Tripura Baptist Christian Union


The Tripura Baptist Christian Union is the largest Christian Groups in the Indian state of Tripura. It has its head office in Agartala, the state capital. The TBCU is affiliated to the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation and the Baptist World Alliance. It is also a member church in the North East India Christian Council, a regional church body of the National Council of Churches in India. As of 2015, TBCU had 84,795 members in 845 churches.

History

The union was formed under the leadership of Rev. M.J. Eade in December 1938 in Lakshmilunga, a village six miles from Agartala.
TBCU was supported and funded from the beginning by the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society and they provided most of the staff till the 1960s. Since then TBCU has now become an independent indigenous self-supporting church organisation. Rev. M.J. Eade was appointed as the first General Secretary of the Tripura Baptist Christian Union. Rev. Lalhuala Darlong was the first national General Secretary.
TBCU employs many pastors and evangelists and runs community programs such as schools and dispensaries.
Since the early 80s, it has been working in partnerships with the Baptist Church of Mizoram and also with the Evangelical Church of Maraland from Mizoram. Both BCM and ECM have many workers in Tripura working as missionaries and evangelist/teachers in various TBCU churches and schools.
TBCU celebrated its Golden jubilee and Diamond Jubilees in 1988 and 1998 respectively with much fanfare.

Organization

Office

TBCU has its office in the Baptist Mission Compound at Arundhutinagar, Agartala.
The Mission Compound was established in 1938 under an official land grant by the then King of Tripura Kingdom, Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya, to the Baptist missionaries from New Zealand.

Associations

It has the following affiliated associations:
Every year a meeting of the Council Members of the TBCU is organised at one of the churches within the Union.

Schools

Union

St. Paul's School

The TBCU runs the St. Paul's School which is situated in Arundhutinagar, Agartala. The school was started in the early 1940s as the first English medium school in the Kingdom of Tripura.
Currently, the Principal of School is Miss Thanzuali and the Vice-Principal is Mr. James Muankima.
The school is a higher secondary school with classes from K.G. to Class XII. It is affiliated to CISCE. There are more than 1500 students.
Darchawi S.B Bengali medium school, at Darchawi village in Unakoti district of Tripura, was also developed by the NZBMS with the financial aid of the Government of Tripura.

KOKBA

The JSBA currently runs two schools.

St. Thomas English Medium School

St. Thomas English Medium School, located at Vanghmun village, was established in 1979. It educates to the mostly scheduled Tribes students living in and around Jampui hill. Pu Lalnunsanga is the headmaster of the school. The school has KG to Class X standards. The school is affiliated to the Tripura Board of School education. Every year a considerable number of Madhyamik students appear for their examination and come out with flying colors. The school has contributed greatly to the educational development of the people of Jampui hill. It has a boarding house for both male and female students. A stipend is provided by the Tribal Welfare Department of Tripura, through which each year a number of poor students can pursue their educational careers at the school.

Pohor English Medium School

Pohor English Medium school was established in 2008 at Chawmanu under Chailengta Sub-Division of Dhalai District.

Saisawm Sazai Baptist Association (SSBA)

St James Higher Secondary School

St James Higher Secondary School is located in Gongrai Molsom village, P.O Kendraichera, Sepahijala Dist. Tripura. It was established in 1980. The school is mainly for the scheduled Tribes students. The school is affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education For KG to Class - X and For Class - XI & XII it is affiliated to TBSE.

Nazareth English School

Nazareth English School is Located in Tuidu Baza
Gomati District Tripura. Mainly For Classes for KG to Class VIII.

Theology college

The TBCU runs a theology college from its mission compound in Agartala where mission workers are trained in Biblical doctrines and other theological studies. The former General Secretary of TBCU, Rev. Rajani Kaipeng is the principal of the college.

Hospital

Earlier, the TBCU ran its own hospital at their headquarters from the 1930s until 1980 when it was discontinued, providing free treatment to the people of the state.
Presently under SNBA a hospital is being constructed at Patni village of West Tripura around 20 km from Agartala city.

Social service

Since its inception. the TBCU has been supporting the several voluntary NGOs dedicated to the development of the poor tribals living in the remote hamlets of Tripura.

Institute of community transformation

Location: Madhab Baptist Church, Mandwi Baptist Pastoral Circle

Publications

Bibles

TBCU in partnership with the Bible Society of India has been active in translating the Bible and New Testament in various local languages of Tripura.
Firstly
KAUBRU BAIBLE. As Bru people are called Bible kthar that is mean Holy Bible. New Testament= SMAIKTA, OLD Testament = SMAIKCHAM.
The translation by * Rev. S.K. MSHA, and his team.

Smai Kwtal

The New Testament of the Bible in Kokborok language, the dialect of the native people of Tripura was first published in 1976.
The translation team were:
The full Holy Bible in Kokborok language was published for the first time in 2013 by the Bible Society of India.
The TBCU translation team were:
The New Testament of the Bible in language the dialect of the native people of Tripura.
The translation team were:
Under the Tripura Baptist Christian Literature Committee and the Kokborok Christian Literature Committee various songbooks, tracts and study materials are regularly published by the TBCU.

Statistics

TBCU has more than 840 churches with a total communicant membership of more than 98,000.
Baptist Circle, Sadar North Baptist Association

Office bearers of TBCU

Union

Pastors of SNBA
  1. Rev. C. K. Debbarma
  2. Rev. Sukuram Debbarma
  3. Rev. Ranjit Debbarma
  4. Rev.Chandramoni Debbarma
  5. Pro. Pastor Ranjit Debbarma
  6. Rev. Biswa Kr. Debbarma
  7. Evan. Brajendra
  8. Rev. Manmohan Debbarma
  9. Rev. Barendra Debbarma
  10. Rev. Samendra Debbarma
Ordained Evangelists of SNBA
  1. Ord. Evan. V. Pawha
  2. Ord. Evan. Lalnunsiama
  3. Ord. Evan. Lalchungnunga
Evangelists of SNBA
There are evangelists in SNBA.
  1. Evan. Shikha Debbarma
  2. Evan. Ajit Debbarma
  3. Evan. Sitaram Rupini
  4. Evan. Sushanta Debbarma
  5. Evan. Pradip Debbarma
  6. Mr. Mantu Debbarma
  7. Evan Kishore Debbarma
  8. Evan Bijoy Debbarma
  9. Evan Ratan Debbarma
  10. Evan Evan Sukuram Debbarma
  11. Evan Nripendra Debbarma
  12. Evan Partha Sarathi Debbarma
  13. Evan Sandhyaram Debbarma
  14. Evan Rajkumar Debbarma
  15. Evan Mithun Rupini
  16. Evan Biswajit Debbarma
  17. Evan Nitya Debbarma
  18. Evan Brajendra Debbarma
  19. Evan Manoranjan Debbarma
  20. Evan Kishore Debbarma
  21. Evan Arun Debbarma
  22. Evan Ajendra Debbarma
  23. Evan Rwngthoma Debbarma
  24. Evan Joseph Debbarma
  25. Evan Manik Debbarma
  26. Evan Somchati Debbarma
  27. Evan Sunil Debbarma
  28. Evan Malendra Debbarma
  29. Evan Debojit Debbarma
  30. Evan Sachin Debbarma
  31. Evan Puskumar Debbarma
  32. Evan Amit Debbarma
  33. Evan Bijoy debbarma
  34. E/T John Rupini
  35. E/T Siari Debbarma
  36. E/T Mrs. Elemi Debbarma
  37. E/T Subasish Debbarma
  38. Mr. Rabindra Debbarma
Office Staff of SNBA
  1. Mr. Pitor Debbarma

    Central Baptist Association (CBA)

Pastors of CBA
The pastors of the CBA are:
  1. Rev. Jong Bahadur Debbarma
  2. Rev. Asit Debbarma
  3. Rev. Swapan Debbarma
  4. Rev. Surajit Debbarma
  5. Rev. Mohan Koloi
  6. Rev. Anil Debbarma
  7. Rev. Ajit Debbarma
  8. Rev. Tripureswer Debbarma
  9. Rev. Sambhuram Debbarma
  10. Rev. Swadesh Debbarma
  11. Rev. Abiram Debbarma
Ordained Evangelists of CBA
  1. Ord. Evan. Aprajit Debbarma
  2. Ord. Evan. Sushil Debbarma
  3. Ord.Evan. Ranjit Debbarma
  4. Ord.Evan. Madhab Debbarma
  5. Ord.Evan. Satyaram Debbarma
Evangelists of CBA
  1. Evan. Dilip Debbarma
  2. Evan. Premananda Debbarma
  3. Evan. Laxman Debbarma
  4. Evan. Ranjan Debbarma
  5. Evan. Krishna Debbarma
  6. Evan. Bitta Debbarma
  7. Evan. Uttam Debbarma
  8. Evan. Saitya Debbarma
  9. Evan. Arup Debbarma

    Kok Baptist Association (KOKBA)

Pastors of KOKBA
The pastors of the KOKBA are:
  1. Rev. Jyotirmoy Debbarma
  2. Rev. Sunil Debbarma
  3. Rev. Malendra Debbarma
  4. Rev. Surnapada Jamatia
  5. Rev. Dharmendra Debbarma
  6. Rev. Samaresh Debbarma
Ordained Evangelists of KOKBA
  1. Dhiman Debbarma
Ordained Evangelists of KOKBA
  1. Evan. Mangthar Debbarma
  2. Evan. Ahlem Debbarma
  3. Evan. Philip Rupini
  4. Evan. Kishore Debbarma
  5. Evan. Manoj Kumar Debbarma
  6. Evan. Sanjoy Debbarma
  7. Evan. Ranju Debbarma
  8. Evan. Utpal Debbarma
  9. Evan. Biresh Debbarma
  10. Evan. Mansujit Debbarma
  11. Evan pradesh Debbarma

    Udaipur Baptist Association (UBA)

The pastors of the UBA are:
  1. Rev. Debguru Jamatia
  2. Rev. Subraihamjak Jamatia
  3. Rev. Chandra Bahadur Jamatia
Ordained Evangelists of UBA
  1. Ord. Evan. Imangrai Jamatia
  2. Ord. Evan. Abraham Jamatia
  3. Ord. Evan. Uttam Kr. Jamatia
  4. Ord. Evan. Phaijak Jamatia
Evangelists of UBA
  1. Evan. Jiban Barma Jamatia
  2. Evan. Swlaijak Jamatia
  3. Evan. Nabin Chandra Jamatia
  4. Evan. Swapan Jamatia
  5. Evan. Bijoy Kumar Jamatia
  6. Evan. Bipad Sadhan Jamatia
  7. Evan. Baibel Kalai

    List of churches affiliated to TBCU

Sadar North Baptist Association (SNBA)

Abhicharan Baptist Pastoral Circle

Bishramganj Baptist Pastoral Circle

Amarpur Baptist Pastoral Circle

Pastor circles

Gongrai Pastor Circle
Dewanchhora Pastor Circle
Gamagur Pastor Circle
Kamlachora Pastor Circle
The state government of Tripura accused the organization of lending support to separatist NLFT rebels.
The Government of Tripura uncovered evidence asserting that the Baptist Church in Tripura had been helping Tripuri militants, such as the NLFT in the state. The NLFT militants, who are involved in armed struggle for the independence of Tripura, and the creation of a "Christian state", have been forcing local tribals to convert to Christianity at gunpoint and threatening to murder participants in Hindu festivals. It is believed that as many as 5,000 tribal villagers were converted in this fashion over two years. These forcible conversions to Christianity, sometimes including the use of "rape as a means of intimidation," have also been noted by academics outside of India.
The government accused the Baptist Church of Tripura for supporting this violent campaign of NLFT by providing funding and arms for the group. In April 2000, Nagmanlal Halam, Secretary of the Noapara Baptist Church in Tripura, was caught with a large quantity of explosives which were meant for the group. Halam later confessed to buying and supplying explosives to the NLFT for the past two years. Another church official, Jatna Koloi, was arrested in south Tripura in April 2000. According to the State Police, Mr Koloi had received training in guerrilla warfare at an NLFT base in 1999.