History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo
History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo
History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo
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Analysis 206<br />
The Feast <strong>of</strong> Purim was kept on the 14 th and 15 th days <strong>of</strong> Adar (Feb./Mar.)<br />
Actually we have many occasions to celebrate accord<strong>in</strong>g to the events <strong>in</strong> New Testament time.<br />
Christians never celebrate Easter, Pentecost, Baptism, Communion as festival <strong>in</strong> festive atmosphere, as<br />
it should have been as a big celebration. If <strong>Shan</strong> people can come and celebrate joyfully <strong>in</strong> the Church<br />
as they use to celebrate <strong>in</strong> their Buddhist festivals, I have no doubt many <strong>Shan</strong> will come to the Church.<br />
Luke 2:41-42 Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast <strong>of</strong> the Passover. When He was<br />
twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, accord<strong>in</strong>g to the custom.<br />
8. Academic education <strong>of</strong> Leaders<br />
Past<br />
All the missionaries to the <strong>Shan</strong>, one hundred forty years ago, were very highly educated people<br />
with high qualifications. Twenty-five medical doctors served among the <strong>Shan</strong> as missionaries. They did<br />
not only medical work but also evangelistic work, preach<strong>in</strong>g, teach<strong>in</strong>g, translat<strong>in</strong>g, tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and plant<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>Churches</strong>. Forty-one non-medical missionaries <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Rev. Bixby, Rev. Cush<strong>in</strong>g were college<br />
graduates with Master degrees. The government <strong>of</strong> India <strong>of</strong>ten committed to Rev. Cush<strong>in</strong>g “missions <strong>of</strong><br />
great importance and delicacy.” His atta<strong>in</strong>ments as a scholar were exceptional. He mastered not only<br />
the <strong>Shan</strong> language <strong>in</strong> which he was an acknowledged authority, but also Burmese and Kach<strong>in</strong>, an<br />
unusual accomplishment and was an expert student and successful teacher <strong>of</strong> Pali, which was the<br />
literary language <strong>of</strong> Buddhism. Cush<strong>in</strong>g translated Holy Bible to <strong>Shan</strong> language, published the first and<br />
only English-<strong>Shan</strong> dictionary and <strong>Shan</strong>-English dictionary.<br />
However most <strong>of</strong> the past <strong>Shan</strong> pastors and leaders who succeeded missionary work after missionaries<br />
had left the country were either schoolteacher or retired schoolteachers who did not have a chance <strong>of</strong><br />
go<strong>in</strong>g to Bible School or Sem<strong>in</strong>ary or gett<strong>in</strong>g adequate tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Present<br />
There are only five <strong>Shan</strong> university graduates who have gone to Sem<strong>in</strong>ary and serv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>Shan</strong><br />
<strong>Churches</strong> and missions <strong>in</strong> 140 years. We seldom see educated young people go to Sem<strong>in</strong>ary and Bible<br />
School. Up to year <strong>2001</strong>, none <strong>of</strong> the serv<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>isters has Doctorate or PhD. There is a tremendous<br />
need <strong>of</strong> educated and well-tra<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>Shan</strong> Christian leaders with high quality.<br />
Why didn’t the educated young people go to Sem<strong>in</strong>ary and serve the Lord?<br />
How can we motivate and help young <strong>Shan</strong> educated men and women to jo<strong>in</strong> the m<strong>in</strong>istry and serve the<br />
Lord? <strong>Shan</strong> <strong>Churches</strong> seldom try to recruit highly educated students to go to Sem<strong>in</strong>ary. Parents do not<br />
encourage their educated children to go to Sem<strong>in</strong>ary. One <strong>of</strong> our short-course GCI tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g graduates<br />
who only has primary education said, “I was asked to preach at army camp. I first thought it’s no<br />
problem to preach to the ord<strong>in</strong>ary soldiers. But when I got to the camp, I saw many army <strong>of</strong>ficers <strong>in</strong> the<br />
rank <strong>of</strong> major sitt<strong>in</strong>g at the front row to hear my message. I was trembl<strong>in</strong>g and sweat<strong>in</strong>g. I was afraid to<br />
preach to such highly educated <strong>of</strong>ficers. But I prayed a lot. F<strong>in</strong>ally I could mange to f<strong>in</strong>ish my sermon.”<br />
Lowly educated pastors feel shy or afraid or <strong>in</strong>ferior to approach highly educated non-Christians and<br />
tell them the gospel. That is why we do not see highly educated <strong>Shan</strong> Buddhist becom<strong>in</strong>g Christians.<br />
Most <strong>of</strong> the new converts are grass root people with low education, poor, outcast and ex-evil spirit<br />
possessed. A longest and oldest serv<strong>in</strong>g pastor said, “I have no chance <strong>of</strong> go<strong>in</strong>g to school. I only know<br />
how to read and write.” But he has served for fifty years and still serv<strong>in</strong>g at the age <strong>of</strong> eighty. He has<br />
planted many <strong>Churches</strong>. Regretfully some <strong>of</strong> our Sem<strong>in</strong>ary-educated pastors do not want to go out and<br />
f<strong>in</strong>d the lost sheep <strong>in</strong> rural area. Most <strong>of</strong> our serv<strong>in</strong>g pastors <strong>in</strong> the small towns and villages are grassroot<br />
with primary or secondary education and some are without theological tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g. Some educated<br />
people only th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> serv<strong>in</strong>g God after their retirement from secular bus<strong>in</strong>ess.<br />
Exodus 34:26 “Br<strong>in</strong>g the best <strong>of</strong> the first fruits <strong>of</strong> your soil to the house <strong>of</strong> the LORD your God.”