Shan Missions
Evangelism and Church Planting among the Shan People
1. What is Evangelism
euangeliou ( Greek ) = Good News or Good Messages (N)
eu = good
angeliou = messenger or messages
77 times in NT. ( 66 times used by Paul )
euangelizesthai = evangelize = to announce the good news (V)
55 times in NT
Announcing (telling) Good News (salvation) to others.
2. How to present gospel to Buddhist
Who are our prospects?
Buddhist non-believers
The founder of Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama, a prince from northern India near modern Nepal who lived about 563-483 B.C.
613 million worldwide; 1.5 million in the United States. (Hinayana, Mahayana, Theravada)
Today there are about 120 million adherents of Theravada Buddhism, principally in Southeast Asia.
Factors consideration
Understanding Buddhism
Understanding their belief
Understanding their practices
Understanding their traditions
Understanding Buddhism
1. Four Noble Truths
2. The Noble Eightfold Path and several additional key doctrines.
The Four Noble Truths affirm:
(1) life is full of suffering (dukkha);
(2) suffering is caused by craving (samudaya);
(3) suffering will cease only when craving ceases (nirodha);
(4) this can be achieved by following the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Noble Eightfold Path:
(1) Right views, (2) right aspiration, (3) right speech, (4) right conduct,
(5) right livelihood, (6) right effort, (7) right mindfulness, (8) right contemplation.
How can we do evangelism among Buddhist Shan?
According to the history, evangelism among the Buddhist Shan seems to be very difficult. They are the people who have their own gods and teaching which they have been following and practicing almost 2000 years. It is not easy for them to abandon long and old tradition and practices, which they have adopted as their culture and adopt Christian culture what we call Christian practices when they believe in Christ. They need great courage and sacrifice to confess their faith in Christ openly in their community, family and people who are Buddhists. Many face discrimination, persecution and excommunication or sometimes being disowned by family and community. It will not be difficult to make them knowing Christ because Shan are very polite and willing to listen. Many Shan use to say, “All religions are good. It doesn’t matter what religion you follow, what God you worship.” Some even worship all kinds of god but it will be difficult to ask them to abandon all their traditions and practices in order to become Christian. Old people use to say, “I believe but I cannot abandon Buddhism.” In the year 1978 only 0.12% of five million Shan believes in Christ, takes water baptism and becomes Christians.
Sai Stephen had done a good job in the Eastern Shan State in the past decade. As an Associate Director of 21st CSMP responsible for Eastern Shan State, financially supported by 21st CSMP since 1989. He was very committed, dedicated and active. He used to send out graduates from GCI training and local evangelist training school to do evangelism and Church Planting in chosen villages with full support. We do not have many evangelists doing evangelism among the Shan. Most of the full-time Christian workers are working in Churches as pastors. Very few Seminary graduates are going out and preaching gospel to the Shan as evangelists or missionaries. We have to admit that the evangelism among the Shan is not very successful. Most importantly we have to confess that we are not filled with the Holy Spirit, we have not received the power, we do not speak with power, we do not work with the power, we do not show the power and perform miracles in Jesus’ name, in the Power of the Holy Spirit. We also need to develop methods of gospel presentation easily understandable and acceptable to Buddhist Shan. Contextualization is very much important subject to develop in Shan situation. Many of our evangelists do not know how to present gospel to Buddhists. Some western methods of gospel presentation may not be very appropriate in Shan culture. In the year 2001, only 0.4% of five million Shan becomes Christians.
There are five million Shan in Myanmar adopted Buddhism as their religion since AD 71.
99% of Shan are Buddhists who follow Buddha’s teaching, idol and spirit worship. Their cultures are based on Buddhist practices. Shan use to claim, ‘Shan are Buddhists and Buddhism is Shan religion.”
How can we plant Churches among the Shan? Planting Churches is not just building church buildings. A Church is a group of believers with regular fellowship, worshiping and praising God together as the beginning of a Church in Antioch. The number of believers could be varied from 5 to 500. But Shan Baptists do not agree with this definition. Most of the Shan Baptist’s understanding of “Church Planting” is confined to “building the church building.” The Shan Baptists do not consider the fellowship of a group of believers as a Church without church building. If the church building is big they call it a big Church regardless of the number of believers, members, attendances and spiritual maturity of believers. A senior pastor of Judson Church said to me, “Yangon Shan Baptist Church is not a Church because they don’t have ordained pastor, they don’t have youth association, they don’t have women association, they don’t have Sunday school, they don’t have a church building and they are not a member of any Baptist Association,” Is this a true definition of the Church? Yangon Shan Baptist Church has more than one hundred members attending regular worship service every week and having fellowship in communion every month at rented hall for more than one year. The first Shan-Burmese Church was planted in Toungoo in 1862 by Rev. Bixby with nine members within one year of mission among the Shan refugees in Toungoo.
Under leadership of Sai Stephen, about 44 new Shan Churches planted in Eastern Shan State within eight years. Shan Churches increased from 26 to 70 in the Eastern Shan State and leading Shan Churches to be able to form “Eastern Shan State Shan Baptist Convention“ on January 19, 1997. In the year 2000, Eastern Shan State Baptist Convention has 70 Shan Churches with 8,500 baptized members. The total number of Churches, including other racial groups, in Eastern Shan State increased to 110.
ShweLi Valley Shan Baptist Mission, Northern Shan State, has 4 Churches and 875 members in the year 1955. In fact these 4 Churches are there since 1920. There are now 17 Churches in the North with 2,292 baptized members in the year 2000. 14 new Churches in 45 years. In Southern Shan State there are only 3 Shan Churches in 134 years.
Shan village setting
There are cities, towns and villages in the Shan States where the Shan live. There is at least one pagoda and a Buddhist monastery in almost every village and town. It is very important for them to have a pagoda to worship and offer sacrifices, the monastery to get together to hear the chanting of the monks, offerings things to the monks for good merit and to celebrate Buddhist festivals. The villagers use to collect offering, money and other things to build the monastery and pagoda. The village without pagoda or monastery is considered to be poor village. Richness is considered to be sign of blessing. The pagoda in the rich city or town or village is usually coated with gold leaves. That is why the color of the pagoda is yellow whether it is coated with gold leaves or painted with yellow oil paint.
The village is usually governed by village chief or monk or abbot. They are the most powerful influential persons in the village. When the order comes from the monk all have to listen and obey. The monks, including chief monk, live in monastery on the donation, giving and offering of the villagers. Foods, clothing, money and all provisions for the monks come from villagers. Monks have no other source of income. The questions are;
How can we turn such village into Christian village?
What will happen to the monks who live on support and donation of the villagers if the whole village becomes Christian?
Can the most powerful Buddhist monk of the village willing to let his village become Christian village?
If we cannot convert the whole village can we convert one person or one family to Christianity?
What will happen to this “New Christian”?
How can we plant a Church in such Buddhist village?
Spying (Exploration)
The word “spying” was first found in Joshua 7:2 “Go up and spy out the region.” We can use a better word “exploration” or “survey” in modern term. Is it necessary to do “exploration about the land or village or people” before going in and start Church Planting? In the situation of planting Churches among the Shan, it is important. The target area itself requires investigation. As it was suggested previously, we cannot completely understand our task until we are able to define it in relation to the particular area to be entered. That will require continued study. But analysis should begin before workers actually enter the area. No area should be entered with a Church Planting effort simply because some believer, however saintly, has a desire or vision for a work, however noble and lofty.
Sai Stephen said, “If you see the monastery in the village with monks, it is doomed to be a failure in our effort to plant a Church there.” “We use to go and start the work where there is no monastery. A lot easier and more successful.” Why?
When we see a monastery and monks, it indicates to us that the village is quite well established Buddhist village and under influence of Buddhist monk. It is not easy to break down the wall. Some Buddhist monks in some villages often stop people going and listening to Christian preacher. The planter is outsider, in other word, evangelists or missionaries are from other place.
Christian village
How can the whole village become Christian village, leaving monks without support or donation? We have heard the story of the whole village turned to Christ in certain tribal groups. Is it possible in Shan village? Monks are taken care of by villagers for their foods and living. Early in the morning monks use to go out with alms bowl to collect the food (meal) for the day from generous villagers who love to give foods to monks to earn good merits. The monastery is also survived with the offering of the Buddhist villagers. If the whole village turned to Christianity and no one offers alms to the monks and supply anything to the monastery what will happen to the monks and monastery? Can the most powerful Buddhist monk of the village agree to let his village become Christian village? It is impossible for the monks to allow all the villagers become Christians. They would put pressure to stop mass conversion as much as possible they can by using their influence, authority and power. The only possibility of converting the whole village to Christian village is to “first convert the most influential one like chief monk or village head” and the rest of the villagers will not be difficult. If possible make disciple of the monk, train him and let him be the pastor and live on Church support. The village will be very quiet because the Shan pastors and Churches’ leaders do not allow the Shan believers to play gong-mong Shan music and dance in their festivals any more.
Individual and family conversion
Can one person or one family becomes Christian in Buddhist village? The philosophy “all or none” is quite applicable in some situation. If a single person from the family believes in Jesus and abandons Buddhism, he/she will probably be excommunicated from the rest of the family. Sometime he/she is refused to eat with the rest of the family or asked to leave the house. In some cases a new believer is disowned by family and he/she losses his/her right to inherit the heir of the family because of conversion. Winning a young man from the family is not as good as wining the head of the family. In Shan culture, the head of the family has highest authority. All the family members use to listen and obey the father. Sometimes when the father believes in Christ, all family members follow. That is why when asking about the number of believers in the Church, village or town; they use to ask “how many Christian family in your Church, village or town.”
If one family from the village becomes Christian and abandons Buddhism, what would happen to them? They would be treated as “betrayer of Shan people and Buddhism” and they would be abandoned by other families in social relationship, excommunicated from society in social activity and gathering and in the worse case asked to leave the village. That is why seeing “Christian village” is not uncommon among the Shan villages. Christian village doesn’t mean we have converted the whole village into Christianity. In fact we have to move Christian families out of their original village and find a new place for them to live and start a new village since they were considered outcasts. In some situation, Christian village and Buddhist village is only divided by a small three feet wide demarcation path.
New Christian challenge
What will happen to this new Christian? A young man had a wife and a newborn baby. He came to know Christ and accepted Jesus as his Savior and baptized. Because of his faith in Christ and conversion, his father in-law asked him to leave the house, his wife and the baby. He had nowhere to go but to move out and lived in the farm of other person for almost a year until his father in-law called him back home and allowed him to live with his wife and child again. In this case we praise God because all the family members later became Christians.
A new Christian family was tested of their new faith. Soon after they believed in Christ and became Christians, a group of young people gathered in front of the door of their house every night, beating drum loudly, making noise and disturbing their sleep. Their belonging and utensils were stolen from home and they were challenged, “You Christian said, forgive, love, give, tolerate, if people take your clothes give your coat, if they force you to go one mile go another mile. You must not take offence what we have done.” Sometimes when they were gathering in a house for worship, the house was stoned. When a young child went out to buy food he was slapped. Some make a comment “If you are not a Buddhist you are not a Shan” and discriminate against them.
Difficult Church Planting
How can we plant a Church in such situation?
Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”
1. Power of the Holy Spirit
It is vitally important to be filled with the Holy Spirit and His power and authority in planting Churches among the Shan Buddhist. Even though they called themselves Buddhists, they also worship many spirits. Spiritual warfare is unavoidable in daily work of evangelist, missionary and Church planter. I myself have encountered three times in three weeks when I was in mission field. Some Church planters loose the battle in spiritual warfare and have to retreat or abandon the field.
Shan Buddhists want to listen and know about true God and about life after death. But they would not believe or accept Christianity easily at one meeting or one hearing without debate. They would ask many questions, debate and challenge with their own belief. The most effective way of wining Shan Buddhists is “showing miracle through the power of the Holy Spirit.” For instance, in one village, no one wanted to become Christian because they were quite happy and satisfy with their life. But one day a young lady was possessed by the evil spirit and she was out of control. She was very aggressive. No body could drive the spirit out. Finally they called a young evangelist to come and drive out demon. Evangelist prayed and cast out the demon. Immediately the lady ran out from the house and collapsed on the ground lying motionless for a few minutes and then came round. She was completely released from the evil spirit under their own eyes. After this miracle many villagers accepted Jesus. Jesus, before crucifixion, has told his disciples to “cast out the demons” and again after resurrection, commanded us to be filled with the Holy Spirit and power to cast of demons.
2. Dedication and Sacrifice
Mission work among the Shan is not easy. It requires great dedication and big sacrifice. Hardship and danger are unavoidable. They must be strong and courageous. They must surrender and carry the cross. If we only want to serve in well-established Church the gospel will never reach the Shan. The roads and travel to Shan villages are difficult and dangerous. The jungles of Shan States are infested with Malaria. Living standard is very low. If the American missionaries could stand those hardship and sacrifice in our land and for our salvation how much more should we do for our own people. Christian workers being seen by the Shan as “Introducer of Western Religion.” We face opposition from different angles. If we are friendly to them we can easily have many friends. When we get friendship from the monks and village leaders we can easily approach and preach the gospel to the people. Remember to make friend with those who have authority over the village so that we can work peacefully.
3. Holistic Approach
Buddhist Shan love to give money, alms, and other offering to the monks and offer meals to the people believing that this is good action to get good merit for future life. If we, evangelists, missionaries, pastors, only preach the “gospel of love” to the people without showing our love in action for them to see it is not easy for them to believe the gospel unless we prove by our action. Many missionaries to the Shan were medical doctors and they evangelized the people through medical work and education. It is quite successful when we offer medical, education, social and material help to them showing the love of God in action. Feeding the poor, clothing the naked, healing the sick, casting out demons, preaching the gospel, teaching the commandment of love and saving the soul are the best strategies in reaching the Shan.
The social action will vary enormously from context to context, but will concentrate on achievable aims and working in solidarity with others “of good will” in the community. The worship of the Church will be related to its community action, not disconnected from its social context. The partnership with members of the wider community opportunities will arise for sharing faith with those who already know Church members through shared involvement.
We should have the whole Church, the whole Gospel to the whole World as declared by Lausann II World Evangelization Congress in Manila in 1989.
4. Identification
Shan people are quite “nationalistic” and “patriotic.” Why? According to history they were being attacked and governed by other people since their first kingdom in AD 225. Today they were scattered to many parts of Asia. Shan people can be found in India, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. But they do not have their own independent kingdom or country or land today. They become minority in the other land. They always want to be united and have their own land.
Shan always offer very warm welcome to any one who identify with them as a Shan or the one who show them love and concern. When I went to Yunnan, South-west of China in 1997, to find Shan people whom I have never met before but I have heard about them since I was a child. When I was on the street of Dehong, Yunnan, I met three men walking on the road near rice field. I started talking to them in Shan language and identifying myself to them as a Shan from Shan State. When they identified me as a Shan by my Shan cultural tattoo on my arms, I was warmly welcomed and invited to stay with them, be their guest, eat with them, visit the families of Shan people and I was introduced to all the people in the village. They even allowed me to tell them about Jesus.
I met a missionary from Holland. She lives and works among Shan people for 30 years in MaeHongSon. She lives in Shan village, wears Shan dress, eats Shan food and speaks Shan language to be identified with locals. She has Shan name. Her ministry is very successful.
5. Building Church Building
Is building a church building important or necessary for Shan Christians? Shan people consider monastery as holy place. They do not wear sandals or shoes even in the muddy ground of the monastery compound. They always go to monastery for worship and do any kind of religious rite. Shan do not feel “home” as holy place so that they can worship God in the home. However Shan Christian do have a home fellowship and home service apart from Church service at the Church. Shan believers also consider church building as a holy place where they can meet God and worship Him. They use to take off their shoes or sandals before going into church building. They sit properly and do not speak out loud. They never make loud noise, never play games, and do not eat in church building. Rev. Bixby, the first missionary to the Shan, built a church building in Toungoo just two years after his arrival.
Building a beautiful and attractive church building, which makes the people feel “holy”, is important in the heart of Shan believers. That is why we can see big, beautiful and expensive church building, which cost millions of Kyat when they do not have much money to spend on evangelism and mission. Shan Christians put “Building Church building” very important ministry in their Christian life. Believers are willing to give bigger sum of money to church building fund than to mission. We need to have a church building whether big or small for worship.
Problems
1. Thousand years old culture and Christian practices.
Since Shan has adopted Buddhism as their religion since AD 71, all their festivals and practices are becoming their culture. Shan claim, “Buddhism is Shan culture” and “Shan culture is Buddhism.” If it is so how a Shan can become a Christian? All Shan Christians have to abandon their culture and adopt Christian culture when they become Christians. By the way what is Christian culture? Is Western culture Christian culture? Is American culture Christian culture? Do we have to wear long pant, tie and suite, eat bread and butter and sing western song with piano, guitar and drum when we become Christian? Shan Christians were asked to abandon their old practices, their traditional musical instruments, their traditional folk songs and dances, their wedding customs, their new home dedication ceremony, festivities etc when they become Christians. Why? Because Shan pastors and Christian leaders said that all Shan cultures are Buddhist’s practices, which should not be continued in Christian life.
How can a Shan become Christian?
How can a Shan Christian maintain his identity?
2. Shan are still un-reached group
According to Joshua Project 2000, Shan people are still classified as “un-reached group” in Asia. Only 0.4% of total five million populations are Christians with 92 Churches in 140 years. We still need to do more, work harder and develop better and more effective strategies in reaching Shan. Ways of reaching the un-reached have been explored in conferences and seminars. Prodigious efforts to communicate the gospel by means of radio and literature to people who are sealed off from a missionary presence have been undertaken. Strategies for reaching populations behind closed doors, which are now opening up again, are being researched. The true Christian can only rejoice at these efforts. The Word of God does single out for special attention those who have never heard about Christ. Missionaries are to be sent so that such people might hear and be saved. Who will work with us? Who will help us reap the harvest?
The questions remain
How can we ask them to abandon their two thousand years old traditions and practices in order to become Christian?
How can we allow them to continue their traditions and practices when they become Christian?
Why is Christian mission among the Shan not very successful?
Conclusion on Twenty-first Century Shan Mission Project
Total number of Shan Churches in Shan States and Myanmar today is 92.
Total number of baptized members today is 10,792.
Total number of evangelists trained is 418.
According to our 21st Century Shan Mission Project;
Have we hit our target?
Have we achieved our goal?
The total numbers of evangelists trained are more than expected.
Total numbers of baptized members are half of our target.
Total numbers of Shan Churches are half of our target.
There are no less than fifty Shan fellowship groups worshipping God regularly but they do not meet the Baptist requirement to be called “Church”
I praise God for the achievement in the Eastern Shan State.
They have run the race and achieved the goal.
I hope Shan Churches will continue to run till the end of 21st Century.
