He Crossed the Seas Carrying the Cross: Remembering Rev. Dr. Panglianthlenga Chhakchhuak
A Life of Revival, Mission, Scholarship, Cross-Cultural Grace, and Faithful Service
By Staff, Zomi Information Network
Rev. Dr. Panglianthlenga Chhakchhuak was called home to be with the Lord on March 11, 2026, at the age of 61. Born on February 15, 1965, in Darkhai, Myanmar, to Chalkapa Chhakchhuak and Darrothluaii, he lived a life marked by deep faith, missionary passion, theological depth, revival preaching, and unwavering devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
He is remembered as a faithful Seventh-day Adventist pastor, evangelist, missionary, theologian, teacher, revival speaker, and shepherd of souls. For nearly 40 years, he gave himself to the work of preaching the Gospel, nurturing believers, calling the lost to repentance, and leading people into a deeper walk with God. His life was not defined merely by position or title, but by calling, sacrifice, and wholehearted service.
Called Early, Faithful for Life
Pastor Panglianthlenga’s spiritual journey began at a young age. At only seven years old, he experienced a profound conversion and sensed the unmistakable call of God on his life. From then on, he carried within him a steady conviction that he was called to serve the Lord as a pastor and missionary.
That early calling would shape the rest of his life. He did not treat ministry as a career, but as a sacred vocation. Through every season of life, whether in study, pastoral care, teaching, evangelism, or mission work, he remained anchored in the belief that God had called him for His purpose.
A Missionary at Heart
Long before others recognized it publicly, Pastor Thlenga carried a missionary heart. He loved mission work deeply and spoke often about becoming a missionary. Even during his bachelor’s and master’s studies in Pune, India, he repeatedly spoke about his desire to serve God in mission. His wife, Vanlalruali, remembers how often he spoke with passion about becoming a missionary and how deeply that burden lived in his heart.
He preached and conducted evangelistic crusades in villages, towns, and cities across different parts of the world. He did not wait for ideal conditions or remain confined to familiar settings. His heart was always drawn toward people who needed to hear the Gospel, and he was willing to go wherever the Lord opened a door.
It was during one of those evangelistic crusades that he met the woman who would later become his wife. In time, they married, and together they built a life shaped by faith, service, and mission. His passion for missionary work was so deep that even before his children were born, he told his wife that when they had children, he wanted their names to reflect a missionary legacy.
When their first son was born, they named him Judson Chhakchhuak, after Adoniram Judson, the first missionary to Burma. Later, when their second son was born, they named him Andrews Chhakchhuak, reflecting another great missionary heritage in the Seventh-day Adventist tradition. These names were not chosen casually. They reveal how deeply the mission lived in his heart. Even in naming his children, he was testifying to the work of the Gospel and the calling of mission.
His repeated passion for the mission also shaped his wife. Over time, Vanlalruali herself grew more deeply committed to mission work, with her heart increasingly drawn to the service of God among people in need of truth, care, and spiritual guidance.
A Pastor, Evangelist, and Revival Voice
For nearly four decades, Rev. Dr. Panglianthlenga Chhakchhuak served as a pastor and evangelist. He was known as a preacher with a revival burden, a shepherd with compassion, and a servant of God who longed to see people saved, renewed, and transformed.
During his years of ministry in India, he served prominently as a revival speaker. He ministered through revival meetings, evangelistic crusades, radio, and television. He conducted many revival camps, and those who knew his ministry remember that many experienced healing, deliverance, repentance, and renewed commitment to Christ through the power of God in those meetings.
He did not preach for performance. He preached for surrender. He did not merely seek applause. He sought repentance, awakening, and new life in Christ.
His favorite Bible verse, Psalm 85:6, reflected the very center of his ministry:
“Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?”
This was more than a cherished verse. It was the cry of his heart and the rhythm of his life’s work.
A Scholar with a Shepherd’s Heart
Rev. Dr. Panglianthlenga Chhakchhuak was also a deeply committed student and teacher. He valued learning, theological discipline, and careful preparation for ministry. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology, a Master of Arts in Religion, a Master of Arts in Political Science, and a PhD in Religion with a focus in Systematic Theology.
He studied at Pune in India, later pursued advanced work through Andrews University, and continued his doctoral studies at AIIAS in the Philippines. After about 25 years of field ministry, he went on to serve as a theology professor at Spicer Adventist University for several years, where he taught and guided students preparing for ministry and Christian leadership.
He was never merely academic. His scholarship served the Church. He believed that theology must strengthen preaching, enrich faith, and guide believers toward truth. He brought the mind of a theologian and the heart of a shepherd together in one life.
A Great Storyteller and Inspirational Speaker
Pastor Thlenga is remembered not only as a preacher but as a remarkable communicator. He was a great storyteller, a deeply inspirational speaker, and a gifted multilingual communicator, especially when speaking in Zomi. Those who heard him quickly sensed that his speech carried more than information. It carried warmth, kindness, conviction, spiritual depth, and a rare inner weight.
His choice of words was often gentle yet piercing, simple yet profound, pastoral yet deeply motivating. He spoke in a way that made truth not only understandable but deeply felt. Anyone who listened attentively could recognize his passion, sincerity, and spiritual burden.
He preached, taught, and evangelized beyond the traditional walls and boundaries of his church. His speaking ministry reached across various churches and denominations in the United States, and his messages often left lasting impressions. Congregations were moved toward repentance, surrender, renewed dedication, and fresh commitment to Jesus Christ after hearing him preach.
He was a man of passion for the lost, a man of discipline, a man of dignity, and above all, a servant and man of God.
He Did Not Just Cross the Seas — He Carried the Cross
Perhaps one of the most fitting descriptions of Pastor Thlenga’s life is this: he did not just cross the seas; he carried the Cross.
He traveled across places, cultures, and communities, but he did so as a man centered on Christ. He did not simply move geographically. He ministered redemptively. Because his heart was anchored in Jesus, he was able to communicate across cultures with humility, wisdom, and grace.
He understood that the Gospel is greater than ethnicity, dialect, class, culture, and geography. He ministered with a heart wide enough to reach beyond familiar boundaries while remaining deeply rooted in truth. In that way, he became a bridge builder: between people and God, between cultures and communities, between theology and ordinary life, and between truth and compassion.
In his final years, Tulsa, Oklahoma, became the place where his last breath was drawn and where his earthly body was laid to rest. Yet even there, mission remained central to his life. He and his wife were living and ministering in a land where they had no close family or relatives of their own. In that sense, their life in Tulsa carried the spirit of a true mission. They were there not for comfort, but for calling.
His wife, Vanlalruali, recalls that when she first arrived on the mission field in Oklahoma, the experience carried its own challenges. Among the Zomi community, differences in dialect and language brought cultural and linguistic hurdles that made her also see herself as a missionary in that setting. Her testimony highlights something important: their life in Tulsa was not merely a relocation. It was a mission. It required patience, humility, adaptation, and the willingness to love people across internal differences as well.
Thus, Pastor Thlenga’s final years were not simply years of local church duty. There were years of cross-cultural ministry within the Zomi community itself. His heart was pure, his spirit humble, and his ministry reconciling. He did not build fences. He built bridges.
District Pastor in Tulsa
As District Pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he served with deep conviction and unwavering faith. He became a spiritual father, counselor, encourager, and trusted shepherd within the Zomi Seventh-day Adventist community. He ministered not only to a congregation, but to a people carrying the burdens of migration, identity, language, and faith.
His pastoral presence was steady, dignified, and sincere. He showed no partiality based on race, ethnicity, class, education, or spiritual maturity. He received people as human beings made in the image of God and in need of grace. This non-discriminatory love and pastoral openness made his ministry especially powerful in a diverse and complex community setting.
A Life Transformed by Grace
One of the most beautiful parts of his testimony is that the grace he preached was also the grace that transformed him. Earlier in life, he was known for having a strong temper. Yet through the transforming grace of Christ, his life became a testimony of spiritual renewal.
Over the years, Christ shaped him into a gentle, humble, and patient husband and father. His family witnessed this beautiful change firsthand. His life stands as a powerful reminder that the Gospel does not merely inform the mind; it transforms the person. He did not simply preach about grace. He lived as a visible testimony of it.
Husband, Father, and Man of Steady Joy
Beyond public ministry, Rev. Dr. Panglianthlenga Chhakchhuak was a loving husband and father. He deeply cherished his wife, Vanlalruali, and his sons, Judson Chhakchhuak and Andrews Chhakchhuak, who were among the greatest blessings of his life.
He also enjoyed reading and gardening, and found peace in quiet reflection. His favorite food was rice, a simple but meaningful detail that reflects the steadiness and simplicity of his daily life.
His greatest aspiration in ministry was to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to lead unbelievers to truth, and to deepen people’s relationship with Christ. He wanted spiritual reality, not outward recognition. He wanted faith that lived, truth that changed people, and a mission that reached the lost.
The Character of THLENGA
A fitting tribute to his character can be seen through the letters of his name:
T — Truthful
He stood firmly on biblical truth and preached with conviction.
H — Humble
He carried learning, leadership, and spiritual authority with humility.
L — Loving
He loved Christ, loved people, and cared deeply for souls.
E — Evangelistic
He took the Gospel beyond walls, borders, and familiar spaces.
N — Non-discriminatory
He showed no partiality by race, ethnicity, class, dialect, or spiritual standing.
G — Grace-filled
His own life was a testimony to the transforming grace of God.
A — Anointed
His preaching, storytelling, and spiritual burden left a lasting impact on many.
Final Farewell
Rev. Dr. Panglianthlenga Chhakchhuak was preceded in death by his parents, Chalkapa Chhakchhuak and Darrothluaii. He is survived by his loving wife, Vanlalruali, and his sons, Judson Chhakchhuak and Andrews Chhakchhuak, along with many relatives, friends, fellow believers, former students, and communities touched by his life and ministry.
Visitation was held on Monday, March 16, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Schaudt’s Glenpool-Bixby Funeral Service & Cremation Care Centers. The funeral service was held on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 10:00 AM at Adventist Fellowship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, followed by committal at Calvary Cemetery.
His Legacy Lives On
Rev. Dr. Panglianthlenga Chhakchhuak will be remembered as a pastor of conviction, a missionary at heart, a revival voice, a scholar with a shepherd’s heart, a powerful communicator, a cross-cultural bridge builder, a loving husband and father, and a man transformed by the grace of Christ.
He did not merely live long. He lived faithfully.
He did not merely preach often. He preached with burden.
He did not merely cross the seas. He carried the Cross.
No one can truly fill the void left by his absence. He will be deeply missed. Yet his legacy will live on in the hearts and lives of many.
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