The history of Chin Baptist Mission Church can be traced back to the year 1997 when a group of seven Chin gentlemen who were resettled in the Washington, DC metropolitan area in 1996 and lived together at the residence of Mr. Roland Maung had family prayer services every Sunday, led by Mr. Rual Uk and Mr. Mang Cung Nung. The service was formally held especially when the mother of Mr. Roland Maung joined them from Burma (Myanmar).
When these gentlemen had their own transportation, they started looking for a church. Some of them joined Mizo Presbyterian Church and Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, DC. In the last part of the year 1997, there were three Hakha Chin speaking families in the DC area. The prayer service was regularly held in Hakha Chin language that everyone speaks and understands, being rotated at the residence of three families. When they were really touched by worshipping God in their own language, a decision was made to hold Sunday worship service. The service was held once a month, led by Mr. Zo Tum Hmung and Mr. Roland Maung and Mr. Lal Bat. The service was later named Chin Christian Service (CCS) at the meeting held after the worship service at the residence of Mr. Lian Uk located at 1218 G Street SE, Washington, DC 20003 on June 12, 1998. Another worship service was held at the same place on August 30, 1998 and five people were elected to be the church leaders as follows:
ChairmanMr. Rual Uk
Vice ChairmanRev. Philip Hreng Ling
SecretaryMr. Roland Maung
Assistant SecreataryMr. Mang Cung Nung
TreasurerMr. Lal Bat Cinzah
The activities of the Chin Christian Service were:
- Condolence and thanksgiving services were held.
- Fellowship dinners after the service were conducted.
- Guest speakers and visitors were invited and hosted.
- Financial supports were provided to the families and individuals who lost their loved ones.
- The formation of a church was organized
The meeting of Chin Christian Service was held on June 6, 1999 at the apartment of seven Chin gentlemen, which was called Rundai in Hakha Chin meaning a peaceful home. The decision to form Chin Baptist Mission Church (CBMC) was made after making consultation with the District of Columbia Baptist Convention (DCBC). Three reasons of why they wanted to form a church were: 1) To partake the Lord’s Supper together as Christ’s body and to conduct Baptism and weddings; 2) To tithe and carry cooperative mission works with other churches; and 3) To become affiliated with the American Baptist Churches, USA, DC Baptist Convention and other Baptist organizations since they are the products of the American Baptist missions in Burma.
The last worship service of Chin Christian Service (CCS) was held at Joseph Hram Hlun’s residence on August 29, 1999. The meeting was held after the service. The decisions to form a church were made as follows:
- the name of the church will be called Chin Baptist Mission Church;
- the worship service will be held on Sunday at 4:00 pm, and
- the first Sunday worship service of Chin Baptist Mission Church will be held on September 12, 1999.
The first Sunday Worship Service
Chin Baptist Mission Church was organized with 10 families or 56 members. The first Sunday worship service was held on September 12, 1999 at 4:00 pm at Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church, located at 801 University Blvd W, Silver Spring, Maryland and Dr. Joshua Tran, Director of New Ethnic Group Mission of DCBC was invited to preach. September 12, 1999 became the historical birthday of Chin Baptist Mission Church which is the first Chin Baptist Church founded on the soil of Rev. Arthur and Laura Carson the first American Baptist missionary couple to the Chins one hundred years after they first sowed the seed of the gospel in the soil of the Chins in Burma on March 15, 1899.
New Church Leaders
Mr. Rollin Van Bik and Mr. Zo Tum Hmung were elected to new church leaders added to five elected church leaders. The constitution and by-laws of Chin Baptist Mission Church was made in January 2000. Eight new church leaders were elected on February 6, 2000. Rev. Philip Hrengling was elected to be the first part time pastor on February 27, 2000. Chin Baptist Mission Church Women Fellowship and Youth Fellowship were organized in March 2000. Children Sunday School was started and taught by Mrs. Zo Kai (Mrs. Dr. Van Bik), Salai Siang Dun, and Mrs. Hlawn Tin Cer.
The Growth of the Chin Baptist Mission Church
Chin Baptist Mission Church continued to abound and grow as embracing strong faith in Jesus Christ. There were 74 members in January 2001 and 110 members on September 9, 2001 when the church’s first anniversary birthday was celebrated. The church members are originally from the Chin Hills, the north western part of Burma. The church was registered to the State of Maryland as a religious corporation named Chin Baptist Mission Church, INC in 2001. Mr. Rollin Van Bik was elected to be the first full time pastor on September 16, 2001 and was ordained by American Baptist Churches of USA on July 14, 2002.
When the church was growing, there were also some disagreements among the church members after the election of the church pastor was conducted in the last part of the year 2003. It was resulted in the separation of the church to two Baptist churches. Forty eight members with the church pastor Rev. Rollin Van Bik left and formed a new church called Lai Baptist Church (Washington, DC) on January 1, 2004. The rest of the church members continued to worship at the same place. Both churches have been growing well under the guidance of God, the Almighty and Merciful. Chin Baptist Mission Church was able to continue carrying the Lord’s ministry with hearts, souls and sprit to meet its goals.
The members of Chin Baptist Mission Church elected Dr. C. Duh Kam, who lived in Austin, Texas, to be their pastor by unanimous vote in 2004. He started working at the church on March 01, 2005. He was ordained by the DC Baptist Convention on April 30, 2006 at Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland.
In 2012, Chin Baptist Mission church elected Rev. Sui Hliang Chorei for their pastor. And she also get ordination in 2014 by Chin Baptist Churches, USA.
Chin Baptist Mission Church is affiliated with Chin Baptist Fellowship of America (CBFA), Chin Association for Christian Communication (CACC), District of Columbia Baptist Convention (DCBC), and American Baptist Churches USA (ABC USA) with contributions