Mising Baptist Kébang
Mising Baptist Kébang was formed in the year of 2005, few Baptist Church Associations already existed but there was no coordination or common platform for all the associations to work together. So few of the visionary leaders among them felt the need of a common platform to bring together all the Mising Baptist Church Associations under one umbrella.
And it was the origin of Mising Baptist Convention. Since Mising churches were found in both Northern and Southern Bank of River Brahmaputra; from Sodia to Buruli but they were compact within own small associations.
At present eight Associations are affiliated:
1. Jonai Mising Baptist Association which was formed in the year of 2005 simultaneously with MBK, its has its own Mission Compound at Lakhipur,Telam under Jonai Sub-Division of Dhemaji District of Assam. The association has 16 member churches which are fully active in carrying out the gospel of Christ.
2. Sodia Mising Baptist Association: this association covers a part of Tinsukia District of Assam and has 10 existing churches. Few of dedicated association workers are tirelessly working to enhance the ministry of the Lord.
3. Dhemaji Mising Baptist Association, which was formed in the year of 1990, and keep operating the church of God in full action. This kébang got 13 affiliated member churches. It has its mission centre at Kulajan.
4. Majuli Mising Baptist Association, another association comes under Majuli district the largest river island.
5. Takam Mising Baptist Association, one of the oldest Baptist associations in MBk; they have 15 members churches and got own mission centre at Kolbari of Jorhat district.
6. Dhakuwakhan Mising Baptist Association,the newest association of MBK covering Dhakuwakhna area of Lakhimpur District.
7. Jagun Mising Baptist Fellowship, another church association operating in Tinsukia district.
8. Sunitpur Mising Baptist Association, which was form around 2010, and got 4 member churches and eight fellowship; and it covers present Biswanath district of Assam.
The Kébang got a motto: “Go into the entire world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation.” The key purpose of Mising Baptist Kébang is to unite all the Mising Baptist Churches, Zonal Associations into one Baptist family.
So that all the associations may have one banner to serve the almighty God without terms and condition within the Mising community. The works of MBK can be said: Evangelism Ministry, Church Planting Ministry, and Discipleship Training etc. it got several workers: General Secretary, President, Vice President, Treasurer, Mission Secretary, Executive Members etc.
The Coming of Gospel into Mising Community::
(Source: A Paper Presentation at Tribal Minority Consultation on 16th-17th September 2015 at Udalguri, by Mr. Biswa Pegu)
The Gospel of Lord Jesus Christ came to Mising about hundred years back. Before the American Missionaries came to North-East India some part of lower Assam had been covered up by British Baptist Mission & Serampore Mission. During those days even Roman Catholic missionaries were also working. The early Roman Catholic ministry was the beginning of Christianity among Mising community.
There is a record in 1854, S.M. Whiting met a very intelligent Miri (Mising) who told him that he had served for three months with Catholic Missionaries working in the hills of Adi. But there was no proper record who was that young Mising, he was converted or not and it might have been the end of Catholic mission among Mising.
American Baptist missionaries came to North-East India as expansion of Burma Mission under Adoniram Judson. American Baptist Missionary J.Paul assigned to work among Mising, in North Lakhimpur and at the time J.Firth came to Lakhimpur in 1895. Both of them combined together to work among Mising but people did not respond the gospel. It is learned that J.Paul was the first person to work as a Mising missionary. In 1900, two missionaries of the Arthington Mission, J.H. Lorein and F.W. Savidge came to Sodiya and established a centre for Adi. In 1901, an American Baptist Missionary family Mrs. H.K. Kirby was appointed to work with both Adi and Mising. In 1906 the Arthington Mission was taken to Ledo, but no missionary was posted there, and 1915 Sodiya and Dibrugarh field combined together. It was known as Dibru-Sodiya field. During this time there was no record of single Mising convert.
In the beginning of 1900, there is an oral history pointed, some missionaries worked in Sunitpur district of Dharikati under Balipara area where Mising are living. As per the writer’s interviewed, in 1902 a person called Sumai Mili was converted and established a church and the first church among Mising is known as Jerusalem Baptist Church. But there is no written document, yet it is authenticated that he was the first Mising convert.
In 19th century Mising were scattered on hills and plains. The hill Mising were known hill Miris and the plain were plain Miris. From 1900-1920, there was no missionaries working among Mising. In 1922 Assam Baptist Convention’s executive committee accepted the conference suggestion to take up work among Daflas and Mising of North Lakhimpur. This mission was succeeded by a Garo Reverend called Dinonath Marak. It is known that he remained for this work for 10 years; totally he baptized 48 persons including 5 Daflas and 11 Mising in 1931, according to the record.But it was still unknown about 11 Mising converts. Another person known as Ekin Miri was appointed as worker among the Daflas and Mising under Assam Baptist Convention. But it is too unknown about his conversion and there is no reference about his life.
Another American missionary Rev. John Selender worked at Sodiya among the Adi and Mising in 1940-1944. He established a mission school; it was a branch of Sodiya Mission School. But due to the Second World War the school was closed. In 1951-1955 American missionary Rev. W. Sorly came and worked nearby Subansiri river at Lakhimpur. He claimed to have convert a person from Bedolong village of Lakhimpur. In 1956-67 Dana Larson, another American missionary worked at Gogamukh. During his time so many Mising people came forward to accept Christ and Christianity. As a result of their hard work today we have so many Baptist churches in Mising community.
For more details, please contact:
Mr. Biju Bori,
General Secretary, MBK
Mission Compound: Gogamukh, P.O. Gogamukh
Dhemaji, Assam
+91 9395216368
