Mennonite Weekly Review

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — The Vietnam Mennonite Church celebrated its first legally recognized general assembly Nov. 15-17 after being granted full legal status last fall.

An 80-voice choir of denominational leaders, pastors and evangelists sings the “Hallelujah Medley” during the Vietnam Mennonite Church General Assembly. — Photo provided by MWC

The church can now hold title to real estate, establish a Bible institute for training pastors and leaders, forge relationships with other denominations to sponsor joint projects, serve as an official partner with Mennonite Central Committee and extend and accept invitations for international conferences.

The church had held one general assembly before it received full legal status from the Vietnam National Religious Affairs Committee.

The assembly confirmed the church’s purpose: “to worship the triune God and love all people according to the Word of the Lord in the Holy Bible, live the gospel, serve God, serve the country and the people.”

The more than 200 participants included pastors, evangelists and members of the six districts in 24 provinces, representing 6,123 believers.

Worship included choirs and liturgical dances from Vietnamese and ethnic minority churches using contemporary and traditional styles.

Pastor Nguyen Quang Trung was elected president. He expressed thanks and praise to God that through the blood of Jesus, God has redeemed, established, led and protected his church in Vietnam throughout the challenges and difficulties in Vietnam’s history.

Trung presented a brief history of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam and a summary of the work of both Eastern Mennonite Missions and MCC. He thanked God that the national Religious Affairs Committee of Vietnam had given permission for the General Assembly to be organized.

Finally, Trung led everyone in repeating the assembly theme verse, Psalm 100:1, three times: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the Earth.”

During the opening ceremony, Nguyen Thanh Xuan, deputy director of the National Religious Affairs Committee, noted the long-term involvement of Mennonites in Vietnam, beginning with MCC and later EMM. He expressed appreciation for the Mennonite contribution to Vietnam as a Protestant denomination with emphasis on both religious and social concerns. He quoted 1 Corinthians 13, emphasizing that love is the most important expression of faith and acts of service.