Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
| Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches (STBC) | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | STBC |
| Type | Protestant |
| Orientation | Calvinist |
| Scripture | The Holy Bible |
| Polity | Congregational |
| Associations |
I. Southern Association, (Chennai, Nellore, Nellore, Udayagiri, Allur, Kavali, Ramayapatnam) II. Central Association, (Ongole, Addanki, Donakonda, Podili, Kanigiri, Kandukur) III. Northern Association, (Guntur, Bapatla, Vijayawada, Madhira, Sattenapalli, Narasaraopet, Gurazala, Vinukonda) IV. Western Association, (Kurnool, Nandyal, Cumbum, Markapur) V. Deccan Association, (Secunderabad, Jangaon, Suryapet, Nalgonda, Hanumakonda) |
| Region | Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana |
| Language | Telugu |
| Headquarters | Nellore, Andhra Pradesh |
| Founder |
American Baptist Foreign Mission Society (American Baptist International Ministries) |
| Congregations | 873 |
| Members | one million |
| Ministers | G. Solomon, R. Joseph, S. Joseph |
| Missionaries | Louis F. Knoll, Tracy G. Gipson, Alice M. Findlay |
| Churches | Centenary Baptist Church, Secunderabad |
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches (STBC) is a Protestant Church Society with Baptist orientation 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) and the World Council of Churches (WCC). The Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches consists of 1,214 churches and 844,150 baptized members.
American Baptists started missionary work in South India among Telugu-speaking people in 1836. 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.
Evangelism and the development of Christianity in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu States are at the heart of the STBC. 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 has 4,500 Sunday schools with an enrolment of some 72,000 children.
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.
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