BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH OF MELC

As already noted elsewhere the Christian faith advent to the Zous from the early 1930’s with the conversion of a village chief and the subsequent conversion of the entire villagers. However, one can says that the Zou as a community embraced Christianity only from 20th Feb’ 1954, with the formation of the JCA at a village called Daijang in Churachandpur District under the initiative of the early Zealous converts. Prominent among them were (L) Semkhopau, Kaizakham and T. Thonghang, who were popularly known as the JCA Trio. Thus one may trace the history of MELC from JCA.

Early 1950’s had already seen the establishment of local and language based churches under the auspice of NEIG Mission such as ECC, MCO, KCA, MCS, ECA, etc that are still in existence today.

The Zou community which was not too please with the functioning of the NEIG mission. due to varied reasons, most notably the indifference attitude of the mission toward the Zous vis-à-vis the other tribes formed, as already noted JCA and subsequently joined the Presbyterian church in 1959. Thus, there came about one presbytery in Manipur by name Manipur Gam Presbytery (MGP). In 1963, the Zous split into two Presbyteries Manipur Gem Presbytery (MEP).

Between the early and 1960’s and 1970’s many events took place in the religious, socio-economic, cultural and political life of the Zous as a Christian community, of which one event was a very important one, which may be discussed briefly here. In the early parts of the second half of the 70’s, two MGP Pastors were excommunicated by the Presbyterian church of North East India, which had a far-reaching implication in the life of the Zous as a Christian community. The wound inflicted by this incident is still to be healed even till today. The reason for both pastors facing the axe was over the issue of the publication of the sacred text of the Christian, the Holy Bible into Zou language. Both were excommunicated for wanting to have the Bible in their own mother tongue. The charge against them was that both co-operated with the Roman Catholic Church to publish a common Bible including the Apocryphal Books in Zou language. That too, after their initial request to the Bible society of India (BSI) for the publication of the same was rejected by BSI for reason best known to them (B.S.I).

Initially the BSI after a survey of the literate Zou pupulace felt that publication of the Holy Bible in Zou language would not be viable as the expected readership is very few in no. and there by incurred a loss financially on their part. However, after the publication of the Holy Bible with the financial assistance of the Roman Catholic Church (1982), BSI published the same as a face saving measure, after all the damaged had already been done (the split) in 1992.

Later, the two MGP pastors namely Rev. T. Ginzapau and Rev. P. Khupdoukham and their supporters who were pro Holy Bible publication formed themselves as a separate organization within the MGP. After many twist and turn of events, they separated from the MGP and join the Asian Bible Fellowship Mission (ABFM). Then in 1982, they changed the name of their church organization to Zomi Christian Church (ZCC).

The majority of Zous flocked to this new and indigenous church much to the annoyance and disappointment of the MGP. Inspite of this some amount of cooperation and understanding continues. However, as usual elsewhere amongst the tribals, inter tribe, class and clan rival has become common and infact intensified between the MGP and the newly formed ZCC. The former were proud of their denomination with the claim that ZCC would not cross beyond the boundary of the state and latter indifferent to their claim.

This newly founded indigenous independent church (ZCC) remained undaunted and unperturbed inspite of the various propaganda campaign and changes hurled against the two (excommunicated) pastors in particular and their supporters in General . It (ZCC) seem to understand the call of discipleship and the great commission of our Lord Jesus Christ (Mathew 28: 18ff) clearly and continues venturing into missional activities with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, although one may think insignificant. Gradually this church (ZCC) continues to grow in spirit and strength that they should expand, broaden and share the liberative gospel of Jesus Christ with their fellow beings in a wider context. In short, the ZCC wanted to globalised their missional Activities and decided to join a mainline church. The resultant was the change of ZCC into Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church (MELC) as a diocese of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in the Himalayan States (ELCITHS) under the umbrella of United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (UELCI) on September 15, 2002. 

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