Garo Baptist Convention | |
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Abbreviation | GBC |
Classification | Evangelicalism |
Theology | Baptist |
President | Mr. Sundar A Sangma |
General Secretary | Rev Janang R. Sangma |
Associations | Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India, Baptist World Alliance |
Region | Meghalaya, Assam, Bangladesh |
Language | Garo |
Headquarters | Tura, India |
Founder | American Baptist Foreign Mission Society |
Origin | 1874 |
Congregations | 2,619 |
Members | 333,908 |
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Garo Baptist Convention is an association of Baptist Christian churches of India and Bangladesh. It is named after the ethnic group of the name Garo. Most members of this church are in Meghalaya. In Bangladesh the central office of the GBC is located in Birisiri under the suburban area Susong Durgapur of Netrokona District. It is affiliated with the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India and the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (Baptist World Alliance).
It was established in the year of 1874. [1]
According to a census published by the association in 2023, it claimed 2,619 churches and 333,908 baptized members. [2]
GBC runs the Harding Theological College in Tura, Meghalaya. GBC also runs the J.N.B. Memorial Baptist Training Institute in Birishiri, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. [3]
Meghalaya is a state in northeast India. Meghalaya was formed on 21 January 1972 by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: (a) the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills and (b) the Garo Hills. The estimated population of Meghalaya in 2014 was 3,211,474. Meghalaya covers an area of approximately 22,429 square kilometres, with a length-to-breadth ratio of about 3:1.
Christians in Bangladesh account for 0.30% of the nation's population as of 2022 census. Together with Judaism and Buddhism, they account for 1% of the population. Islam accounts for 91.04% of the country's religion, followed by Hinduism at 7.95% as per 2022 census.
The Garo people are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group who live mostly in the Northeast Indian state of Meghalaya with a smaller number in neighbouring Bangladesh. Historically, the name Garo was used for a large number of different peoples living on the southern bank of Brahmaputra River, but now refers primarily to those who call themselves A∙chik Mande or simply A∙chik or Mande and the name "Garo" is now being used by outsiders as an exonym. They are the second-largest tribe in Meghalaya after the Khasi and comprise about a third of the local population.
The Tripura Baptist Christian Union (TBCU) is an association of Baptist Christian churches in Tripura, India. It has its head office in Agartala, the state capital. The TBCU is affiliated to the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (APBF) and the Baptist World Alliance (BWA). It is also a member church in the North East India Christian Council (NEICC), a regional church body of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI).
Assam Baptist Convention (ABC) is an association of Baptist Christian churches in Assam, India. It is affiliated with the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India and the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation.
Baptist Church of Mizoram is an association of Baptist Christian churches in India. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance. The headquarters is in Lunglei, Mizoram.
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. The headquarters is located in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland.
North Bank Baptist Christian Association is an association of Baptist Christian churches in India. It is headquartered in Shakomato Christian Center, Biswanath Chariali, Sonitpur District of Assam.
Rabha Baptist Convention (RBC), previously known as “Rabha Baptist Church Union”, is an association of Baptist Christian churches in India. It is in the East of India, primarily in the state of Assam. The Union is made up primarily of Rabha people, an indigenous ethnic group of northeastern India.
The Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India is an association of Baptist Christian churches in North East India. It is a member of the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation. It is also a member body of the North East India Christian Council, the regional council of the National Council of Churches in India. Its presently led by Rev. SR Onesimua Anal as President and Rev. Prof. Akheto Sema as General Secretary.
Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC) is an association of Baptist Christian churches in Manipur, India. It is affiliated with the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India and the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation. The General Secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention is REV. K. LOSII MAO.
Evangelical Baptist Convention is an association of Baptist Christian churches in Manipur, India. Their main area of presence is in the southern part of Manipur. It is affiliated with the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation. Its headquarters, Dorcas Hall, is located at Hebron Veng, New Lamka.
Evangelization of Meghalaya began in the 19th century during the British era. In the 1830s, American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society had become active in Northeast to evangelize indigenous tribes to Christianity. Later, they were offered to expand and reach into Sohra Meghalaya, but they lacked the resources to do so and declined. Welsh Presbyterian Mission took the offer and they began work at Sohra mission field. By the early 1900s, other Protestant denominations of Christianity were active in Meghalaya. The outbreak of World Wars forced the preachers to return home to Europe and America. It is during this period that Catholicism took root in Meghalaya and neighbouring region. Currently, Catholics, Presbyterians and Baptists are three most common Christian denominations found in Meghalaya.
North East India Christian Council (NEICC) is a Protestant ecumenical council of North East India, affiliated to the National Council of Churches in India as one of the regional councils in the year 1939.
The Arunachal Baptist Church Council (ABCC) is an association of Baptist Christian churches in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in North East India. ABCC is led by Mr. John Padung, President, and Rev. Adv. Tugaso Manyu, General Secretary. The convention has its office at Naharlagun, Papum Pare District. It is affiliated with the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India and the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation.
Karbi Anglong Baptist Convention (KABC) is an association of Baptist Christian churches based in Assam, India. It is affiliated with the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India and the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation.
Boro Baptist Convention or BBC is a Baptist churches convention based in Assam, India, with more than 52,000 members and 354 congregations as of 2014. The Boro Baptist Convention was established in 1914 and completed its centenary celebrations in 2014. It has its headquarters at Harisinga in Udalguri District of Bodoland, Assam. It is affiliated to the North Bank Baptist Christian Association. The Union is made primarily of Bodo people, an indigenous ethnic group of Assam.
The Boro Baptist Church Association (BBCA) is an association of Baptist Christian churches in the state of Assam. Established in 1927 by the American Baptist Missionaries and later nurtured by Australian Baptist Missionary Society ABMS. The BBCA has its headquarters in the Tukrajhar Baptist Mission compound in Chirang district of Bodoland, Assam. BBCA is working in partnership with Baptist World Alliance, Global Interaction (Australia), Asia Pacific Baptist Federation, Seva Bharat, Missionaries Upholders Trust, Inspire India and Tura Baptist Church.