History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Analysis 240
who swayed away from the Church regulation and committed sin. They were excluded from the
Church. It is true that the healthy Church is more desirable than sick Church which is filled with
spiritual sicknesses. Real conversion is better than just adding name to membership list. Discipleship is
very important in Christian life. Christian should know their identity and responsibility.
Present
Simply taking water baptism doesn’t mean that he has become Jesus’ disciple.
When an existing Christian, learning much of the Bible and of what the Lord requires of him,
become an illumined follower, he may be called disciple. (The discipline of a nation By James H.
Montgomery and Donald A. McGavran)
Discipleship training is to train the believers to become Christ like. Discipleship training and
teaching are not well conducted in Shan Churches. Many Christians do not understand well about
“Christianity and Practices” even though they believed and have been baptized. Some Christians are
still superstitious. Some may say that they believe in Christ but they also believe in other things like
astrologers and witchdoctor. They sometimes consulted them when they are in trouble. Many Shan
believers and leaders need to learn how to have good discipline. Sometimes when worship service is
due to be started at 11 AM people come at 11:30 or 12. They always come late. Even the leaders and
pastors are late. They may feel like more honorable when they come in late in front of many on lookers.
They do not start the meeting or worship service on time. They use to wait for one another. The leaders
feel angry when the meeting started before they arrive but they always come late. In the past the
missionaries did not seem to care much about quantity but they care more about quality and purity of
the Church. Should we today also care about quality and purity of our pastors, leaders and Churches
instead of quantity? Members of a Church in the North complained about un-ethical behavior of the
pastor and pastor had resigned in 1993. What about drug addiction, gambling, drunkenness, cheating,
stealing? Many young people are in trouble with these problems. Do they need to be disciplined? We
must have courage to discipline one another. We need to have good discipleship training program for
all Shan believers so that their faith will be genuine and strong and they will become the light of the
world and the salt of the earth. Discipleship training for the believers should be very much encouraged
in Shan Churches for all ages. We need to train our Shan Christians to become Christ like.
Luke 14:26-27 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and
children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. And anyone
who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
Titus 1:6-9 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and
are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s
work, he must be blameless--not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not
violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is
self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has
been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
Hebrews 12:7-8 Endure hardship as discipline ; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not
disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline ), then you are
illegitimate children and not true sons.
28. Power of Holy Spirit
Past
Bixby reported on Feb 2, 1863, “It is true all genuine sympathy is the product of the Holy Spirit
but its brand must be brought together to reach the highest degree of heat as light. Truth is the Spirit’s