The challenge was offered to our 230-member congregation on the Third Sunday of Advent. The goal was a special offering of $500 to give to the pastors of our mission partnership in Manipur, India. Since October, they have not accepted pay, instead focusing those funds on the mission outreach. Elder Kevin, chair of our Mission Committee, said that we could cut his ponytail if we achieved the goal. In the coffee hour following worship, the excitement grew as bidding took place. Kevin’s hair was cut and sent to Locks of Love, and $900 was raised that day.
This experience signals the huge transformation that God is bringing to the people of Laboratory Church. We are becoming a mission of Jesus Christ. As pastor, I had addressed the need to engage our community as our mission field. In July 2005 Tara, the director of Christian Education, led Kevin and six senior high youth to the New Wilmington Missionary Conference. The group developed a special friendship with Pastor Stephen from Manipur, India. It was a transforming experience and they brought the fire of the Spirit to the congregation. Praise God, four of those teens have chosen to be baptized since then! They moved from the back pews to the front pews, and each week I hear their responses to the sermon and to worship.
Soon after that NWMC experience, Kevin arranged an evening visit with Pastor Stephen. Of Chinese descent, he introduced us to a land that is not dissimilar from the area of Appalachia we know. Stephen cooked an amazing venison stew, a little spicy for our western tastes, but it solidified his connection with our hunters. He also spoke to us about the amazing growth of Christianity in his region as a people who have known of Christ for a little more than 50 years. They still witness to Christ among headhunter tribes.
A vision for mission outreach developed from that encounter. Setting an achievable goal for this congregation, we purchased land in India to establish a mercy mission. We are partners, working with others, in the monthly support of that growing mission. On one of the main trade routes into a neighboring country, it has become a site of Christian hospitality and teaching. The pastors travel to bring the Gospel to that mountain region. In March of this year, Kevin traveled to India to meet our partners, to present and sign a covenant agreement solidifying our sharing in the Gospel mission. Since September, the Haran Mission (see Gen. 12:4) has celebrated the baptism of more than 100 converts, many of whom were Buddhist monks.
We know that our friends in India are praying for us by name. God is bringing a new spirit to this congregation. We are moving into our own community and our own neighborhood as our mission field. We are developing building plans that will expand our facility for mission and ministry. God is doing amazing things, and NWMC has been an important part of God’s transforming work.
David Stammerjohn is pastor of Laboratory Church in Washington, Pa.
