Alumnus: Ordination of Rev Asung Pharung Khapai
Rev Asung Pharung Khapai was ordained on 26th January 2025.
EAST rejoices with alumnus Rev Asung Pharung Khapai (MA Intercultural Studies, 2019) who was ordained by the Tangkhul Baptist Churches Association on 26 January 2025. Praise God for the affirmation of His call on Rev Asung as a minister of the gospel of the grace of God by the Tangkhul church leaders. Below is his faith journey as he recalls how the Lord has led him and his family all the way including through his studies at EAST.
I grew up in a farmer’s family in a small hill village of Manipur, Northeast India. My parents raised me in a Christian home with six siblings, but I was not serious in my Christian beliefs. I encountered Christ in the year 2000 through the study of the Gospel of John. I came to realise God’s unfailing love for me. Things were so different with new experiences and new journey of my life. I realised I was totally a new person in Christ. From the time I gave my life to Jesus, I started reading His Word, attending Bible studies and maintaining my quiet time regularly. With my earnest prayer and commitment, I enrolled in a Seminary for my theological education in my home country. I enjoyed learning God’s word, and getting to know Him more and more as I studied about Him.
True Blessings for Our New Life, Not Just the New Year
True Blessings for our New Life, not just the New Year:
On The Beatitudes or 《八福》 “Eight Blessings” of Matthew 5:3-11
There are so many subjective ideas of what blessings are.
Will this be a blessed year? It has started on an ominous note as the world reels from the threats of new tariffs every day. Some may attribute this shaky start to a snaky year.
If, however, we don’t believe in an almanac or a zodiac, for blessings, where and how are we to be endowed with them?
EAST Podcast: Managing Emotions – Father Heart of God
Managing Emotions – Discovering the Father Heart of God
This podcast episode on Managing Emotions featured Dr David Eckman, Founder of Becoming What God Intended Ministries and Dr Jarred Jung, EAST Resident Faculty in Systematic Theology. Eckman’s focus in this episode is on the theology of emotions and how to manage them in light of whom God as the Heavenly Father is to us.
“Recently I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. David Eckman, President of Becoming What God Intended Ministries. The topic of our interview was the importance of emotions to the humans. As a faculty in theology at EAST who teaches on the image of God, I found this conversation to be particularly interesting and important as I often find that emotions are seen as something to be avoided, or at least something thought of as less important to the individual. Sure we have them, but it is best to manage them by keeping them underneath the surface. While such a view of the emotions is valued in Confucian Asian societies, it is also regaining in some Western societies due to a resurgence in popularity of Stoicism. In this podcast interview, Dr. Eckman discusses how our emotions are indeed an important part of who we are, but also how we are created to enjoy God with our emotions and how God redeems our emotions with his fatherly love for us, even in cultures where emotions are seen as more of a negative. I hope you enjoy Dr. Eckman’s reflections on the Triune God, humanity, and emotions.” – Dr Jarred Jung
Please visit the podcast video on YouTube to directly view the chapters listed below.
Myanmar-Indo Mission Trip Reflection
During the December break when many students take the opportunity to return to their homelands to visit family and friends, there were three North East Indian students Athem, Achui, and Themreiso who decided to spend some time ministering to Myanmar refugees at the Myanmar-Indo border to help meet physical needs and share the love of Jesus Christ with them. Below are reflections by Athem, a leader and organiser of the mission trip, and Themreiso as a team member.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve Myanmar refugees at the Indian border, who have fled war and poverty. Despite their circumstances, I saw them as individuals with dreams and aspirations, just like us. However, their situation has left them vulnerable physically and spiritually. During this trip, I witnessed God’s remarkable power in several ways. He provided for our financial needs, protected us amidst danger, and saw God supernaturally moved hearts in response to the good news of Jesus Christ. Praise God for those who accepted Christ as their Saviour which constitutes 90% of whom we ministered to.
Happy Lunar New Year!
The EAST President, Faculty, Students and Staff wish all a Blessed Lunar New Year!
“You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance” – Psalm 65:11
The pinyin greeting of the Chinese couplet is:
主赐恩惠 (zhǔ cì ēn huì)
合家蒙福 (hé jiā méng fú)
The English equivalent is
“May the LORD grant His abundant grace and overflowing blessings to you and your family!”
Shalom.
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