Pastor Mangal Man Maharjan1. Would you please tell us about yourself? My name is Mangal Man Maharjan, Pastor of Patan Koinonia Church and a Senior Pastor for all Koinonia Churches. We have about thirty six churches. I have two children: one daughter and a son.
2. How was the initial phase of Christianity in Nepal? Christianity in Nepal started in 1951 onward; missionaries came to work as social workers. They had testified and witnessed through their lives and words. Some of them came from Kalempong, Darjeeling. That time it was very difficult for them to live; they couldn't say they are Christians but witnessed through their lifestyle. So it was very difficult in the initial phase of Christianity in Nepal.
3. What types of persecutions did you face in your ministry life? Actually I didn't face much persecution from my family but from my Guthi society, Newari community. I faced a lot of persecution and difficulties from my neighbors; they were accusing and mocking at me. My parents were part of that community. But any way my parents sided with me and said “OK we choose to be with our son and if you don't accept us we will not join the community.” My parents helped me in that way. My parents were very sad and were really depressed when I became a Christian. But later on they understood and they too have accepted Christ. So because of my life many people in the Guthi society became Christian. I didn't face much persecution but many of my college friends were persecuted; they were arrested and put in police custody for many days and months; they were also charged. They had court cases while I was outside the country. I escaped from the persecutors. I studied in the Philippines for my M Div course on Biblical studies and also went to Korea. That time they were searching for me but I was outside the country so that's how I escaped from the persecution.
4. What do we need to do to have unity amongst Christians in Nepal? One thing we need is to love the Lord. We need to know the heart of Christ as He himself prayed in John Chapter 17. If we could work together in unity we will really please Him. So we need to pray first and love Him; we need to see ourselves as partners and work together for his purpose, not accusing each other, but to encourage one another because we are all working in the field of the Lord to expand His Kingdom. We need to see ourselves as colleagues, and say that this person is my partner in this ministry. So if we could see each other that way then that will really help us to have a unity among the Christians.
5. What are your views on re-marriage, divorce and marriage of widows? We should follow what the Bible says and if we do that one there is no problem. Re- marriage for widows and widowers is acceptable. Marriage for widows is not a problem, but divorce is not allowed by the Bible. It is sad that it is happening all over the world amongst Christians, even here in Nepal. Husbands and wives can't live together because of some problems like miscommunications or misunderstandings and they are re-marrying. Actually the Bible says we shouldn't divorce.
6. Violence and wars are happening daily in the world. Are these the signs of the end of the age? Yes, one of the signs, as Jesus said in the last days. Many people are fighting each other, tribes against tribes and even children against parents and countries against countries; these are the symbols of violence. But this is not the end of the age; Jesus said they are just beginning signs of the end of the last days.
7. What do we need to change towards the misconception on Christians? I think we Christians need to live Christian life. If we are not living a Christian life then we should not say we are a Christian. Christian should live a good life, helping others by personal life or by social word, willing to do good things for others. In that way we can really have opportunity to move and change all misconception on Christians. People think that Christians are not doing good things but we are doing from outside whatever we can.
8. Most people blame that Christians have not done anything for the nation. They are limited within their community. Please comment on this…
We have done some things but people can’t see. The Lord has given us a command to serve the community because in Mathew 5:13 to 16 says, “You are salt of the earth, you are the light of the world and the good things that we do will be like a light, shining in the community.” Most Christians are doing social services like running orphanages, and other social works. The government itself has not given us opportunity to work with them and has not recognized us as Christians. Even the people in the communities are afraid of the Christians. If we do something they think another way. So we are not recognized in one way that's why people think we have not done anything. Actually, spiritually we have been helping a lot. Those who have depression, and other illnesses, we do home visits, helping, praying for them, discipling them so when they have peace they can do a lot of work. Many people are alcoholics and have family problems so we talk to them, pray for them, give counseling bring them closer to Christ and they leave drinking because they have the peace of Christ and their family problems are resolved which is helping the nation, we help by giving clean drinking water, digging wells and also providing scholarships for the children and many, many more but they have not seen and appreciated what we Christians are doing
9. While church is growing, there is a problem of division in the churches. What is the reason behind and can it be stopped? We can stop. While the church is growing lots of problems arise because it is becoming like a big family. The main problem I see is that some have a selfish motive and they want to do something by themselves because they want to be a big leader, they want to earn money may be or they want to have recognition, they want be known by others, jealous with other leaders, competitive spirit “What he can do, I can do also.” These attitudes bring division in the church actually. We can stop that by teaching the biblical teachings what Jesus said "Humble Yourself." And also in the book of Philippians 2 Paul says, "Respect others more than yourself and also think of others not only yourself.” If we could sit under someone’s authority then we can live together in unity then there will be no division.
We can have many churches with many daughter churches; if they want to run a church they can take the responsibility of the small daughter churches, without fighting, without quarreling but they should be under someone’s authority. They should respect other leaders so that other people also will respect him and he can work and use his authority to other people.
10. What are the main factors causing revival in the church? Main factors that I see is they obey the word of God and we are preaching and encouraging the people to preach the gospel and share whatever they have received from Christ. So in Nepal, Christians are visiting their family member, relatives, neighbors from morning to evening; voluntary sharing the gospel. Prayer is one of the most vital part for the revival in the church.
11. Why do people say that the "Christian religion is a foreign religion" in Nepal even though Jesus Christ was born in Asia. I think most of the people are ignorant. It is not a foreign religion because it came out from Asia itself; Jesus himself was born in Israel which is part of Asia and then Christianity spread out unto the western countries. If they say that Christianity is a foreign religion then all the religions of the world are also foreign. Like for example, politics, are they also foreign because they are not from Nepal? Actually it is not foreign religion because Jesus Christ was born in Asia as everybody knows where Israel is.
12. Do you want to share something through nepalichristian.com? I would like to congratulate this nepalichristian.com website which is launching the website so that people can speak and share their testimonies; people can hear and see what is happening in Nepal. And also I would like to ask prayer for Nepal. Pray for the present political situation, and for the Christian leadership that we can worked together and really accomplish the task the Lord has given to us. God bless this nepalichristian.com that all people on this website will be blessed.
NC - Interview 
8. Most people blame that Christians have not done anything for the nation. They are limited within their community. Please comment on this…
