The two day conference (Krodi Kehou) of the Angami Baptist Church Council (ABCC) Quinquennial Conference concluded on 19 January.
ABCC Executive Director Rev. Dr. Rachülie Vihienuo in the morning sermon addressed the gathering on the theme “The Church of Christ: Renewed to Impact” where he emphasized on the importance of approaching God with humility and commitment.
He urged the audience to follow God wholeheartedly, highlighting the need for radical commitment. Stating that God has called each one to be the light of the world, the speaker encouraged the gathering to correct what is wrong and to let work and action reflect one’s faith.
“We have the power to change our immediate surroundings, as attempting to change the entire world was not possible for a single person but one can start from our own area, workplace , community etc,” said Rev. Dr. Vihienuo who also expressed hope that everyone will embrace their role in making a difference and be the “Change.”
Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho, General Secretary, Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) in his greetings said “The church has a choice to die as a result of its resistance to change or humble ourselves and die in Christ in order to live. Today, as we aim beyond us, the time has also come to put our house in order. The time has come to look around our neighborhood,”
Keyho shared on the juxtaposition of choice in Christianity stating that the church has a choice to keep worshipping in its own comfort zone, within the confine of the four walls and turn a blind eye to the ministry in its neighbourhood. “The church has a choice to celebrate our glorious past and remain there; and a choice to move forward to new territories in the power of the spirit,” remarked Keyho.
Keyho also mentioned that gathering such as this must make the body smaller and the head bigger, citing verses from the Bible which indicated that the Church is the body and Christ is the head. “The body must function proportionate to the head. If the body becomes too big the head will be misplaced,” remained Keyho.
In the evening service, Rev.Dr. Ashok Andrews, Pastor, Kolkata Bible Church spoke on the topic “the church of Christ: Arise and shine”.
The morning service was graced by Nagaland’s Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the Angami legislators and other community leaders where a special prayer was pronounced for them.
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Rio addresses health rumors
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also addressed health rumors during the service, assuring the public that he is well, thanking God’s grace despite social media speculation.
He recognized that, although they serve as public leaders, they are still human and have their flaws. He requested forgiveness and encouraged everyone to keep praying for and supporting them. “Nagaland has a Christian majority and God has blessed the community with peace and harmony,” said Rio who noted that divine protection stems from the prayers of both the people and church leaders. Acknowledging the uncertainty of the future, he urged attendees to persist in their prayers.
He called on churches and the community to continue praying for state leaders to work sincerely for the welfare of the people of Nagaland. Despite being a peaceful and harmonious region, Rio reminded that Nagaland is still labeled as a disturbed state, with the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) remaining in effect due to disturbances in neighboring areas. In this regard, the CM informed the gathering that he had urged the Central government to exempt Nagaland from the “protected area” status, highlighting the state’s low crime rate and its reputation as one of the safest places for women. Recently, in December 2024, the Union Home Ministry of India reimposed the Protected Area Regulations (PAR) for Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram to monitor foreign movements amid rising security concerns from neighboring countries. Rio conveyed that he had appealed to the central government to reconsider the situation in the state before labeling it as disturbed.
