{{Infobox Christian denomination | icon = | icon_width = | icon_alt = | name = The Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = | image width = | alt = | caption = | abbreviation = STBC | type = | main_classification = Protestant | orientation = Evangelical | scripture = Bible | theology = | polity =Congregational | governance = General Council | leader_title = President | leader_name = Chilaka Nissi Praneeth | leader_title1 = Add General Secretary | leader_name1 = C.D.Prakash Rao | leader_title2 = Associate Secretary | leader_name2 = G.Joseph | leader_title3 = Director for Evangelism | leader_name3 = Rev.J.Vijay Kumar | fellowships_type = | fellowships = | fellowships_type1 = | fellowships1 = | division_type = | division = | division_type1 = | division1 = | division_type2 = | division2 = | division_type3 = | division3 = | associations = | area = Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and [[Telangana][SPl GPA Holder Rajkumar Rodricks from Telangana to protect Missionary Properties]] | language =Telugu | headquarters = Markapuram | origin_link = | founder = American Baptist Foreign Mission Society | founded_date = | founded_place = | separated_from = | parent = | merger = | absorbed = | separations = | merged_into = | defunct = | congregations_type = | congregations = | members = 740,000 | ministers_type = | ministers = | missionaries = | churches =830 | hospitals = | nursing_homes = | aid = | primary_schools = 14 | secondary_schools = 14 | tax_status = | tertiary = | other_names = | publications = | website = | slogan = | logo = | footnotes = }}
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Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches (STBC) is an association of Baptist Christian churches in the three states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu in India. The churches are part of the Telugu Christian community of Southern India. Its language is Telugu. It is affiliated to the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) World Council of Churches (WCC) and Christian Conference of Asia. Headquarters is in A.B.M Compound at Markapur, Prakasham District, Andhra Pradesh. The Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches today consists of 830 churches and 740,000 baptized members.
American Baptists started missionary work in South India among Telugu-speaking people in 1836. [1] In February 1840, Samuel Day along with his family moved to Nellore and rented a small bungalow to start his work. In March 1840, one more missionary couple, Van Husen and his wife joined them and with the help of a local British judge, Mr. Walker, they got some eight acres of land for a mission compound where a bungalow and a chapel were immediately erected on this land by 1841. On September 27, 1840, the first Telugu person Venkappa was baptised in the Penna river near Nellore. The Nellore church was formally organized in 1844 with 8 members including two missionary couples, two other Americans, and only two local people. The first local person to be ordained as a priest by the mission was Kanakiah who was from the Naidu caste and a native of Visakhapatnam. In 1855 when he was eighteen years old he took baptism and in 1860 he became the first ordained native pastor of the Nellore church. [2]
In 1887 the existing churches were organized into the Convention of Telugu Baptist Churches. In 1962 the convention became the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches, with a unanimously adopted constitution. It was registered in 1963. According to a census published by the association in 2023, it claimed 1,214 churches and 844,150 baptized members. [3]
It runs educational institutions, hospitals, health centres, and one theological seminary, in Ramapatnam. There are five degree colleges, eight junior colleges, 14 high schools, and 14 primary schools. The STBC would have 4,500 Sunday schools with an enrollment of some 72,000 children. [4]
The STBC strongly favours interdenominational cooperation through the regional Councils of Churches in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI). It participates actively in the programme of retreat and training centres of the Councils of Churches, for the training of voluntary church workers. It is involved in the work of the Henry Martin Institute of Islamic Studies in Hyderabad and the Christian Medical College in Vellore. It supports the Student Christian Movement and the United Mission Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Arogyavaram.
Recently with R.C.No.3/2021 dated: 28/06/2021(New Registration), the members have Re-Organised the General Council and General Body of Samavesham of Telugu Baptist Churches (Nellore), presently as Markapuram as Headquarters, A.B.M Compound at Markapur, Prakasham District, Andhra Pradesh.
The STBC train Pastors to work in its affiliated Churches through Ramayapatnam Baptist Theological Seminary, Ramayapatnam, Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra Christian Theological College is an interdenominational theological college at Hyderabad is affiliated with the Serampore University, Kolkata.
The Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars (CBCNC) is an association of Baptist Christian churches in north coastal Andhra Pradesh. The churches are part of the Telugu Christian community of Southern India. Its language is Telugu. It is affiliated to the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) and the World Council of Churches (WCC).
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.
The Rev. G. Samuel is the senior Pastor of Baptist Church Hyderabad, a church with a congregation of over 13,000 and services in four different languages.
M. Victor Paul was a biblical scholar who served as President of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1993 to 1997.
William D. Coleman was the first Principal of the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad. Coleman was born in India in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh.
Bishop Emeritus T. S. Kanaka Prasad was the sixth successor of Frank Whittaker and seventh Bishop–in–Medak for the Diocese of Medak of the Church of South India (CSI) during the period 2009–2012.
Louis F. Knoll was an American Baptist missionary who taught Christian Ethics at the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad, affiliated with the Senate of Serampore College (University).
Ryder Devapriam was systematic theologian who taught during the 1960s and the 1970s at the Andhra Christian Theological College, a Protestant Regional Theologiate in Secunderabad, affiliated to the nation's first University, the Senate of Serampore College (University) {a University under Section 2 (f) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956}with degree-granting authority validated by a Danish Charter and ratified by the Government of West Bengal.
Telugu Christians or Telugu Kraistava are a religious community who form the third-largest religious minority in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. According to the 2001 Census of India, there are over a million Christians in Andhra Pradesh, constituting around 1.51% of the state's population. This is a decrease from the 1971 census figure which put the percentage of Christians in state as 2%, and this decrease is mainly a result of low birth rates and emigration.
STBC-Centenary Baptist Church Secunderabad is a Baptist Church in the city of Secunderabad, India which was established in 1875 by the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society (ABM) and was later led by the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches (STBC) through the Deccan Association. STBC-Centenary Baptist Church has a current membership of more than 3000. The original older structure and a new centenary structure built in 1991 exist side by side in the same premises. Worship services are only held in the new sanctuary. The church conducts worship in Telugu, English, Hindi and Manipuri.
K. Frederick Paradesi Babu is the current President of the Protestant Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church Society. He had his ministerial formation at the Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad, a Seminary affiliated to the nation's first university, the Senate of Serampore College (University).
Ravela Joseph was a Sapphire jubilee-Priest involved in Spiritual formation from the mid-1960s into the early 2000s in the Telugu states. He taught Systematic theology in Major Seminaries affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University), the nation's first modern University {a University under Section 2 (f) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956} with degree-granting authority validated by a Danish Charter and ratified by the Government of West Bengal.
Suppogu Joseph is a Golden jubilee Pastor of the Protestant Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches with major contribution to New Testament scholarship with reference to Lukan literature. In a study on Luke in 2010 by Justin Alexandru undertaken at the University of Durham, Joseph's work has been cited by the researcher in the context of Authorship of Luke–Acts where Justin authoritatively attests the work of Joseph.
William Powlas Peery was a Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America/Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church who taught theology at ecumenical institutions, the Andhra Christian Theological College at its erstwhile location in Rajahmundry and also at the United Theological College, Bangalore both of which are affiliated to the nation's first University, the Senate of Serampore College (University), Serampore.
Talluru Thomas Gabriel(born December 15, 1837; died January 1, 1875) was the founder of the Canadian Baptist Mission in India.
S. E. Krupa Rao was a Baptist Pastor of the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars where he held leadership positions in the Church society whose area of operation extended from Srikakulam District in the northern circars along the Bay of Bengal right through seven districts up to Guntur District.
G. Solomon was an Old Testament Scholar and a Baptist Patriarch hailing from the Protestant Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches Society (an affiliate member of the Baptist World Alliance and the National Council of Churches in India) and led it as its President during the years 1978-1982 overseeing the spiritual affairs of the Church Society whose ecclesiastical jurisdiction comprises the three states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana with 873 Churches comprising nearly a million members per present statistics.
Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College (MBCBC), founded in 1920, is a Mennonite Bible College in Shamshabad and is affiliated with the Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in India and the nation's first University, the Senate of Serampore College (University)with degree-granting authority validated by a Danish charter and ratified by the Government of West Bengal.
Nalla Thomas was an Asian Christian and a spiritual personality, who served the Church in Assam and undivided Andhra Pradesh for nearly four decades comprising the seventies through the New millennium. He used to compose hymns for enhancing spiritual direction. Thomas was an Ecclesiastical administrator of Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches Society.
Perapogu Joseph was a military chaplain in the Indian Army Corps of EME and a counselor who taught students in Serampore College, Serampore and Andhra Christian Theological College, Secunderabad.
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