The recent incidents of crime being reported in the State mostly involving young people is a matter of deep concern and requires public attention to the gravity of the situation if left unattended. It goes without saying that the Churches in Nagaland are also in the most strategic position to intervene and address the problem related to crime and youth delinquency. The challenge of curbing crime is not just a matter of public policy, but is also a test of Christian commitment. Hopefully, the local Church as the embodiment of spiritual values will be able to appropriately respond in the face of the moral degradation, being witnessed today in Naga society. The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) and the autonomous local churches under it must take it upon themselves not only to preach but demonstrate their faith by taking up responsibility and acting on the spiralling crime graph that is threatening the moral edifice of the present day society. The Baptist Churches in Nagaland must learn a thing or two from their Catholic counterpart, the latter having responded with much greater zeal on many of the problems that confronts us today. Whether Baptist, Catholic or any other denominations, the Church as a socio-religious institution must remain alive to the problems at hand if at all it is to remain relevant to the service of God’s ordained ministry.
And there is no reason as to why Baptist Churches cannot become vital instruments of eradicating the social malaise from within. In this context, the Churches in Nagaland must take up the responsibility of not only sharing the gospel with others but also intervening to help in reforming Naga society from within. The Nagaland Missionary Movement (NMM) for instance, has hundreds of missionaries working in many parts of India and even abroad. The noble ideal of sending hundreds and thousands of Naga missionaries outside to spread the gospel is itself a paradox of truth when it is actually the home mission which requires dedicated men and women to renew the teaching of the gospel and to inculcate the values and ethics of Christian living to both old and young people alike.
Coming back to the problem of crime especially among the youths, the Naga churches have an important role to play as an agency of both social support and control. There is no reason to doubt on the conclusion of several studies which goes to show that churchgoing helps young people escape from the world of alcohol, drug use and crime.
Local churches in particular need to reorient themselves to taking on new tasks especially those involving the youths for which a vibrant youth department and related activities to encourage their participation is the need of the hour. Further, in order to quell crime and other delinquent activity, church groups such as the Baptist Pastors Fellowship or the Nagaland Christian Fellowship can identify those neighbourhood or zones that are prone to trouble and help set up church related activities or even a mobile church service, which can be conducted in turns by the different well established churches. No one should be in doubt that the local churches have a great role to play in educating the masses with simple yet profound moral lessons of teaching right from wrong, respect for life and the law, forgiveness and mercy. “Thou shalt not kill” and “Thou shalt not steal” are still necessary guidelines for a civil society and the Church for that matter has still greater responsibility to teach these biblical values to a society that is crying in need for a violence and corrupt free life and to rebuild a community torn apart by fear and guilt.
