The Nagaland Baptist Church Council is an association of Baptist Christian churches based in Nagaland, India. It is affiliated with the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India and the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (Baptist World Alliance). The headquarters is located in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland.
| Nagaland Baptist Church Council | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | NBCC |
| Classification | Evangelicalism |
| Theology | Baptist |
| General Secretary | Zelhou Keyho |
| President | V. Atsi Dolie |
| Associations | Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India, Baptist World Alliance |
| Headquarters | Kohima, Nagaland, India |
| Founder | American Baptist Foreign Mission Society |
| Origin | 1937 |
| Congregations | 1,724 |
| Members | 716,495 |
| Ministers | 773 |
| Seminaries | 2 |
| Official website | nbcc-nagaland |
History
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The Nagaland Baptist Church Council has its origins in an American mission of the American Baptist Mission (American Baptist Churches USA) in 1839.[1]
In the late 19th century, various Baptist congregations in the Naga Hills were organised into associations on tribe and linguistic lines.[2] A broader fellowship of the Baptist churches in the Naga Hills first took the forms of the Naga Hills Baptist Church Advisory Board in Kohima.[3] It was renamed as the Naga Hills Baptist Church Council in 1937.[4] In 1950, the council became a founding member of the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India.[5]
In 1953, it took the name of Nagaland Baptist Church Council.[6] In 2007, there were 1,347 churches and 454,349 members.[7]
In 1987, the Mission Conference who took place in the Pfütsero Town Baptist Church approved a global apostolate of 10,000 new missionaries.[8]
Resolutions
editThe Third Convention of the NBCC was held at Wokha from 31 January to 2 February 1964. An important resolution passed welcomed the 'proposed Peace Talk between the Government of India and Mr. Phizo.'[9] Another resolution at the convention stated:[10]
a series of talks on the great danger posed by Communism and its atheistic elements both to the body and soul of man, be conducted in every village under the auspices of the local Church, and that all the Field Supervisors be requested to provide the Churches in their respective areas with necessary literature on the subject.
Statistics
editAccording to a census published by the association in 2024, it claimed 1,724 churches and 716,495 members. [11]
Communicant members including children and non-baptized family members are not included in the statistics.
Associations
editAssociate Members
edit| Sl. No. | Associate Member | Churches | Baptized Members | Ordained Ministers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Association Gorkha Baptist Churches Nagaland (AGBCN) | 43 | 5,500 | 6 |
| 2. | Nagamese Baptist Churches Association (NBCA) | 91 | 5,500 | 5 |
| 3. | City Church, Kohima | 1 | 217 | 2 |
| 4. | Naga Christian Fellowship (NCF), Delhi | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 136 | 11, 217 | 14 |
Schools
editIt has 2 affiliated theological institutes, the Oriental Theological Seminary in Bade (Chümoukedima district) founded in 1991 and the Trinity Theological College, Dimapur. [12]
See also
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References
edit- ^ William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 558
- ^ Thomas, John. Evangelising the Nation: Religion and the formation of Naga political identity. New Delhi: Routledge. p. 131. ISBN 9781138639928.
- ^ Telegraph india, Church platinum jubilee begins, telegraphindia.com, India, 19 April 2012
- ^ Telegraph india, Church platinum jubilee begins, telegraphindia.com, India, 19 April 2012
- ^ J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 816
- ^ NBCC, History Of NBCC, nbcc-nagaland.org, India, retrieved 26 November 2018
- ^ William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 299
- ^ "Theological-college libraries in North-East India. an overview. Baptist Theological College (BTC" (PDF). p. 42. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
- ^ Thomas, John. Evangelising the nation: religion and the formation of Naga political identity (South Asia ed.). New Delhi: Routledge. p. 142. ISBN 9781138639928.
- ^ Thomas, John. Evangelising the nation: religion and the formation of Naga political identity (South Asia ed.). New Delhi: Routledge. p. 149. ISBN 9781138639928.
- ^ Baptist World Alliance, Members, baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved accessed July 24, 2024
- ^ NBCC, History, nbcc-nagaland.org, India, retrieved May 5, 2023
External links
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