Nagaland Baptist Church Council

The Nagaland Baptist Church Council is a Baptist Christian organization 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
AbbreviationNBCC
ClassificationEvangelicalism
TheologyBaptist
General SecretaryZelhou Keyho
PresidentV. Atsi Dolie
AssociationsCouncil of Baptist Churches in Northeast India, Baptist World Alliance
HeadquartersKohima, Nagaland, India
FounderAmerican Baptist Foreign Mission Society
Origin1937
Congregations1,661
Members648,096
Ministers773
Seminaries2
Official websitenbcc-nagaland.org

History

Worship service at the Kohima Ao Baptist Church in Kohima, affiliated to the Nagaland Baptist Church Council, 2019

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

The 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

According to a denomination census released in 2023, it claimed 1,661 churches and 648,096 members. [11]

Communicant members including children and non-baptized family members are not included in the statistics.

Associations

Sl. No.AssociationChurchesBaptized MembersOrdained Ministers
1.Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (ABAM)1641,21,005256
2.Angami Baptist Church Council (ABCC)10940,66954
3.Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC)10251,50357
4.Chang Baptist Lashong Thangyen (CBLT)6033,94521
5.Council of Rengma Baptist Churches (CRBC)4214,69625
6.Kuki Baptist Association Nagaland (KBAN)164,8007
7.Konyak Baptist Bumeinok Bangjüm (KBBB)12091,71834
8.Khiamniungan Baptist Churches Association (KBCA)5023,76510
9.Lotha Baptist Ekhümkho Sanrhyutsü (LBES)13168,94387
10.Liangmei Baptist Association (LBA)216,1963
11.Nagaland Police Baptist Churches Association (NPBCA)3013,92010
12.Phom Baptist Churches Association (PBCA)5329,46420
13.Pochury Baptist Church Council (PBCC)307,06911
14.Sümi Aphuyemi Baptist Akukuhou Küqhakulu (SABAK)2810,02718
15.Sümi Baptist Akukuhou Küqhakulu (SBAK Nito Mount)14732,00040
16.United Sangtam Baptist Lithroti Ashimükhong (USBLA)7835,00012
17.Western Sümi Baptist Akukuhou Küqhakulu (WSBAK)17041,22562
18.Yimkhiung Baptist Borü Amükhungto (YBBA)8228,22519
19.Zeme Baptist Association (ZBA)131,5481
20.Zeme Baptist Church Council (ZBCC)6720,50712
21.Sümi Baptist Akukuhou Küqhakulu ( SBAK Aizuto)
Total1,513676,225759

Associate Members

Sl. No.Associate MemberChurchesBaptized MembersOrdained Ministers
1.Association Gorkha Baptist Churches Nagaland (AGBCN)435,5006
2.Nagamese Baptist Churches Association (NBCA)915,5005
3.City Church, Kohima12172
4.Naga Christian Fellowship (NCF), Delhi11
Total13611, 21714

Schools

It 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

References

  1. William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 558
  2. Thomas, John. Evangelising the Nation: Religion and the formation of Naga political identity. New Delhi: Routledge. p. 131. ISBN 9781138639928.
  3. Telegraph india, Church platinum jubilee begins, telegraphindia.com, India, 19 April 2012
  4. Telegraph india, Church platinum jubilee begins, telegraphindia.com, India, 19 April 2012
  5. J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 816
  6. NBCC, History Of NBCC, nbcc-nagaland.org, India, retrieved 26 November 2018
  7. William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 299
  8. "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.
  9. Thomas, John. Evangelising the nation: religion and the formation of Naga political identity (South Asia ed.). New Delhi: Routledge. p. 142. ISBN 9781138639928.
  10. Thomas, John. Evangelising the nation: religion and the formation of Naga political identity (South Asia ed.). New Delhi: Routledge. p. 149. ISBN 9781138639928.
  11. Baptist World Alliance, Members, baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved May 5, 2023
  12. NBCC, History, nbcc-nagaland.org, India, retrieved May 5, 2023
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