Chumoukedima: On Saturday, March 9, the Youth Department of the Western Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (WCBCC) commemorated its golden jubilee with a grand celebration at the WCBCC Mission Centre in Kozabe Village. The theme for this milestone event was titled “Our Utmost for His Highest.”
The roots of congregations among the Chakhesang community in Dimapur trace back to the 1960s, where informal gatherings in homes initially served as places of worship due to the absence of a formal church. By 1971, the community established four churches, leading to the formation of Chakhesang Baptist Churches Dimapur Area (CBCDA). Recognizing the need for a youth body in 1974, CBCDA formed the CBCDA Youth Department, evolving over the years to become the Western Area Chakhesang Baptist Church Council Youth Department (WACBCCYD) and eventually the WCBCC in 2017, with its youth department becoming the WCBCCYD in 2018 to reflect inclusiveness.
The golden jubilee festivities commenced with the unveiling of the Jubilee Monolith by Vepokho Vese, the Youth Secretary of the Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC).
The program featured a variety of devotional and celebratory activities, including a mass invocation, a hymn of adoration, and “message in songs” performances by the Jubilee Choir teams. Rev. Dr. V.K. Nuh, chairman of Naga Archives & Research Centre, led the prayer for jubilee blessings.
As part of the celebration, a special Souvenir was released in commemoration of the golden jubilee.
Visakhole Dozo, Chairman of WCBCC Youth Department, delivered the welcome address, expressing gratitude to the pioneers who laid the foundation for the department’s success. He highlighted the 18 churches under WCBCC Youth Department and over 2100 youths actively involved in its activities.
The main speaker for the event, Rev. Dr. Chekrovei Cho-o, the executive secretary of Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC), addressed various topics, emphasizing the distinction between being religious and being spiritual. He commented on the prevailing issue of Christians being more religious than spiritual, calling for a deeper understanding and resolution.
In an exclusive interview with EastMojo, Dr. Chekrovei pointed out the emergence of “convenient Christians” and urged believers to move beyond comfort zones and embrace a genuinely Christian life, which may not always be convenient.
Dr. Chekrovei also challenged the prevailing mindset that prioritizes missions over worship within churches. He emphasized that while missions are crucial, worship should be the priority of the church. He cautioned against becoming too focused on organizational expansion in the name of missions and urged a return to the core values of spirituality and discipleship.
The program concluded with a hymn of consecration and the reading of the benediction, followed by a joyous jubilee feast for all participants.
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