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 260<br />
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teach<strong>in</strong>g, rebuk<strong>in</strong>g, correct<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> righteousness, so that the man <strong>of</strong> God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.<br />
45. Prayer Life<br />
Past<br />
Rev. Bixby ask<strong>in</strong>g questions <strong>in</strong> October 1862,”Who will water it with their tears? Who will pray<br />
for the <strong>Shan</strong> without <strong>in</strong>termission, at least twice every day, dur<strong>in</strong>g the year, which you will enter about<br />
the time this reaches you? 160 It was a challenge from Bixby to <strong>Churches</strong> <strong>in</strong> America to pray twice a day<br />
for the <strong>Shan</strong> mission. “The preparations for the meet<strong>in</strong>g on the part <strong>of</strong> these rude people were most<br />
ample and pleas<strong>in</strong>g. Near the zayat, which by the way is one <strong>of</strong> the best I have ever seen made wholly<br />
by natives they had constructed a large booth <strong>of</strong> bamboo and grass, which would convene at least a<br />
thousand natives. On one side a broad platform was made several feet above ground with a nice<br />
bamboo floor and a very pretty balustrade quite encircl<strong>in</strong>g it except the door. On three sides very<br />
comfortable seats were made a desk or bench all <strong>of</strong> bamboo. Fifty or more <strong>of</strong> the Christians assembled<br />
at different times for prayer. We spent the even<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> special prayer for the descent <strong>of</strong> the Holy<br />
Spirit.” 161 The missionaries prayed for the ano<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the Holy Spirit at large evangelistic meet<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
“We need more native help to carry on the work with any advantage. Our only resource is to pray the<br />
Lord <strong>of</strong> the harvest to advantage laborer.” 162 Dr. Kirkpatrick reported <strong>in</strong> May 1893, “At the chapel we<br />
have a sunrise prayer meet<strong>in</strong>g every day.” 163 Sunrise prayer meet<strong>in</strong>g every day!<br />
Present<br />
Prayer is power. We are always taught and asked to pray. But sometimes we don’t know how to<br />
pray. Pr<strong>of</strong>essor J. Herbert Kane said, “Christian missions have not been very successful on the great<br />
cont<strong>in</strong>ent <strong>of</strong> Asia. After 250 years <strong>of</strong> Protestant missionary work, slightly less than 3% <strong>of</strong> the<br />
population is pr<strong>of</strong>ess<strong>in</strong>g Christians.” 164<br />
The great revival takes place <strong>in</strong> Korea <strong>in</strong> 1907 because <strong>of</strong> the power <strong>of</strong> prayer. Today the world<br />
largest Church is <strong>in</strong> Korea. How many <strong>Shan</strong> leaders and believers pray every day <strong>in</strong> the early morn<strong>in</strong>g?<br />
A survey shows that a <strong>Shan</strong> believer only pray three m<strong>in</strong>utes a day <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g prayer for the meal. Pray<br />
for the meal is just like a rout<strong>in</strong>e or Christian ritual. The prayer life <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Shan</strong> believers need to be<br />
improved. Some <strong>Shan</strong> believers don’t know how to pray. Some may be pray<strong>in</strong>g for many years<br />
everyday but still do not know how to pray. Some pray very short and some pray very long. Some<br />
actually not pray<strong>in</strong>g to God but <strong>in</strong>directly say<strong>in</strong>g someth<strong>in</strong>g to the people who are listen<strong>in</strong>g. I have<br />
heard a pastor pray for 45 m<strong>in</strong>utes <strong>in</strong> Church service mak<strong>in</strong>g many people fall<strong>in</strong>g asleep. They call it<br />
“complete prayer.” A member said “prayer time” is “sleep<strong>in</strong>g time.” At one occasion, a pastor rem<strong>in</strong>ds<br />
me not to ask a certa<strong>in</strong> pastor to pray for the meal because he would pray “from Genesis to Revelation”<br />
and the meal will get cold by the end <strong>of</strong> his prayer.<br />
Prayer is the communication with the Lord. There will be no light if the bulb is not connected to<br />
the source <strong>of</strong> light. There will be no spiritual <strong>in</strong>put if we don’t communicate with the Lord <strong>in</strong> prayer.<br />
When I attended Sunday worship <strong>in</strong> a <strong>Shan</strong> Church I heard a pastor prayed <strong>in</strong> a very strange, artificial,<br />
hysterically long voice, not with his own natural voice. Quite <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g. Why did he pray <strong>in</strong> such<br />
artificial hysterical voice? Imitat<strong>in</strong>g the voice <strong>of</strong> an angel? More holy? Fast<strong>in</strong>g and prayer are seldom<br />
organized by <strong>Churches</strong> or done by <strong>in</strong>dividual. They th<strong>in</strong>k that fast<strong>in</strong>g and prayer is not Baptist practice.<br />
But some Baptists believe <strong>in</strong> fast<strong>in</strong>g and prayer and they do it. “Cha<strong>in</strong> Prayer” is popular <strong>in</strong> Baptist<br />
<strong>Churches</strong>. In some <strong>Churches</strong> the prayer time is only on Sunday service and Wednesday prayer meet<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
160 Letter From Mr. Bixby, Toungoo, British <strong>Burma</strong>, October 25, 1862.<br />
161 The Baptist Missionary Magaz<strong>in</strong>e, August 1865, p309<br />
162 55th Annual Report, July 1869. American Baptist Missionary Union<br />
163 79th Annual Report, 1893. American Baptist Missionary Union<br />
164 Christian missions <strong>in</strong> Biblical perspective by J. Herbert Kane, Baker Book House, Michigan, 1979, p321