This happens on the fiftieth day of after Easter Sunday and this year it falls on the 4th. June, 2006. The theme for 2006 is “Revival and Mission”, the text for the day id chosen from the Gospel of St. Luke 24:49 – “I am sending on you the gift promised by my father; wait here in this city until you are armed with power from above (REB). The verse stresses on the promised to send the secret of power, the Holy Spirit. The direction for the disciples was to wait in prayer (Acts 1:4) and then to fulfill the urgent task for propagation of the Gospel to all nations.
In the history of the early church Revival and Mission go side by side. The words are like the two sides of a coin. When one speaks on Revival, he projects its result in mission either a home mission or a foreign mission, in other words, mission within or mission outside the church. In order to understand properly the theme, it is wise to define the connotations of the words.
The word “revival” refers to God’s quickening visitation of this people, touching their hearts and deepening his task of grace in their lives. It connotes spiritual reanimation (Ps. 85:6 – will you not give us new life that your people may rejoice in you?) Rev. E.H. Williams, out of his practical scene and experience in the Khasi revival movement in 1904 -1906/7 defines revival as the work of wonders by the Holy Spirit that comforts people on their sins and having empowered to live a renewal Christian life and being ale to witness to others (see Centenary history ka Balang Presbyterian ha ri Khasi Jaintia, KJP Synod, Shillong -1898 p. 78). There, the word revival can be defined its true meaning not only in the expression of words but in practical experience of a person. The word “mission” means “being sent” Jesus said to his disciples”, as the father sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). God in the past, sent Israelites to be the light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6…. I shall appoint you a light to the nations so that my salvation may reach earth’s farthest bounds) which refers to the word “mission”.
Some Christians understood that the word “mission is restricted to only evangelism, which is not wholly a true meaning. Mission includes the whole work of the church in relation to the world. But one cannot simply say that the church is mission or mission is the Church. When Emil Bruner says, “that the church exists by mission as fire exists by burning” it means that the church is there but it is growing and it is seen by the work in mission. Mission in the past, was meant evangelization to the non-Christians alone but today it means much beyond to the faithless people and to the people of other faiths. It is not only preaching but seeking and analyzing the presence of the salvific Christ in different religions and faiths. Therefore, Mission is the work of the church in stewarding, compassionate, task to people, bearing witness, justice and sharing the message of peace to people of other faiths and to people of without faiths.
Revival and Mission in History :
The events in the history of the church in the past, helped us to see the closed link of the words that can be seen in Wales as it was in Khasi Hills in the 18th Century, which is continuing till today in many parts of the Presbyterian Church of India. In the 17th Century, it is told that the church in Wales was lying dormant. People were full of ignorance, superstition, infidelity, immorality and desecration of Sunday Service. It was only in the 18th. Century that few pious persons felt the need of the redeemer’s light of Jesus Christ. People like John Eliot, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley and other were praying earnestly that God will shower the light of spiritual hope to Christians and to the heathen word. In 1813, a home mission was formed by the resolution of Pwllheli Association and worked together with the London Missionary Society till 1840. It was on the 31st. January, 1840 at Rose place chapel that the church in Wales formed” The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Foreign Missionary Society Rev. Thomas Jones I of Berriew was sent as its first missionary to Khasi Hills arriving at Sohra on the 22nd June, 1841. Thus the outcome of revival movement was activated in Mission works. The same way, it happened in the Khasi Hills.
After half a century of the church, it became state and dormant out of the influence of heathenism Christians, were criticized in many ways. Some backslide; threat arose against Christians particularly when natural disasters took place. The great earthquake took place in the 12th. June, 1897 following with a plague, to most people Christians were accused as traitors of the original Khasi tribal faith. There were faithful Christians, they prayed for God’s intervention. On the 12th December, 1897 a prayer was sent apart for the awakening of the Holy Spirit. It happened that Rev. D.E. Jones was appointed to be the missionary from Wales to Lushai Hills. The church nin Wales requested the church in Khasi Hills to sent someone to accompany Rev. D.E. Jones to Lushai Hills. Hence Mawphlang –Mairang Presbyterian in its session sent Babu Rai Bahadur, his wife and their main servant and they joined on the 31st. August, 1897 in Aizawl (Minutes book Mawphlang –Mairang Presbytery, 1897 -1934, p.9). Hearing message from Lushai Hills from tim to time, people were awakened and revived. In 1898, the work in South Lushai Hills was enriched with the presence of Mr. Sahonroy, the Government Contractor from Khasi Hills who preached enthusiastically on the Gospel.
The Church in Mizoram was formed in 1899 with a composition of six Khasis and two Mizos – Khuma and Khara who were baptized on the 25th June, 1899. The wave of revival movement started along with the mission work in Lushai Hills. The first revival event that encountered the Khasi, was at the Mawphlang –Mairang Presbytery held at Nongrmai 16 – 18 January, 1904. Soon after Dr. John Roberts who had just returned from Wales narrated about the revival in Wales (1903), then Rev. Liar Sordar Mawdem and Rev. Williams Lewis offered prayer. All congregations started to pray and sing, there and then the fame of revival began. In 1906, at the Assembly at Mairang besides a huge gathering nine were Mizos and they received the flame of revival. When they went back home, on the way to Aizawl, the same fire of revival inflamed on the 9th April, 1906. From then or mission works were increasing to the north and south Mizoram, as well as to the whole of North-East India.
Revival and Mission is the corner feeling of the Presbyterian Church of India. The inborn tendency of Christians is to believe in Jesus Christ and to invite others to that faith. When one speaks of revival, he can not but also speaks of mission and evangelism. Practically, people would love to attend Gospel preaching campaigns or crusades rather than attending Sunday school services. It is a joy to witness other the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins to those who are indeed of Salvation. People feel that they are fulfilling the last commission of Jesus Christ (Mt. 28:19-20). Every communicant members are corporately responsible to win souls for Christ’s Kingdom. The Presbyterian Church of India is stretching arms of peace to the whole of North East India, as party of its mission. The inspiration of the Revival Centenary Celebration (1906 – 2006) of the PCI is welcomed by all local congregations and it is a mark of revitalization of spiritual growth and enrichment.