Our Location

The headquarters of Baptist-India is located near Vijayawada, the capital of Andhra Pradesh (AP) - a southern state of India and the fifth largest both in area and population. The air and road transport are more convenient ever since the city has become the capital in 2010.

History

Baptist India ministries are started in 1951 in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The founder, Rev. Dr. Ishmael, was called by God to reach the orthodox Hindus in the year 1951. Accordingly, he resigned to his teaching profession and began his full time church-planting ministry with just two families who were led by him to Christ. Eventually Baptist India expanded its scope to other regions of India and today BIM is across the nation and the mission of taking the gospel to the unreached areas is still the major thrust of BIM. The founder, Dr. Ishmael was gone to be with the Lord in the year 1994, and his adopted-oldest son Rev. Dr. Chatla Devasahayam carried the responsibilities as President of BIM until his call to the glory in 2019. His eldest son Rev. Dr. Luther Chatla is continuing the presidential responsibilities ever since. As our work expanded, our interaction with the communities in the various villages and towns showed the unavoidable need for schools, orphanages, Bible College, medical clinics and so on. The needs were placed before God in prayers and in the course of time God opened the gates in His own way to activate all these related needs. Baptist India, having completed fifty years, had celebrated Golden Jubilee in the year 2001 and today moving ahead with enlarged vision towards Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2025.

Baptist India Ministries (BIM)

The name ‘Baptist India Ministries’ is originated lately to encompass all the varying ministries that were founded by Rev. Dr. Chatla Devasahayam in addition to the church-planting wing, founded by Dr. Ishmael. This includes ICBBGF-Indian Christian Bethel Baptist Gospel Fellowship (church planting ministry, 1951), Dr. J. F. D. Orphan Home (1983), Dr. J. F. D. orphan school (1985), Dr. J. F. D. Christian Public School (1998), Mt Zion Baptist Bible College (2000), and Mt Zion medical clinic (2003), etc. BIM is the central organization that oversees all these respective ministries, while each ministry has its own respective board.

Board Members:

  • Rev. Dr. Chatla Devasahayam, Founder
  • Rev. Chandrasekhar Rao Kanagala, Chairman
  • Rev. Luther Chatla, President & Director of Int. affairs
  • Rev. Wesley Ch, Vice-President
  • Mr. Chaparala Gandhi, Treasurer
  • Mr. Syambabu,
  • Rev, Moses Kumar, Missions Co-ordinator

What we believe:

The trinity of One God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in essence, while distinct in personality and function: Exodus 20:1-3; John 16:12-15; Matthew 28:19. The direct creation of the universe without the use of pre-existent material and apart from any process of evolution, according to the Genesis account: Genesis 1:1-31; Exodus 20:11; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3.
  • The Deity of Christ: Romans 1:3-4; John 10:30.
  • The Virgin Birth of Christ: Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:14.
  • The Personality of the Holy Spirit: John 16:7-15; Romans 8:9-15.
  • The Supernatural and Verbal Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
  • The Substitutionary and Blood Atonement of Jesus Christ for the sin of man: Hebrews 9:22; I Peter 1:18-20.
  • The Necessity of the New Birth: John 3:3-5, 16-18; I John 5:4-6.
  • Security of the Believer: John 10:28-29; Romans 8:38-39.
  • The Maintenance of Good Works: Ephesians 2:8-10; John 15:16; Titus 3:8,14.
  • The Church, His called out ones, which is Christ’s body is that spiritual organism consisting of all born again believers of the New Testament: Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23-33; Colossians 1:18.
  • The Local Church, His called out gathered in a specific place, is that entity where God has chosen to accomplish His work in the World: Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 2:41-47.
  • The Literal, Bodily, Premillennial, Pretribulation, Return of the Lord Jesus Christ: Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16-18.
  • The Resurrection of the Saved and Lost: Revelation 20:3-6.
  • The Reality and Personality of Satan: Luke 4:1-13; Genesis 3:1-5; Revelation 2:9,10.
  • The Endless Punishment of Unbelievers: John 8:24; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 14:10-11.
  • The Endless Blessedness of True Believers: John 5:24; John 14:1-6; Romans 8:18.
  • The Believer and the Ordinances:
    • Baptism by Immersion: Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 8:38.
  • The Lord’s Supper: Luke 22:19-20; I Corinthians 11:23-31.