Home Christian News Pastor Is First Burmese-American Elected to Indianapolis-Area School Board

Pastor Is First Burmese-American Elected to Indianapolis-Area School Board

“We do a lot of engagement with the younger generation, and our No. 1 target is becoming a missional church and making disciples through reaching our community as well as the extending to the national and global level,” Mang said.

Jesus said you are the light of the world, not the light of the church building. We are not the light of world, so we should engage with it.”

Mang himself is serving the Southern Baptist Convention on both the state and national levels. He is both a board member of the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana and the vice president of his local association (Crossroads Baptist Association).

Additionally, Mang is serving the broader SBC as chair of transitional leadership for the newly formed Myanmar Baptist Churches U.S.A.

The group was formed by Peter Yanes, executive director of Asian American relations and mobilization for the SBC Executive Committee, as a way to better connect Burmese-speaking churches in the convention.

There are currently 128 churches involved with the group, and Mang is set to be presented and affirmed as its executive director at the group’s first annual meeting, which will coincide with the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

“Many of these churches are not engaged with the SBC at a national level,” Mang said.

“These local churches need help, and we want to come alongside them. In addition to helping make them away of the important of the Cooperative Program, we want to make them aware of the resources, opportunities, and networking that is available.

“We want to show them there are immigrants coming along with the Southern Baptist Convention to accomplish the Great Commission.”

Mang said Southern Baptists should value civic engagement as a way to be a light for Christ.

“I think biblically the Bible teaches to serve the community and society,” Mang said.

“I think serving means giving godly wisdom and engaging with people in government and school systems. I don’t expect or believe that everyone is called to serve on the school board or government system, but one way that everyone is civically responsible is to engage beyond the church building. Every has divine gifts and callings they must use for sharing the Gospel and Kingdom expansion.”

This article originally appeared on BaptistPress.com.