Cultural Appropriateness and Christian Mission:Re-conceptualizing the Gospel to the Phom-Naga People

Introduction

The research has attempted to present a clear picture

of the Christian mission in the light cultural issue in the

context of Phom-Naga community particularly. In the first

chapter of this research highlighted some of the general

understanding of culture reference with Phom-Naga cultural

characteristic. Second chapter brief look with general

understanding of Christian mission in the light of cultural

perspective since, culture is the essential for the

presenting the gospel relevance in the context of people and

rooted for the gospel in their soil. The Culture to

accommodate the common features of the Naga culture in

general. Though Phom-Naga have different language, culture

and custom however, the culturally pattern of the Phom-Naga

are almost the same. Moreover, even among the Phoms, the

cultural beliefs, practices, and customs vary from village

to village. Even so far I could recognize five different

languages. It may be not able to elaborate every corner of

the aspects in detail in this few chapters. However, this

chapter attempts to describe past and present society and

culture in general, particularly in Phoms. Third section

discussed briefly Phom historical background; follow by

interpretation of data, which collected by writer through

face-to-face interview. Forth, chapter concentrated, on

reassessment of the gospel in order to present gospel to the

Phom people and recommendation for the further mission

extension in the Phon-Naga soil and addition future

direction for the mission beyond the boundaries.

According to the tradition Christianity first entered

in Phom area in 1840 AD, through American Baptist

Missionary, but it was not successful in the initial

period,1 moreover attempted, again in the middle part of 19th

century; however conflict was took place due to cultural

problems in the society, Missionaries consider the Phom

culture as evil in Christian perspective.2 They thought that

western culture is more important than Phom culture.

1 Nuklu Longkumer, Pastoral Leadership (Changtongya: CBC, 1996), 31.2 P.T. Philip, The Growth of Baptist Churches in Nagaland (Guwahati: C.L.C,1983), 154.

Thereafter, the encountering between Christianity and Phom

culture, custom had been continuing since then. To practices

cultural activities was considered as a sin and un-

Christian. As a result, the rich cultural heritage of the

Phoms was push to abandon gradually. Most regrettably, the

social institution have disappeared which were backbone of

the socio-cultural life that could compared with the

educational institutions.

Statement of problem

The gospel of Jesus is relevant only when it is

interpreted in the context and cultural background of a

particular people and in a particular period. The word of

God is eternally true only when it is explained again and

again with appropriate to the philosophical method and

system and fitted into the wheel of the human history. For

this reason, present research study is an attempt to make

Christian mission relevant, understandable, and to

appropriate the need of socio-political, economic and

cultural values of the Phom-Naga people.

Elaboration of the problem

Successfully the gospel of Christ reached the Phom-Naga

land, in 1936 through America Baptist missionary and through

neighboring tribe of Nagaland according to P.T Philip,

however, due to its impact; cultural life of the people

began to take a different shape threatening the beauty of

their culture.3

Missionaries did not focus on the people their cultures,

language, indigenously; rather their missions were very

conservative and not according to the people culture, they

came with their own culture and sought to enforce it on the

native peoples. It can’t be deny the role and social,

economic, political changes through Christianity, in fact,

in addition it’s bring lot of disaster, adversity, tragedy

to the Phom-Naga people when we reflect in the cultural

issues. Most missionaries assume that western Christianity

with its theology, life style and structures was suitable

and failed to realize localization that all these were

contextually condition to a large extend. People

misunderstood their own cultures and forms; therefore their

3 Ibid., 155.

culture was lost and they destroyed certain valuable

traditional dresses, culture, song and some of important

elements, which was valuable for the people. As soon as they

become Christian ignore their own culture, in this situation

people adopted foreign life style and culture that made

conflict between gospel and culture and mission become

stagnant and a predominantly western life style and culture

came into existence.

One needs to consciously study native language, their

thought form, their belief system, practices, values and

their day-to-day experiences. These concept and

understanding, can present the whole gospel of Jesus Christ

to whole person. Therefore, the main objective of this

research study is to trace the attempts to take appropriate

Christian mission and reinterpretation of the gospel

according to their cultural context. The question come in

mind is why contextualization is important to them?

Purpose of Study

The purpose of study is to investigate the mission in

cultural perspectives referring to Phom-Naga people in order

to embedded gospel within the cultural context of the Phom-

Naga people. Since, the culture is backbone of every

society. Every culture in this world has own charms,

attraction and useful. It is essential to relate the

Christian missions and gospel according to the Phom-Naga

cultural contextualize. Therefore, the main concern is to

reconceptualize and the re-discovery core of the gospel

within the context of Phom-Naga community in the light of

cultural issues. The word of God is made ever relevance and

meaningful only when it is interpreted in the language,

context and cultural background of a particular community in

a particular period. Therefore, the gospel should be

relevance with the cultural context without destroying the

uniqueness of the scripture.

Objective of the Study

Research objective is to study cultural appropriateness for

the Christian mission, according to the Phom-Naga people

culture, native language, political, economic, their values

and socio-cultural life of the people. The present research

is to critically analysis and re-interprets the gospel to

the people. The main objective is how; gospel should

suitable with particular people culture in the Phom-Naga

community. Neither the study here is not exhaustive nor a

systematic study about the cultural appropriateness of

mission in Phom-Naga. To be specific, the major concern of

study is to seek an answer to the question to what extend

mission relevant in their context. And for the next

generation, what will be the possibility to give right

direction to use indigenous element, in the churches. And

re-interpret gospel relevance to the people of this

contemporary social life in the 21st century.

To achieve the purpose the following objective should be

undertaken:

1. To study the important of culture referring with the

Phom-Naga cultural characteristics

2. To see Biblical understanding of mission in the

light of cultural perspective

3. To identify the Christian mission in the light of

Phom-Naga context.

4. To brief look about socio-economic, political,

religious and cultural background of the Phom-Naga

people.

5. To find out in what ways these changes have led to

the loss of some of the good culture and customs.

6. To study the reconceptualizing the gospel to the

Phom-Naga people according to the demand of the

situation

7. To demonstrates the challenge of the Phom-Naga

churches for the future awareness for the presenting

the gospel in the context of Phom-Naga cultures. And

one way or other it may help for further mission

promotion in the future generation within the area

as well beyond boundary.

Methodology

The method of study for this research work was based on

empirical study, in the method of data collection, it was

done basing on libraries and interviews and this approach is

proposed keeping in mind basic concerns is to focus on the

general understanding of culture, in order to contextualize

the gospel relevant with Phom-Naga culturally context.

Researcher conducted face-to-face interviews with structured

questions. The numbers of Pastors and renounce indigenous

leaders in order to get precise data for this research

study. In addition to the study general works, records

available in the Phom-Naga Churches and local languages will

be examined and also collected some of the unpublished

materials particularly reference to Phom-Naga tribe. The

researcher himself was born and brought up in a strict Phom-

Naga traditional was of life. Therefore I was experience in

many areas of the past observances and also include his five

years personal ministries experience. This contributed a lot

to this study.

1. Computers or Internet. Internet was used whenever

it required information from website. The researcher also

correspondence has been arranged through e-mail to obtained

needed materials. The researcher was also contact with

various mission organizations, leaders. Questions could too

send through, e-mail because it present day most of the

organizations, churches and individual have an e-mail

facilities.

2. Library Research. The researcher collected

materials different libraries and the writer had privileged

of using libraries of the following Institutions, Hindustan

Bible Institute & College (HBI & C), Connumali Public

Library Chennai (CPLC), Phom Baptist Christian Association

(PBCA), Yachem Student Union Library, and journals, news

reports and private letters was also use for this research

study.

Scope and Limitation

To the best of this research or of knowledge so far not much

research done on this cultural relevancy and Christian

mission in the cultural perspective however, it is a vast

and wide subject therefore, researcher limited for this

study. The study is limited to Phom-Naga Tribe alone. The

reasons for choosing this area are that the researcher

himself is from locality and were working in this area.

Researcher mainly focuses on the Biblical understanding of

missions in the light of the cultural perspectives and

discussed some of the issues of contextualization so that it

will be help to present the gospel relevance with Phom-Naga

culture and scrutinize carefully for further evangelism

expansion in this area.

Chapter 1

THE NATURE AND THE CHARACTERESTICS OF CULTURE

In every human life culture is one of the important

elements. Without culture it is not possible to exist as

human being. It cannot be denied that there in cultural

indistinctness in any human culture. Every culture has good

and bad features which we see in every social cultural life

of the people.4 Since almost every human is conditioned by

culture, this chapter will deal with the nature of the

culture in the anthropological perspective and discuss some

of the concepts, values and core characteristics of culture.

It is not possible to bring out all cultures and cultural

structure, but it is important to stress limitation in order

to make quite clear what being attempted here, moreover we

4 Http:// wwwgoogle.Com, “Church and Culture,” cited on 19th November 2007

will discuss some of the basic principles of cultures in

order to understand the culture in the perspective of

mission. In the same time this study may be the foundation

to penetrate the gospel of Christ to the Phom-Naga people.

The attempt here also to show the rich varied and

ancient culture of the traditional forms and ceremonial

rituals of Phoms which they were carried out the olden days.

Some of the common features are highlighted, since culture

is essential for the presenting the gospel in the cultural

context of the particular people in order to relate the

gospel culturally. The gospel of Christ reached the Phom

land in the end of the 19th century according to tradition.

Consequently due to its impact, the cultural life of the

people began to take a different shape, threatening the

beauty of their culture. The problem of Christian culture

and the Phom-Naga culture had been continue till today.

Still then to practice cultural activities was to be

considered un-Christian. As a result, the rich cultural

heritage of the Phoms was abandoned gradually. Most

regrettably, the social institution have disappeared which

were the backbone of the socio-cultural life that could be

compared with the educational institutions. In such a

situation, the question arises in the mind of the people,

“is culture essential in order to present the gospel?”

Therefore in this particular section we deal with some of

the cultural issues.

1. Definition of Culture

According to S.D Ponraj, culture is “all learned

behaviour which is socially acquired, that is, the material

and non-material traits which are passed on from generation

to another generation.”5 Culture is a traditional way of

expressing happiness, showing in term of both a negative and

positive understanding of ethical values in a society or

community of common traditions. Culture is the way people

live depending on what they believe in, learned or

transmitted behaviour. According to the preliminary

anthropological definition, culture is the more or less

integrated systems of ideas, feelings and values, and their

5 S. D. Ponraj, An Introduction Missionary Anthropology: The Principles and Practices of Communication of the Gospel in Cross-Cultural Context of India (Madras: Mission Educational Books, 1993), 37.

associated patterns of learned behaviour and products that

characterize a particular society.6

The word “culture” (German-Kulture) has been employed

in Germany from at least as early as the beginning of the

nineteen century. This was the usage that the one of the

earliest British anthropologist E.B. Taylor borrowed into

English in 1871 to designate “the total nonbiologically

transmitted heritage of man”7 Charles H. Kraft explain

further. He says, “This usage has become customary in the

behavioural sciences and increasingly informed popular

thought.”8 Culture, therefore, is not an easy matter but

vast and critical to define. In fact, the concept of culture

the anthropologists’ significant contribution to the

missionary effort as well. It is equally important

contribution to further enlargement in theological

understanding. Louis J. Luzbetak says, according to Lowie,

definition on culture enlighten us further on the

understanding of culture is “the sum total of what an6 Ibid.7 Paul G. Hiebert, Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues

(Michigan: Baker Books, 2001), 133.8 Charles H. Kraft, Christianity in Culture (New York: Orbis Books,

1979), 45-46.

individual acquires from his society-those beliefs, customs,

artistic norms, food-habits, and crafts which come to him

not by his own creative activity but as a legacy from the

past, conveyed by formal or informal education.”9 In this

point we understand the culture is acquired from the society

by the individual and live in the society which is passing

to the following generation.

Base on the Lowie, definition of culture we understand

that culture is the total being of social heredity and

tradition. Further, Kluckhohn also describe that, “culture

is the total life way of a people, the social legacy the

individual acquires from his group culture.”10 Culture it

consists of patterned of behaviour, custom, individual human

beings which learned from the specific social group. These

all are interconnected with the social cultural life of the

people. Culture is also collectively experience which is

socially transmitted the behaviour to one generation to

another through learning in the social institution.

9 Louis J. Luzbetak, The Church and Cultures (California: William CareyLibrary, 1970), 59-60.

10 Ibid.

We describe the word culture as traditional manners,

customs, work tools, dresses, food habits, house designs,

languages, religions, rituals, system of belief as well as

the arts and transmitted values of unwritten laws or oral

tradition and moral behaviours peculiar to certain ethnic

groups. It contains the totality of human developments and

achievements, including all the principles, and techniques

that control human being through learned over their

behaviour. We also recognize that culture is a behaviours

and ling standard connectivity with whole aspect life

embraces bad and good, constructive and destructive features

that are passed from one age group to another. From the

above mentioned definition, culture can be understand in

terms of socially acquired and socially transmitted

behaviour pattern by mean of myths, custom, tradition and

symbols.11

2. The Nature of Culture

Gabriele Dietrich, in his book, Culture, Religion and

Development has described culture as distinct from nature and11 Sundarajan G. Immanuel, Indian Culture and Christianity (Secunderabad: OM

Books, 2000), 26.

as a result of people’s capacity to master nature. This

mastering of nature is expressed basically in two human

capacities: the human beings have a power to discover, use

and invent tools which leads the people to improve their

living standard, through development of the technological

advancement. Secondly, the capacity to develop languages to

communicate with each other and thus to call nature by name,

to understand the environment, to systematize their living

standards and thus even to conceive of more and more

sophisticated transformation of nature and social life of

the people and their society. These two basic insights we

understand that man is able to produce mechanical as well as

intellectual tools for mastering nature. Is its right to

distort the local culture for the sake of Gospel? Since

culture is the part of the human life and without culture it

is impossible for human being to live and culture is the

part of the of human being, therefore we can not reject any

culture for the sake of gospel. However, there is a way to

transform the local culture in an appropriate way in order

to present the gospel of Christ. For example; the

relationship between human beings and culture in many way

similar to that between water and fish. Humans are

understood to be totally, linking with one another and it is

impossible to separate from the culture. Each human

individual is born into a particular socio-cultural

environment. From that point human being is conditioned by

the members of their society in immeasurable ways to accept

as natural and to follow it.12

4. The Concept of Culture

The term culture refer to the human pattern of

behaviour consist good and bad respectively. We see culture

is not a biological inheritance but we seen as integrated

system of learned behaviour characteristic of the members of

a society. Anthropological study of humankind conclude that

in all levels of society, has broadened the concept and

freed it from value judgments, such as good or bad. The

concept of the anthropological thought that. Culture is

incorporated system of learned behaviour, ideas, forms and

products which are identify of the members of the society.

12 Gabriele Dietrich, Culture, Religion and Development (Bangalore: Kacharakanahali, 1991), 7.

But the result of the social invention and is transmitted

and preserved only through communication and learning from

one individual or society to another.13 Here some of the

issues discussed about the concept of culture.

4.1. Culture is Patterned

Culture is a way of life embracing a total design for

living. A culture is made up of patterns that is, of

regularized guidelines for behaviour. No individual knows

his or her culture perfectly, and no two individuals will

have perfectly the same theories regarding their society’s

design for living. But, a culture allows for a range of

behaviour; for the living. As long as the members of a

society stay within the set range of approved behaviour,

they are able to interpret and predict one another’s speech,

actions, and reactions and to work harmoniously toward the

solution of life’s problem. For example, in South India

sitting in the floor folding the leg comfortably even in

worship in the church, in contrast perhaps, North East

Indians are not comfortable. However, we recognize that it

13 Stephen A. Grunlan and Marvin K. Maryers, Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspectives 2nd edition (Michigan: Zondervan, 1988), 54.

is the pattern and culture of the people according to the

cultural pattern of society acquired through learned from

the forefather.14

4.2. Culture is Learned

Culture is learned in the normal course of life and

hence makes sense to those immersed in it.15 Human infants

come into the world with basic needs such as hunger and

thirst, but they do not possess inborn patterns of behaviour

to satisfy them. Instance, in the beginning there was no

knowledge about the culture. However, they are accountable

to learn language, culture, tradition, life style from his

or her mother, family and from the society. Because culture

is not biological inborn but learned from the parents and

from society. Every human being are potentially can discover

new things and discover new culture day after day. For

example, technological advancement or invent new equipments

and the new cultural skills and knowledge are added on to

what was learned from the mother, family and from the

14 E. Adamson Hoebel, Anthropology: The Study of Man, 3rd edition (New York: McGraw-Hill Book, 1966), 5.

15 Ponraj, An Introduction Missionary Anthropology, 38.

society. Their way of coping with the environment and

survival is purely biological, a matter of heredity. Human

beings cannot survive by themselves; however they have to

learn to live in the society. People begin to learn about a

culture by observing the behaviour of the other people. For

the most part, it is learned early in life and provide with

a better living in the social cultural life. This learning

must come from one’s individual, family and from the social

environment. 16

4.3. Culture is Ideas

Culture is also the ideas people have of their world.

Through their experience of it, people form mental maps of

this world. The people have a various things of the

creations of their minds, used to bring order and meaning in

their experiences. The fact is people can create as many

categories in their mind as they wish, and they can

categorize them into larger systems for describing human

experiences. In one sense, then a culture is a people’s

create and become a basic principle to live in this world.

16 David J. Hesselgrave, Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally: An Introduction to Missionary Communication 2nd edition (Michigan: Zondervan, 1991), 100.

People not only create the intellectual pictures of this

world but also create and determining for action. It

provides them with a guideline for their decisions and

behaviour.17

It is what we have to know in order to behave in a

manner acceptable to the people who live that way. The

people created the new things according to his or her own

idea that become a culture which it usual and common for all

people. The People determine and experience that become an

important element for people which is pass to another

generation.

4.4. Culture is Product

A third part of the culture is products. Human thought

and actions often lead to the production of material

artefacts and tools. Culture also includes materials objects

houses, baskets, carts, cars, computer, paths, and

furniture. People living in nature must adapt to it and use

it for their own purposes. People create various materials

17 Paul G. Hiebert, “Culture and Cross-cultural Differences,” Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, (eds.), Ralph D. Winter and Steven C.Hawthorne (California: William Carey Library, 1981), 337.

that have a great effect of their daily lives. Imagine in

this present society many new products coming day to day

that have a profound effect upon our lives, for these allow

people to store up the cultural knowledge of past generation

and to build upon it.18

Material culture include more than human responses to

the environment. People make many new materials things for

their own purposes and to express their creative abilities.

In simple, in the earlier nomadic cultures such things are

limited. In the contemporary societies the number of

different objects creating is unbelievable. Human behaviour

and materials objects are readily observed. Hence they are

indispensable doors for deep study of culture. We can begin

to scrutinize the things that people created, who created

them and how, who uses them and for what purposes, what

values the people place on their creations and how they

dispose of them. We come to identify how people behave in

different scenarios and with different people. Consequently,

if we do not take note of the behaviour and products when we

18 Ibid., 369.

enter a new culture, they soon become so commonplace that we

no longer notice them.19

4.5. Culture is Form and meaning

Behaviour patterns and cultural products are generally

linked to ideas or meaning. In fact human beings assign

meaning to almost everything they do and create. It is a

linkage between an experienceable form and a mental meaning

that constitutes a symbol. A culture can be viewed as the

symbol systems, such as language, rituals, gestures and

objects, which people make in order to think and

communicate. The link between form and meaning in some

symbols is closely related and cannot be differentiated.

Each culture form has meaning of the cultural symbols that

makes human relationship or for communication possible.20

4.6. Culture is Integrated

Cultures are held together not only economically,

socially and politically, but also at a deepest level by

fundamental beliefs and values shared by people. It is a

19 Paul G. Hiebert, Anthropological Insights for Missionaries (Michigan: Baker Book House, 1985), 36-37.

20 Hiebert, “Culture and Cross-cultural Differences,” 369.

combination around a world view and value system. In fact,

we understand that culture is not just one pattern or things

but it is combination an integrated system of beliefs,

values, norms, mores traditions and artefacts transmitted

from one age group to another age group through learning.21

Cultures are created for the various patterns of behaviour.

These patterns are integrated into total cultural systems.

Cultures are the basic assumptions the people have about the

nature of reality and of right or wrong. Taken together,

they are referred to as the people’s philosophy of life.

This linkage between cultural way of life and their

integration into a larger system have essential implications

for those who seek to introduce change. Whenever a change

has take place in one area of culture, changes will also

take in another place of the culture, often in unpredictable

ways.22

3. Culture from a Missiological Perspective

21 Ponraj, An Introduction Missionary Anthropology, 38.22 E. B. Taylor, what is Culture/sub-culture, http: //wwwgoogle.Com, cited

on 23rd January 2008.

Regardless of the many uncertainties concerning the

nature of culture, most anthropologists would accept Alfred

L. Kroeber’s suggestion that “the most significant

accomplishment of anthropology in the first half of the

twentieth century was the extension and clarification of the

concept of culture.” This understanding of culture is also

anthropology’s most significant contribution to missiology.

In term of missiological perspective culture is very

important to know the cultural cost of the people we need to

study these areas socio-cultural, economic, political and

social life of the people so that it may helpful for the

gospel presenter to understand the condition of the people

and also helpful for the mission action to the extent.23

Every Christian community must experience Christ not as a

foreigner who brought the gospel to the unknown cultural

people or community, but as one of us as someone sharing the

community culture and hence possessing its very soul. But

the question arises “what is culture?”24

23 Donald S. McGavran, “The Nature of Culture,” The Church and Cultures:New Perspectives in Missiological Anthropology, (ed.), Louis J. Luzbetak (New York:Orbis Books, 1988), 133.

24 Ibid., 134.

To comprehend what culture is to people, how they

affect their attitudes toward change, development, move for

the transformation of the society, it is here to discuss

about the culture, in order to find out some basic

understanding of what culture is? The most outstanding

example for this understanding of culture can be found with

respect to the family, male-female relationship. In this

case culture mainly refers to the guidelines of social

relationships or social cultural behaviour of people.25 R.E.

Hedlund, in his book Culture and Evangelization the universal

definition of culture has not yet confirmed but all these

various definitions boil down to two basic aspects of

culture, one immanent, and the other external

manifestations. Thus we can identify culture in its external

manifestations, as the sum-total of the physical and mental

reactions and activities that characterize the behaviour of

human beings comprising a social group individually or

collectively in relation to their natural environment, to

25 Dietrich, Culture Religion and Development, 5.

other individuals of the same group, to other groups, and to

the transcendent world.

On the other hand, culture can also be considered as

the inner formation of the human mind, formed by the

traditions peculiar to a peculiar social group. Thus culture

is a way of thinking, feeling, believing. It is the group’s

knowledge stored up in memories, objects and documents of

humans for future use. People’s minds allow humans to travel

all over the world and yet to produce the same cultural

forms everywhere exactly as in the original. This helps us

to understand what culture is?26

3.1. Missiological Oriented Model of Culture

Missiological oriented model of culture cannot be

called complete unless it is missiological relevant.

Missiological model must be useful, open, in sense that it

can be of particular service to missiology. That means

missiologically oriented model should have to be both

theoretical and practically useful for mission.

Missiological model of culture would have to deal also with

26 R.E. Hedlund and Beulah Herbert, (eds.), Culture and Evangelization (Madras: Church Grow Research Centre, 1991), 11-12.

the fundamentals aspects of mission action, such as how to

understand and appreciate the other culture; how to overcome

barriers between two culture, how to achieve identification,

how to scrutinize the socio-cultural, economic situation and

to communicate in term of their cultural context. To be

missiologically oriented the model of culture may open the

way and must make mission more understandable to the

particular people group as well as to the universal

Christian church.27

3.2. Cultural Model for the Purpose of Communication

5. Culture as Socially Shared Plan for Living

Culture is not just an open-ended way of life rather it

is a plan and means which act in the process of formation

and adjustment for the living of people within a society. It

is a rule for action, for living, and for success in life.

Society is always a part of the culture which directs to

live in the social environment. When we see the cultural

dynamics, culture is constantly adjusting according to needs

and growth of the experience of people. Culture frames the

27 McGavran, The Nature of Culture, 137.

lives of the people to give them an identity of who they are

in reality. Culture flow the lives of the people while they

live through a process of time and ultimately people exhibit

their life style in and through culture. In this section, we

will discuss about the five principles of culture as a

socially shared plan for living.

5.1. Culture is Way of Life

Culture is a way of life. It is designed according to

which society get used itself to its physical, social, and

according to the social environment. Culture is copied from

one generation to another and plan for coping with the

physical environment which would include such matters as

living behaviour, life style, food production and the

technological knowledge, social structure, political

systems, kinship and family, and law are examples of social

adaptation, a plan according to which one is to interact

with his fellows. Human being imitates the living behaviour

from other people through knowledge, art and magic, science,

philosophy and religion are certain pattern of behaviours

that are acquired from the social environment by the

people.28 The culture holds all aspects of life. In other

word, culture is made for living indicates not only the type

of material to be used but also how this building material

is to be categorized and also embraces the learning of all

the characteristics of culture. It includes knowledge,

skill, art, and belief, while socialization focuses on those

patterns by means of which the individual becomes a member

of his or her social group, and adapts himself or herself to

live with his or her fellows in order to achieve status and

to obtain a role in society. People within a society live

not by the principles what they want to follow, but the

principles for living are already given by the culture to

the society and people just follow these principles in order

to make life convenient. As culture attests the life style

of people so people accepts culture to be approved by the

culture.

The person who has learned to look upon a people’s way

of life as an adaptive system will be less prejudiced to

28 Bill Braun, Understanding Race and Culture http:// wwwgoogle.Com, citedon 13th February 2008

become discouraged in the face of opposition. Gospel will

not receptive unless it’s related with people’s culture. So

the Gospel should be whether spiritual or socio-economic,

always must be focused on the local culture an adaptive

system.29

5.2. Culture is a Set Model for Living

We understand that culture is mainly meant to live for

the people. Basically it is a set model for living and it

consists of control in term of procedures, rules, custom and

guidelines that gives direction to the people on how they

should live. Culture also puts standards for behaviour by

providing meanings and values of the basic elements of

culture. It also supplies many important details set rules

that are associated with the various demands of life.

Culture is just like a map design for living. It is a plan

according to which a society relates herself to her physical

and social environment. Societies follow this plan model

within her physical environment by means of given norms,

standard, and ideas. In fact, culture is very much reflected

29 Luzbetak, The Church and Cultures, 63.

in many area of the social environment such as food

production, housing, travel, and various levels of

technological knowledge and skill. People of the society

within their social environment also adopt various items

such as political guidelines, kinship relationships, and

numerous norms for guiding the interaction between members

of the society.30

5.3. Culture is a Unique Plan

Cultures are unique in their essence. Cultures differ

from society to society and these all different cultures of

the societies are unique in their characteristics. People of

each culture comfortably live within their cultures and

truly appreciate them. Because people always believe that

their own cultures are best for themselves. Cultures

facilitate the living of people within the cultural track

and lead them to a happiest life. In reality neither any one

criticize and condemn nor grumble against his or her own

culture. Why? The very reason is that people feel easy and

smooth in living within their culture. As people flow

30 Ibid.,156-157.

through the culture so the culture flows through the people

life within a social jurisdiction. Though there is

diversity in culture of the people yet it cannot reduces the

uniqueness of each culture because people live within the

culture and they feel comfort and get satisfaction while

living through these culture. If cultures are not unique

then how can people feel good of their culture? The

appropriate answer to be questions is that cultures are

unique in their content, essence and characteristics.

Therefore one should not overlook or judge others culture

with a negative attitude rather should emphasize this

uniqueness in the light of cultural diversity. Today many

anthropologists generally take into the account of both the

human diversity and human commonality in the light of

cultural diversity. If such human commonality were not a

fact, cross-cultural communication and harmonious cross-

cultural interaction and mission itself would not be

possible. While recognizing the great diversity among human

societies in term of culture, one should acknowledge and

appreciate the uniqueness of cultures that are packed up

inside the cultures of people.31

5.4. Culture is a Comprehensive Plan

While discussing on culture, we should not forget to

view as a holistic item, because culture embraces all facets

of life such as physical, social, and ideational. Truly

speaking of culture, it is a plan for adapting to the triple

human environment. We cannot say that all cultures are

equally right or wrong; rather we should emphasis that the

anthropological term of culture embraces whatever one learns

from one’s society as a part of its plan for coping with

life whether objectively wrong or right and good or bad.

However, culture is a vast in its size because it includes

everything such as food-getting, housing, clothing,

ornamentation, eating habits, mating practices, family

organization, kinship systems, status, social class,

ownership, inheritance rules, trade, government, war, law,

religion, magic, and language. The totality of the culture

can only be express through the total contents that the

31 Ibid., 158.

culture contains. 32 In spite of having multi-items in the

culture, culture should be studied, analyzed and

comprehended so that people can exactly and accurately

follow it. Culture is a comprehensive plan of the society

and so people understand and uphold the culture through

their life process of living in order to manifest it.

5.5. Culture as Tradition

Culture is a society’s code for behaviour. It is supra-

individual, transcending the individual. A culture will

continue even after the present generation passes away.

Culture is, therefore, rightly called a social heredity, a

tradition. The term tradition and social heredity should not

mislead us to think that culture is something entirely of

the past. On the contrary, as we shall see when treating

culture dynamics, culture is present phenomenon with a past

and usually a future. The members of a society, the bearers

of culture, are very much alive and active. Since the

culture can constantly be changing their way of life and

behaviour according to the environment. Actually the social

32 Ibid., 158-159.

heredity and the tradition are handed down from generation

to generation.33 Tradition is extremely important in mission

application, because it reflects very basics aspect of the

true, living soul of a people. Therefore is the traditional

item which is handed over to us by our ancestors and we are

also here to practice it and even sensitive to pass it to

next generation.34

6. Man and Culture

Generally human being is a creature who is immersed in

a culture, or cultures, from birth to death. The human

organism becomes a human being through participation in

culture. Man and culture are connected traits in the context

of social being. Man has to eat to live but his eating habit

will be determined by his culture. For example he has to

sleep, but there are cultural patterns for that too; the

culture bound his life to guide in a certain way.35 This

33 Takatemjen, Studies on Theology and Naga Culture (Mokokchung: CTC, 1998), 33-34.

34 A.Wati Longchar, The Traditional Tribal Worldview and Modernity (Jorhat: ETC, 1995), 6.

35 Bernard Berelson and Gary A. Steiner, Human Behaviour: An Inventory ofScientific Findings (New York: Brace and World, INC, 1964), 644.

section deals with a brief description of man and culture

relation with the individual and the society.

6.1. Culture in Relation to Individual

Culture tells us how an individual is to behave and

acts. Culture consists of patterns, or expectations in

behaviour, the standards or guidelines for each individual

of the society by which the life of every individual

functions. Although society is composed of individuals yet

it is the individual who make the society. The

manifestation of the culture in the life of individual gives

us the indication that which society he or she belongs. Here

every individual of any society exhibits the cultural ethos

of their culture through life. So life becomes a cultural

life and the culture becomes a powerful force to influence

of each individuals. So the culture is always embedded in

the life of the individual functions.36

Culture is learned rather than biologically inherited;

it is natural and embedded with an individual. So culture is

always relation with individual because it is not possible

36 William A. Havilland and Robert J. Gordon, Talking About People: Reading in Contemporary Cultural Anthropology (California: Mayfield, 1993), 52.

to separate the culture from the individual since culture is

a part of the individual who acts and individual is born

with a particular genetic potential.

6.2. Culture in Relation to Society

The word culture usually refers to cultural occupation

such as cultivation. The cultured person is thought to be

one who is well educated, well mannered, and refined in

behaviour; who appreciates a certain type of art. Brown

Corinne describes that culture has a many different

meanings. Culture is considered as all the accepted and

patterned ways of behaviour of a given people. It is a body

of common understandings. Culture is the way in which people

think, feel and act in a society. Even culture is expressed

through the objects and there are hand made created things

such as clothing, shelter, tools, weapons, utensils. In this

sense every one however has a culture, and no individual can

live without culture.

In our day to the life we encounter with the many

people who are belong our same culture and it is our culture

that enables us to go through them. Our culture demands us

to make the routine of certain things to get work like,

sleeping, bathing, dressing, and eating.37A culture consists

not only of cultural elements but also of their

interrelationships. For example, suppose two buildings are

constructed with a same size along with certain amount of

bricks and cement, and yet we cannot give to guarantee that

both seem to be same in visible structure. Because still

there will be some dissimilarity between them. Like wise

many different cultures may have some specifics similar

elements yet the similar items cannot make these two

cultures equal. Because it may seem equal and yet there will

be some differences remain in them. Hence, even within each

culture there is an organization that makes of it

combination as whole. This fact suggests that at once that a

change in one part of the culture affects all other parts.38

The term culture and society are frequently used

interchangeably, and there is usually no great harm in doing

so as long as we know that they have no differences. In

37 Ina Corinne Brown, Understanding Other Cultures (England: Spectrum Books, 1963), 3-4.

38 Ibid., 5.

simplest form, we can say that a society is always made up

of people and their culture is the way they behave. In other

words, a society is not a culture but it has a culture. In

one sense a society is any kind of associational group that

has some degree of reality.39 According to the

anthropological sense, a society is a collective of people

who live and work together and who share a common body of

meaning and a common system of values. Therefore life in the

society is always expressed through the culture of the

society.40

6.3. Understanding of Race and Culture

Religion, nationality, and language are the part of the

social heritage and it is not the biological heritage.

Usually people inherit the social and cultural heritage in

term of lands or property and not in term of genes. For

example, one doesn’t inherit the genes that cause one’s blue

eyes and brown eyes, or our fair or dark skin. In fact, the

basic physical characteristics come to everyone through the

39 Ibid., 6.40 Paul G. Hiebert, Cultural Anthropology, 2nd edition (Grand Rapids,

Michigan: Baker Book House, 1983), 33.

process of biological inheritance and they are determined by

the genetic elements of the parents and the family lines.

Therefore race stands apart from culture in those racial

characteristics are physical and inborn, not learned or

acquired by the individual after birth. So a person’s race

tells nothing at all about his or her religion, nationality,

language of his manners and morals. Of course, it gives

indication about his or her ethnic group. However race is a

population having in common combination of inherited

physical characteristics.41 Culture is not directly

associated with race and men of different biological race

participate in the same culture and men of the same

biological race can have different cultures. 42

Therefore the concept of race determine by biological

sense and also is defined by is in part socially sense and

even social class is at least partly determined in term of

environmental factors. People are also divided with a

variety of ways. Race according of skin and other physical

characteristics; according to social class in term of wealth

41 Ina Corinne Brown, Understanding Other Cultures, 10-11.42 Bill Braun, Understanding Race and Culture,

and occupation and according to ethnicity by their national

origin or ancestry, and their own feelings of group

membership understand the race and the culture of the

people.

6.4. Culture as Part of Human Nature

Human beings have not become cultural beings by

accident or it has not happened all of a sudden. Even

culture is not just added to the nature of human being. In

fact, the very element of culture is very essential part of

the life of human being. It means, without the human being

even there is no culture. In the same time culture always

embedded with human life from the very beginning of the

creation itself. Becoming human being is becoming a person

who lives under the assistance of cultural patterns,

historical created system of meaning in term of which we

give form, order, point, and direction to our lives.

Cultures shapes and make us both as individual and

social beings. The culture reflects a particular value

system and worldview in the life of each individual. It is a

part of our human nature that we search for meaning in the

lives. That is why culture has also important religious

characters within which human being lives.43

5.5. Cultural Identification

Cultural identity is the feeling of identity of a group

or culture, or of an individual as far as he or she is

influenced by her belonging to a group or culture. Various

cultural and social study lead to raise the various

questions to investigate the cultural identity of people.

Basically the cultural identities of the people are known by

a few things such as place, gender, race, history,

nationality, sex, religious beliefs and ethnicity. Language

is also a key signal of identification.

Every human being has a certain culture and it is

impossible to exist as people without having culture.

According to anthropological perspectives we should never

think of our cultures as superior and others are inferior.

All cultures have strengths and weaknesses and the God is

the judge of all culture. For examples, compared to Phom-

Naga people group, western peoples think that theirs culture

43 Nicola Pratt, Identity, Culture, and Democratization, http://wwwgoogle.com, cited on 13th February 2008.

is superior than the culture of Phom-Naga people in term of

technologies and economies. Because of their superiority in

these areas, westerners never think of their weakness rather

they are convinced that their culture is superior to other

culture.44 In every culture there are both strong and weak

points, but we should be very sensitive not to judge or

reject any other cultures with any other reasons. On the

other hand we should acknowledge that all the cultures are

the channels of communicating the gospel for the purpose of

leading the people to Christ. Identifying the value of other

cultures is very essential for the effectiveness for the

ministry among the people. Identification is not just simply

accepting the cultures in term of food, dress and habits,

but it is important to create faith in their life that we

love them. Instead of enforcing our idea upon them we should

respect and appreciate their own traditional arts and

culture.45

44 Gailyn Van Rheenen, Biblical Foundations and Contemporary Strategies Missions (Michigan: Zondervan, 1996), 81-82.

45 Ponraj, An Introduction Missionary Anthropology, 77.

Identifying the culture is indispensable whether we

may or may not like it. Culture stands as the identifying

mark of the people. Every society has a culture, a total

life-way that characterizes it. This involves the way people

think, live and do things within the totality of the social

relations.46 Culture, as a social practice, is not something

that individuals possess; rather, it is a social process in

which individuals participate, in the context of changing

historical conditions. As a historical fact, culture is an

important factor in shaping identity.47

6. Three Levels of Culture

When we study the culture in deeper way, we will

understand that there are different levels of culture. Every

culture has some motivating forces inside it and so it is

essential to find out these basic motivational forces in the

behaviour of the people that reveals the important system of

meaning and values of the culture. The core of a culture

lies precisely in the deeper level.

46 Ibid.47 Pratt, Identity, Culture and Democratization,

Paul Hiebert says that according to Luzbetak, there are

three levels of culture: first one is surface level of

cultural forms. These forms are the outward shape of the

cultural symbols without expressing the meaning. They can be

compared to the sounds in verbal communication. The forms

alone cannot convey the inner meaning. These forms have to

be connected with one another to express people’s overall

worldview.48

Second one is the level of functions, where the

structure of the culture is formed. Functions of the

culture arrange the forms and relate them into one another

in creating the culture. These forms which are arranged with

one another in a systematic way gives the meaning of the

behaviour of the culture.

Third one is the level of the psychological part of the

culture which is found in the deeper level of the culture.

According to Paul G. Hiebert, Luzbetak describes this level

as follows:

Meant are the underlying notions, values, andmotives; meant are the starting points of48 Hiebert, Cultural Anthropology, 18.

reasoning, reacting, and acting; and meant are thebasic premises, emotionally charged attitudes andgoals. Such an underlying and basic that itpermeates the whole culture and gives it a certainoneness. This is what is commonly referred to as apeople’s “mentality,” “psychology,” or “soul.”49

This core-level or deeper level contains the value of

the culture and people gets the represents knowledge of the

culture from this level to experience and reflect their

worldview.50 These are three levels of culture

known as surface level, functional level and psychological

level (deeper level) which formulate and express the culture

in its total essence.

7. The Important Characteristics of Phom-Naga Culture

Phom-Naga has a very long tradition going back to the

ancient times. Many institutions and elements culture which

are regarded essential parts of the Phom-Naga social life.

In general the Phom-Naga people are honest, simple-minded.

They live by the values of their spoken word. The law of

ethics rules the individual, family and society. The purity

of hearts exists in their inner sanctuary of their life.

49 Ibid., 18-19.50 Ibid., 20.

They usually practice dignity of labour; physical fitness

and integrity. But gradually the importance and value of

these practices are decreasing to a lower level because of

having contact with the people of other cultures. In other

word, the technological advancement is sweeping away their

cultural practices.51

In every society culture has its own beauty and

attraction. Phom-Naga tribe is also one of the major tribes

in Nagaland with rich cultural heritage and tradition. Phom-

Naga culture is under threat from many circles because of

their society is now turning to a different phrase of

development. There is a transition period, old to new, the

culture of technology which makes them confuse in the

context of cultural issue. It is a sensitive issue to note

that the western culture is powerfully influencing the

cultural heritage of the Phom-Naga tribe for which the

traditional value system is decreasing day by day. If this

process of influencing of western culture upon the Phom-Naga

culture will continue, then nothing of the traditional

51 S. D. Ponraj, Tribal Challenge and the Church’s Response (Chennai: Mission Educational Books, 1996), 108-109.

value system will be left remain and even it would be

difficult to remember the past cultural history in future

unless they are properly collected in the present-day.

Phom-Naga society and culture to accommodate the common

features of the Naga culture in general. Though Phom-Naga

have different language, culture and custom however, the

culturally pattern of the Phom-Naga are almost the same.

Moreover, even among the Phoms, the cultural beliefs,

practices, and customs differ from village to village. Even

they have five different dialects within the Phom-Naga

tribe. It may be not able to elaborate every corner of the

aspects in detail in this few section. However, in this

parts attempt to describe past and present social cultural

life of the Phom-Naga people particularly.

After the Christianity, the Phom-Naga people could not

hold both Christian cultures along with the traditional

culture any longer. Indeed their culture is essential in

order to make gospel possible to them; unless it gives mind

in their culture it may not be effective.52 Particularly,

52 N. Talitenjen Jamir and A. Lanunungsang, Naga Society and Culture (Mokokchung: Nagaland University Tribal Research Centre, 2005), 1.

their folk songs, ceremonies, art, dress, ornaments,

institutions, speak about the beauty of Phom-Naga culture,

and indicate their richness of the culture in the olden day.

Now the realization came to people mind that it is important

to identify the own cultures mostly by the younger

generation. The traditional rural institution like Morung

use of the log drum and division of age group and their

philosophical meanings and usage are extremely valuable and

indigenous self-governing institution. Nowadays it could say

that mostly Phom-Naga culture influence by western culture,

even in the church structure, worship pattern, way of life

penetrated by western style. Why it was happen? How it can

be solve the problem in the context of mission? Can we

consider Phom-Naga culture is unacceptable in the Christian

circle? Is possible to relate the gospel according to the

Phom-Naga culture?53

All human societies have their own rituals which are

considered important by their members. Phom-Naga has an own

cultural distinctiveness. For example, there are numerous

53 Ibid., 2.

rituals connected with almost every aspect of life, the

value attached to ritual also seems to be exceptional high.

This distinctiveness is mainly due to the uniqueness of

their life style, traditional components which indicate

their uniqueness of the culture. Cultural distinctiveness

related as a person philosophy of life, customs, and social

structure. In fact it is important to study their culture.

In the same time we cannot deny the value of the Phom-Naga

culture rather we can accept with appreciation in order to

understand the mission in the cultural context.

7.1. Value of Log Drum (Sham khong)

Log drum it is one of the greatest handiworks and they

use for the purpose of communications in the ancient days

and located in each colony within the village with great

honour. According to the Phom-Naga tradition, means of log

drum (sham khong) is for communication or to give certain

information by beating it to make sound to the villagers

primarily when there is danger in the village and also when

enemy heads brought by the warriors in the village.54 The

54 N. Talitemjen Jamir, Ao-Naga Cultural Heritage (Calcutta: Raja Rammohun Library Foundation, 1997), 57.

log drum plays a major role in both social and religious

life of the Phom-Naga people, and has religious and social

impact on the village. For its significance role it has been

identified; even now each village has a log drum.

Before the arrival of modern science and technology,

log drum was the important for communication to the people

with the different beating tune and sound of the massage. It

is generally kept in front of the ‘Pang’ so that it can be

beaten conveniently when it requires. There are variety of

different in the style of beating the log drum producing

different sound indicating different meanings and messages.

Signify different occasions and events, different tunes and

rhythms are produce through different technique of beating

system.55

Beating drum to indicate the arrival of festival, it

gives warning message to the villagers when it was a danger

such as enemies arrive in the village, fire incidents,

announce community mourning for the death of rich man, and

also sound make differentiate the death of warrior, a child,

55 C. Bauloi Phom, The Shame: A Means of Communication in the Traditional Phom Society (B.D. Thesis, Senate of Serampore College, 1996), 19.

youth and ordinary person. Community gathering, social work

is also informed through the log drum in the ancient time of

the Phom-Naga society. Every one in the village understands

the sound that carries the core meaning which they follow

accordingly.56

7.2. Worship of Log Drum

In ancient day’s one of the negative thing is worship

of log drum, according to the tradition log drum are

consider one of the village deities and they worshipped

regularly with blood and fresh. In such worship, animals’

blood, fresh of the human heads are sacrificed along with

feasting and drinking.57 In the olden days pulling of log

drum is one the greatest ceremonies of the Phoms. Indeed,

this is a great day of joy and happiness where both men and

women with attired participated in the function singing and

dancing with their traditional folk song.58

Still such kind of activity is existing in Phom-Naga

community with different purposes when it is needed.

56 B. Henshet, The Phom-Naga Indigenous Religion: A Socio-Philosophical Perspective (Dimapur: Print Home, 2000), 17.

57 Ibid.58 Jamir, Naga Society and Culture, 119.

However, this practice of worship village deities has

changed already after Christianity captured the entire

socio-cultural aspects of their lives. Since the impacts of

the western culture, many of them have questions mark in the

issue of log drum in exist even in this days. According to

my observation log drum have certain significance which is

valuable even in present context especially for the

communication to people through beating sound of the log

drum. Since there is core meaning, what I mean is removing

the negative aspect and presents the gospel to them through

log drum, singing traditional song relevance with their

culture to glorifying the Creator of heaven and earth.

7.3. The Cultural Dresses and Ornaments

Phom-Naga has various colourful dresses and ornament

yet differ from village to village. Not all the dress and

ornaments are exposed to common ordinary people. There is

dress of common man, rich, rulers, war heroes. The Phom-Naga

traditional dress has a distinction between common people

and the warriors. In their society traditional dresses and

ornaments are very valuable and significance. Their

traditional dresses are so distinct that speak about the

colourful culture and a given cultural dress and ornament

signifies a particular meaning in each dress. They wear them

with great honour.59 However, in this globalize world their

traditional dress replace western fashion and lost

originality. It’s become mix dresses or modified form. Now

it’s no specific as such, moreover in present day’s

specially initiated by the different organizations. For

example, the Phom Student Conference, Phom Hoila Hoichem as

well as Student Unions from each village trying to initiate

to bring out the originality of the traditional dresses in

order to recovery the originality of the Phom-Naga

cultural dress. In the earlier missionaries who encourage

people not to wear and consider traditional dress is

unacceptable after accepting Christ. Indeed, in this

juncture we conclude that a traditional dress has nothing

obstacle in the context of Christian mission rather it may

59 Ibid., 18.

help to communicate with them if we apply according to their

traditional way of life.60

7.4. Folk Song, Dances and Folklore

Phom-Nagas are music lovers like many other people of

the world. Folk Songs, dances and folklores are the major

components of a given non-material culture especially in the

context of traditional society. In the past the Phoms used

to communicate each other through songs, indeed, songs were

the best channels for communication in their community life

in the earlier days. They could express their inner most

feelings through songs, which could not be expressed through

spoken language.61

From the very beginning Phom have different kind of

folk songs and dances with the different occasions, which

they use purposefully. Their deepest thoughts were

communicate through the variety of folk songs. Every aspect

of their life, history, politics, religious beliefs,

legends, loves is embedded in their folk songs. Songs and

60Panger Imchen, Ancient Ao Naga Religion and Culture (New Delhi: Har-Anand, 1993), 140.

61 Jamir, Naga Society and Culture, 265.

dances always go together; just as songs, dances are

expression according to the situation.

There are different types of folk songs of Phoms, for

example; ‘Konghau’ mostly sung while celebrating the

victorious battle. ‘Oha’ is a song of cheerfulness. It is

sung during festivals (Monyu) that is the spring and autumn

festivals. In this manner they always interacted and

communicate with each other through different kind of folk

song. But today all these folk song preoccupied by the

western style of song totally neglected the own traditional

folk song. In this scenario if we used traditional folk song

in the purpose of the gospel communication it is very

relevance for the people.62

The Phom-Naga has almost forgotten the own cultural

songs, dances, folklores, and the most valuable oral

traditions. The youngsters are very unfortunate to know such

a value, uniqueness which was existed from the very

beginning in their society. Common proverbs and their

philosophical meanings are rarely used. Since penetrating by

62 Henshet, The Phom-Naga Indigenous Religion, 19-20

the western life style, the sense of belongingness, honest,

respect for elderly person, hard work, which were perhaps

the best qualities of the Phom-Naga are now gradually

disappearing.63

When we study of ancient beliefs, customs or tradition,

we understand clearly about the folklore. There are many

unwritten folklores in Phom-Naga traditional society. In

fact, one will find a wide array of folklore in the society

having different philosophical meanings. In the past history

of civilization in the context of modern society can be

understood fact through study of such oral traditions.

Whether it is a myth and reality, they bring to light about

their culture, customs and traditions. Phom-Naga has a

variety of such folklores. Elderly person was the main

source of such stories. Narrating of folklore is very

common, and to a patient listener reserved it and elderly

person usual to narrate those stories and teach to the

youngsters the whole night especially in olden days. Most of

63Jamir, Naga Society and Culture, 285.

them are highly interesting bearing deep philosophical

meanings that are worth recording.

7.5. Head-Hunting Culture

The culture of headhunting was the cruellest practices

that prevail in olden days in Phom-Naga tribe. They have

different stories of originating the headhunting. According

to tradition, chopping of humans head began by imitating the

acts of the spider. Headhunting culture was part of the

lives for the Phom-Naga community during the period when all

the villages were independent and sovereign. Most of the

village had to be located in a secure place on the top of a

hill, which would provide them for good defence against the

hostility possible attacks.64

The practice of headhunting is a common practice

prevalent throughout the region. When we research on the

Head hunting culture it was a very beginning that head

hunting is one of the culture that practice among the Phoms

due to inter- village and inter-tribal conflict. Head64 Lovily James, “A Naga Women Perspective on the Headhunting

Culture of the Nagas: A Factor that Reinforces the Cultural Myth of MaleSuperiority and Female Inferiority,” Journal of Tribal Studies, (eds.), M.Kipgen, et al (Jorhat: Eastern Theological College, Vol. X, No.1, January-June, 2006), 1.

hunting was a prestigious activity. The villagers commend

the one who brought the highest number of heads stood in the

highest respect by all and received annual tributes within

the village jurisdiction and also consider head-hunter as a

highest status in the society. 65

Warriors or the victorious raid party reaches the

gates of the village were given a special reception with

feast and honour. A particular design which proclaimed them

as a hero was signified with big tattooed on the chest.

Villager organized day of respect and honour for the warrior

that was the reason head hunting was popular among the Phoms

tribes. And head hunting was a heroic act.

What were the reasons for go headhunting? Headhunting means

cutting off the head of the defeated enemy in the battle or

any time opportunity that they got to fight with their

enemy. The enemy is killed through spears, arrows or Dao and

then beheaded their enemy head by Dao. The heads are chopped

off from the bodies and are carried home as trophies

65 Noklang, Phom Day, 40.

accompanied by singing and chanting in praises and glory of

the village deities.66

First of all it should be noted that headhunting is the

‘method’ of war or battle. It would be therefore wrong to

think that they go to war at random in order to fetch heads.

Rather, it is head hunting during the time of war or battle.

Hence, it is important to understanding that the first and

foremost reason for headhunting is originated in the

community it may be many reasons, however here few reasons

that brought in this research basing on the passed life of

the Phoms is because:

To desire for the popularity as a hero in their village

or within the range.

The desire of young people to prove themselves as a

maturity and manhood,

On land and rivers dispute between two villages or

tribes which could not solved except to fight it out in

battle also compile to go for headhunting.

66 James, “A Naga Women Perspective on the Headhunting Culture of the Nagas,” 2.

It is also believe that in connection with several

religious ceremonies and rituals for human sacrifice to

their god for the general well being and also for the

dedication of Morung generally, which require human

heads in their community.

Another reason the headhunting popularity was in

religious sense, people believed that there is power

(mana) in the head. They offered human heads to the

Supreme Being for blessing in the field, cattle,

family, and village. People consider the human head as

the greatest gift which could be offered to god by

humans.67

Headhunting involves many risks. It was purely a man’s

game. One’s social status was completely dependent upon the

success in headhunting. For the Phoms it was a partly

religious, partly to show social maturity and partly of

fertility and agricultural prosperity. They have a very

serious about the headhunting in their daily social,

economic, political and religious life of the people. In the

67 Ibid., 4.

social status those who have not collected a head they

considered equal to women who never go to war.68

7.6. Headhunting Culture to Christianity

Even after the Christianity entered into the Phom-Naga

soil headhunting was practice. It is learned that Phom-Naga

tribe is one of the last tribes in Nagaland to gave up the

head-hunting activities. According to Henshet, M.M. Thomas

delivered speech at Longleng, the headquarters of Phom

tribe:

I am glad to be in Longleng particularly in viewof its historic significance. It was here in1951(sic) that all the village chiefs of the Phomsgathered and solemnly pledges to bring to an endthe practice of head hunting. The chiefs erected astone to symbolize their pledge. The date on whichannually remembered with the help of colourfulcelebrations. Through that you have transformedyourselves into warriors of peace.69

It is a remarkable day that, on June 6, every year all

the Phom-Naga villages come together regularly at Longleng

head quarter under the guidance of civil authority and

celebrate as a foundation of peace, prosperous and also a

68 K. Thanzauva, Theology of Community Tribal Theology in the Making (Mizoram: Mizo Theological Conference Aizawl, 1997), 87

69 Henshet, The Phom-Naga Indigenous Religion, 23.

marked of disappearing head hunting practice among Phom-Naga

tribe. In the real sense, this is really the impact of

Christianity if there is no gospel I think there is no peace

in the land.

Chapter 2

The Biblical Understanding of Christian Mission:

Contextualization in Cultural Perspectives

In the genesis account unmistakably indicated that, God who

created man in his own ‘image’. It is not only Hebrew man

alone, nor western peoples, but we understand it is

referring to mankind in general. God’s mission, as shown

above, can be comprehended and realised by man only by

virtue of his having God’s image in him, and the image is

given to all humankind at the time of their coming into

being. It is given to all men to understand the mission of

God for mankind and for the every tribe of the world. 70

The entire Christian existence is to be characterized

as missionary existence. The church on earth is, by nature

of missionary. In the theological point of view mission is

70 Walter C. Kaiser, Mission in the Old Testament: Israel as a Light of the Nations(Secunderabad: OM-Authentic Media, 2000), 15-16.

only possible with reference to our faith to God. God self-

communication indicates in Christ Jesus as the solid

foundation of Christian mission.

The concern for doing mission in its cultural context

is constantly growing nowadays among Christian missionaries

in whom fully aware of contextualization. There is no

question on the contextual mission in cultural perspectives,

because the Bible itself for exploring the groundwork for a

contextualized mission. To make Himself and Father known to

humanity Christ took the human form and spoke human language

(John 1: 14)71 Christian mission gives expression to the

dynamic relationship between God and the world. Mission

points to a central action; the act of being sent with a

commission to carry out the will of a superior. It is God

who commissions and God who sends. And it is this word of

“sending” that connected with the words of the language

links the Old Testament with the New Testament. This section

is designed to deal with the brief Biblical foundation of

mission, and the contextualization in the cultural angle.

71 David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission (New York: Orbis Books, 1996), 4-5.

1. What is Christian Mission?

The Christian mission is a work of God not our work. It

is originated in the Holy Scripture. From them we derive our

message, mandate, motivation, and methodology. Apart from

the Bible the missionary movement has neither meaning nor

authority. We understood that the Bible is an absolutely the

truth on every aspects of the Christian mission. One doesn’t

talk Christian mission without referring with Biblical

mandate. The entire Bible from beginning to end is concerned

with people’s salvation, and that is what mission is all

about.72 The term ‘mission’ refers primarily to the

activities of ‘sending’ of which the Triune God is the

subject. In the first example it is the totality of God’s

dealing with men with the purpose of redemption of the

universe, its reconciliation to Himself (Col 1: 15-23; Eph

1: 2: 13-22) and the establishment of the Lordship of Christ

over the whole redeemed creation.73

72 J. Herbert Kane, The Christian World Mission: Today and Tomorrow (Michigan: B.B. H, 1981), 25.

73 Luther W. Meinzen, “Theological Foundations of Mission,” in Debate Mission: Issues from the Indian Context, (eds.), Herbert E. Hoefer, et al (Madras: Gurukhul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, 1979), 266-267.

The commission and responsibility of mission always

flows from the activity of the triune God Himself. God is

the originator, the author, and the source of mission. David

J. Bosch, writes; “Its origin is neither in the official

Church nor in special groups within the Church. It has its

origin in God. God is a missionary God, a God who crosses

frontiers towards the world,”74 Roger E. Hedlund defines it

as “Mission from God. It is God who works in and through

Israel for the salvation of the nations. This assured that

mission derives from God. In this context we understand

“Missio die” means God Himself does missionary work from the

very beginning. God who initiate the mission and entrusted

to His people to carry out mission continue for the

enlargement of His Kingdom on earth.75

Mission is understood in a much broader sense. As the

people of God, every believer is called to be a missionary,

but not limited exclusively to the traditional form of

missions. The idea of mission today encompasses various

74 David J. Bosch, Witness to the World (Atlanta: John Knox, 1980), 239.

75 Roger E. Hedlund, Mission to the Man in the Bible (Madras: Evangelical Literature Service, 1994), 21.

activities, which fall into different categories, namely:

the Traditional, Corporal Works of Mercy, and Immersion.

First is the traditional understanding of mission that

is of professional persons generally clerics, religious,

missionary, evangelist, Pasrors and sometimes even lay

persons who are dedicated their lives to the work of

evangelization, spreading the Gospel of Jesus by word and

deed, either for life or for a fixed period of time, either

at home or abroad, either to those who have not heard it or

whose faith is weak for lack of ministers.76

Second, is the People of God bringing material aid such

as food, medicine, clothes and financial assistant to those

in dire need, offering their time and resources in the

corporal works of mercy. This is we can call wholistic

mission since it touch both spiritual and physical concern.

Third, is a new vision of mission, growing out of

Vatican Council II. It refers to the People of God who go

primarily to the poor at home or abroad to simply accompany

them and learn to understand and appreciate other cultures76 John R.W. Stott. Christian Mission in the Modern World (Illinois: Inter

Varsity, 1975), 16.

and values. Such activities, called, mission immersion

experiences allow people to reach out to others as equals

rather than as merely objects to be taught or helped as if

they were little children.77

The contemporary Christian mission the church of Christ

should know that, all embracing messianic mission is not

just to spread the church rather to spread the kingdom of

God. The goal of the Christian mission is not for the

glorification of the church but the glorification the Father

through his son Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. So,

Christian workers understanding of the church leads to a

church that is open to every race and culture.

2. The Source of Mission

The mission is God’s not ours; He is a sending God. He

sent His word, spirit, people, and ultimately sent His son

as word made flesh, He has given Himself to the world. Thus

the sending God is also the sent God. In the Old Testament

Israel never forget her “sentness”. In the New Testament the

sending activities continues and reaches its climax in the

77 Http:/www.diogh.org/mission/whatismission.htm, Generated on, 15th January2008.

sending of Jesus Christ. He bears the full authority for

mission (Matt 11:27; 28: 19-20; John 20: 21) and with

authority he sends out people, the New Israel empowered by

His spirit. These activities revealed as triune God and He

is the missionary God. He who sent the people Israel and His

son Jesus Christ into the world to accomplish His mission by

this point we understand that God is the ultimate authority,

and source of the Christian mission.78

What does this mean? To say that the mission belongs to

and springs from the triune God means that we confess God to

be the one who is actively at work in His world, calling

people to turn their lives from the direction of

meaninglessness and death to a life of purpose, harmony, and

trust in Him, to receive life from Him as a gift.79 By that

we recognize mission remain His mission. One of the dangers

of stressing the concept of mission as a mandate given to

the Church is that it tempting to do whatever it wants to do

and consider that they who save the unbelievers from their78 M. R. Spindler, “The Biblical Grounding and Orientation of

Mission,” in Missiological: An Ecumenical Introduction Texts and Contexts of Global Christianity, (eds.), F.J. Verstraelen, et al (Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1995), 127.

79 Meinzen, “Theological Foundations of Mission,” 268.

sins. But it clearly expressed that, the meaning of mission

is completely dependent on the Biblical foundation. Even

Jesus did not mention His own mission but directed us to His

Father, the source of mission.80

Mission does not originate with human sources, for

ultimately it is not a human enterprise. Mission is rooted

in the nature of God, who is with humans and saves. From the

very foundation of the world God has been the great

initiator of mission, as vividly portrayed by the acts of

God both in the Old and the New Testament.81 According to

Bosch, “Mission has its origin in the Father heart of God.

He is the fountain of sending love. This is deepest source

of mission… there is mission because God loves man… the

ground of mission is God’s agape (love).”82 For God is love,

and His love was disclosed to us in this, that he sent His

only Son into this world to bring us life (John 3:16).

2.1. Mission from the Old Testament Perspective

80 Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society (Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1989), 117.

81 Gailyn Van Rheenen, Biblical Foundations and Contemporary Strategies Missions (Michigan: Zondervan, 1996), 14.

82 Bosch, Witness to the World, 240.

One of the arguments among the missiologists in doing

theology of mission is to find out the origin and the

beginning of mission. Some outstanding missiologists claimed

that they find the missionary purpose, message, and activity

in the Old Testament. Some Bible scholars failed to find any

of these. Much depends on one’s definition of ‘mission.’83

The stern arguments are: Why not begin with Jesus, who is

focal point of the Church is mission? And why not begin with

Pentecost? Since, churches began to grow and spread only

after the Pentecost events. In this connection; Herbert

Kane writes whether the Biblical scholars find missionary

purpose, message, and activity in the Old Testament or not,

“much depends on one’s definition of mission.” He goes on to

distinguish the mission of the Old Testament as: If by

“mission” is meant the cross of political or cultural

boundaries to take the message of the one true God to those

who know nothing about Him, with the exception of Jonah, we

will not find much about “mission” in the Old Testament.84

83 J. Herbert Kane, Christian Missions in Biblical Perspective (Michigan: BakerBook House, 1976), 17.

84 Ibid.

Hence, we can not escape from the Old Testament while

studying the mission. Because Old Testament it provides much

of the background for the New Testament. The Bible discloses

Him as a missionary God, who crosses the divine-human

frontiers first, who creates a missionary people, and is

working towards a missionary scene.85 Indeed, the Old

Testament is fundamental to the understanding of Christian

mission. Since the Christian mission which starts in the New

Testament is rooted in the Old Testament.86 Bosch, in his

book, Transforming Mission says that mission is rooted from the

Old Testament. We agreed that, this statement is true

because when studied deeply, mission arises primarily out of

the nature not of the Church but of God Himself. The living

God of the Bible is a sending God. For example, God sent

Abraham commanding him to go from his country and kindred

into the whole earth through him, and promised him to bless

him (Gen 12:1-3). God also sent Moses to his oppressed

people in Egypt with good news of liberation to bring back

85 Roger E. Hedlund, Mission of the Church in the World (Madras: E L S, 1985), 19.

86 Bosch, Transforming Mission, 17.

God’s people (Ex 3:10).This demonstrates that the root cause

of mission is found in the Old Testament. Since the Old

Testament is a missionary book because Jehovah is a

missionary God.

God who commissions and sent both Old and New Testament

testified us clearly and make us to understand Christian

mission. In term God mission it is here two crucial issues

that missiologists argued in the context of Old Testament

views of mission centripetal, the meaning is to move towards

a centre, directed to chosen nation in order to show God

saving knowledge to other nations and other word witnessing

and spreading the good news about salvation to all people.

Whereas the New Testament understanding of mission as

centrifugal, which is to move away from a centre. This

statement is encouraging believers of Christ an active role

in propagating the gospel beyond the boundary. 87 It is true

that the Old Testament views mission predominantly in

centripetal approach. Whereas Isaiah 42: 6; 49: 6 and Exodus

19:5, these passages appropriate to give expression for both

87 Kane, Christian Missions in Biblical Perspective, 18.

centripetal and centrifugal movement. Indeed, chosen

Israel’s was an expectation to stretch out His healing hand

throughout the world because God concern sin of the people

who lived under the bandage of sin. Particularly (Isaiah 42;

6), God salvation activities in Israel were the sign and

signal to the whole creation. From the very beginning God

has been desperately concerned for the spiritual and

materials welfare of the His people.

Jesus Christ constant speak about Himself, His message

and His mission from the Old Testament. He never opposes or

contradicted with the Old Testament, but always modified,

enriched, transformed the mission and glorified the Old

Testament. He claimed to be the fulfilment of the Old

Testament. However, frequently the Old Testament has been

interpreted in narrow nationalistic terms.88

2.2. Mission from the New Testament Perspective

From the beginning the end, the New Testament is a book

of mission. It owes its very existence to the missionary

effort of the early Christian churches, both Jewish and

88 George W. Peters, A Biblical Theology of Missions (Chicago: Moody, 1972), 83.

Hellenistic.89 It’s clearly indicated that the history of

early, New Testament Church is missionary Church. In the New

Testament we find the idea of mission on almost every page.

Mission it doesn’t really come to complete bloom until the

New Testament. In order to understand New Testament mission

let’s go back to Jesus Christ, as He is the centre of

Christian mission, since Jesus Christ is the central theme

to understand the mission of God from the New Testament

perspective.90

2.2.1. Jesus and the World Mission

It is true that God who lied the foundation of world

mission. God has a deep concern about the people in order to

liberate from the bandage of sin therefore He who chosen

Israel for the purpose of His mission to demonstrate His

love to the entire nations. However, the Israelites had

failed to complete his assigned mission, therefore out of

His great concern; He sent His only son Jesus Christ and His

divine spirit into this world with the message of salvation.

89 Johannes Verkuyl, Contemporary Missiology: An Introduction (Michigan: WmB. Eerdmans, 1978), 101.

90 Ibid., 21.

When Jesus became human, the mission of God began to flow to

whole human creation and through His son Jesus Christ shows

the glory of God (Hebrew1:1-3). The distinctive character of

mission in the New Testament relates to Jesus. His whole

person, life and work are based on the word of God in order

to accomplish the God mission for the concern of the whole

creation. Edmund Davison Soper stated, “Without Jesus

Christ there would no be no Christian mission.”91 this

demonstrates that Jesus Christ is the meaning in term of

Christian mission.

The purpose of mission is to make Him known therefore,

people may be led accept Him as saviour of the world. Roger

Hedlund provides his opinion on the finality of Jesus Christ

on world mission: “In many and various ways God spoke of old

to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he

has spoken to us by a Son, whom He appointed the heir of all

things, through whom also he created the world.” 92 In

addition Hebrew 1.1-2 mentioned that, the Jesus Christ is

91 Edmund Davison Soper, The Philosophy of the Christian World Mission (New York: Abingdon Cokesbury, N.D) 37.

92 Roger E. Hedlund, Mission to Man in the Bible (Madras: Evangelical Literature Service, 1985), 174-.

God’s final word to mankind. The message, the word, that is

to grow through the “acts,” the deeds, of the apostles (Acts

6: 7, 12: 24, 19: 20) begins with Jesus. The ministry of

Jesus is the beginning of the God mission has flowed to the

whole humanity. Jesus reveal himself in the human form is

the beginning of the history of the world to identify the

Glory of God the father. Thus, the Jesus mission in the New

Testament is the central point of the Christian faith. In

this point of views we have raise the question is: What type

of mission does Jesus propose to us by His actions and

words?93

Jesus’ teaching about God and His relations with humanity

was taken from the earlier revelation, especially the Old

Testament prophets. Jesus made significance; the foundation

of mission was not His own creation, but God. Jesus never

contradicts the work of His Father. Indeed, Jesus came to

fulfil what the Father has started. This connectivity

reveals the interlinking between the Old Testament and the

New Testament mission as one, originating in God. Jesus His

93 Lucien Legrand, Mission in the Bible: Unity and Plurality (New York: Orbis Books, 1990), 38.

word and work never contradict rather linking with His

father. His teaching is the teaching of the Father, and his

mighty works are the work of the Father. So also in the

synoptic Gospel, the mighty works of Jesus are the works of

God’s kingly power, of the Spirit. This indicates Jesus’

relationship to His Father. The Gospels show that Jesus, in

His earthly ministry, recognized His need of fellowship with

the Father in prayer (Luke 5:16; 6:12), because Jesus was in

His Father’s mission.94

2.3. The Goal of God Mission

God’s mission is addressed to the world and everyone is

a missionary of God, to accomplish His divine plan. What is

the basic goal behind this divine plan? What responsible

that God has given us? In the Christian mission, the basic

goal was traditionally oriented towards the salvation of

soul, conversion, and establishment of the churches. It was

passion for the souls that many to leave their country in

order to proclaim the good of news to the people of the

world, particularly among the non-Christian. It is not

94 Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, 15.

because of the duty enforced upon the Christians but it is a

very nature that God has given responsible to fulfil His

mission.95

Moreover, in term of various cultural issues some

theologians define the purpose of mission is evangelization

of the culture, human development, inculturation, Christian

witness, preaching the gospel and ecumenism. In one sense it

is understood that in term of a holistic approach basing on

the biblical ground. However, a man cannot attain this goal

by himself but he can accomplish it only through the power

of God.

The goal of mission is an inescapable issue and of the

great practical importance, for it determines mission

strategy. When we go back to study about the goal of God’s

mission some question raise: What really does God intend for

the world to which he has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ?

What is the ultimate goal of the missio dei? Certainly we

believe the Old and the New Testament, God by both His words

and deeds claim that He is intent on bringing the kingdom of

95 Namita, A New Paradigm for Evangelisation in the Third Millennium (Bangalore:Pontifical Institute, 2000), 194.

God to expression and restoring His liberating dominion of

authority. We clearly evident in the biblical account, He

has expressed His loving kindness of whole creation to

restore from the fall nature. God purpose of mission is to

restore human creation from the predominant of sin. His

purpose of mission express clearly through sending His son

to communicate with human being in the fullness of time.

The kingdom of God to which Bible give evidence

involves a proclamation and awareness of a total salvation,

one which covers the whole range of human needs and for the

judgment of all the creation.96 The kingdom of God is new

order of affairs begun in Christ which, when finally

completed by Him, will involve a proper restoration not only

of man’s relationship to God but also of those between

genders, generations, races,, and even between man and

nature.97 This is what John saw in his visions recorded in

the book of revelation (Revelation 21:1-4). Even apostle

Peter affirmed that, “We await a new heaven and a new earth

in which righteousness dwells” (II Pet 3; 13).

96 Verkuyl, Contemporary Missiology, 197.97 Ibid., 198.

2.4. Partnership in Christian Mission

Mission is the task of each and every church. The

common concern for mission is the basis for partnership

between churches. F. Xaver Scheuere, in his book, Intercultural:

A Challenge for the Mission of the Church discussed that Mission and

unity belong, inseparably, together; partnership implies not

merely the sharing of finance and personnel, although these

are the most prominent resources. It rather means to take

part in the entire life of other churches, which includes

the general exchange of information, diffusion of

theological insights, sharing of liturgical and pastoral

practices.98 The Apostles Paul mission was giving oneself to

others. This is formed in the incarnation of Jesus Christ

(Philippians 2: 5-11). This passage encourage that, one can

empty himself in order to be effective Christian ministry.

In Philippians 3: 17 mentioned, join with others in

following my example, brothers and take note of those who

live according to the pattern we gave you. Partnership is

the members will function as a team and through teams, as

98 Franz Xaver Scheuere, Intercultural: A Challenge for the Mission of the Church (Bangalore: Asian Trading Corporation, 2001), 168

Paul himself did with Timothy. 99 In fact, in Christian

mission there is no division but it always connected because

mission stands for a common ground there is no division in

the partnership of the mission whether home mission or

abroad mission all one in Christ in term of partnership in

mission linked with one another. However, there is only one

mission is from God who entrusted to the church and to the

each individual to work together for the extension of God

Kingdom.

The partnership of Mission has, therefore, acquired a

multi-directional dimension: exchange between the churches

is not a one-way movement from one tribe to another anymore

rather relationships from one language group to another

linguistic group and north to south. Mission follows an

inner dynamic of expansion that seeks to bring about new

communities of partners who think and act with the same

direction. Partnership will seek to cross cultural,

religious barriers to include all people who are ready to

99 Sam Kamaleson, “Celebration Partnership,” in Mission and Missions, (ed.), Jey J. Kanagaraj (Pune: Union Biblical seminary, 1998), 233.

join hands for cooperative action to contribute for justice,

harmony and peace in the communities.100

2.4.1. The Holistic Mission of the church

100 Sam Kamaleson, “Celebration Partnership,”169-170.

Holistic mission can be defined as "the task of bringing the whole of

life under the Lordship of Jesus Christ"101 and includes the

confirmation that there is no biblical different between

evangelistic and social responsibility. The 20th century

missiologists disputes regarding the issues of the

relationship between holistic ministry and evangelism.

According to Mark R. Gornik, Hesselgrave says, “Holistic

mission takes away from what he believes is the central

Christian responsibility of evangelism, and therefore is not

biblical” Bryant L. Myers replies that “the whole story of

the bible is about loving God and loving our neighbours,

creating holistically oriented Christians.”102 In connection

with these statement researchers conclude that in term

contemporary situation holistic mission is essential and we

considered holistic mission is a key principle to bring

people in the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. It

is important to apply holistic mission in broader way in

101 Http://ww. lausanneworldpulse.com/holistic mission/ occasionalpaper/ lausannereports/2004, Cited 2nd March 2008.

102 Mark R. Gornik, “Doing the Word: Biblical Holism and Urban Ministry,” in The Urban Face of Mission: Ministering the Gospel in a Diverse and Changing World, (eds.), Harvie M. Conn, et al (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2002), 185.

term of spiritual, emotional and physical needs of the

people. Even in India many organizations and churches they

emphasis holistic in a triangular ministry in term of soul,

physical needs, and historical setting. When we study the

earlier mission pattern they were focus on the salvation of

the soul. Thus, in this present context it is very important

and urgent needs to shape holistic pattern of Christian

mission in order to effective ministry. We should be focus

only on salvation of soul but also to focus on the social

condition of the people.

Sam Kamaleson article, “Celebration Partnership,” he brings

three-fold responsibility in the holistic approach to

Christian mission are as follow:

1. Soul winning (evangelism and church planting)

2. Social concern (social service and social action)

3. Environment responsibility (nature and the environment)

There is close relationship between these three areas of

Christian mission. All three are the concerns of God’s

kingdom of this earth. Rene Padilla, the Latin America

leader, has rightly declared that, “The whole Gospel for the

whole man and for the whole world” therefore in the

perspective of mission we should not ignore the social needs

of the community, thus the church ministry is related to

community development.103

It may said that the mission has adopted a holistic

view of evangelization, as described in the Asian

Consultation mentioned above: “Christ embodied Good News for

those whom the world despised by defending them against

injustice and discrimination, by healing their physical and

spiritual wounds, by recognizing and upholding their human

dignity by affirming the moral and positive social values

which they confessed, and by the teaching them message of

God’s reign over their lives and society.”104

When we see the biblical foundation of a holistic

approach, God great interest to deal with stern justice as

regards the oppression of the poor, as revealed in Exodus 3:

7-8, the same idea expressed clearly in Micah 6:8.

Throughout God’s word, it is revealed that God is both the

103 Sam Kamaleson, “Celebration Partnership,” 235.104 Julian Saldanha, “Christian Presence Among the Warlis,

Maharashtra,” in Christ Among the Tribals, (eds.), F Hrangkhuma and Joy Thomas (Bangalore: Fellowship of Indian Missiologists, 2007), 40-41.

creator as well as the redeemer. He cares for the total

well-being of His creation and therefore His concern for man

is for body, his soul and his spirit. Jesus in his earthly

ministry show us example and demonstrates us the perfect

balance in these three-fold responsibility, that we need to

have, when we undertake a holistic ministry. Jesus always

followed it up by meeting the needs of the people who heard

the message of salvation, whether it be healing the sick,

delivering them from the bondage of sin. In Luke 4: 18-19,

where Jesus cited passages of scripture from Isaiah 61: 1-2,

Jesus acknowledges to his mission, to preach the good news

to the poor, then to heal the broken-hearted and release the

captives the downtrodden, and heal the blind. These passages

indicate that, Jesus never neglected the needs of

humankind.105

When we talk about the social concern, we must be

prepared to meet the people at the point of their needs. The

social gospel attempts to identify the kingdom of God on

earth through a meet people needs in the society. We should

105 Kalyan Basu, The 21st Century Christian and His End Time Mission (Secunderabad: OM, 2005), 279-280.

follow the example of our Lord and make it the basis for our

holistic approach first the gospel, then service missions.

3. Mission and Contextualization

Mission must always be a two-way traffic, for the

context also has much to communicate to the communicator.

There will always be a dynamic interaction and mutual

influence between context and the communicator and his

message. Mission, after all, is always exercised among a

particular linguistic group in a defined context. Mission

always takes place in a particular context. That is, mission

inevitably takes place in concrete cultural and geographical

situations. Understanding of mission is also rooted in a

particular background. Appreciation and respect for the

culture, traditional, customs, and language is what makes

mission significant and appropriate among any people group.

It is imperative that the Christian ministers be aware of

this context, especially if he or she comes from a context

which is different from that of the people being

evangelized.106

106 Julian Saldanha, “Mission and Context,” in Emerging Indian Missiology Context and Concept, (eds.), Joseph Mattam and Joseph Valiamangalam

One of the great questions that come to mind is. How do

we communicate the gospel of Christ effectively and

meaningfully to the people? This is the right to be examined

the mission organizations and the churches to looking with

the socio-economic, political, cultural issues of the

present life scenario of the people. Our failure of

communication is failure of contextualization. Such a

relevant communication must be Biblical in content and

culturally relevant in its interpretation and expression of

God word to the people. This means that the gospel must be

contextualized according to the people’s needs. The gospel

addresses human beings, their minds, hearts, consciences,

and calls for their response. So that people can understand

the message when we doing mission to the particular people.

Such contextualization involves both the interpretation of

the gospel as well as the expression of the gospel. The

gospel has to be interpreted in such a way that it addresses

the life issues of the people. The method of expression

should be culturally adapted so that, the target of the

(Delhi: ISPCK, 2006), 2.

people will comprehend the message of Christ and

communication becomes effective.107

The mission and context means to bring the message of

faith applicable to every age, generation, and the cultures

of the people. If the gospel is to be understood, as

something which communicates truth is according to the term

of the human condition and the needs of the people. Then, it

can be communicated meaningful and understand by the

receivers of the gospel.108

In the context of Phom-Naga p community, earlier

missionaries faced many barriers in communicating the gospel

effectively to the audiences due to various factors. The

reasons were religious beliefs, cultures, context

differences, worldviews, and values. For example, there is

an eminent cultural linguistic and philosophical barrier to

understand the Bible from English and Greek terminology for

the non-English and non-Greek speaking audiences as well as107 S. D. Ponraj, An Introduction Missionary Anthropology: The Principles and

Practices of Communication of the Gospel in Cross-Cultural Context of India (Madras: Mission Educational Books, 1993), 11-12.

108 Charles H. Kraft, “Generation Appropriateness in Contextualization,” in The Urban Face of Mission: Ministering the Gospel in a Diverse and Changing World (eds.), Harvie M. Conn, et al (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2002), 132-133.

non-literate community. There is no adequate Phom-Naga

dialect for the ultimate reality as a Being. The word

“Kahvang” (“God” in Phom-Naga dialect), Phoms could not fully

understand the entire concept of God of the Bible, because,

there is philosophical and theological limitation in Phom-

Naga dialect apart from the cultural and worldviews

differences. Phoms define ‘God’ based on their own concept

and understanding. Likewise, each language gives expression

according to the own contextual concept, because no language

is philosophically and theologically neutral. This is also

one of the problems of the communicator of the gospel which

needs to be taken seriously as they try to present the

gospel suitably.109

In the context of Phom-Naga people first generation

Christians are more likely to be concerned about the

separation from the culture. It is true, their probably

concern on the spiritual not concern on the cultural issues

and missionary did not express Christian mission appropriate

with Phom-Naga cultural form. That is the reason the

109 Phomlee Van, Church in Missio Dei: A Biblical Retrospection (M.TH. Thesis, Oriental Theological Seminary, Dimapur, 2006), 35.

Christian mission was not forward. In this circumstance the

questions come to us is. What should be contextualized? What

is the object of contextualization? How can the gospel come

alive in all these different cultural contexts and still be

the same authentic gospel? This is the inevitable question

being faced to Christian ministers while doing cross-

cultural mission. In the light of missiological difference

let us closely and carefully study the term

“contextualization,” and try to arrive with some practical

strategies of how to present the gospel message efficiently

and meaningfully across the cultures as commanded by the

Lord Jesus Christ.110 We understand that Contextualization

doesn’t mean blankly accept the old belief and customs

rather study carefully with regard to the meaning within the

cultural setting and then interpret in the light of biblical

term.

3.1. Purpose of Contextualization

The term contextualization was first coined by Shoki

Coe and Aharoan Sapsezian, director of the Theological

110 Ibid., 35.

Education Fund of the World Council of Churches in their

1972 report, “Ministry in Context.” They suggested that

contextualization implies all that is involved in the term

of indigenization which normally relates to traditional

cultural values, but goes beyond it to take into account,

very seriously, the contemporary factors in cultural change.

It deals with present day socio-economic, political, and

cultural issues. Contextualization is the process of

communicating the meaning of the Word of God in terms of

context relevant for each of the cultures of today’s world

111

When we go back to the biblical term, both prophets and

apostles while they communicate message of God to people,

they knew their audience, their culture, and the socio-

political setting of their time. Effectively they

communicated with the listener to make decision to be Jesus’

people. So the purpose of contextualization is nothing less

than the whole design for living and all that this totality

implies. Christ must incarnate first of all in the

111 F. Hrangkhuma, “Mission in Context,” in Mission and Missions, (ed.),Jey J. Kanagaray (Pune: Union Biblical Seminary, 1998), 117.

manifested culture. The gospel should be meaningfully in the

given society to whom message is directed as well as without

destroying the truth of the gospel.

The main target of contextualization is message of

Christ should be embodied and translated in a concrete

historical situation. In this sense it involves interaction

of the text (Bible) and the context (historical situation)

by any people. In addition, contextualization enters above

all into whatever we shall say about the implicit culture,

the organization and dynamics of a life way. This very

broader understanding of contextualization in term holistic

view of the object of contextualization will be fact as we

begin the contextualized the mission in the people cultural

term.112

Traditional accommodation is basically ecclesiocentric.

Contextualization should not be institutional dimension of

the church rather primarily the gospel-centred. The primary

emphasis an inculturation is clearly on the integration of

112 Glory E. Dharmaraj and Jacob Dharmaraj, Mutuality in Mission: A Theological Principle for the 21st Century (New York: United Methodist Ministries, 2001), 11.

culture with Christ and His basic message. This means

communicate the message of Christ not western cultures,

technology, medicine, higher education. True

contextualization is attempt first for the kingdom of God

and his righteousness, (Matthew 6:33). Many missionaries

could forget the core meaning of the message of Christ and

bring the good news in the western termology which is not

applicable it all in the local culture.113

3.2. The Need for Contextualization

We understand that the meaning of contextualization is

message of God should be meaningfully related within the

context and reveal the gospel truth of Christ based on the

people circumstance. Contextualization is both verbal and

nonverbal and has to do with theologizing, in Bible

translation, interpretation and application, incarnational

lifestyle. Contextualization is to be used in the sense of

responding to the gospel in term of a traditional culture.

It involves a meaningful and relevant communication of the

gospel to meet the needs of the whole man and his society.

113 Luzbetak, The Church and Cultures, 72.

114 In term of context the gospel has to be made appropriate

to the people’s condition and environment, in which they

live. According to Chris Sugden, Samuel understands context

as follows:

Context is the environment of a discourse oraction. It is a time space where understandingtakes place, action is engaged and resultsemerge. Contextualization implies that we examinethe context, and awareness of how the contextitself shapes the way we think through ourbeliefs, priorities, affirmations, and the way weconstruct our action. It is the emergence of newidentities in history, to appropriate somethingnew in the historical context. Thus communicationrequires context not just content. In the earlierpattern of mission, content was part of thecommunication. In the new patterns, communicationof the gospel requires context and is much morefocused on the process.115

In this statement we understand that before present the

gospel it is important to observe or scrutinize the context

carefully, because when going for contextualization we

should know historical condition of the people. It doesn’t a

matter to present the gospel simply rather communicate in

term of their cultural context and context is a necessary to

114 Ponraj, An Introduction Missionary Anthropology, 14.115 Chris Sugden, Gospel, Culture and Transformation (New Delhi: Regnum,

1997), 3.

embody gospel to the people that should be our target while

presenting the message of Christ to them.

Contextualization of the gospel should cover at least

three areas of Christian mission: The interpretation of the

theology of the gospel, the expression of the content of the

gospel and the realization of the response to the gospel. To

understand the culture of the people is essential for the

contextualization of the gospel. In other word missionary

should adapt one’s life style of the people and applies

within cultural perspective of the people.116

There are several levels to take initiative in

contextualization. First, the Bible message should be

interpreted into the local language which people can

understand easily. Second, traditional custom and culture

should transform in the Christian perspective. Cultures are

human creations, because humans are created in the image of

God, they can create what is good and beautiful. But humans

are also sinners, so sinfulness is found in every culture.

Third, the church is to be new socio-cultural order. This

116 Ponraj, An Introduction Missionary Anthropology, 15.

order should not be a reflection of the native culture of

the gospel presenter; rather, it should be increasingly

manifest in the kingdom of God within that socio-cultural

context. Finally, the church in socio-cultural settings must

develop its own theology by applying Biblical truth to the

day to day issues it faces. As the church in a given socio-

cultural setting seeks to contextualize the gospel, it is

keenly aware of the needs the gospel must address within the

condition of the people.117

3.3. Cultural Forms as the first Level of Contextualization

Contextualization is always a matter of cultural form,

it is sufficient to understand the word form to mean the

‘shape’ of the particular cultural patterns for example who,

what, when, where, what kind, and how. Such forms are the

outward expression of the deeper meaning of form. When

speaking of form, we refer to the outward ‘shape’ of a

symbol, not the inner meanings, neither symbol nor are we

saying anything about how one symbol is connected with other

symbols in the given cultural system.

117 Hiebert, Anthropological Reflection on Missiological Issues, 101-102.

First of all incarnating the gospel with culture

requires it to respects all forms; it does not prejudge any

form as important or unimportant, relevant or irrelevant. In

contextualization, the total account of culture matters.

Pagan culture may be far more meaningful than a missionary

imported Christian form. So every culture form has a meaning

for the people in order to live their lives in the society.

In fact, no one can deny any culture without examine the

uniqueness of the culture rather we need to discover the

meaning of the culture and present the gospel to them. A

basic the principle in contextualization is that forms are

attaching any meaning that they might carry to live.118

3.4. Indigenization and Contextualization

Indigenization simply means ‘native’ or belonging

naturally, and characterizing a particular region.

Indigenization means suitable with a local culture, native

language, economic, their values, and the socio-cultural

life of the People. This word indigenization was used in the

Indian church in the beginning of the nineteenth century.

118 Ponraj, An Introduction Missionary Anthropology, 75.

The reason for this is that Christianity became popular only

with the coming of the British though Christianity has come

to India around 52 AD. The early church thought to

indigenize practices in order to reach the higher caste

Hindus. In the same time unless and until applied indigenous

method in India it cannot be possible to win people to

Christ therefore indigenization become key principle in the

Christian mission. Indigenous is the concept most commonly

used today by ethnic groups in order to contextualize with

the tribal cultural pattern.119

Indigenization is essential and significance in order

to rooted gospel to the ethnic group. The church of

indigenous design indicates a grass-roots interaction with

Christian sources manifesting constructive liberation.

Constructive of inculturation is an integral part of the

process of Christianization. For the solid establishment of

Christian church and organization we needed purely method of

indigenization. It is nurtured in the native culture and

tradition it always important to interpret the gospel of

119 David L. Horowitz, Ethnic groups in Conflict (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995), 201-202.

Christ in a way that they can understand- in dress, food and

living, then only gospel will be rooted deeply in the

soil.120

The principles of indigenization are apply the church

should be a viable, relevant force in its culture. This

guiding principle has served the expansion of the Christian

mission. The Theological Education Fund of the WCC issued

its ministry in context in 1972 states:

It [contextualization] means all that is impliedin the familiar term “indigenization” and yetseeks to press beyond. Contextualization has to dowith how we assess the peculiarity of third worldcontexts. Indigenization tends to be used in thesense of responding to the Gospel in terms of atraditional culture. Contextualization, while notignoring this, takes into account the process ofsecularity, technology, and the struggle for humanjustice, which characterizes the historical momentof national in the third world.121

Contextual indigenization is nothing against our faith;

however essential things that we should know is not

contradict with the Biblical truth however reveal the truth

120 William A. Smalley, “Cultural Implications of an Indigenous Church,” in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, (eds.), Winter Ralph, et al (Carlisle: Wm. Carey Library, 1999), 474.121 Donald R. Jacobs, “Contextualization in Mission,” in Toward the

1st Century in Christian Mission, (eds.), James M. Philips and Robert T. Coote (Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1993), 239.

of Christ to them. Many of the recent Indian theologians

have expressed their Christian faith in truly Indian ways.

In this condition indigenization is necessary for the far

more development in Indian church even in these days.122

The mean idea of indigenization is frame the gospel

message in language and communication forms appropriate and

meaningful to the local culture and to focus the message

upon crucial issues in the lives of the people. The

contextualized indigenous church is built upon culturally

appropriate methods of instruction that are familiar and

part of local traditions.123

The development of the concept of indigenization is a

post-independence experience in India. The exponents of this

concept stressed the relevant of Christianity in and its

message of contemporary India. In this issue we understand

that contextual indigenization means, Christianity becoming

relevant to the issues of the independent India. In the

post-India Independent, indigenization stood for contextual

122 Sundararajan G. Immanuel, Indian Culture and Christianity (Secunderabad: O M Books, 2002), 70.

123 Sherwood Lingenfelter, Transforming Culture: A Challenge Christian Mission,2nd Edition (Michigan: Baker Books, 1998), 12-13.

indigenization. According to Ponraj, M. M. Thomas says,

“Christianity to be relevant to the need of hour. As the

independent India was busy in building the nation, so also

they want church to involve in development activities.” this

means Christianity should be appropriate with the people of

the India relevant with their cultures and the way of

life.124

Christian mission should be relevant with local

culture, native language, economic, and the socio-cultural

life of the people. It is essential since Christian mission

without matching with cultures it is not possible to

establish indigenous churches and organizations genuinely.

When we look back in present context it is needed and

necessary to see the element of indigenization according to

the context. In the context of Phom-Naga people, there is

more undone task remain to us for the future extension of

the indigenous Christianity looking with the present socio-

cultural issues. In fact, this issue challenges us to more

124 ? Peter Vethanayagamony, Introduction to History of Christianity in India (Chennai: HBI& C, 1998), 128.

sensible for the indigenous method, suitably in context of

the people.

3.5. The Church and the Contextualization of the Gospel

John 1:14 is the key principle to understand the church

and the contextualization of the gospel. Since, Christ

revealed in human form in order to communicate with people.

It is the only as the word of God become flesh in the people

of God, that the Gospel takes shape within culture.

According to God’s purpose, the gospel is never to be merely

a message in words but a message incarnate in his Church

and, through it, in historical situation has appointed the

church as his instrument for the manifestation of Christ’s

presence in the midst of men.125

Christianity is not a culture but a religion.

Therefore, it should be understood in the culture of the

people. The gospel must recognize the heritage and response

of a particular people from their value premises about the

word and the human existence. Christianity will have less

125 Ponraj, An Introduction Missionary Anthropology, 306-307

meaning if it is not contextualized to a particular context.

According to Asenla, Renthy Keitzar, quoted:

Christianity is not indigenous to Nagaland becauseit was not born or produced in this place; it wasbrought from America with an American or westernform of culture. It has to be indigenized if itsmessage is to be locally or regionally relevant tothe Nagas. The Christian Nagas must translate thegospel message in terms of Naga way of life andthought patterns that may effect an indigenizationof Christian theology and that can be called asNagas Christian theology. 126

In the Phom –Naga soil, the message of Christ brought by the

American Baptist missionary and the neighbouring tribe with

their culture it was not appropriate with Phom-Naga cultural

pattern, that the factors mission was not effective and lose

their colourful, rich cultures that make more problem than

to penetrate the gospel to them. To make gospel meaningful

to the Phom-Naga people, its need cultural revitalization in

order to rooted the mission in their soil.

The Phoms have experiences of actual life and faith in

their own context to empresses their relationship with God

126 Asenla, “Gospel and Tribal Culture: Naga Perspective,” in Good News for North East India: A Theological Reader, (ed.), Renthy Keitzar, (Guwahati: Christian Literature Centre, 1995), 165.

who concerns with their total salvation. The existing form

and function of Christian ministry in Phom-Naga churches

today are far from appropriate because they lack

contemporary relevance to socio-cultural life and so the

people tend to improvise original patterns of ministry,

borrowing from here and there, which are neither cultural

nor theological orientations? Similarly, the ministry of

service and witness should be patterned along the line of

Phom-Naga traditional diplomacy, hospitality, social service

and development. There should be relevant, functional and

dynamic, as well as active, directed to human society and

needs rather than mere theoretical publicity. Thus the

mission of the church in all the stage in the form of

ministry should be adapted it culture and religious

tradition.127

In the present life of the people living in a mix

culture which distorted by the foreign culture, but now it

is the challenging stage. People should forget the

foreignness of Christ and find a way to feel and mean Christ

127 Ibid., 166.

who is living and saving the people in their own culture.

Today mission activities should be understood in a wholistic

point of view. It will be possible only when people revive

the good elements of the culture which have been dissolved

into Christianity. Furthermore, this approach can make

people understand the gospel obviously. In conceptualizing

the gospel one should not try to narrow down the total

Biblical message which concerns fill humanity to a certain

aspects of human life. It should include the salvation of

individual, social and the whole community. People have been

facing the problem of cultural infiltration in the society.

Cultural revitalization has become one of the greatest

challenges to the younger generation specially. But it is

possible to re-invent the meaning of the Christianity by way

of changing the worship pattern and make use of their folk-

tune, loving their traditional which people can feel God

closer and find the true meaning of religion in it.128

In oral communication in Christian witness, the gospel

can be present through narrative telling story, proverb,

128 Ibid., 167-168.

riddles, and indigenous folk song are set within a cultural

context. This is one of the easy ways to communicate Christ

in the traditional method especially in the context of the

tribal people. Since, they have abundant traditional

folktale which are very much related to the Bible story.

This is one of the ways of contextualization, for the

purpose of communication of Christ.129

3.6. Contextualization: Its Theological Roots

It is very essential to recognize that the New and Old

Testaments literature arises out of a context. The New

Testament is a prime example of contextualization, and it

gives patterns which indicate that there is an amount of

contextualization which is necessary. David J. Hesselgrave,

one of the prominent missiologist writes, while we

appropriately emphasize the timelessness of God’s message

through His Son and the apostles we must also recognize that

it was delivered into an environment, a context. And it

cannot be fully understood or transmitted into another

129 Roberta R. King, Oral Communication in Christian Witness (Pasadena:Fuller School of Intercultural Studies, 2008), 37-38.

context without a full comprehension of the original

context.130

However, context is very important to determining the

meaning of symbols. The ancient rhetoricians gave little

consideration to cultural context as such. The apostles were

however, forced to come to terms with cultural differences

as soon as the early Church began to break out of the

cultural and religious pattern from the Judaism. As we

concern about the contextualization in its theological

roots, the early Church fathers were sensitive to it when

they met in great ecumenical councils designed to preserve

an orthodox faith on the one hand while allowing for a

meaningful and persuasive communication of it in the

contexts of pagan and unbelieving cultures on the other.131

Today, the term contextualization has become a

comprehensive term for a variety of theological models. It

has assumed increasing prominence in understanding the

process of Christian reflection. More and more evangelical130 David J. Hesselgrave, Theology and Mission (Michigan: Baker Book

House, 1978), 72.131 David J. Hesselgrave, Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally: An

Introduction to Missionary Communication, 2nd edition (Michigan: Zondervan, 1991), 131.

have began to recognize that contextualization the faith’

has been a part of the mission of the Church from the

beginning.

In the globalized world an influencing one culture to

another missionary should be sensible to learn language,

culture of the people and give in sense adaptation and

accommodation and it is constructive form word in context

itself. Contextualization now broadly used in missiological

and theological literature. It is not a matter that simply

fit the Gospel to people but the Gospel should be

expressively present within the structure of a traditional

culture and situational condition.132

3.6.1. Contextual Theology

Contextual theology calls for a different approach

according to the cultural context. Contextual theology is a

people -based. The experience of people, their struggle,

history, neglect, isolation, becomes the sources of

theologizing. In the tribal perspective all these sources

132 Van, Church in Missio Dei, 39

are abundantly available.133 The Madras Conference of the

International Missionary Council in 1938 came up with a

definition: “An indigenous church, young or old, in the East

or in the West, is a church which, rooted in obedience to

Christ, spontaneously uses forms of thought and modes of

action natural and familiar in its own environment.”134 To

develop contextual theology one needs to look into various

aspects and takes into consideration, for example, political

setup, socio-cultural life, economic situation, their

philosophy, worldview, language, thought form and all

practices of the people, in order to make it more relevant

and meaningful to them. Christian mission should be

according to the cultural background, environment,

circumstance, and relevance with their needs so that it may

identify and truth of Christ may reveal with them. It is

necessary to apply contextual theology to them base on the

situation demand. There is a Biblical tradition which speaks

of God entering into a “personal pact” with the whole

133 L. Jeyaseelan, “Conflict Situation in North-East India: The Church’s Response” in No More Gun: Peoples Struggle for Jesus Focus on North East India, (ed.), A. Wati Longchar (Jorhat: ETC, 2000), 41.

134 Kane, The Christian World Mission, 185.

creation. This means that God had already established a

personal deal with the whole creation.135

The word flesh implies that God chose to reveal himself

in a particular time and space, and through a particular

culture. Theology must be contextual because cultural

differences are intrinsic to human nature. Just the culture

shapes the human voice that answers the voice of Christ, so

too the way we perceive the massage of God in Christ is

different from culture to culture. Today churches planted by

the western missionaries are beginning to look at what they

have inherited as the gospel message and Christian culture,

and they have a fuller awareness of the need to own the

gospel anew in their own culture, and express it in an

expression and concept that make sense to their own

people.136 If gospel should not be express in term of the

cultural context. Gospel and culture will always contradict

and gospel will never impressive to the people. Therefore it

is important to express the according to the people

135 Ibid., 68.136 K. Thanzauva, Theology of Community Tribal Theology in the Making

(Mizoram: Mizo Theological Conference Aizawl, 1997), 58.

worldview and cultural way so that it will reveal the truth

within the cultural context.

As the core value of the gospel spreads through all

culture, it is found in every culture, even though in the

imperfect form. That core value can be received from outside

the one’s own culture that is from western tradition and

life style.137 Our theological task is to re-discover the

essence that has been present in the particular culture and

engage in the dialogue with to whom the message would

presented and transform by the gospel of Christ. In other

words, the method of contextualization is a dialogical

interaction of the tribal culture and the gospel. Whenever

the gospel is received from outside of one’s own culture,

contextualization is necessary. Since the gospel is present

in every culture in an imperfect form, rediscovery of the

hidden gospel from one’s own culture is necessary to

interact with the gospel received from outside. This is the

grounds principle that Thanzauva, says; and often uses term

“rediscovery” of the gospel truth from the own culture and

137 Ponraj, An Introduction Missionary Anthropology, 89.

tradition. Contextualization is therefore a process of

interaction between the hidden gospel of the particular

people and culture.138

Is western culture the only valid expression of

Christian faith? Is no other culture sufficient to express

Christian mission and faith? Western missionaries had been

transplanted in a foreign soil, imposed on the people

whether they understand it or not; whether it is meaningful

or not, recipient have to learn and believe it. While this

type of extreme negative attitude towards other culture and

would rejected, unfortunately it remains in unfruitful in

any course. The Bible must be studied and understood in the

context, not a filter of the contemporary western prospect,

and it is to be more directly related to the worldview of

the people. The direction should be their worldview in their

understanding and interpretation of the Bible rather than

the western critical technique. It is important to know that

138 Thanzauva, Theology of Community Tribal Theology in the Making , 61.

the socio-economic situation does influence the

interpretation of scripture to a large extent.139

Thanzauva, in his book, Theology of Community Tribal Theology

in the Making, discussed some of the point is; the message of

the gospel has not sufficiently gone deep into the tribal

culture; it has not taken root firmly in that soil. Gospel

should be indigenized its message is to be locally or

regionally relevant to the culture. Christianity in tribal

community has been indigenized to a certain extent that is

not sufficient, it has to be more work to be done.140 But the

contextual theology should base on the Bible, interpreted in

the power of the Holy Spirit and together discussed among

the Biblically based and spirit filled people within the

church.

4. Mission in the Cultural Perspective

Ken Gnanakan, in his book, Kingdom Concern, he discussed

that, doing mission theology in the perspective of culture

is indispensable, constructive approach to culture is

139 L.Imsutoshi Jamir, A Century of Christianity in Nagaland (Guwahati: CLC,1995), 4.

140 Thanzauva, Theology of Community Tribal Theology in the Making, 69.

paramount missiological concern. If culture is essential in

presenting the gospel cross-culturally, then how can we

evaluate culture positively? Can culture influence mission

theology or missiology influence culture? These are some

issue while dealing with mission and culture.141

Many people misunderstood about the culture in the

earlier days. For them any thing which has to do with

culture is evil. That is the reason why missionary forced

the believers to burn all the traditional attires in Phom

areas during the revival movement in 1970’s, but a deeper

understanding of creation enables us to correct false

analysis of the gospel which have robbed God’s mission of

its rightful place within a concrete historical context.142

Gnanakan express, “God involvement in creation itself could

be seen as the inauguration of culture” 143 the positive

acceptance of the relationship between culture and mission

theology is indispensable for missioners. It is not

acceptable to remove the cultures while doing mission in the

141 Ken Gnanakan, Kingdom Concern (Leicester: InterVarsity, 1993), 61.

142 Van, Church in Missio Dei, 56.143 Ken Gnanakan, Kingdom Concern, 63.

particular language group rather we need to study culture

with positive attitudes in the perspective of God creation.

Because culture is a key principle in missiological

viewpoint since, cultures whether good or bad all are under

God’s creation.144

In 1996, a National Consultation was held in Nasrapur,

Maharastra. The seminar made the following affirmations

regarding their faith in regard to the question of God’s

mission in relation to people of other faith and cultures:

Affirming our faith that Christ is the Lord of allhistory, we do believe that the whole of mankind,its culture and religions, are embraced by God’spurpose of salvation.’ Again, ‘there is salvationonly in Jesus Christ, and wherever men areredeemed from the power of sin and receive God’ssaving grace, it is through him.’…Obedience toChrist is always the norm in indigenization.Commitment to Christ is ultimate, and thiscommitment guides the Church in avoiding thepitfalls of indigenization. 145

This means that God openness to every culture to

receive His salvation. In the same time God did not

reject any culture rather His message reveal according144 Ibid.145 P. David, “Mission in the Cultural Context of India,” in Debate

Mission: Issues from the Indian Context, (eds.), Herbert E. Hoefer, et al (Madras: Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, 1979), 186.

to the condition of the social cultural life of the

people. To identify the people of other faith and

cultures is more important for the effective channels

of communicating the gospel, instead of using the forms

of expressions handed down to us from the western

world.

4.1. Missions and Religio-Cultural Abuses

George W. Peters writes in his article that Christian

mission has been blamed for breaking up cultures of people

and for disrupting the normal life of multitudes of tribes

and clans. Such accusations have come mainly from

anthropologists. However, such charges are based largely on

non-Christian premises and spring from inadequate historical

knowledge. Christian missions can be credited with ridding

the world of many cruelties and inhuman beliefs and

practices. It is largely because of the impact of Christian

mission that, for example, burning of widows was abolished.

Christian missions have to stand against such attitudes and

inhuman practices.146

146 George W. Peters, “Missions in Cultural Perspectives,” in Vital Missions Issues: Examining Challenges and Changes in World Evangelism, (ed.), Roy B.

We understand what Peters pointed regarding the

religio-cultural abuses however when back to the tribal

people particularly in Nagaland the cruelties practiced of

headhunting culture was eradicated. Moreover we cannot judge

culture blindly as unchristian because culture always

attached with religious and socio-cultural life of the

people. In the same time every culture there is a certain

uniqueness and value. Perhaps, we cannot ignore any culture

rather transform in the light Christian perspective. As

mentioned earlier Phom-Naga traditional dresses was

distorted during the revival movement and judged as

unacceptable in the Christian circles. In a real sense no

culture can be considered evil unless it is harmful.

4.2. Mission and Religio-Cultural Enrichment

Western civilization and culture are certainly not to

be identified with Christianity and even less so with the

gospel. This was one of the faulty ideas that were found

during nineteenth century Christianity. Western materialism,

secularism, and World War II shattered this idea. Perhaps,

Zuck (Eugene: Wipf and Stock, 1998), 35.

it still remains a fact that the gospel does bring

enrichment as well as judgment. Modern missions has taken

with it values into the world which have done much good,

benefits which have enriched peoples, and nations. These

speak most favourably for missions to any unprejudiced

person. Enrichment has come in such forms as education,

modern medicine, industry, vocational training, and values

wrapped up in the Christian community. They encourage and

support what is good in culture, society, institution,

establishments. As salt of the earth and light of the world

the church much continuously and energetically pursue the

well-being of mankind.147

4.3. Localization and Attitude

The aims of mission are seen as: the localization of

Christ, the localization of the gospel, and the localization

of church. The very nature of Christianity is to be subject

to localization, otherwise its universality becomes

meaningless. Evangelization is mainly an act of proclaiming

Christianity’s universality. The gospel should be spread out

147 Ibid., 36.

world wide. However, localization it means translating the

universality of the Christian faith into a language

understood by the people of a given region. Since language

is the key component in culture. Harry Parkin agrees that,

lack of localization of mission is always ineffective in any

matter. It has been always brought into encounter with

culture.148

Regarding the attitude towards those whom we work or

what kind of people they are the primarily step for the

mission promotion. It is not an attitude about the

principles, but it is attitude towards people. Mission is

important to meet upon the individual perspective. An

individual encounter is based on respect for the positive

values by which other people live their lives irrespective

of the apparent source of those values respect for the

comprehensiveness of another way of living and an openness

to go beyond external forms and a readiness to discern the

content of the form.

148 Harry Parkin, “Mission in Cross-Cultural Context,” in Debate Mission: Issues from the Indian Context, (eds.), Herbert E. Hoefer, et al (Madras: Gurukhul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, 1979), 176.

What is the reason that mission is not expressive? Why

is the gospel rejected? The consequences are not because of

the scandal the gospel itself, but because of insensitivity,

careless techniques of the missioner or because of the

foreignness form of presentation or alien ideological

attitude. Unless and until we come to the level of local

worldview it may not be a impressive and understandable. If

we communicate the gospel to local people in the form of

alien cultural pattern surely it will lead confuse the

people and they will not understand the meaning of the

gospel. In fact, it is relevant neither culturally nor

religiously applicable in the local context which lead

discouragement to accept the message of Christ.

For example, if the gospel localized in Phomland then

consequences of localization of Christ and gospel this may

redeem their culture, traditional belief and practices and

the totality of the Phom-Naga life, and faith will be

unified into the totality of Christ. Regarding localization

of gospel, Parkin concluded that, “the localization of

Christ, gospel and church is a task for the people

themselves.”149 Because of God’s eternal involvement in the

whole of human life and the gospel are hidden in the

cultures of the world. A core penetration of those cultures

will reveal the evidence of that involvement. That evidence

indicates the most important for mission. Christian mission

should be always in the context of locality it because the

mission concern is a receiver not for communicator therefore

it is important to viewpoint in term of the local pattern of

way.3

The mission of God is to crossing geographic, cultural,

political, economic and social barriers with the intention

of transforming human life in all its dimensions, according

to God’s purpose, and of enabling human beings to enjoy the

abundant life that God wants to give to them and that Jesus

Christ came to share with them. Thus, issues of justice for

the poor, orphans and downtrodden people thus concern for

every issues.

CHAPTER–3

149 Ibid., 184.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE EMPERICAL STUDY

In the previous chapter, I have discussed about the

mission in the cultural perspective. This chapter attempts

to trace out the brief historical background of Phom-Naga

tribe. It deals with a brief look about the culturally

relevancy of the gospel in the Phom-Naga tribe. This is

based on an empirical research; using mainly personal

interview since the contents of the research is based on the

mission in the cultural context. The personal interviews are

mostly directed to the pastors, students and leaders of the

different organizations those who are actively involve

within the Phom-Naga Christian organization, churches, and

government institution. The interview’s questions are found

in the appendix.

1. A Brief Socio-Cultural Background of the Phom-Naga Tribe

Nagaland is situated at the extreme corner of the

North-Eastern India, bordering Assam in the West, Arunachal

Pradesh in the North, Manipur in the North and Myanmar in

the East. Culturally Nagas are of Mongoloid tribes. There

are sixteen tribes whose culture is basically identical.150

At present Naga society is considered as one of the fastest

changing societies among the tribal communities of North-

East India. In the aspect, of literacy rate, habit, style of

living, economy, and the changes from tradition to modernity

are found to be very high. There are sixteen tribes in

Nagaland among them Phom is one of the fourteen major tribes

in Nagaland consisting of forty two villages. Longleng is

the headquarters for both political and Christian mission

activities. Geographically the land is covered by far above

the ground altitude hills streams and forest. The majority

of the Phom-Naga villages are located on the top of the

hilltops for strategic reasons with a well-decorated village

entry gate.

The term ‘Phom’ was formally referred to the people of

Poncing village (now called Phomching). Phom-Naga tribe is

consisted of Phom village, Chang villages on the eastern

side of Piyongkong hills, the Konyak villages on the western

bank of Yangnum River and few trans-Dikhu Ao villages.

150 Veprari Epao, From Naga Animism to Christianity (Dimapur: Hindustan Print, 1998), 1.

Before the British arrival the people residing in the

territory extending up to Laidogarh on the South of Sibsagar

borders were known as ‘Abhor’.151 “Phom” is descriptive of

both the tribe and the language which is spoken. The area

occupied by the Phom-Naga is in North-Eastern part of

Nagaland. Phom-Naga region comprises of three ranges; they

are called the Yingnyu range, the Shemong range, and the

Chingmei range.152 Phom-Naga people are like the other Nagas,

are an independent and warlike community among the Nagas.

1.1. The Origin and Migration of Phoms

The history of how the Phom-Naga tribe arrived and when

they exactly occupied their present location has yet to be

established. They have its own legends which to give some

indication of how migration took place. A close study of

those legends and traditions reveal that the area had been

peopled by successive waves of immigration from different

directions. It is most probable that Phom formed one such

wave of immigrants.153

151 Tajenyuba Ao, British Occupation of Naga Country (Mokokchung: Naga Literature Society, 1993), 111.

152 Noklang, Phom Day, 11.153 Na, Educational Tour: Connecting Visions (Delhi: TMSU, 2004), 13.

It is very difficult to define precise from where they

migrated, since each village has a certain legend about the

migration of the Phom-Naga tribe. One of the traditions says

that, the Phoms emerged from ‘Yingnyushang’ itself which is

one of the third highest mountains in Nagaland. This

mountain is located on Phom soil, from where the people were

scattered all over the Nagaland. Another popular theory is

that large group of people emerged from six stones at

‘Chungliyimti,’ this is one of the place names which people

believed that they are emerged from ‘Chungliyemti’ itself.

Till today there are six big stones laying in this

particular located which people believed that they are from

where the people were scattered to different direction.

There is some evidence to prove that they settled at

Chungliyimti long enough to reformed their social cultural

life. There is a legend about the Phoms which runs that they

at one time stayed together with other tribes at

Chungliyimti village.154Dispersion from Chungliyimti seems to

be true according to what Hokishe Sema writes: The

154 Ao, British Occupation of Naga Country, 20.

population of the Chungliyimti village, after a long period

of settlement, grew so big that some of them had to search

for new places of settlement; consequently, many of them

crossed the river Dikhu after constructing a cause bridge

over it.155

From there a large group of people crossed the Dikhu

River and dispersed in different direction. Subsequently

numerous people came and settled down in what is presently

called Phom-Naga area. This people mostly settled in

Chingmei and Shemong ranges. It is possible to conclude from

these two traditions that the Phom-Naga originally belonged

to two particular linguistic groups namely; one group of

people from ‘Yingnyu Shang’ which was mentioned earlier and

another group which came down from ‘Chungliyimti’ village.

In spite of all this, modern sociologists conclude that

the Nagas are a family of Mongoloid stock and they migrated

from the south-eastern part of the country. According to Mar

Atongsong Changar, Smith writes, some of the similar

characteristic as headhunting, common sleeping houses for

155 Hokishe Sema, Emergence of Nagaland Socio- Economic and Political Transformation and the Future (New Delhi: Vikas, 1986), 2.

unmarried men, disposal of the dead on raised platforms, and

hilly residences. This clearly helps us to conclude that at

one time or other; the Nagas were intimately linked with the

tribes of the South-East Asia, as their place or original

home.156

1.1.1. The Political System

Before the British Government arrived the polity of

Phom-Naga society varied from near dictatorship to an

extreme democracy. Every village had a chief (village

headman). As far as the early of the Phom political set up

was concerned each village was a sovereign state. Each

village was an autonomous unit in the tribe even in the days

when village were engaged in constant war.157

The succession to the office of the chief differed from

clan to clans.There was no retirement age or term prescribed

for the village head and village council member. But his

status continues so long as his age permits. According to

the tradition Phom villages’ administration, it was

156 Mar Atongsong Changar, Christian and Social Change (Guwahati: CLC, 1995), 11.

157 P.T. Philip, The Growth of Baptist Churches in Nagaland (Guwahati: Christian Literature Centre, 1983), 30.

autocratic in nature. Women had no voice nor do any right it

the administration of the village council. But most of the

villages were democratically ruled by elders from the each

unit clan is called ‘Pangshan’ autocratically nature of

government step by step changing into democratically system

in every village. At present system of administration is

known as village council or panchayat.

There is some limitation for the women in the village

administration includes like village development board,

village education and health board etc. gradually the

autocratically structure of the government replace into

democratic way of administration.158

In the present system of Phom-Naga villages are ruled

by the village council (Ching Uoshing) of the respective

villages. The villages’ council members are appointed

democratically. The village council is formed by the

representative of every clan called ‘bangshan’. Every

village is sovereign within and the village authority is

vested in the hand of a ruler in some villages and s group

158 Noklang, Phom Day, 34.

of people in other. We also found in their community there

is seldom interrelation between neighboring villages, unless

the earlier treaty concluded. Every one, adolescent and

elders love or find irresistible their village, it is

regarded as a sacred duty that every one defend their

village at the cost of his life and bring home as many heads

as they could. Every male maintained his status in the

community by defending and engaging war for the welfare of

the village.

1.1.2. The Economic life

The traditional Phoms are self-reliant and self-

sufficient have economic resources in each village. In those

days they were not in shortage of anything and made things

from what was available in their land. The main occupation

of the people in those days was basically primitive method

of shifting cultivation. Rearing of domestic animals was not

primary for commercial purposes but just to meet the

requirements of the family needs. The livestock of the Phoms

are mainly found cows, pigs, goats, cats, dogs, ducks,

pigeons, and geese. According to C. Amop Noklang in his book

Phom Day: A Basis for Peace in Nagaland, he clearly mentioned about

the Phom-Naga socio-economic life of the people. Primitive

Phoms were independently living people created themselves

that anything they needed such as exploit to produced their

own clothes out of the cottons, which they cultivate cottons

farms for their living. Most of the raw materials for the

manufacture of a verity of crafts are found in their land.

After the harvest women were engaged themselves in weaving

for the whole family which the men engaged in bamboo works,

cane works, black smithy, and wooden works. The earlier days

goods were exchanged through barter a system. The crop of

rice, land possessed, forest resources, ornaments, clothing,

are considered as their possessions or wealth commodities

and like salt which they could not produce were exchanged

with Assamese through goods, rice, shawls, livestock, local

baskets and utensils.159In the early days the Phom-Naga had

no salt as we have today, further B. Henshet writes, “Phoms

used water from brine spring before introduction of salt.”

This was the alternative salt for them in the earlier days

159 Noklang, Phom Day, 37-38.

since they could not produce themselves the salt that we are

using today. With the passage of time modern economic and

technology system is replacing the rural economic structure

through mini industries like saw mill, rice mill, weaving

and knitting centre. The forest and the land are the major

economic resources for them.160

Hunting and fishing are their traditional occupations

of the Phoms. Individual families have an own land resource

as their property. The principle cultivation was paddy. The

main crops are paddy, corns, pumpkins, yam, millets and

various seasonal vegetables.161 The fruits commonly found in

their land, bananas, pears, oranges, jackfruits, and many

other seasonal fruits. Phoms demonstrate a concern and good

feeling toward the poor and needy people. Each village has a

separate practice, according to the tradition Phom-Naga live

in a community life, and they maintain mutual collaboration

inside the village jurisdiction and neighbouring village.

The rich and wealthy people never disregard poor and needy.

160 Henshet, The Phom-Naga Indigenous Religion, 11.161 O. Langtoyanngang Anghlee, The Creation Narratives in Genesis with Special

Reference to the Phom Naga Creation Myths (B.D. Thesis, Senate of Serampore College, 2002), 11.

The landless people are offered to lease the field of the

rich to cultivate during the cultivation season, even rich

families usually used to invite the poor during the

harvesting time to take free for their own family. If a

person face difficulties in the family and could not carry

out the work, clan and relative could help them with free of

service, as sympathy to their fellow beings. In this manner

concerning one another was established from very beginning

in the socio-economic life in the Phom-Naga community.162

1.4. The Social Life

Social life is defined as a position of beliefs or

values of a people; a way of life that distinguishes one

faction from other culture includes language, dress, art,

music, dances, food-habits, religion, socio-economic system,

and so on. In short, it means the entire way of life of the

community.163 Among the Phoms the largest unit is the village

and is bound together by social, political, cultural and

religious ties. The people as a whole are extremely rooted

162 A. Peihwang Wangsa, Christianity & Social Change: A case Study of Konyak Naga, (Mon: KBBB Mission Centre, 2000), 19.

163 C. Walu Walling, Sacrifice and Salvation (Impur: Ao Baptist Association, 1988), 2.

in the spirit of communitarian ethos. The individualistic

idea is not found in the traditional of Phom-Naga social

system. The village acts as a unit in all things and if any

body fails to be present at a village function, disciplinary

action is enforced. Thus, in this homogenous group of people

there is little space for any individualistic tendencies. 164

The structure of Phom-Naga community is basically rural in

character. Village social life is controlled by a village

chief or village council. The family is the fundamental

basis of society. Beside the family circle, there are two

areas of Phom-Naga social life that must be highlighted.

Bachelor’s Dormitory: Every Phom-Naga village was

divided into a number of zones called ‘Khel’ and each sector

has a domineering large house called ‘morung’ where every

unmarried young man has to sleep, dormitory style, till a

prescribed age. Every adolescent is a member of this

educational institution where the heritages of the tribe,

survival art, manners, defence, religion, music, life

education, and norms have been taught. Every young man of

164 Ibid., 3.

the ‘morung’ are the warriors who defend the village in

times of war, perform duties of emergency when needs arise

and volunteers for various task. A young man is thus

required to be alert all the time.165

The junior accorded high respect to the senior most

members of the dormitory. The bachelor’s dormitory was the

key institution in the village and centre of education. This

social life in the dormitory was the period of educated on

to every young boy to be qualified as a major man in the

village and make him fit to become a worthy citizen of the

village.166 B. Henshet has mentioned that, Women also had

dormitory, it is called ‘yow’ in Phom-Naga dialect. ‘Yow’

could be constructed according to the clan wise. Thus Phom-

Naga women too acquired their education to become a perfect

women citizen from their elders and peers. Today the

practice of common sleeping house has stopped it completely

however the role of young men is still very strong in every

village. 167

165 Interview with, Y. Chimoklemba, Teacher Bhumnyu, 28th May 2007.166 Ezamo Murry, The Introduction and the Growth of Christianity in Kyong Area is

Also General (Jorhat: Lireni Murry, 2003), 7-8.167 B. Henshet Phom, Danish Folkhojskole and Naga-Morung: Towards Reviving

Naga Indigenous Learning Institution (Jorhat: Hazarika Printing, 2004), 14.

The Sector Assembly: Normally forty to fifty households

in one colony and every sector of the village has certain

gathering place designed with stone-sitting encircle where

all men gathered every evening for at least two or three

hours for relaxation and for discussion. The subject matter

of the conversations here includes anything under the sun,

current or old, seasoned by humors and teasing when the

topic was not serious concerns. These villages’ media should

be there by at least one from each family member to have the

family updated with current news. This assembly keeps the

members of the sector in solidarity as it acts as the

fastest channels of the communication.

1.5. The Socio-Cultural Life

Racially the Phoms are Indo-Mongoloid stock like other

Naga tribes. They have their own language which is called

Phom dialect. There are five dialects within the Phom-Naga

tribes. The majority of the people of different village’s

different linguistics groups do not understand each other

even today. However, endeavors are being made to overcome

this problem by implemented of one common language as a

common ground for Phom-Naga in order to communicate one

another. Educational text books and other literature are

available including Phom-Naga Bible and dictionary in the

common language and are used in every occasion as a frequent

communication around the Phom-Naga people.

The Village: Most of the villages were built at the

peak of the hill or on the point of a high sloping range.

Village was never built in a valley due to the hostility

with of other villages and the tribes. Two other main

reasons the earlier Phom-Naga people choose location for the

established of the village were availability of water and

the ability to easily defend themselves.168 The setting was

up of a village gate accompanied by ceremonies and was meant

to be huge event for the village. The gate was hewn out of a

single log wood. The gate was ornamented with carving of

human figures, spearhead, and sun diagrams. The Gate was

opened in the morning and closed in the evening. They were

168 M. Horam, Naga Polity (New Delhi: B.R. Publishing, 1995), 19-20.

alert all the time and it has kept watch day and night to

defend for the possible incoming of the enemies.169

The Marriage System: Phom-Naga people consider marriage

as sacred and ordained for the procreation or reproduction

of the offspring for the extension of social unit. They

practice both arranged and love marriage. Phoms practice

inter-clan marriage system. Marriage within the same kin is

extremely prohibited by the customary code, and defaulters

are excluded in the society and expelled from the village

forever. There is no dowry system. A grand feast is

organized by both families if they belong to a wealthy

family.

During the marriage time the bride’s families send

their daughter along with some valuable things like baskets,

sword, shawl, sickle, and her own properties at the time of

marriage. Apart from this, a bridegroom helps his bride’s

family in the paddy fields, in domestic works and other

works when things happened. Divorce is extremely uncommon

among the Phom-Naga society. However, in case of divorce,

169 P.T. Philip, The Growth of Nagaland Baptist Churches in Nagaland (Guwahati: CLC, 1986), 29.

the guilty ones are penalized heavily according to the

village customary law. Marriage ceremonies were performed by

the eldest man of the bridegroom’s clan during the primal

religious. Coming of Christianity and the modern way of

living, traditional system of marriage has been gradually

replaced by the western style of marriage. Now the marriage

is conducted the Pastor’s in the church according to the

Christian principles.170

Customary Law: The customary law of the Phom-Naga is

the product of the oral, unwritten custom, cultural pattern,

social values and norms, which had been established through

old usage and practice by the people of Phom-Naga in their

societies. This was passed down from one generation to

another through oral tradition.

The birthright of the Phom-Naga customary law belongs

to the male descendent. Females have no such inheritance

right. Girls may receive the possessions as a present

unconditionally from their parent during their marital day.

Otherwise they have no legal inheritance, but between the

170 Na, Educational Tour, 15.

sons property is shared equally. The male heirs inherit all

the properties. Moreover, traditionally inside the Phom

tribe the eldest son is responsible for liability and he

would automatically take over the headship of the family.171

1.6. The Religious Life

The Phom-Naga has its own traditional religion and

their religion is as old as the tribe itself and aspect of

life of their lives is connected to the system of religious

belief and practices. Religion is called ‘Vaipu Vanglem’

meaning “the way of faith or belief.” Traditionally Phom-

Naga has two understanding about the concept of gods;

celestial god ‘Shang Kahvang’ and terrestrial god ‘Chong

Kahvang.’ Everything that happens from above like rain,

snowfall, lightning, thunder, sunshine, is believed to be

the work of the god of heaven. Everything occurring on earth

was believed to be the work of the god of earth. Apart from

this, they also believe in a variety of deities.172 They also

believed in different malevolent and benevolent spirits and

171 N. Toshi Ao, Mission to the Nagas (Mokokchung: Ao Baptist Church Mokokchung, 1995), 5-6.

172 Henshet, The Phom-Naga Indigenous Religion, 24-25.

used to propitiate them to be safe from illness and

difficulties. They used to do this by sacrificing some

domestic animals and offering their meat along with, rice

beer, and by prayer with a chanting to the numerous duties

like god of river, moon, sun, sacred stones, big trees,

thick forest, high cliffs, and other spirits.173

They believe supernatural power which they worshipped

god of heaven and earth. But there is no set form or place

of worship as such, however they worshipped when and where

necessary arises and required. These powers are worshipped

through numerous ritual and rites handed down by the

tradition. The role of religion in an individual’s life is

the prototype or sample, in the religious socio-cultural

system of the community. A person’s life in all its aspects

is directed by his or her religious beliefs and practices.

This constitutes both belief system as well as behavioural

feature of religion. Because mere belief doesn’t comprise

religion, behaviour verifies religious beliefs, for beliefs

173 Imnayongdang, Levels of Rural Development in Nagaland: A Spatial Analysis (Meerut: New Chanab Offset, 1990), 39.

cannot be understood nor articulated without its action

exhibited in society.

The religious life of Phom-Naga community can be seen

more clearly from the agricultural perspective. From the day

of surveying the field until the harvest, there are a

several religious ceremonies with sacrifices to be

performed. There are also certain religious festivals,

functions, in which both individual as well as whole

communities are equally engaged and participate. Their

concept of time is cyclic rather than of progressive.

The Concept of Supreme God: The word God (Kahvang) is

neither masculine nor feminine. It is the common noun. It is

believe to be Supreme Being, is greatly influence by

historical, geographical, economical, social and cultural

factors. For them God is always personal, working actively

in the nature of the universe. This mysterious and

overpowering God is fascinating and irreducible to any other

power. At the same time the understanding of God up there

was not present in the traditional Phom religion heavenly

God (Shang kahvang) and yet turns to him for protection,

security, well-being and blessing. According to A. Peihwang

Wangsa, Renthy Keizer observes, that “the tribal people’s

belief in a high God, who is both personal and a creator,

and its similarity to biblical thinking, makes it easy for

them to accept the Christian idea of God.” 174

In the same way the Phom-Naga people consider the

Supreme Being known as Lord God (Shembu Kahvang) is the

creator of the whole universe. For them, this Supreme Being

is invisible God, he is omnipotent, omnipresent and

omniscient the nature of God. He is loving and the source of

justice because he punished those who were wicked and

rewarded those who were good.

They are purely reliant on certain beliefs which

enslave them under the domain of superstitions. Though

animism as a faith is neither systematic nor well classified

in the true sense of the term, because of the fear the

dominant element of animism, the practice as appeasement is

developed. Fear of the dangerous demons gives the feeling of

insecurity. In fact fear is the basis of religion that

174 Wangsa, Christianity & Social Change, 17.

causes obedient to God one has to be devotion and remedy.

The essence of fear gives birth to a concept of Supreme

Being which is God himself in the heart of man. In the time

of adversities and natural disasters they seek the help of a

Supreme Being whom they believe is harmless and helpful. It

is also believed that the Supreme Being sends down hail and

rainstorms to punish the rules breakers when people break

taboos. That is why they were very cautious not to displease

any unfamiliar person in case they might by mistake turn

away the Supreme Being and invite disaster.175

2. Analysis and Interpretation of Data

The analysis and interpretation of the collection of

data’s have significant place in assessing the culture in

the perspective of mission in order to contextualize the

gospel relevant with Phom-Naga people, in the context of

socio-cultural life of the people. In order to bring out and

suggesting on the basis of findings, how far the gospel of

Christ moves forward. What should be the tactics to

communicate the gospel effectively? The data’s for this

175 A. Wati Longchar, The Traditional Tribal Worldview and Modernity (Jorhat: ETC, 1995), 36.

empirical study are collected through face to face

interviews.

The analysis of the accumulate data’s will serve the

following objectives:

1. To understand the general background of the respondents

as connected with this thesis.

2. To understand the common ground of mission in the

context of cultural perspective.

3. To evaluate the earlier mission tactic on the basis of

both advantages and disadvantages.

4. To see the opinions of the respondents to rediscovery

the gospel to the Phom-Naga people. The researcher’s

goal for giving the details of this data’s to give a

better suggestion for the extension of the mission task

in the soil.

1. General Background of the Respondents

The researcher has conducted the interview of twenty

believers out of which fifteen were Pastors and others ten

were social workers and students respectively who are

actively involved in the Christian and secular ministry in

different parts of the village and town. The researcher has

also covered the most of the villages in order to get

precise information from them. The way in which the

researcher has arranged the interview as followed below:

The first part of the questions focus on the general

understanding of the culture refers to Phom-Naga cultural

features in the perspective of Christian mission. The second

part of the questions deal with the issues of

contextualization in the context of mission. The third part

is dealing with making the questions about the problems

related to presenting the gospel to the Phom-Naga tribe in

their cultural context.

1.1. Gender

Since the pastoral ministry in this area is basically male

dominated, so the researcher could not get more female for

interview. However, the researcher could take the interview

for twenty five selected people out of which twenty of them

are male and five of them are female. A short report of the

respondents of the interview is given below;

Chart - I

Gender

80%

20%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

M ale Fem aleDescription

Respon

dents

Series1

1.2. Age Level

The researcher has conducted the interview for

different age group of people to make a good research. This

section gives the information about the respondents who took

parts in the interview. The reports of these respondents are

gathered according to their age groups and a brief report of

this interview is given below.

Chart – II

Age Group Groups of

respondents Percentages

25 – 31

4 16 %

32 – 5o

11 44 %

51 - Above

10 40 %

1.3. Employment of the Data

According to the employment of the collected data, the

first respondent group is the Pastors who are involved in

the Pastoral ministry. The second group of respondent are

known as social workers those who are involved in the

various social organizations in different parts of the

village and town. The third group of respondents are

teachers who are working in different institutions such as

the Government Colleges and schools respectively. The

fourth, group of the respondents are the students from both

the theological and secular institutions.

Chart - III

Professional Status Numbers

Percentages

Pastors

15 60 %

Social Workers

3 12 %

Teachers

5 20 %

Students

2 8 %

2. Phoms’ Understanding of Culture in the perspective of

Mission

The first question was about the general understanding

of culture in the perspective of Christian in order to

contextualize the mission. Culture is the part of human life

without the culture it is not possible to survive as a human

being. The culture determines the people worldview, how the

world was created? What is the meaning of life? Where they

come from? her cannot be separate from the culture.

When the western civilization advances, local culture

declines. The west wind blowing over Nagaland has destroyed

a good deal: the age-old institutions have been shattered,

the rhythm of life has been disturbed, and much of the

poetry of everyday existence is gone. The alien culture,

progressive and dynamic, has shaken the indigenous culture.

However, it does not mean west cultures are destructive

impact only in Naga society, but in some way other there is

‘loss of nerve.’ All the indigenous values appear

outdated.176

The missionaries saw conversion as a total turn from

the old way of life and practices without identifying the

significance and value of the Phom culture. They also stop

tribal folk songs, dances, sacrifices and celebration of

various kinds connected with cultivation, construction of

houses and the feast of merit, use of ‘Morung’. A religious

festival like ‘Monyu,’ and ‘Moha’ was observed for invoking the

blessings of God for their good crops as well as their

health and wealth. It would have been better and fitting if

176 Interview with Phomlee Van, Pastor Phom Baptist Church Kohima, 26th June 2007.

all these traditional cultures were converted to Christian

arts and culture in order to glorify God and to make their

life richer and fuller. The worst part of all is the lost of

interest in their own way of life. The result was the

gradually decay and eventual neglect of their culture. 177

Phoms and others Nagas are civilized and their cultured

in their own way. However it seen much has changed through

the impact of gospel and western culture on the Phoms has

discussed. Particularly in the recent decade, mass education

has provided a cultural revival for the younger generation.

This has been emphasized at conferences, seminar churches,

students meetings and public gatherings where the good

things of the land and the beautiful cultural heritage are

discussed and means sought for its preservation. These

include cultural dress, respect to parents and elders

according to customary law, hard work, learning cultural

songs, stories, art of speech, and history of the Phom,

language and preservation of the Phom way of life in the

177 Panger Imchen, Ancient Ao Naga Religion and Culture, 165.

light of the gospel.178 In this connection researcher raise

question:

Does the culture play a major role for presenting the

gospel? Out of twenty five respondents twenty one of the

respondents are responded positive feed back they suggested

culture is a foundation to present the gospel to the Phom-

Naga people and four of them responded are not grasped the

question while researcher asked to them. It is here to

notice detail chart about the respondents’ opinion in below:

Chart - IV

Response No.

Respondents Percentage

Yes

21 84%

N0

___ 00 %

Vague

4 16 %

178 Interview with Y. Isakumba, Council Chairman Yachem 25th January2008.

While the interview has been conducted among the Phom-

Naga people mentioned about, the researcher could come

across through various answers from them as a feed back.

Almost 84 % of the total respondents replied that, the

culture play a vital role in communicating the gospel. The

strongly stated that the culture must not be overlooked and

neglected while communicating the gospel to the any people

group even the Phoms. They further said that the

missionaries or evangelists should understand the necessity

of culture, when they engage in mission. They responded that

God did not reject the culture since culture is also given

by God. Culture has important role in the society as the

culture functions in human behavior. Culture can be

expressed as a pattern of human existence which includes the

practice, habit, and thought that passed from generation to

generation. The most successful apostolic approaches have

always been the ones geared most closely to the character

and needs of the particular life-way. Effectiveness has

always gone hand and hand immersion in local cultures. What

does actually happen when the gospel enters to the culture

of Phom tribe? A respondent answered the question with

strong emotion of conviction, ‘in reality there will never

be a cultureless communication and even the gospel itself is

a genuine expression through culture.’179 When we compare

with Biblical reference, the fact is that the greatest

cultural transformation in the history of mankind is brought

about by the divine representation of Jesus Himself, who

declares Himself nothing less than “the light of the man”

(John 1: 4).

In order to find out the information from the

respondents in connection with cultural issue in the church

researcher ask another question; Is the worship pattern,

structural and life style indigenous in your church?

Chart – V

Response No.

Respondents Percentage

Yes

2 8 %

179 Interviewed with Tejokchetba, Evangelist Yachem Baptist Church,12th June 207.

No

19 76 %

Vague

4 16 %

The main objectives of these questions are to trace out

the various attempts taken so far as to indigenize the

Christianity in Phomland. Why indigenization is important?

According to David S. Immanuel, the concept of

indigenization has been understood in three different ways.

‘Structural indigenization, cultural indigenization and

contextual indigenization.’180

In this connection, researcher raises two questions:

what will be the challenges that you have today? What will

be the possible direction suitable for indigenous Christian

Missions for the next generation of the Phom-Naga people?

Most of the respondents agreed to revive indigenization both

inside and outside of the church. The respondents strongly

suggested that it was much necessary to give encouragement180 S. Immanuel David, “The Development of the Concept of

Indigenization Among Protestant Christians in India from the time of Henry Venn,” (ed.), Duncan B. F, Caste and Christianity: Attitude and Policies on Caste of Anglo-Saxon Protestant Missions in India, (London: Curzon, 1980), 101-103.

and the proper guidance to the Phom people in order to

indigenize the way of worship, prayer, apply indigenous folk

music in the church, the life style of the people and

mission strategy which will be more appropriate for the

Phom-Naga people. They also continue to said, since their

culture is designed by God so process of indigenization is

also much appropriate to structure of the Phom-Naga culture.

On the other hand, a few youth respondents disagreed to the

indigenization as it is not attractive for them. While I

asked them the reasons of their negative attitude towards

the indigenization, they replied that the spirit of

indigenization draw back them to the primitive age. They

also continued to say that the age of globalization has

placed forth us to a platform of modernized world and so our

spirit of globalization of the modernization is not at all

tune with spirit of indigenization. A few people also did

not understand the reality of the indigenization for which

there are feed back was not clear. However, they go on

saying that if the indigenization is applicable then it is

essential to motivate the present worship pattern, life

style of people and missionary method in such a way that the

indigenized church and her mission should be adjustable to

this globalize world, without losing her local cultural

identity.181

Some of the respondents’ expressed the term

indigenization simply means native born, originating or

producing naturally in their soil, native language,

economic, their values, and the socio-cultural life of the

people and characterizing in term of the Phom-Naga culture.

Today many people understood that Christianity is said to be

a foreign religion when the truth is that it is an Asiatic

religion. Therefore it is applicable to the people India. So

while presenting the gospel the idea of indigenization

received special attention as the missions attempted to

adjust to new circumstances and new cultures. The concept

was understood in different ways by people of different

stages.182

181 Interview with B. Meyi Phom, LDA, Project Office Teunsang, 2nd January 2008.

182 Interview with Yanngang, Sunday School Promoter, PBCA, 4th June 2007 and Beau Pastor, Longleng Town Baptist Church, 5th June 2007.

Some educated people among the respondents

supported, the Pope John XXIII made announced in 1962, to

appreciate the theme of indigenization from the method of

westernization in India.183

The researcher was very conscience about the

indigenization when conducted interview regarding the

indigenization. The respondent feed back was indigenization

is essential and significance in order to rooted gospel into

the local people. The church of indigenous design indicates

a grass-roots interaction with Christian sources manifesting

constructive liberation potential. In Phom area when

Christianity entered translation of the gospel proceeds in

western style and culture, language and competing

ideologies, the church by acculturating itself becomes part

of a culture. Constructive of enculturation is an integral

part of the process of Christianization. For the solid

establishment of Christian church and organization we needed183The second Vatican council provoked by Pope John XXIII in 1962

was a turning point in this matter. For it brought Orthodox Christians

and Hindus together to appreciate and to remove the long standing

prejudices. Inculturation and Indianization in the way of worship,

prayer, music, art, are now welcomed by Christians all over India.

purely method of indigenization. Its men and moneys are

Phoms it is born and brought upon in Phom-Naga soil. It is

nurtured in the Phom-Naga culture and tradition it always

important to interpret the cause of Christ in a way that

people can understand- in dress, food and living, then only

gospel will be rooted deeply with them. Indigenization and

contextualization is nothing against our faith, however

essential things that we should know is contradict the

Biblical truth rather reveal the truth of Christ to them.

Many of the recent church leaders have expressed their

Christian faith in truly Phom-Naga way of life. In this

condition indigenization is necessary for the far more

development of the Phom-Naga churches.184

3. Understanding of Mission by the Phom-Naga People

The people of God should have a proper understanding

about the mission of God. The Phom-Naga tribe has an own

understanding of mission. When the researcher asked them

about their understanding of mission, many of the

respondents expressed their understanding what I would like

184 Interview with P. Changlong, President Phom Teacher Association, 7th June 2007.

mentioned here. In this issue, most of respondents answered

that mission doesn’t mean only a way for evangelism; rather

it has various aspects, namely spiritual, physical and the

social concern. Other respondents said that mission is

considered as the effectual working out of the implication

of the resurrection of Christian in the context of the

world, through his body, the church. It involves the

movement towards outward thrust across frontiers of culture,

beliefs, sociology, and geographical across. It imply

redemptive purpose, a responsibility for which the church

and individual is held accountable. The prime questions

raise regarding Christian mission in the basis of

contextualization.

Other respondents understand of mission in the context of

relationship. They say, Mission is concerned with

relationship on the individual and on the corporate level

between man and God, between man and man, and between man

and his environment, and look forward with the socio-

cultural life of the people. The mission will actually have

to strive to bring about economic and social changes as

well. It is indeed thoughtless who attempted purely

spiritual activity. For there is no other way of

establishing, consolidation, and perpetuating the church in

the society than through culture.185

Therefore researcher asks the question, how can the

church make Christian mission relevance to the Phom-Naga

People? Respondents answered that church can activate

mission in a broader perspective that is not only to win the

souls but also to work out for the physical concern. They

even said that the mission of Jesus Christ was not only for

the salvation of the spirit but also betterment of the body

and mind. The respondents’ answer truly highlight a

contextualize mission that should be relevant to culture of

the Phom-Naga people. They keep on saying that church must

not ignore the cultural value as well as social concern;

church must reflect the cultural elements in the mission

activities in order to meet the need of the society through

a cultural approach that can deeply penetrate the very heart

185 Interview with P. Shonyeih, Pastor Yongphang Baptist Church, 14th June 2007.

of the Phom-Naga people. The mission strategy must be

contextualized and should be freed from the western style.

In this point of view we understand the mission of the

church should share the very concern of God for the every

sphere of human life. Differences among the people culture,

race, environment are real, however all these diversity can

make no different to God. In the midst of differences such

as race, culture, social or economic level, age and sex,

mission should be for the whole humanity without making a

differences. Mission is not to be make differ between

cultures or race thus, the concerned of mission is for the

whole society to bring into God presence. There are the

needs for the mission of the church to discern in love the

very significance of the differences so that God given

diversity should not become a hindrance to each other. It is

true that the Phom-Naga people demand such a ministry in

their land which can be relevant to its cultural context.186

In the context of mission and contextualization researcher

has put up question: Do you agree the Contextualization is

186 Interview with Yongchet, Former Cluster Supervisor PBCA, 15th June 2007.

necessary to present the gospel? It here the below mentioned

the categorize the respondents agree and disagree regarding

the contextualization;

Chart - VI

Response No.

Respondents Percentages

Disagree

4 16 %

Agree

21 84 %

The few respondents disagree about the

contextualization, in term of syncritizism they are doubt

about the contextualization it may lead into syncretism

because they have knowledge about the dangers of syncretism

which affect the core message of the gospel. In one way it

is right what they said because there is many chance to

syncretised if the Christian workers do not use a proper

method and tactic in order to the contextualization the

mission in the context of the local culture.187

Most of the respondents’ feed back was positive

regarding the contextualization. They responded that

contextualization is essential to present the gospel, in the

same time they said, the gospel has to be made appropriate

to the people’s condition and environment, in which they

live and what need suitable with their culture. In this

condition Christian minister should understand their social

life and offer the gospel according to the demand of the

people so that people can understand the real meaning of the

word of God. In order to comprehend the cultural life of the

people it is important to relate with the condition of the

people. Like the interpretation of message should be in

their language, tradition in the light of Christian

perspective. And also church in social cultural setting must

be developing the theology according to the worldview in

term of biblical truth in the contemporary scenario. It is

187 Interview with Lemzung, Teacher Longleng, 27th Dec. 2008.

the urgent needs to look within the circumstance of the

people.188

4. Missionary Encounter with Phom-Naga Culture

When missionary entered into the Phom-Naga territory

there was a lot of transformation taken place however there

are some ways they had negative attitude towards the Phom-

Naga culture. Here, the researcher has brought out the

opinions of the respondents of how the missionaries look

towards the Phom-Naga culture? A brief report related to

this matter is stated as below.

Chart - VI

Response No.

Respondents Percentages

Negative

16 64 %

Positive

4 16 %

Not Sure

5 20 %

188 Interview with Pangden, Ex-Pastor Yongam Baptist Church, 27th June 2007.

Regarding this question, some respondents answered that the

missionaries were not sympathetic towards the Phom-Naga

culture and they were also the main cause for the

disintegration of it. It is understood that they caused the

less value of the Phom-Naga culture to be preserved.

Probably they have an intention to replace the Phom-Naga

culture to western culture as they were not interested to

learn the Phom-Naga culture. Other suggested that the

superiority, complex such as moral, National and racial

superiority complex of the western missionaries had

influenced them to look down the Phom-Naga culture. It

confused Christendom with Christianity, and western cultural

tradition with the gospel of Christ. It indicates that the

western missionaries neglect the Phom-Naga cultural identity

and also damaged many valuable cultural components. Some

respondents reacted with the positive spirit of appreciation

about the missionaries’ contribution to the promotion of the

churches and social development. Of course it is not a

matter of debate in this issue. However, the point of

thought is that, what they did and what extent they did in

regard to the Phom-Naga culture is the issue. In fact no one

can deny the missionaries’ contributions in the area of

development. But though they did the various works for

development of the society yet they have failed to do the

mission works appropriate with to the Phom-Naga culture for

which the mission could not move beyond the boundary.189

Christianity has brought the greatest revolution in the

lives of the people of the soil of Phom. The gospel has

liberated people from many forms of oppressive culture like

slavery and hunting practices. Along with the gospel

missionaries worked for the education of the people that

really brought a change in the people life style. However,

people began to view western religion and culture as

superior and more acceptable. It made people to abandon many

of their own cultural forms like songs, dances, festivals,

traditional dresses, religious practices, and prayer. Most

of the respondents acknowledge that the gospel is not

acculturated in Phom-Naga culture and so it has eventually

shaken the foundation of the local culture of Phom-Naga.

189 Interview with A. Akumchetba, Teacher Yachem, 10th June 2007.

Jesus Christ is yet to theologically incarnate in the Phom-

Naga culture. Today, Phom-Naga people are uprooted from

their earth-centered culture. Christianity dawn in the

middle part of the 18th and 19th centuries was somehow other-

worldly, anthropocentric and detached from the soil. It was

mainly centered around humanity and the salvation.

Acceptance of the new faith was understood as rejection of

the traditional festivals, songs, dances, sacrifices,

observances and ethics. Any practices which did not conform

to the western norm of Christianity was condemned as evil

and thus abandoned. Thus, the soil-centered spirituality of

the Phom-Naga people was gradually replaced by western

Christianity.190

Contextualization has been the area of debate

throughout the Christendom. This has been discussed more in

the last few centuries among armchair theologians as well as

carriers of the gospel to the field. To present the gospel

totally without the cultural background of the gospel-bearer

is impossible. While the missionary carrying the light of

190 W. Longchar, The Tribal Religious Tradition in North East India, 146-149.

the gospel to the Phom-Naga culture should have presented

the good news in terms of the Phom-Naga cultural world view,

concept, custom and tradition. If it was so then the people

of the Phom-Naga culture could have accepted it in their own

cultural sitting. Because receiver is bound to take gospel

in terms of missiologists who attempt to preach the gospel

in a cross-cultural sitting. According to Panger Imchen,

Bruce Nicholls quote, “Where missionaries bring with them

foreign ways of thinking and behavior or attitudes racial

superiority, paternalism… effective communication will be

precluded.”191 In the same way, 16th Ao Theological Conference

in 1980 states;

Missionaries did many good things for the Aos. Butthey did some bad things also. They createddestruction in social and cultural life of Aos….They failed to differentiate the socio-culturalaspects and religious aspects of the life andculture of the Aos…. Because the Ao Christiansregarded Ao culture as a sin. They (missionaries)tried to impact Christianity in American culture.This is first wound that disintegrates ourculture. Aos are suffering from this wound tilltoday without finding a healing balm.192

191 Imchen, Ancient Ao Naga Religion and Culture, 162192 Ibid.

Therefore the researcher has raises two the questions. What

has been impact of western culture in the Phom-Naga culture?

What were the factors that brought advantage and

disadvantage through Christianity in the Phom-Naga society?

As a researcher I perceived two main points from the

comments of the respondents related to the contributions and

impact of the missionaries work in the Phom-Naga society.

Firstly, I understood that people considered the

contribution of the missionaries in term of both positive

and negative impact upon the Phom-Naga culture. Secondly, I

also understood that the percentage of the negative impact

is much more than the positive impact upon the Phom-Naga

culture. As researcher I understood this very fact of truth

by observing the gestures, body movement, and tone of voice,

of the respondents while they were replying the answers of

my questions.

4.1. Positive Impact

Education Opened to Move Forward: Probably the

Christian schools have been the most effective

evangelistic agent not only penetrating the gospel

but also push people forward. Education enhanced the

minds of the people by which the were able to

understand everything in an intelligent manner. Even

the education changed the people’s worldview from a

lower level to a higher level. People not only see

the world of civilization but also they themselves

became civilize through the education.

Disappear of the Head Hunting Culture: The culture

of headhunting practices was much popular in the

Phom-Naga tribe. It was an evil element of the

cultural practice. When the Christianity entered

into the Phom-Naga tribe, it powerfully confronted

with this evil practice and at last it blotted out

from the pages of the cultural history of the Phom-

Naga soil. It is learned that Phom-Naga tribe is

one of the last tribes in Nagaland to give up the

head-hunting activity. All the villages’ chiefs

gathered together and made pledges to bring to an

end in 1952. This is one of the positive impacts

that came through the advent of Christianity.

Open Communication: A visitor to the interior

villages of Phom-Naga would be wonder of how these

people went and settled down at the summit of those

mountain peaks where there is no road and

transportation is almost impossible. Until the

advent of the Christianity there was no

communication road only feet path.

Trade and Commerce Improved: When the roads, trade

and commerce improved, the Christian missionaries

and evangelist could communicate people more easily.

The Phom-Naga tribe came in contact with a new

culture and civilization. Thus the improved

communication helped people to embrace

Christianity.193

4.2. Negative Impact

The Introduce of Intoxicate Elements: Christianity

is having the highest ethical value. Bible very

clearly demands and ethical life. It is the surprise

to know that after advent of the Christianity to the

193 Interview questions with S. Manla, Students, Nagaland University Kohima, 2nd January 2008.

Phom-Naga tribe people got more intoxicate with

wine, alcohol, drug, and opium. The very reason of

this fact is that westerners brought all this items

in introduced in the field.

The Loose Moral Life: In compare to the western

culture, the village culture is more sensitive and

ethical. But after the advent of the Christian

religion brought the western culture that they did

not emphasis a good moral life. It is seen that the

westerners on the other hand lived a loose moral

life that has influenced the life of the people.

Gradually the people those who followed the

westerners were also trapped with that same life

Minimized the Value of Cultural Dress: One of the

interesting and attractive elements of the culture

of Phom-Naga is their cultural dress. It is their

cultural identity. But missionaries came and

introduced the western dresses and obviously looked

down to the Phom-Naga cultural dress. In the course

of time people were attracted to use this dress with

meaning of dignity by considering their own Phom

cultural dress as inferior one. It is the negative

impact of the western culture upon the Phom-Naga

culture.

Truth and Honesty: Truth and honesty of the Phom-

Naga traditional system was lost through the

influence of western civilization.

Missionary Superiority Feeling: The western

missionaries were considering themselves as superior

to Phom-Naga people in term of culture and

civilization. But it has a bad impact upon the Phom-

Naga tribe because when these people followed the

Christianity, their too expressed the same feeling

of superior by looking others’ inferior.194

Attitude of Inferiority of the Phom-Naga Culture:

Missionary culture is more important than Phom-Naga

culture: Every culture is unique in its essence.

When the missionaries started working among the

194 Interview Questions with H. Hongla, Student, ETC Jorhat, 26th December 2008.

Phom-Naga tribe, they imposed their culture as the

best one.

Enforce People to Adopt the Western Life Style: The

western missionaries had always the feeling that

their life styles as well as their customs are

having high status. So along with the gospel

communication they communicated their own culture to

others so that others will also adopt and live by

it.

Lost of the Phom-Naga Traditional System: Basically

Phom-Naga people are trustworthy and truthful. They

are also most discipline and simple people. But

after having conduct and connection with

missionaries, their gradually became insensitive,

casual and very formal in their life style.

Denominational Problem in the Church: Unity is the

very essence of the life of the Phom-Naga community.

But today if we see this in a Christian perspective,

unity is partly lost from the atmospheres of the

Christian community. Why? Because there is a great

feeling among the denominations which caused many

division in the community.

T.V and Internet brings Sexual Depravity, Violence

and Crime. This doesn’t mean that westerners have no

morality. Rather the value which is disseminating

through T.V is something which against the tradition

and affect the social life of the Phom-Naga people.

Today’s Scenario is Changed into Different

Perspective. The economic competition which is the

product of globalization has totally changed the

attitude of oneness into individualism.195

5. Issue of Communication in the Phom-Naga Cultural

Perspective

Language is one of the issues to transfer the message

to communicate with the locality. Researcher has one of the

citizen of the Phom-Naga tribe has experience in some areas

of the last five years ministries experience. In the same

time researcher has observe, talk and dialogue with the

respondents regarding the issue of communication in the

195 Interview with K.Takangangba, Teacher Yachem,12th June 2007

cultural perspective. Researcher has careful scrutinized

their feed back and tone of voice, of the respondents while

they were responding the answers of my questions. They have

five different dialects within the Phom-Naga community. The

majority of the people of different village’s different

linguistics groups do not understand each other even today.

There is a big gap between them to communicate each other

because it differs from village to village. Even their

culture, living standard in some way quite different which

brings barrier for the Christian workers this is the one

issue that respondents express while interacting with them.

Perhaps this may be key problem to communicate and present

the gospel to the Phom-Naga people. As a researcher

observation that no one can deny it because language is a

vehicle for effective communication to any linguistic people

of the particular culture.

Some of the respondents reacted that in order to

communicate Gospel effectively in the perspective of Phom-

Naga it is very essential to reconsider the traditional

elements like; the custom which socially valuable should be

utilized even though it was associated non-Christian

practices. For example, Phom-Naga has a different style of

folk song, folk story and cultural dance.

In fact, Phom-Naga religious belief is the center of

cultures. Like food, clothing, house construction,

marriages, markets, farming, fishing, hunting, festivals,

music, dance, and log drums all have religious significance

in traditional cultures. Religion and cultures forms and

meaning cannot be separated. One can not simply change the

meanings of old forms in order to communicate the gospel,

for the ties between them are rooted in social re-union and

cultural history. And a culture has to understand and

appreciates in terms of the worldview. Moreover the

researcher observes different respondents give a different

suggestion regarding the cultural issue in the context of

communication. To get precise information and to specific

the problem while presenting the gospel to the Phom-Naga

people, researcher ask another question;

What are the Barriers in presenting the Gospel to the

Phom-Naga People? When the researcher conducted interview

regarding this question most of respondents express serious

problem that they face problem inside and the outside of the

church while presenting the gospel. Here is a brief reports

about the barrier to present the gospel to Phom-Naga people.

Especially these responses received from the respondents

those who involving in the Pastoral ministry recently in

different villages and town. Here are the few key barriers

inside and outside the churches in the Phom-Naga community

in the context mission.

Languages: Language is one of the major problems to

present the gospel to the Phom-Naga people. The

Phom-Naga tribe has verities of own dialects which

differ from village to village. So if the gospel

is not communicated to the people according to their

own dialect of the language, it will quite

impossible for people to grasp the meaning of the

message.196

Problem of Illiteracy: Illiteracy is the big

hindrance to communicating the gospel to the Phom-

196 Interview with Takanukshi, Pastor Yachem Baptist Church, 27th December 2008.

Naga people. Most of the people can not read and

write and so it become a practical problem for

communicating the gospel to people.

Problem of Animism Belief; The main problem to

present the gospel is that they believed in the

existence of spirit, ghosts, demons and souls. They

have no deep rooted faith or elaborate practices.

Neither do they have a worship place. Their religion

is only a matter of certain rituals and observances

to appease the spirit.

Lack of Contextualization: Even in the missionary

activities church seems to be westernizing in

communicating the gospel. But according to culture

of the Phom-Naga tribe gospel must be contextualized

to make relevance to understanding of the people

mind. Today church is lacking of contextualization.

Different Living Pattern: Because of the influence

of the western culture upon the church, it is very

much covered by western culture. The church seems as

westernized in the Phom-Naga soil. Because of

western influence church give less important to be

identified with the local culture. Today the church

has different living pattern in the term traditional

life.197

Lack of Spiritual Leader in the Church: Today, the

churches have very less spiritual leaders for which

people are not getting a proper guidance. On the

other hand people are also loosing the vision of

mission for not getting the real spiritual food on

mission.

Lack of Prayer Warrior; Prayer is one of the power

weapons to stand firms for God in the midst of

adverse situation. The churches are lacking the

prayer because there is no enough prayer warriors in

the church and so it misses the God’s power.

Focus only on Heavenly Kingdom: Today the message of

the gospel has become so spiritual in it essence

that it has forgotten the very physical side of the

life. It is dangerous to focus only on the heavenly

197 Interview with Beau, Pastor Longleng Town Baptist Church, 5th June 2007.

Kingdom without thinking of the present physical

existence on this earth life.

Lack of Making Different between Politics and

Church: It is fair to confess that church and

politics are two different entities and there must

not be mixed up. But today in the context of Phom-

Naga tribe, the politics has much affected the

church purity. During the election time the churches

face a crisis of unity because, politics bring much

division among the body of church for the personal

gain which affects to the spirituality and the

mission activities of the church.198

The researcher’s has a purpose for giving the details of

this data’s to give a better suggestion for the extension of

the mission task for the Phom-Naga people in the soil. In

this mix response how does re-conceptualize and rediscovery

the gospel to the Phom-Naga people in the present context?

What challenges has facing today in term of mission? What

direction should be suitable for further extension of

198 Interview with Interview with M. Takojungba, President Staff Union Yachem, 11th June 2007.

mission inside and outside of the Phom-Naga society? The

following chapter may discuss briefly these questions and

try to bring some of the suggestion in order to appropriate

the gospel to the Phom-Naga people especially in the context

of the present scenario.

Chapter 4

CHURCH RESPONSE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RE-CONCEPTUALIZING

THE GOSPEL TO THE PHOM-NAGA PEOPLE

In this chapter we will discuss the response of the

church in the light of contemporary mission challenges in

the cultural perspective and move forward to bring some of

the suggestions and recommendations for reconceptualizing

the gospel message to the Phom-Naga people. It is not the

matter that whether earlier missionaries could communicate

the gospel appropriately to the Phom-Naga people. Yet, their

effort is a foundation for today’s mission in order to re-

conceptualize, re-interpret and re-actualise the gospel to

the Phom-Naga people. Even though Christianity has already

reached in the Phom-Naga community, yet, it was not an

effective mission. Therefore, this section has put some

challenges to the people those who have accepted Christ but

not rooted in deeply in the way they believe and live. That

could be a solid foundation in order to present the gospel

to the people those who don’t understand Jesus Christ is the

true way for the salvation to all people. Therefore, we will

deal briefly with the earlier conceptions of the mission and

put some challenges for re-conceptualizing the gospel to the

Phom-Naga people and how it can be an effectively operated

mission activities in the Phom-Naga community. This chapter

also gives directions for the new paradigm in the future

generation in the Phom-Naga region.

1. Mean of Reconceptualize the Gospel in Term of Christian

Perspective

The term “reconceptualize” is emphasized here because

the 21st century challenges for strategic leaders in the

church that involves interpreting what appears to be the

same world in fundamentally different ways. For example, not

only must the mission workers to make “jointness” to achieve

its potential, it must also reconceptualize how it can

effectively activate mission activities inside and outside

the church. Today, the church needs to re-establish new

mission paradigms to provide transforming message of God to

the people inside and outside of the church. Gospel should

be reconceptualized into consecutively providing the

capability for partnership mission in order to make perfect

evangelisation, making disciples, reaffirming the word of

God to the people and also to provide the needs of the

people in the term of social, cultural, economic, political

and humanitarian concern.199

Strategic church leaders have an additional set of

challenges. They have to create the means and the

opportunities to encourage Christian workers and believers

with new ways of looking at themselves and their

capabilities. Leaders’ new ideologies and values need to be

re-established in order to communicate gospel effectively,

internalised by mission workers, and then translated into

199 M.S. Feldman, Reconceptualizing Organizational Routines Administrative Science/www.com cited 27th February 2008.

productive methods of thinking and working. In order to use

effective techniques for overcome these challenges, which

lay within the community. Therefore, the researcher raises

some of the important questions in this research, what is

gospel? How did Phom-Naga people understand mission in the

earlier days? What strategy can we use to mobilize the

mission? How to reconceptualize the gospel to the Phom-Naga

people in the present day context? What suggestions and

recommendations are best for them to give new direction in

order to reconceptualize the gospel message? The researcher

tried his best to find out the answers for these above

mentioned questions in order the church to understand the

message and importance of reconceptualization of the gospel

message.

The term, “gospel” literally means the “good news” of

the ‘word’ of become ‘flesh’ in Jesus Christ who died on the

cross for the cause of whole mankind. The origin of the

gospel can be traced back to the nature of God and the

purpose of God’s creation. The gospel of God gives us some

insight into the nature and character of the faith. The main

purpose of the gospel is for the people in order to bring

people in the saving knowledge of God. Thus, the gospel of

Jesus Christ can be understood on the basis of people’s

experience and culture.200 Today, there is no single form of

Christianity, or Christian faith, standing outside the

worlds of cultural diversity. Christian cannot stand above

culture and regulate the “inculturation” or

“contextualization” of our faith, in such a point of time or

a situation from which we consider gospel should be present

in context. In terms of Phom-Naga cultural context, one of

the most confusing issues the Christian ministers face

within the Phom-Naga churches and the organizations is the

cultural issue. In this context, the church needs to learn

from the past mistakes, and study the present socio-cultural

life and shape the church to meet the needs of the people

and challenges to be brought into the church.

In the initial period, people couldn’t understand

clearly about the gospel and culture. Their understanding of

200 Gordon Jones, “Gospel News for North East India,” in Good News For North East India: A Theological Reader, (ed.), Renthy Keitzer (Guwahati: CLC,1995), 4-5.

gospel did not mean to their own culture, because they had

wrong conception of culture. They considered the activities

of the local culture are unholy in Christian perspective.

That’s what affected the social cultural life of the people

and they lived out of the culture, which has created great

distinction between gospel and culture. These concepts are

already set in their mind even today. Therefore, the

researcher would like to deal with these issues in order to

bring solution in this present condition of the Phom-Naga

people.

Moreover, it is essential to reconceptualize the gospel

relevant with the people because gospel is something, which

God has given to His people and for the people. Especially,

in term of socio-cultural life of the people, we need to ask

questions in the perspective of culture, how to re-formulate

the gospel in order to make effective to present the gospel

to them. The incarnation, in a sense, was the first act of

Christian inculturation. Hence, the fact that Jesus himself

was enculturated, or socialized, by a Jewish culture under

Roman authority. According to the Bible, God became person

in the form of Jesus Christ and lived among human being. The

word incarnated and enculturated in the form of Jesus Christ

in the human term. These concepts are not understood clearly

by the Phom-Naga people. However, it to help to understand

that in fact, the gospel should be presented within the

context. The researcher raises question, "Why would it not

be sufficient for Phom-Naga people to be exactly like

Jesus," Jesus himself had a "context," in other words. So

did the disciples, so do we, and so does the gospel. The

gospel is "already contextualized. We need this step to take

the reconceptualizes the gospel to the people their own

lives.201

What way it is suitable to reaffirm the gospel to them?

What responses does the church have in such a situation? The

churches and organizations have the important thing is do to

turn indigenous dedicated leaders in the church in order to

reconceptualising the gospel to the Phom-Naga people. One of

the greatest challenges lay to the church is, it is a time

to reform mission strategy, the role and function policy

201 Temsu Chenth, An Evaluation of the Impact of Christianity on the Phom Tribe ofNagaland (Pune: B.D Thesis Senate of Serampore College, 1996-1997), 62.

within the Phom-Naga church in order to make different. The

church and organization leaders are being challenged to

think differently, to:

Reconceptualize the role of the church and

organization.

Reconceptualize how people in their mission

organizations and churches will work together to

achieve these goals.

Reconceptualize missionary method for the deeply rooted

of the gospel of Christ inside and outside of the Phom-

Naga community.

Reconceptualizing the gospel doesn’t mean the gospel of

Christ can change; rather, the means of reconceptualizing is

to reaffirm the word of God to the Phom-Naga people.

Conceptualisations of how tasks were accomplished in the

organization; how Christian ministers could advance in the

ministry; the ways employees related to each other; the ways

adaptation and change were accomplished; and how new

knowledge was acquired and continued. So that past mistake

and misconceptions of culture which may not be continue

rather it may be reformation in the personal life as well as

the social life of the people around the church in

general.202

2. Suggestions and Recommendations

The ultimate purpose of Christian mission is not

material but spiritual. But if we refuse to acknowledge the

people and their culture, it will not be possible to lead

them to Christ. To communicate the gospel effectively to the

people, the church must understand the worldview of the

people and lifestyle and recognize their circumstances. The

primary responsibility is to look the needs of the people.

The present environment and the engagement in mission must

be spiritually grounded and biblically under girded. The

biggest problem faced in the mission engagement today is the

human ego. The centrality of the Christian mission is God

not us. But we push God out and put our work in the centre,

which brings unproductive in the Christian ministry. In the

perspective of mission one should not go for promoting own

favourites causes. But it should be involved herself or

202Http:/www.reconceptualizing Pualconversion.htm, Cited on, 12th March 2008.

himself in the name of God and for an extension of God’s

kingdom. An authentic mission engagement needs a servant not

a master. To be both a servant and a leader is not easy.

Mission does not exist for the shepherd but for the sheep.

Sheep must be fed with tender love and compassionate care.

It is essential to know the missioners in any reason.

In the present day context of Phom community, the

method of mission needs a change, a complete turn around,

and we say that the church’s task is to build a holistic

human community. The church should not remain a mute

spectator in whatever affects the Christian community as

well as outside the Christian community whether it is

political, social, cultural, economic and religious matter.

The missionaries, evangelists and Christian workers should

know the situation of the people and identify their culture.

If the Christian message is relevant with culture of the

people, the receivers of the gospel may develop themselves

and they find identity and their culture. It is a common

knowledge that the church has been instrumental in awakening

the people toward the right direction. People are

deliberately moving away from the tradition to modern ethos,

which affects the rooted, the gospel in the soil.203

Researcher suggests that, in the context of Phom-Naga

people, the church need to re-assess the present situation

in the light of radical social, political, economic, and

ideological changes that have taken place in contemporary

world. All the factors press upon us the need to clarify

issues of identity, method, and criteria of mission. In this

process, where churches have lost a strong sense of their

identity and purpose, such as politicising and

institutionalism, internal struggle and lack of spiritual

have obscured the gospel and hindered mission. In such

circumstances strong theological convictions and clear

vision are missing, moreover Phom-Naga churches are likely

to lose its identity. Some of the factors that affect

mission are as following;

Lack of distinction between mission, evangelism, and

witness.

203 L. Jeyaseelan, “Conflict Situation in North-East India: The Church’s Response,” in No More Guns! Peoples Struggle for Jesus Focus on North East India, (ed.), A. Wati Longchar (Jorhat: ETC, 2000), 34.

Lack of identification of the Kingdom of God with the

church.

Greater dependence on western presuppositions and

pattern, which bring in poor results on the church’s

integrity, autonomy, vitality, and growth.

Assumption that the church is formed by human effort,

that is grows by correctly followed mission policies

decided by men, and that it is proved by numerical

growth pattern and predominate by lukewarm Christians.

Preoccupation with the nature of the church, forgetting

the nature of the gospel and the condition of the

world.204

Above-mentioned statement we understand that, in many

area, the church has lacking, therefore, the researcher

further suggests that, the Phom-Naga churches needs shape

the strategy and concept in order to make effective ministry

to the people. It is a fact that the God whom Christian

worship is the God of all the people, and not a ‘uniquely

204 Luther W. Meinzen, “Theological Foundations of Mission” in Debate Mission: Issues from the Indian Context, edited by Herbert E. Hoefer et al, (Madras: Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, 1979), 265-266.

belonging’ to Christians. This view constrains the Phom-Naga

churches from reaching out the unreached. The Phom-Naga

churches have to study the history and culture of the

peoples to rediscover God’s ways of working providentially

among them. Where the church views mission in the light of

the incarnation, it will be sensitive to the cultural

context in which she lives and views her life as partnership

in God’s commitment to His world, which He still loves.

When we re-evaluate the impact of the earlier

missionary contributions to the Phom-Naga tribe, both

negative and positive effects emerged. However, in spite of

all these the efforts of the earlier missionaries’ effort

are significant. Their sacrifices in the Phom-Naga soil, has

done for some extent, for which, encourage and call us to

continue to bring the gospel in terms of words and deeds.

It even challenges for a comprehensive commitment to the

cause of Christ. The thing is to have a clearer

understanding and the goal that God has given for the people

of the Phoms and certain thing has to be renewed in the

purpose of the mission of Christ.205

Phom-Naga churches are still confused on many terms and

meaning for words like evangelism, mission, and social work.

They need harmony to avoid divisions and further confusion.

They need to be able to interpret the facts and figures

concerning the needs in the light of God’s word. They need

to see specific situation through God’s eyes and be alert

for what going to be done.

2.1. Concept of Church Need Re-consideration

The word “revitalize” means to recognize that a given

body is weak body or deficient. “To revitalize” means to

rediscover and use the resources that will contribute to a

new life, energy and dynamism of that body, in order to

discover new life and all that it involves-vitality, energy

and dynamism, enthusiasm. It is necessary to go back to

roots, to origins in order to recognize identity, to repents

to our failing and return to the very basic calling. “You are

a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own

205 Ibid., 266.

people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who

called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (I Peter

2:9). In this passage clearly reaffirm to refresh Christian

mission in order to rekindling gospel of light to the

people.206

According to Albert Manuel, Lloyd M. Perry, brought the

revitalization in the context of theological concept on

Church revitalization Process, is “to think seriously about

the needs of the world around us, our church, and our own

leadership styles and whether we lead the church in such a

way that it is engaging those needs or ignoring them.”207

God calling is to share in His life and in His mission

to the people. Calling is to reflect Christ light to other

and to interpret His glory. Perhaps, the gospel presenter

who does not live and does not reflect Him, therefore cannot

interpret Him. There is need for renew the work of God in

the church. It is necessary to enable the church to fulfil

her calling as God’s ambassadors in the world, incarnating

? Keitzer, “Gospel and Tribal Culture Naga Perspective,” in Church Revitalizing the 20th Century Church (Chicago: Moody, 1986), 136.

207 Ibid., 137

the ministry and the message of liberation and the comfort.

It now believers believes, as partners with God in His

calling, to join in consistent, for the regeneration of the

church and the people. In term of mission God has granted it

in ever widening circles in the present generation.208 The

most concern revitalize is that if the church is to be

effective instrument of God for the accomplishments of God’s

purpose of mission in the world today, it must be have to be

very sensitive to that purposes. The means, of purpose is,

it must be sensitive and concerned for the people in what

condition they are living and the affairs for which God is

concerned. One of the lacking area of the Phom-Naga churches

are preoccupied with administrative problems and a routine

of worship services and other devotional gatherings that it

does not take very serious about mission, the word of God.

The church is the responsible to re-interpret the gospel in

way the people can understand. The church is located in the

208 Albert Manuel, “Renewal,” in Renewal for Mission, (eds.), David Lyon and Albert Manuel (Bangalore: CLS, 1969), 14.

heart and soul of the people. The gospel of Christ should be

appropriate the way the people live.209

If the church is to revive and revitalized the society,

believers, including the church leaders need to be renewed

first. There needs to be evidence of the fruit of the spirit

in the lives of the believers and church leaders.210 If the

church suffers spiritually, decline and the flesh overcome

among its members, and the enemy can recapture the people of

Christ and endanger the very life of the kingdom.

Richard F. Lovelace writes:

The Christian community today is deeply penetrated

by worldly patterns of thinking, motivation, and

behaviour and thus witness rendered ineffective.

Individuals, churches, school and ministries must

become sensitive to the areas of unholy conformity

to the world in their behaviour if the spirit of

holiness is really to possess them in fullness.211

209 Glory E. Dharmaraj and Jacob S. Dharmaraj, Mutuality in Mission: A Theological Principle for the 21st Century (New York: United Methodists Church, 2001), 5-6.210 ? Kalyan Basu, The 21st Century Christian and His End Time Mission (Secunderabad: OM, 2005), 293-294.211 ? Richard F. Lovelace, Dynamic of Spiritual Life: Evangelical Theory of Renewal (Downer Grove: Intervarsity, 1979), 94.

Above the mentioned statement, push us to understand

the background of the people and the world, since people

dominated by the world pleasure and spiritually decline. It

is truth that the Phom-Naga people pre-occupied by the

worldly pattern and the same time influence by the western

culture, life style that push them sensitive in the areas of

worldly pleasure. Moreover, in the basis spiritual area

people are lacking and predominated by the normal Christian.

In this juncture, what church can do?212 It is a time to re-

examine and find out in which area that the church has

lacking in order to bring people in different and to

reconceptualize the word of God in the heart of the people.

Nearly a century the church has played a very vital role in

the mist of political and social turmoil. Yet to be more

effective has to re-asses its idea of it own mission and

nature. Based on this account, lets look at three principles

of Church that need to be revitalized in the context of the

Phom-Naga churches:

212 T. Lalsawma “Christian in Socio-Cultural Life,” in Good News for North East India, (ed.), Renthy Keitzar (Guwahati: CLC, 1995), 117.

First, the institutionalism can become a serious

handicap to effective ministry. In fact, this happens to be

the case whenever a pastor feels he has enough work to do in

the institutional life of the church. The more concentrate

on the church administration, church building construction

and church development yet it is also necessary, however

great it may be, but cannot contain the mission of the

church. Church become more and more invested in its own

structural patterns thereby becoming less and less effective

to make gospel to the people, and not aware to look the

condition of the people, cultural life, and failed to move

further mission expansion.

Second, racial sentiment can also become a bar to

progress and effective communication of the gospel of

Christ. Churches are identified with their racial society,

church is identified mainly through its cultural origin it

lacks the power to recreate the society because it lacks a

spirit of inter-racial fellowship from which perspective

alone can the church find its true mission. One of the

problem that, the researcher, has found through his ministry

experience, in the Phom-Naga churches are approximately

there are five different linguistic groups, and they

migrated from different directions and settled it where they

are living recently, for which they claim themselves

originality and non-originality they determine themselves as

a superior than other that cause big hindrance in the

churches and in the society. It is the greatest challenge to

church to revive such attitude towards one another in order

to multiple the mission of Christ without racial division

inside and outside of the church.

Third, Blind obedient to denominational structure of

the church is probably, one of the greatest hindrances to

creativity in the life of the church. Denominational

exclusiveness has blinded the eyes of Christian and prevents

them from making real and true progress. In the context of

Phom-Naga churches the first evangelistic work has been done

through the American Baptist missionary, and they follow the

Baptist denominational structure and pattern, these are the

consequences that the majority of the believers from

Baptist background. There are few people who follow the

other denominations pattern like, revival church, Roman

Catholic so on. Indeed, Baptist believers see and consider

other denominational believers as equivalence with non-

Christians. It is because; they have wrong concepts, which

were influenced by the earlier missionaries. Baptist

believers are very conservative, narrow in understanding of

the mission of God. In reality there is no denomination in

Christ but one in Christ. Today in the Phom-Naga church

instead of bring the lost sheep stealing sheep is also going

on therefore it is the great challenge to unite together in

Christ and reaffirm once again to reconceptualize the gospel

in a boarder scope and penetrate the gospel to the Phom-Naga

people and the main focus should be to bring new sheep’s

inside the church to see the glory of God.213

2.2. Need for a New Mission Strategy

In the Phom-Naga social conditional context, the most

needed theory today is the new mission paradigm that

reconceptualizes, reorganizes and restructures the external

surrounding a paradigm that transforms and enriches the old,

213 Ibid., 117-118.

or at least gives a heightened practicality to the old.

During 19th and 20th century mission principles have to be

reached their limit, as they could not totally solved the

problem. However today mission should be a new strategy and

wider scope according to the demand of the people, looking

in the context of social problem, cultural issues, and the

condition of people that around us.

The biblical paradigm is essential to develop and put

into practice in the 21st century has to perceive the

problems of society as being connected to the people so that

the gospel will no longer encounter with one culture to

another culture for the mission purposes. The gospel has to

go in the context of Phom-Naga culture with their languages,

their own music, dances, and art to expresses the gospel in

the way they can understand. They have to go beyond their

own church to discover church relevant with their cultural

pattern and gospel should answer in the related with life

and social problem.214

214 N. Toshi Ao, “Paradigm Shift in Mission,” in Indian Journal of Missiology, (eds.), C. Barnabas, et al, (Karumandapam: IIM, Vol.6, April, 2004), 31-32.

2.3. Social Development in the Christian Perspective

Development is a common word used for the strategy to

improve the suffering of a needy people and to bring them

to a state of self-sufficiency. One of the basic

principles is not only provides spiritual food to the

people. But it involves economic advancement, social-

political liberation, development of the community and

restructuring the social cultural life of the people. The

goal of community development is to bring a group of

people to a place of self-reliance and self-sufficiency in

the area of both physical and spiritual respectively.

Christian community development efforts should aim at

meeting the overall needs of the entire community. In the

meeting these needs to their culture must be studied and

taken seriously. A community development project

implementation in Chennai may not culturally suitable for

Phom-Naga community. So the social development should

according to the cultural context and environment, along

with message of God for which, the people understand reality

of their life in Christ. In sense, Christian mission should

be connected with over all aspect life, because giving

spiritual message will not be enough but it should be done

along with socio-economic uplift and sensitive to the need

of the time in the light of gospel.215

In the Christian circle social work is essential in

order to meet the need of the people. Without a proper

understanding of the ways and mentality of the people it is

not possible to reconceptualize the gospel. Unless the

Christian workers aware about the native life way and with

the usage, function, and value attached to these details he

or she cannot expect to be able to provide the necessary

spiritual guidance which his struggling and often confused

in the Christian ministry. While the presenting the gospel,

the Christian missionaries to preserve native ways and

transform traditional ways.216 It is important to understand

thoroughly the target people and provide necessary thing to

fulfil their physical needs in order to reach out the gospel

to them. Of course the mission must, be primarily occupied

with the souls of man and woman, with the preaching of the

215Ponraj, Tribal Challenge and the Church’s Response, 239. 216 Rene Padilla, “The Contextualization of the Gospel,” 8- 9.

good news about the salvation however, cannot claim to be

truly interested in souls unless at the same time the

missionaries of the gospel remain true to the basic law of

the kingdom which they preached about charity.217

The Acts of the Apostles tells us that Christ, did not

limit His ministry to preaching but that He “went about

doing good” (Acts 10: 38). The gospel describes numerous

incidents showing Jesus His deep concern for the temporal

welfare of His flock (Mark 8:2-3). Social action in the

mission is more urgent today than ever before. In fact, it

has become a matter of life and death. In the last two or

three decades, there appears to be a ‘rediscovery and

reapplication’ of the old values on evangelism and social

action. Responsibilities are both evangelistic and social

concern. We should be ready to tackle the community

enlargement and an evangelistic programmed for saving souls,

with equal salvation should be for the whole man, in

consists of both physical and spiritual needs.

2.4. Finding the Gospel as a Agent of Change

217 Ibid., 10.

Both secular and religious historians have observed

that when a new philosophy of life is introduced to other

culture, if the new philosophy is to work then both negative

and positive changes have take place. This is true when the

gospel spread in the new environment. In the same way, when

American Baptist missionary and the neighbouring tribe of

Nagaland who brought the good news of Christ to the Phom-

Naga soil, it’s occurred both negative and positive impact.

They began to work for a better future; reaction,

acceptance, submission, rejection division and change were

daily experience throughout the region. The Phoms has their

own age long traditional set mind conditioned by their

limited worldview. According to Imchen, Bruce J. Nicholls

quotes, “the gospel is never proclaimed to men living in a

vacuum. All men are conditioned by their cultures and so

hear the gospel through their conditioned minds.”218 All this

above mentioned scholar explanations and views are right,

because people are living in a certain cultural attachment

and it is an unavoidable to all the people of the world.

218Masao Takenaka, When the Bamboo Bends: Christ and in Japan (Geneva: WCC,2002), 8.

Therefore, the researcher suggests that, missionary should

make themselves incarnate into the local cultural traditions

in order to reconceptualize the gospel. Missionary who

engage in mission for the Phom-Naga, he or she should know

the Phom-Naga mind, culture and should be able to

communicate Christ in term of their conditioned. For

example, Jesus approached was not just cultural adaptation,

but transformation from within. In the same way St. Paul

communicated Christ to the people of Athens (Acts 17: 22-

31). In fact, cultural adaptation and transformation of the

socio-cultural system from within, seems to be quite

relevant in today in the Phom-Naga context. For which, it

enables missionary to make Christ incarnate into local

cultural context and transform those traditions from within.

Can the church see itself as a stabilizing agency for

the society? The church, though weak and failure in many

area, is still the most effective agency to give stability

to society. For example, in this globalise world,

particularly many of the Phom-Naga young people ethically

weak, indiscipline, pre-dominate by the worldly pleasure,

stand against authority, revolt against the spiritual

message, but at the same time they desire for someone or

something to capture them. Till then, it is possible to

bring them change their life through the gospel of Christ.

The door is opened to root the word of God in their heart.

2.5. Approachability the Gospel to the People

In 1974 in the great significance in Phom-Naga

community was mass movement to received gospel of Christ. It

was a time of reaping among the Phom-Naga people. They are

the people friendly mind if the missionaries befriend them.

Why they resisted the gospel? The main problem was because

missionary treated with disrespect, despised cultures and

exploited them and the certain things rejected which was the

valuable for them. In this connection, in order to

reconceptualizing the core meaning of the message of Christ

to them, the researcher, would like to classify two

approachability factors with two directions, that is,

internal and external.

1. Internal factors are those attitudes and beliefs

within the Phom-Naga people, which make adaptable to the

gospel. It is not possible to win them outside of their

culture; therefore, the gospel should be within their

context.

2. External factors are those outside pressures and

influences, which may foundation for the people to look for

improvement of distress or discontent in a new religious

system and cultures. Whatever the courses there are always

internal and external factors will be response in heart. One

of the primarily task for the Christian missionary should be

sensitive to the customs and tradition, to look within the

nature of the people and concern for the external factors in

order to revive the gospel according to people their form.

Another things that missionary should aware in the context

of evangelism process is, mission of God may not be a plain

shooting message rather expressive, impressive and

comprehensive within the culture.219

In 2004, Yachem village council has removed some of the

people from the council members and from the society because

of the reasons they are under the influence of using drugs,

219 Trevor and Rona Locke, Tribals for Christ, 2nd edition (Bangalore: IEM, 1992), 42.

alcohols and opium. In the same time people regarded them as

a sinner, so people rejected and they are out of the

society. Even, the church consider they are undeserved to be

member and unworthy to involves any church activities. In

such a situation what church can do for those people who are

out of the church, is it right to exclude them? In this

point of view, researcher suggests in the light church

workers, till today many of the church leaders far away from

the groundwork of the mission of God. Church leaders didn’t

comprehend the core meaning of the gospel and purpose of God

mission. These are the common problem in the Phom-Naga

churches for which, brought great hindrance and problem of

the daily activities in the church. Therefore, the

researcher suggests that, it is not right to ignore them

rather it is a great challenge to take as a responsibility

to rethink, re-interpret, reaffirm, and reconceptualize the

gospel to them according to the demand of the environments

so that, transformation may take place to them through

gospel of Christ.

3. Need to be Cultural Renaissance in the Christian

perspective

If the cultural renaissance has to come true and

sustaining, the cultural and spiritual dimensions have a

crucial role to play. They should go to the roots of the own

spiritual and cultural experience in order to meaningfully

shape the past, present and future of the own societies. It

dose not mean come into the old system or re-established old

practices rather it means creative cultural renewal. It is

very much need for people of Phom-Naga society to define and

defend themselves from the western cultural offensive.220

Cultural identity in itself is honourable and necessary

process. Cultural renewal, respects the desire of

different societies to find contemporary explanations for

their existences, which are creatively derived from their

own histories and experiences. It is also open to ideas,

values and beliefs coming from other cultures. However

this capacity to be open and to appreciate ‘the other’

220 Sidhartha, “Cultural Renewal in India,” in Religion Ideology and Counter-Culture, (eds.), Philip Mathew and Ajit Muricken (Bangalore: CSI, 1987), 47.

need not necessarily lead to the other imposition its

worldview. The Phom-Naga cultural life is to be

transforming without permitting the west culture to lead

this transformation. The concern is the Phom-Naga cultures

are equally applicable for their social development and

transformation of the social life through interpreting

gospel according to the Phom-Naga culture. These questions

are still alive and real among the Phoms. Is it Phom-Naga

culture are un-Christian? Is it possible to incarnate

Christ to them through their cultural forms, tradition,

and customs without syncretism with the essence of the

gospel?

Approach would be suitable with the context,

appreciable and relevant. Here the feeling would be

traditional culture, religious ideas, values, beliefs as

well as rituals, festivals, myths and customs have offer to

a more meaningful and in the context of the human process.

Re-interpretation their cultural aspects and religious,

traditional is a source to transform the Phom-Naga people in

the light of Christian perspective.221 No one can deny the

fact that the way people of different culture confess Christ

has never been uniform; it differed from one culture to

another. It is the culture that shapes the voice that

confesses Christ. That is the clear reflected in the history

of Christianity itself.222

As Christianity was born and brought up in the

environment of Judaism and nurture the Greco-Roman world, it

took the form of Hebrew, Greek and Latin when it was spread

to the rest of Europe, it became under the influenced of

Latin culture and took the Latin form. Why not, lead the

Christ incarnated in the Phom-Naga community through their

cultural form in order to reconceptualize the gospel to

them.223

Renaissance movements emerge out of general discontent

with existing values, beliefs and symbols of identity.

Through the process of cultural renaissance, a society may

seek to revise and construct conflicting values, cultural

221 bid., 63.222 Thanzauva, Theology of Community Tribal Theology in the Making, 236.223 Floyd Filson, A New Testament History (London: Redwood Burn, 1977),

221.

distortions and ancient beliefs of form a new cultural

synthesis in an effort to restore cultural vitality to their

ethos.224

In the eyes of the gospel any culture or society, both

modern and ancient, are seen darkness, and devoid of the

knowledge of the truth. The Christian worldview is, in

Christ there is life, and light and truth. These life, light

and truth should be re-interpreted in the cultural context

in order to kindling light in the darkness. We understand

that culture is not on only a gift from God but also the

basis of people’s identity. Christianity, then, is universal

while culture is local. In this sense, it is highly

significant to reconsider the relationship between Christian

and role of the Phom-Naga cultural lives. It is possible to

express the gospel according to their social cultural

life.225

The cultural context constitutes a basic missionary

tool, necessary for the Christian missionary in his role as

224 ? Anthony F. C Wallace, “Revitalization Movement,” in American Anthropologist (Williamson: H.G. M, 1956), 265.

225 Takenaka, When the Bamboo Bends, 7

agent of culture change. Whether the church’s message is

about God and his loving revelation or about such

fundamental human needs as food-production, health care, and

social justice, it must be presented with culture as an

adaptive system in mind, that is, as something that promises

success in life.226

3.1. Need to be Revitalize the Phom-Naga Traditional

Values

Fundamental assumption of the re-discovery of

traditional values is that human beings as created in the

image of God have the potential to transform their own

lives. Every society has its own way of solving problems and

doing development. An imposition of a foreign ideology,

technology and development approach will not enhance real

development unless they are incarnated, indigenized or

except it takes root within the context of the people.

The Gospel comes to the people in different forms and

therefore it is essential to comprehend two thing is the

content of the gospel and values of the local culture. In

226 Kalyan Basu, The 21st Century Christian and His End Time Mission, 226-227.

order to make gospel relevant we need to take it out the Jew

background, culture and interpret it in the Phom-Naga

cultural context appropriately. Therefore, first need to re-

discover a traditional value before we present the gospel.

Culture should be acknowledged and respected. The

missionaries who brought the Gospel to the Phom-Naga people

tried in their zeal to work against all that was with the

people, treating them inferior and valueless of their

culture, which cause difficulties in the initial stage.227

The task here is, to theological re-conceive, re-

articulate, and develop some dimensions not in unexpressed

way but in living traditions, which, in certain forms are

still practiced by the people. It is need to be an attempt

to revitalize the essence of the traditional values, for

which, to find out the suitable approach to the Phom-Naga

people.

Re-evaluate of discarded cultural elements, and there

have been attempts to re-introduce them. Such as a local

227 Thongkhosei M. Haokip, “Interaction between Gospel and Kuki Culture,” in Journal of Tribal Studies, (eds.), M.Kipgen, et al, (Jorhat: ETC, Vol. X, No.1, January-June, 2006), 16.

festival ‘Monyu’ has been reintroduced with different

meaning. An attempt to re-introduce old Phom-Naga tune is

yet to have acceptance from some church leaders. We may call

this period of theological contextualization and

inculturation of the church.

Some theological contextualization has been attempted

but it has been brought unproductive result due to the lack

of understanding of their culture. The present context, the

old-such as the old Phom-Naga worldview, which are no longer

well known by the new generation, has needed to be

emphasized. The Christian are concerned to preserve their

beautiful culture and are working to Christianize their

culture.228

In order to understand, accept people and cultures need

to be developed a higher sense of mutuality. Respecting the

values, beliefs, and culture of the particular people which,

are different from missionary, it does not necessarily mean

that missionary have to practice or even approve of those

228 F. Hrangkhuma, “Christianity Among the Tribes of India: An Overview,” in Christ Among the Tribals (ed.), F. Hrangkhuma and Joy Thomas (Bangalore: FIM, 2007), 30.

values and beliefs and abandon their own culture and respect

for others views does not means compromise missionary

spiritual conviction. Rather, values and traditions are

enriched and enhanced themselves to prepare for the

spiritual knowledge when present the gospel with openness

and respect.

3.2. Need to be Reconceptualize the Gospel through

Traditional Song

The people of Phoms have a rich in traditional

indigenous song and tunes, however they neglect their own

traditional song and tunes rather they conceptualize with

the tunes of western Christian hymn, and song which is not

melodious for them, indigenous tunes and song which the

forefather used effectively in the communication process. In

the same way, if the traditional song bring out in the

context of the Phom-Naga people perhaps, it may be very

effective to penetrate the gospel to the people. These are

the primary tools to communicate the gospel through

indigenous song and tunes, since they have enough rhythm and

tune.229 We cannot deny the some of the certain things,

which Phom-Naga churches used in the church worship, related

with their culture, however, it is only translation song

with western tunes, not an indigenous tune that is not

attractive for the locality. Therefore, it is not impressed

deeply to the people. They could not express themselves in

the traditional ways, rather sung, dance with the western

tunes and style. Western tune and lyric are the ineffective

form in the Phom-Naga context. Therefore, now there is an

hour to reconceptualize their indigenous song and tune

which, available in the Phom-Naga community for the purpose

of the gospel of Christ to penetrate to the people.

4. Findings and Suggestions- Need to do

In this section the researcher has brought some of the

suggestions, in order to aware the church for the future

effective ministry in the Phom-Naga churches and the

community life of the people.

Adaptation methods can be applied in the Phom-Naga

community in term of native culture in which, it become

229 Thanzauva, Theology of Community Tribal Theology in the Making, 218.

accustomed and this becomes a vehicle to communicate

the gospel effectively. Because the truth can never be

communicated in a vacuum; it must be expressed in a

human culture if it is to be understood.

Apostle Paul communicates the gospel to the people of

Athens effectively. Paul appreciated the Athens’s

religious beliefs system though he was very much

disturbed because of the idols which were filled with

the whole city of Athens. In the same way, it is needed

to appreciate the Phom-Naga belief system and present

the gospel in a transformational way. Though some

element are unacceptable in the Christian perspective.

Home based- mission must be strength in order to carry

out the outreach mission.

Attempt to take the solid vision of the gospel and

apply it, in order to make the gospel useful for the

people at the level of their understanding and

investing all possible resources, empowering people, so

that the local people can stand on their feet.230

230 Luther W. Meinzen, “Theological Foundations of Mission,” 131

Attempt should be made for the spiritual regeneration

inside and outside of the church to touch every aspect

of the human life.

It is also high time to re-interpret the Phom-Naga

concept of mission in the new perspective to give

better and effective meaning to the common

understanding of mission.

An understanding of culture, and how to transform it,

is a crucial skill for leaders to achieve strategic

outcomes.

Strategic leaders have the best perspective as they

have the right position in the organization as well as

church to see the dynamics of the culture. They are the

exact people who should decide which part of the

culture should be transforms and which part should be

accepted. This is the essence of strategic success.

Church as a redeemed community should be touched by

human misery and distress of the people who are even

losing their moral life. Church should be available to

meet their both physical and spiritual needs in term of

contextual efforts by reaching the people with the

message of Jesus Christ.

The church should stand against all form of social

injustices in order to establish the values of the poor

people with an effort to affirm their identity.

The church should Attempt to help Christian believers

to promote their cultural, social, and religious within

their Christian perspectives, through encouraging their

indigenous arts, folk music, and dance.

Christian message brought new insights and

accountability of each individual to God and to his fellow

human being. The Gospel has transformed the life of the

people of the region, yet, there is lot of problem in the of

Phom-Naga community, cultural issue, insurgency activities,

blood shed, no political solution, social corruption, bribe,

family problem, lack of social injustice, exploitation and

loose morality, in term of both spiritually and the social

life of the people. Definitely, this is a negative impact on

the mission of the church as well. So far the church was

somewhat silent about such activities or kept safe distance

from such movements. Today the church is to re-think of her

strategies and feels that she has a mission even to these

people. The church should initiative to bring about the

transformations an individual as well as common people.

Today, this is greatest challenges inside and outside of the

church. Hence, the church needs to go back the old concept

of mission and re-evaluate and look for the new perspective

in term present social cultural life of the people. The

church emerges from an interaction between a receptive group

of people and the gospel. This encounter that results from

God’s initiative and the faith response of a people take

place at a meeting point or a specific cultural context. The

church has all prerequisites for becoming creative and for

constantly re-interpreting, reconceptualizing and re-

actualizing the gospel through its own cultural resources.

Such a re-presenting of the gospel leads to an enrichment of

faith that brings a noticeable new dimensions of the mystery

of God salvation plan to the people.

In order to present the gospel appropriate with the

Phom-Naga people, there are main issues to remember is,

relevant to Phom-Naga cultural context. The concept of

traditional community life from the past has been brought in

transformational development through practically relevant

with the contemporary social life of the people to their

needs, reviving community work of culture, to strengthen

Phom-Naga traditional custom, culture and human potential.

Thus, the decision above leads the church to realize it

special ability to promote socio-cultural, economic

activities. Church should be a transformational oriented in

the light of Christian perspective for the purpose of both

physical and spiritual formation.

Conclusion

The researcher is hopeful that the Phom Naga Christians

have made inroad will to continue to grow. In the Phom-Naga

tribe in which the gospel has not been presented

meaningfully as yet, Jesus Christ with his transforming

message needs to be correctly presented to them. They need

more knowledgeable, committed champion, to awake them in

their need of spiritual, social, cultural and economic

liberation. They need people to help them participate more

effectively in their own liberation and development, and

search for identity.

The researcher would like to recapitulate what has been

discussed in the proceeding of the following chapters. No

one can deny the fact that the way people of different

cultures have confessed Christ has never been uniform; it

differed from one culture to another. Phom-Naga churches

have to take into the aspect of socio-cultural issues. It

need not to be absolute way to engage in mission in terms of

spiritual perspective only, but should be a broader prospect

towards the socio-cultural context of the Phom-Naga people.

It is the culture that shapes the voice that confesses

Christ. That has been clearly reflected in the history of

Christianity itself. As Christianity was born and brought up

in the structure of Judaism and nurture the Greco-Roman

world, it took the form of Hebrew, Greek and Latin when it

was spread to Rome and to the rest of Europe, it became

under the influenced of Latin culture and took the Latin

form.

The researcher answered the question; why a cultural

approach is important? It is because culture is the key to

play a role in the process of communication of the gospel.

The need of the hour is to rebuild the cultural dimension in

order to reconceptualize the gospel to the Phoms. When

Christianity came into the Phom-Naga land there was

culturally silent, different from their culture, real

incarnation did not take place. Although it happened in

certain places and applied it. Indeed, it remained alien to

Phom-Naga people. Contextualization is necessary; this is

the reality as well as the need that has to be accepted.

Otherwise gospel will never take deep root into the local

soil. Researcher has noted that the Phom-Naga culture has

been a forgotten dimension in the present community which is

responsible greatly for the existing problems in the social

life of the people, economic and political life. By

considering all these factors, there is certainly a need for

re-discovering the transformational patterns within the

Phom-Naga culture, which is another crucial methodology. In

this process, to rediscover their traditional values,

adaptation and transformation has needed to be applied. One

of the problems found in the Phom-Naga church is due to the

problem of contextualization. The gospel has not yet rooted

deeply into the heart and has not entirely cultured in the

local context. It is because of the western character of

Christianity, which controls the people. We say that,

western traditions have nothing to do with Phoms people. We

have to find out an answer to solve these problems.

Therefore, the researcher further suggests that, if we

really want to make gospel relevant to the Phom-Naga people,

the past assumptions need to be re-interprets in the light

of their traditional and cultural contexts. Hence, Christian

message and theology has not yet expressively appropriate

with the present day-to-day life in Phom-Naga people. So,

the solution is, message of God would be cultured, and made

locally available for a spiritual sustainable church.

Indeed, though Christian missionary had been liberated

the Phoms from some forms of oppression, and headhunting

practice through the teaching of a new religion, a new life

style and ethic. A new life style implies replacement of the

old ways of life, which includes the rejection of the

traditional festival, songs, dances, the earth centred

myths, oral traditions, folktales, ethic, and institutions

‘Morung’ were replaced by the modern education and

literature. For which, we can say that Christianity was not

a constructive or impressive, it is due to the western

character of Christianity, which predominate the people and

the way they approached was not relevant with the Phom-Naga

culture.

The first Jerusalem council became the model for the

church’s further missionary expansion. The Jerusalem council

of Acts 15 was one of the most significant events in the

history of the Christian church. Jerusalem council provided

a much of the opportunity for the church and to dig out of

the basic problem related with the relationship between the

Jews and Gentiles, since, this has occurred due to the

cultural differences between Jews and Gentiles. Moreover,

Jerusalem council opened the opportunity to all people of

the earth to receive good news of Jesus Christ according to

the own cultural pattern. It relinquished Jerusalem as the

geographical centre of the faith, recognizing all cultures

and languages as lawful and equal vehicles of the Christian

message. Therefore, in Christianity there is no single

language, no single centre, and that is the ways the message

could be translated into any language. It is the dynamic

relationship between gospel and culture in which the gospel

can change and transform a culture in which a culture helps

a church to expand and understanding the gospel. Since the

gospel never comes in a culture-less form, enculturation is

always an encounter between different cultures. The counter-

cultural character of the gospel is also sustained by this

face-to-face meeting of different cultures. For the gospel

to be meaningful it must answer the vital questions being

asked by the people in their own cultural context. To relate

the gospel expressively it requires interpreting the gospel

in the context, and that involves hermeneutical task.

Christianity has brought big changes in Phom-Naga

society. The impact of globalization and technological

advancement cannot avoid which, has already rooted in the

soil. Indeed, its need creativity and responsive Christian

message towards the socio-cultural of the people. It is a

great challenge that has been laid to every Christian worker

to reconceptualize the gospel in term of socio-cultural

issues, which are interlocking problems for further

extension of mission of Christ. It is obliged to bring the

gospel of hope for the total transformation of individual as

well as the community of the people.

Contextualization has a crucial role to play in the

21st century mission, in order to renew, recreate,

reconceptualize and transform the gospel message in the

given cultural context. Reconsidering the culture of the

people, acceptance of the people culture we discover the

true identity. There is no question of contextual mission in

the perspectives of culture. Even in the Bible both Old and

New Testament expressed contextualization especially in

Jesus Christ who emptied Himself in order to communicate

with to all God creation. We also understand Jesus is a

bridge between God and mankind, through Him salvation is

possible to all people and for all the generation. So the

researcher suggests that, mission in the cultural context of

the Phom-Naga people, is applicable and need to be applied;

otherwise it will not be expressive and impressive message

of Christ. Ineffective communication is due to the lack of

contextualization. Therefore, the questions come in our mind

is, what kind of mission strategy may be applicable for the

effective communication? How to we make gospel relevant with

this contemporary scenario?

Today, people living in a profound transition period in

the context of science and technological advancement, the

researcher propose that, the Phom-Naga church should think

in a broader way for the future generation, so that the

mission will never become an ineffective, not only to

concentrate for the soul winning and evangelism but such a

sophisticated advancing world it should be look in a wider

way in both spiritual and physical need and also it is a

necessary to look in the light of the contemporary

environment which around us.

The researcher has conducted interview in mission in

the light of cultural perspective, out of which, 84% of the

total respondents has responded, the culture plays a very

important role in communicating the gospel. Thus, further

understanding that the culture must not be looked down,

while communicating the gospel to the Phom-Naga people.

Culture is groundwork to present the gospel relevant with

the Phom-Naga people, because culture is the part of their

social life, which was bond by culture. In reality there

will never be a cultureless communication and even the

gospel itself is a genuine expression through culture.

Without which, they cannot survive, therefore, in order to

present the message suitably it has to be immersed in the

local cultures. Moreover, it must be identify in conclusion

that, there are several areas of research yet to be done, in

the context of cultural perspective of Christian mission.

How to church can find cultural reformation in term of

Christian mission? What challenges are yet to be faced? How

the church reaffirms the Christian mission for the further

expansion of mission inside and outside of the Phom-Naga

community? Is it applicable to recontextualize the gospel?

Moreover, what matter it may be always mission of Christ

should be attached with cultural life of the people in order

to bring productive message of Christ to the people.