rangoon