A.K. Lama (D.Min. 2002) and his wife Asangla (M.Div. 2001) came to Beeson Divinity School directly from India where they had both excelled in their chosen professions: Asangla was a medical doctor and A.K. a veterinarian. They came to Beeson on a wing and a prayer, as they say, with three small children in tow and with a great deal of doubt and uncertainty about what their experience in America would be like. I first heard of A.K. Lama from Dr. Bonny Resu, a wonderful leader in the evangelical church in Asia. He told me about A.K. Lama who had been raised in a Buddhist family with the intent of becoming a “Lama” (Buddhist monk) some day. But through the witness of some Christian students who helped him in the times of need, he began to participate in their bible study regularly. After several years of struggle, on October 24, 1983, he surrendered his life totally to Christ. As he remembers that event, “I felt the awesome presence of God, and I found myself standing with tears in my eyes. I was filled with the love of God and moved with a great desire to follow Jesus Christ for the rest of my life.”
That desire eventually led A.K. and his family to come to Beeson to prepare for a ministry back in his home country. Why Beeson? “Beeson,” A.K. remembers, “was an answer to our prayer because we were looking for an evangelical school that was interdenominational, committed to the Church, and focused on the preaching of the Word of God.”
Both A.K. and Asangla were terrific students. They both earned degrees from Beeson while juggling family commitments, speaking opportunities, involvement in community worship (they almost never missed chapel!), and fulfilling leadership roles at Birmingham’s First Baptist Church. While at Beeson, God gave A.K. and Asangla a vision for preparing a new generation of pastors and evangelists to serve the churches of India. Out of this concern, the ministry of Transforming Leaders in Asia (TLA) was born during their time with us. “I am who I am today,” A.K. writes, “because of the unconditional love and rich investment Beeson has made in my life.”
And, where are they now? As you might have guessed, they are back in India (Guwahati, Assam). After Beeson, both A.K. and Asangla pursued additional graduate studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where A.K. earned the Ph.D. in Old Testament and Asangla, a master’s degree in counseling. When they returned to India, A.K. served as a pastor and Executive Director of Transforming Leaders in Assia (www.tlaministries.org . Then, in 2008, A.K. was appointed as General Secretary for the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India. The Council comprises six Conventions representing 7,000 Baptist churches, six hospitals, four nursing schools, eight seminaries, four Christian literature centers, four student hostels as well as a conference center and guest house. Overseeing such a large network of Christian churches and institutions requires the skills of an administrator, pastor, counselor, peacemaker, visioner, and facilitator. Baptist Christians in India, like Baptist Christians almost everywhere, are sometimes better known for their fractious fights than their united witness. A.K. says, “The greatest challenge before me is how to unite the Baptist family in order to actualize our full potential.”
I asked A.K. to describe Asangla’s role in their work today. “As husband and wife,” A.K. responded, “Asangla and I always desire to be together in the same ministry. Beeson made it possible by equipping her theologically to earn a master of divinity degree. Asangla is a great blessing to me and our three children. She takes care of all the details of my ministry, especially the hospitality which is very important in the Asian context. She also teaches Biblical Counseling to pastors and evangelists in NE India. Together we are able to provide training on leadership and pastoral counseling to many pastors and evangelists from Northeast India and also Bangladesh.”
Last year, Dr. Kurt Selles led a team of our current Beeson students on a cross-cultural immersion mission project where they worked alongside A.K. and Asangla in India. “A. K. Lama has energy and vision as vast as the nation of India,” shares Dr. Selles. “Through his ministry and leadership of Transforming Leaders in Asia and the Council of Baptist Churches of Northeast India, A. K. is training young men, women, and laypeople to do missions in Northeast India. He is sparking enthusiasm within these leaders to go forth and bring the Gospel to all of India.”
I often meet people who are “down” on the church and its future, who see only decline and dark shadows on the horizon. Whenever I encounter this view, I think of Christian leaders like A.K. and Asangla Lama and I am filled with hope. All across the world, and especially in the global south, God is raising up a new generation of pastors, teachers, and humble servants of Christ who know that the future is just as bright as the promises of God.
