NEW ORLEANS – A joyous group of more than 50 people gathered in the New Orleans Convention Center Monday, June 12, for the first-ever meeting of the Myanmar Baptist Churches USA.
The historic event took place in conjunction with the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting in the same location.
“We’ve been praying for this for three years,” National Coordinator Hre Mang said in his opening remarks. He is pastor of Falum Christian Church in Indianapolis, member of the trustee board for Indianapolis Theological Seminary, and on the executive committee of the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana.
Later in the meeting, he was called unanimously to a first five-year term as the Fellowship’s executive director. Mang professed to those in attendance his love for his homeland, Myanmar, formerly Burma, and the many ethnic groups that still live there.
“Two hundred years ago Christianity came [to Burma with Baptist missionary Adoniram Judson], and yet now only 6 to 8 percent of the people are Christian,” Mang told his listeners. Members of the 128 Myanmar churches across the United States are reaching out to their friends, neighbors, and coworkers locally and to loved ones still in Myanmar, Mang added.
Those in attendance turned to a six-page songbook in the rounded and frilled letters of Burmese as they were led in worship by Kamlen Haokip, who played his guitar. Haokip is pastor of Bellevue Myanmar Baptist Church in Owensboro, Ky.
Haokip interspersed each melodic song in Burmese with a corresponding Psalmist’s plea in English: “The Psalmist said the numbers will increase. … The Psalmist said, ‘I will look to the Lord from whom comes my strength.’ … The Psalmist said one day everyone will bow before Jesus who saves us. …” and more.
“It is good to sing together in our language, yes?” Mang said to a chorus of agreement.
“It is a historic day,” Mang continued. “The Great Commission binds us together with each other and with the Southern Baptist Convention. We have heard the Gospel shared with us. We know the benefit of the Good News shared with us, and we must share this young baby [news of the new Fellowship] with others tomorrow.
“We have to work together to have progress,” Mang continued. “Jesus never left His homeland, but he always spoke globally.”
Ezra Bae of the IMB told his listeners of the commissioning Tuesday of nearly 80 new International Mission Board missionaries, including one young family set for the closed country of Myanmar, who were present. They were brought to the front, and others gathered round to pray for them.
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