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India/Singapore 2002 Trip
Report
Singapore 2003 | Indonesia 2003 | India/Singapore 2002 | Hong Kong 2002
Singapore
Date: October 1 - 8, 2002
Team: Anthony & Isabella Chan, Bobby Medcalf from USA; and the local ORTV band
Before hitting India, our partial team first went to Singapore for a few days of ministry. Overseas Radio and Television (ORTV) organized an "Intimate Worship" seminar/concert series. We taught 4 workshops and working with the ORTV band (with members coming from different churches), we also gave 1 Mandarin Worship Concert, 1 English Worship Concert, and led 1 Bilingual Sunday Worship Service at the Agape Community Church.
We celebrated Bobby's birthday on 10/5 after the concert with the whole audience joining in to sing "Happy Birthday"–-a total surprise!
Rev. Lawrence Koo of the Agape Community Church (Singapore) earnestly asked us to be back next year. We had a blessed time working with the ORTV band, sharing our lives and experiences with them.
Nagaland, North East India
Date: Oct 8 - 23, 2002
Team: Anthony & Isabella Chan, Bobby Medcalf and Jane Quist, Tim Chan from USA; and 4 local Naga musicians: Ayan, Inakhu, Imo and Ali)
Tim and Jane flew in to Singapore and we all met up for our connecting flight to India where we were joined by 4 wonderful local musicians.
Mokokchung
A) Worship Conference organized by Council for Baptist Churches in Northeast India (CBCNEI)
Our worship team "The Joyful Worshipers" led evening celebrations; we
also conducted 12 workshops on:
- Worship leadership
- Contemporary Vocal Techniques
- Bass Techniques
- Acoustic Guitar Techniques
- Drum Techniques
- Keyboard Techniques
- Worship Team Dynamics
- Song Writing (Contemporary/Popular Style)
- Sound Engineering
Bobby was one of the resource persons for the Panel Discussion
"Worship in the 21st Century". Anthony delivered a message on "Heart
of Worship" in one of the evening sessions. Isabella Chan helped the
PowerPoint presentation for the entire conference. Jane was invited by
a women's group at the local church to share in a discussion and give
a teaching.
B) Sunday Service at Mokokchung Town Baptist Church
Our team led 30 minutes of contemporary worship prior to the regular
service. Anthony preached on "The Unquenchable Worshiper".
Dimapur
A) Oriental Theological Seminary (OTS)
We led worship and shared the vision of our ministry, and on Biblical
Basis of Worship; then followed by an intense "Q & A" time. We had a
great time of fellowship with the students at lunch.
The following events were coordinated by Baptist Youth Fellowships of
Dimapur:
B) Youth Conference at Thahekhu Village Mission Center
We shared our music during the Sunday Morning Service.
C) Nagarjan Baptist Church
We led the Sunday Afternoon Service (worship and message).
D) Ao Baptist Church
We led worship and conducted workshops on:
- Heart of Worship and Dynamic Worship Leading
- Contemporary Worship: Trends, Issues & Challenges
- Bass Techniques
- Contemporary Vocal Techniques
- Song Writing (Contemporary/Popular Style)
- Sound Techniques
E) Lotha Baptist Church
Celebration for Youth: Testimonies, Special Music and Worship
We also donated the following items towards the Worship Ministry of
the CBCNEI:
(Some of the items were collected through several churches; and some
were purchased by jnX using part of the money raised)
- 2 Acoustic Guitars
- 1 Bass Guitar
- 2 Guitar stands
- 3 Gig Bags for guitars
- 26 sets of Guitar Strings (acoustic and electric)
- 9 sets of Bass Guitar Strings
- 49 Guitar Picks
- 7 Capos
- 7 Guitar Tuners
- 8 Guitar pitch pipes
- 7 Shakers
- 1 Metronome
- 3 String Winders
- 8 worship CD's + 20 pcs of Anthony's personal CD album "Love Journeys"
- 5 Songbooks
- 5 Reference Books
- 1 Magazine
- 30 pairs of Drumsticks
- 8 Guitar Straps
This was the third trip for jnX to bring a team to Northeast India and
we were more prepared mentally. We also read articles and information
about Nagaland before we went.
On a personal note, I really cherish the chance to get to know the
leaders of the CBCNEI. I really come to appreciate their integrity and
their commitment to serve their own people. I am grateful for the
chance to also minister at OTS. After traveling on the road (I would
not call a road at all!) to OTS, all the other bumpy rides we
experienced before were nothing. I really respect Dr. Wati and his
faculty team who would spend 3 hours a day on that road, sometimes 7
days a week to teach and serve at OTS. Talking with the students and
the faculty members had given me many insights into understanding the
issues of Nagaland, what the society and community of believers faces
and what message should the church bring forth in a culturally
relevant manner. Again, the Lord showed me the power of worship amidst
all these. I came back with a renewed appreciation for life and gained
a new perspective of simple living.
Throughout the journey, we were able to convey one central message:
Worship is not about music; it's all about God. We stressed on
humility in serving. It was flattering that Rev. Zhabu, the General
Secretary of the Nagaland Baptist Convention gave us an open
invitation to return to Nagaland next year (after the conference in
the State of Manipur) to give the "Worship Team Dynamics" workshop for
more local worship teams.
The Mokokchung Conference morning and evening sessions were televised
via Cable TV reaching out to 300,000 homes.
We were excited and immensely blessed to work with the 4 local
musicians who joined our team. This is how we could mentor and raise
up local leaders who would take up the responsibility to train local
people after we leave. What a privilege to work with these several
talented and committed young men and getting to know them and the
issues they face in life in a more personal level.
"And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many
witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach
others." (2 Timothy 2:2) That's exactly what we were trying to do
when we worked with them and when we taught workshops. One of the
musicians Ayan went on to lead a team to Tura to lead worship at the
CBCNEI Annual Mission Conference 2 weeks after our departure. Before
he left for Tura, he sent me an email and he wrote,
"I got the privilege to lead the team though unworthy I am, but as a
given opportunity I am taking up for His glory and I know our God is a
God who does beyond beliefs. I am using some of the songs that we sang
there in Mokokchung. We are going with full set up. At this given
privilege I'm sharing them to my team what it all means to praise and
worship the Lord. I praise God because this is the fruit of your
ministry of which I am doing here. I pray that I with my team will do
good for the Lord in leading people to His presence. I would specially
like you and your team to pray for my team for this ministry."
After he came back, he sent me another email,
"I came back yesterday from William Nagar, Tura. We had blessed time
over there. In fact this was my first time leading a team in a big
congregation and it was wonderful and blessed experience for me... We
could really feel His presence in us while leading worship. Thanks for
your fervent prayer support."
We have established many relationships. We continue to receive emails
from the participants and some of them asked more questions on
worship. We continue to minister to them and encourage them and answer
their questions through emails. Our ministry continues with them even
after we came back. We are so thrilled and humbled that God has called
us to be a part of this movement in Northeast India.
A while back when I shared at church, our senior pastor Mark asked me
what do we do when we minister. My answer was that we would tell a
story of the donkey wherever we go -– all the glory belongs to the
Lord. It's cool that we got emails from Nagaland that sign off with:
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The Naga breed donkey......Yet to be a full-blown donkey......Donkey for Christ
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Thank God for calling us to produce donkeys for the Him!
The white-haired donkey,
Anthony
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