History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Analysis 266
Shan Churches. We need to produce more audio and video in Shan language. Nowadays many Shan are
singing Karaoke and watching VCD. We need to produce gospel audio and video in Shan to reach
young people. There are some good singers and music band in Shan Churches but they fail to produce
good gospel music.
John 6:30 So they asked him, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe
you? What will you do?”
Matthew 13:16-17 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I
tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to
hear what you hear but did not hear it.
51. Spiritual Revival
Past
It was reported by Rev. W.M. Young, “A great revival happened at KengTung in 1906. A great
interest among the hill people; wonderfully clear traditions; many professing faith; harvest ready;
Baptized thirty and interest spreading over entire state.”
Present
Eastern Shan Baptist reported in 1991, “Many people are more interested in economy than
spirituality because the place is so close to Thai, Lao and China. Thus it makes our members become
weaken spiritually. Religious education is also declining.” 175 A healthy man does not need a doctor but
the one who is sick. If we think we are not sick we do not need to take medicine. But if we are sick and
pretending that we are healthy then the sickness will take our life.
What revival is all about? Revival is to reawaken the spiritual life of believers and bring again
into activity and prominence. Because of various reason Churches may decline in spiritual power and
the life of believers are sick and dying. In some Churches, members of the Church are not given enough
good spiritual food by weak pastor. A man shared with me his ill feeling against the pastor. He said “I
was born in Christian family. My father was one of the founders of this Church. But my wife and my
children are not believers except the one you lead to Christ and baptized in 1975. I want my wife and
others to know Christ and believe. One day during Christmas time, I asked my family and my non-
Christian neighbors to cook a good food for Christmas celebration. I invited pastor and Church leaders
to come to my home and have a Christmas worship service, preach gospel to my non-believers family
members and my neighbors. Pastor never come to my house and visit me in normal circumstances. This
time I hope he will come. Certainly he comes. When the time has come to start the service, the pastor
said, ‘Let us start our program.’ Then I begged pastor to wait for a few minutes because my nonbelievers
family and neighbors are still in the kitchen. I want them to hear the message. Please wait.
The pastor was very angry and said, ‘That is why I don’t want to come to this house. It makes me sick.’
I was so upset and disappointed. How can a pastor behave like this?” Some members do not want him
to continue as pastor. They want him to retire. But he declares he will never retire. He will serve until
he dies. Does he need revival or renewal? A grand son of late Rev. Kham Maung had a strange dream.
He did not understand the meaning of the dream. Three months later he came to attend our Great
Commission Institute Training in TaungGyi and in Yangon in 2001. After the training he interpreted his
dream by himself saying, “We need to revive the Church.” He asked me if I could help him teaching
Biblical truth to the Church in his hometown. I agreed to do. I went with him to the Church in April
2001. After traveling for three days from Yangon we got there. To our surprise we were told by his
sister and Chairman of the Church Council that the pastor refused to allow us to teach Bible without
175 114th Annual Meeting of Burma Baptist Convention, Rangoon, December 1991.