The Retd. Rev. H. Nengzatun: His Leadership as I See and Know

The Retd. Rev. H. Nengzatun:

His Leadership as I See and Know

Khai Minthang

Texas, United States

I knew Pastor H. Nengzatun first as my beloved pastor, and later as a co-worker in the Lord's vineyard during 1997-1999, when I was stationed as a single mission school teacher at Bualkot (Hiengtam) village. The first part was quite meager notwithstanding the fact that my knowledge of him was quite as old as my age. I saw him, heard about him, I have listened to his preaching; yet one thing was still missing – his companion on the mission/ground! At the fullness of the time, God has given me the opportunity to know him better and closer than ever. Since then we have a connection, not just through mails, phone, etc. that can be broken with the passage of time and space, but in the heart that is neither broken nor unshakable!!! I have congratulated for his “mission accomplished” event and sent my wishes over the phone, and asked if I could write my mission memoirs while on the ground with him. He agreed!

Prayer: I didn’t recollect what conference or occasion it was, but I am dead sure about the words that came out of his mouth unto the Lord. He lifted up his hands as if Moses was lifting his hands for victory over the Amalekites, and held his face 45 degrees to the heaven as Jesus probably did in the garden of Gethsemane and prayed, “O Lord, I pray for pastors… and their families; I pray for elders, missionaries, mission school teachers and office staff….” - literally from pastorate to pastorate, names after names, positions after positions – for pastors, for missionaries, for mission school teachers, for church elders, for women and youth wings, and on and on he went…….

He didn’t visit with his sheep (people) just for their milk (meal), but to build up connection and to know what good or bad news the family has, and to pray for them – specific prayer for specific need. His prayer was not confined to the families he visited, but he has multiple times and avenues for multiple needs, such as Mondays for Missionaries, Tuesdays for ……. so on and so forth. Moreover, he was seen praying at the personal devotional level, family worship level, group prayers, etc.

Connection: His visit with the churches in the pastorate was never completed until he stepped into every house of the church in the village and greeted them and prayed for them. He was not a pastor visiting the church pulpit, but he visited his people as well. It was more of a connection based at the family level, sharpened at the individual level and strengthened at the pulpit/church level. If you see Pastor Nengzatun visiting his flocks in the pastorate, you will surely see him stepping into their houses! That’s not a probability, but a guarantee!!!

Generous: He was a kind of person who has principle in eating and drinking - never (am I too much???) accept an offer being offered by subordinates and women folks. He often bought for the whole group! It would not be a wonder, albeit I am not sure about his financial position, to assume that his salary was less than or equal to his generosity besides his household expenditure. The bottom line is – he has a heart of giving, giving and not gettin’em back!

Fearless: He was a typical cowboy (As the western people will put) born and raised in the east. This ‘cowboy’ does not negates the fact that he was my beloved, yet respected pastor; but will link his principle well into his fearlessness of, and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His fearlessness was in the realms of defending the Bible, the Christian faith and morally acceptable life by opposing the evil. During the Thadou-Paite conflict of 1997-1998, he was the one who reached out to the wandering and trembling sheep without shepherd in the pasture, and reach out his hands to take them into their fold. Some shepherds see only milk and wool when they gaze at their sheep, but Pastor Nengzatun saw that they were sheep without shepherd. The Pulpit, or the church, or the platform where he preach, was a correction center for him where he revealed the wickedness of the wicked – from pastors to laity, from civil servants to the NGOs. His mission in his fearless cowboy spirit was to rebuild reform and revive the Kingdom of God.

Senior citizen ministry: He was a pastor who gave the two sacraments of the Protestants to the senior citizens – baptism and the Eucharist. If you have heard a mixed Khuangnung accent talking very loud by the bedside of a senior citizen, asking the fully-grey-haired-old-people to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and savior, and performing the sacraments on their bed; and had never seen him - he was the Rev. Nengzatun! I am not sure with how much understanding and commitment the senior citizens would have before they partake the sacraments, but I did know that they have proclaimed with their mouth that they have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. (Cf. Rm. 10:9-10)

He was the beloved, yet respected pastor who had come into my dorm room in the Seminary and prayed for me! He still is the same pastor who encouraged me to pursue my education to the top before I come back home. And yes, he is still praying for me!!! His zeal for Christ, his life and his principle is a role model for many Christina leaders today. His position may be replaceable, but not his passion, commitment and his zeal for the Lord and his people. Thank you, Pastor!!!

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