Posthumous state citation recognizes the Zomi pastor, theologian, educator, and humanitarian as a leader who helped shape Oklahoma’s history
OKLAHOMA | May 14, 2024
More than a decade after his passing, the life and service of the late Professor Rev. Dr. Chin Do Kham received formal recognition from the Oklahoma State Legislature.
A legislative document titled “Citation of Congratulations of Appreciation” identifies Rev. Chin Do Kham as an honoree in connection with the Oklahoma Historical Society Multicultural Office’s annual event, “Asian American and Pacific Islander Experiences in Oklahoma: A Historical Journey,” held on May 14, 2024.
The citation contains a particularly significant declaration:
“Rev. Chin Do Kham has been selected to be recognized as an honoree among the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities for shaping the history of Oklahoma.”
Acting on behalf of the people of Oklahoma and pursuant to the motion of House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson of House District 85, the Legislature formally commended Rev. Chin Do Kham and directed that the citation be presented in his honor.
Bearing the Great Seal of the State of Oklahoma, Leader Munson’s signature, and an embossed gold legislative seal, the document represents more than a ceremonial tribute. It places Rev. Dr. Kham’s life within the recorded multicultural history of Oklahoma and acknowledges that his influence reached beyond the Zomi community and the walls of the Church.
A Posthumous Recognition of Lasting Influence
Rev. Dr. Chin Do Kham passed away in Washington, D.C., on October 13, 2013, at the age of 54. He was laid to rest in Tulsa on October 19, 2013.
The Oklahoma citation was therefore presented approximately eleven years after his death. Its posthumous character gives the recognition unusual historical and emotional significance: although his earthly ministry ended in 2013, the influence of his leadership remained visible enough to receive formal acknowledgment from the state in 2024.
This citation confirms an important truth about his legacy. Rev. Dr. Kham was not only a visiting minister or an immigrant religious leader who happened to reside in Oklahoma. He became part of Oklahoma’s religious, educational, humanitarian, and multicultural history.
For the Zomi people, the honor also carries a broader meaning. Through his life, the experience and contributions of a Zomi leader entered the public historical record of an American state.
From Saipimual to Oklahoma
Rev. Dr. Chin Do Kham was born on March 19, 1959, in Saipimual, Tonzang Township, Myanmar, to Lam Za Gin and Cing Za Dim of the Hatlang family.
His journey from a remote Zomi village to international Christian leadership was shaped by education, prayer, perseverance, missionary calling, and a deep commitment to serving both the Church and society.
His theological education included:
- A Bachelor of Arts from Evangelical Bible College in Yangon
- A Master of Divinity from the Asian Center for Theological Studies and Mission in Korea
- A Doctor of Ministry from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa
- Specialized biblical studies in Jerusalem
- A Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
- Additional scholarly residency in educational studies at Trinity International University
Tulsa became one of the most important places in his personal and ministerial development. From 1991 to 1994, while pursuing doctoral studies at Oral Roberts University, he served as a prayer pastor at Eastland Assembly of God Church.
He later returned to Oral Roberts University as a professor and director of its Master of Arts in Missions program from 2006 to 2008, teaching leadership and missions courses at the master’s and doctoral levels. His service at ORU was recognized with an Outstanding Faculty Service Award for 2006–2007.
His relationship with Oklahoma therefore developed through years of study, prayer, ministry, teaching, institutional leadership, community engagement, and humanitarian service.
Connecting Oklahoma With Myanmar
One of Rev. Dr. Kham’s defining contributions was his ability to connect Christian ministry in the United States with practical community development in Myanmar.
In 2008, he founded Global Outreach and Community Development, Inc., based in Tulsa, and Myanmar Living Water in Myanmar. These organizations reflected his conviction that proclaiming the gospel and serving human needs should not be separated.
An archived ministry plan describes the mission as:
“Community and Leadership Development with the Good News.”
The plan envisioned a coordinated ministry structure connecting Global Outreach and Community Development in the United States with Myanmar Living Water. Its proposed work included two major areas: leadership development and community service.
Leadership initiatives included:
- Executive and mid-level management training
- Small-business development
- Personal and professional development
- Business English instruction
- Organizational leadership training
- Seminars for senior pastors
- Training for youth and lay leaders
- Restoration ministry
Community-development programs included:
- Medical clinics and mobile healthcare
- Drinking-water projects
- Scholarships for medical students
- Assistance for orphanages
- Microfinance
- Tailoring and basic computer training
- Nursing-aide training
- Retreat and conference facilities
- Christian radio ministry
The program also contemplated agricultural projects involving cattle, chickens, and fish to help ministry activities become locally sustainable.
This was a remarkably comprehensive vision. Rev. Dr. Kham did not understand mission as preaching alone. He sought to form leaders, strengthen churches, improve health, expand education, provide clean water, create economic opportunity, and establish sustainable institutions.
Faith Expressed Through Service
A May 2012 newsletter written by Rev. Dr. Kham illustrates the spiritual motivation behind his work. He thanked friends and partners for praying for Global Outreach and Community Development and described what he regarded as evidence of God’s work through the ministry.
According to the newsletter, 870 people made first-time commitments to Jesus Christ during 2011, and more than 350 others had accepted Christ between January and May 2012. He also reported that hundreds had recommitted their lives to the Lord and that many people had received training for more effective Christian service.
These figures should be understood as contemporary ministry reports communicated by Rev. Dr. Kham to his partners. They reveal the scale of the vision he was pursuing and the importance he placed upon prayer, evangelism, discipleship, and leadership formation.
His correspondence did not present him as a self-promoter. He consistently directed attention toward God’s faithfulness, the prayers of ministry partners, and the spiritual harvest he believed God was bringing about.
Developing Leaders Who Would Serve Others
Rev. Dr. Kham’s contribution was deeply educational. The archived biography records that he taught and ministered among master’s and doctoral students in more than 35 countries.
His academic and leadership responsibilities included service as:
- Associate professor at Global University
- Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary
- Missionary, dean of students, and professor of missions and leadership at APTS
- Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at the Asian Graduate School of Theology–Myanmar
- Professor and missions-program director at Oral Roberts University
- Adjunct professor at the Myanmar Evangelical Graduate School of Theology
His leadership model was not centered merely on personal prominence. He invested in people who could multiply the work: pastors, missionaries, educators, business leaders, young people, lay leaders, and community servants.
A photograph dated June 14, 2013, records a “Lead Like Jesus Seminar” at the Myanmar Living Water office. The gathering brought together men and women involved in Christian and community leadership. Taken only four months before his death, the image shows that Rev. Dr. Kham remained actively committed to equipping leaders until near the end of his life.
An International Voice for the Persecuted Church
Another supporting archival source comes from Lighthouse Church in Australia. Its July–August 2013 publication announced Rev. Dr. Chin Do Kham as a guest speaker for August 11, 2013, describing him as:
“A dynamic leader for God of the persecuted church in Burma, Myanmar.”
This announcement demonstrates the international reach of his ministry. He was recognized not only as an educator and organizational leader but also as a Christian voice associated with believers facing hardship and persecution in Myanmar.
His ministry moved across geographic boundaries—from Myanmar to Korea, Israel, the Philippines, Australia, Europe, and the United States—yet remained rooted in concern for the Zomi people, the Church in Myanmar, and communities whose needs were often overlooked.
Why the Oklahoma Citation Matters
The legislative citation carries at least four major historical meanings.
First, it recognizes a Zomi leader as part of Oklahoma’s history. This is important because immigrant and refugee communities are often visible in public life long before their contributions enter official historical records.
Second, it acknowledges that spiritual leadership can become civic contribution. Rev. Dr. Kham’s work began with Christian conviction, but its influence extended into education, humanitarian assistance, cultural connection, leadership development, and community building.
Third, the recognition connects local and global service. His base in Tulsa enabled him to mobilize prayer, knowledge, partnerships, and resources for ministry in Myanmar and other countries. Oklahoma was not merely where he lived; it became a strategic center from which he served the world.
Fourth, the citation preserves his name for future generations. It gives his family, the Zomi community, Oklahoma’s AAPI communities, churches, students, and ministry partners an official public record affirming that his life helped shape the state.
A Legacy Greater Than One Lifetime
Rev. Dr. Chin Do Kham lived only 54 years, but he invested those years across many fields: evangelism, pastoral ministry, theological education, leadership development, humanitarian service, Bible translation, community organization, and international mission.
He served as a pastor, missionary, professor, academic administrator, church-health consultant, organizational founder, mentor, husband, father, and Zomi leader. He helped connect churches across nations, equipped advanced theological students, encouraged persecuted Christians, and envisioned practical projects that would bring clean water, healthcare, education, skills, and economic opportunity to vulnerable communities.
His life demonstrated that Christian mission can engage both the soul and the whole person. He preached the Good News, but he also planned water systems. He trained pastors, but he also envisioned training nurses and entrepreneurs. He taught doctoral students, but he also cared about orphanages, village families, and young leaders.
The Oklahoma State Legislature’s recognition does not create his legacy; rather, it publicly acknowledges a legacy already formed through years of faithful service.
Conclusion: A Zomi Story in Oklahoma History
The 2024 citation is a milestone not only for the family of Rev. Dr. Chin Do Kham but also for the wider Zomi community.
A son of Saipimual became a scholar, missionary, professor, and humanitarian whose influence crossed national, cultural, and denominational boundaries. He carried his Christian faith and Zomi identity into international institutions while building meaningful relationships in Tulsa and across Oklahoma.
Eleven years after his passing, the State of Oklahoma formally declared that he was among those who helped shape its history.
That statement deserves to be preserved.
It reminds future generations that the story of Oklahoma includes the stories of immigrants, missionaries, educators, pastors, and community builders. It also affirms that the legacy of Rev. Dr. Chin Do Kham did not end at his grave.
His work continues through the leaders he trained, the people he served, the institutions he established, the communities he connected, and the vision he entrusted to those who came after him.
Professor Rev. Dr. Chin Do Kham’s life belonged to God’s mission, his service blessed many nations, and his legacy has now been formally inscribed within the history of Oklahoma.
Archival caption
Official Oklahoma Legislative Citation honoring Rev. Chin Do Kham, May 14, 2024. Issued pursuant to the motion of House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, the citation recognizes Rev. Kham as an AAPI honoree whose contributions helped shape the history of Oklahoma. The posthumous recognition was presented approximately eleven years after his death in 2013.
Editorial note
The citation’s official heading reads “Citation of Congratulations of Appreciation.” Although the phrase is grammatically unusual, it should be preserved exactly in archival references because that is the title printed on the original state document.
Sources:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1HEvP2DW5S
https://www.okhistory.org/calendar/event/asian-american-and-pacific-islander-experiences-in-oklahoma-a-historical-journey
Oklahoma Historical Society. “Asian American and Pacific Islander Experiences in Oklahoma: A Historical Journey.” May 14, 2024.
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https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1PGT99fWZp