Ambattur is a district at the fringe of Chennai (Madras) city. The gospel was brought here in the year 1969.
From then on the gospel continue to progress and today we have a church premise that can accommodate 150 members. The India Theological Training Center is located adjacent to the church here.
It all started in the first seed here, M.G. Samuel accepted the gospel preached by the True Jesus Church.
M.G. Samuel was born to a Hindu couple in a small village in Chengalput. He was brought up according to Hindu customs and received his education in a Hindu Pataskala.
Every morning he bathed in the Palar River, applied the Hindu Holy Powder all over his body and chanted the Slohas before the idols.
He married to a Christian. He experienced the love of God. Through acquaintance with Pastor James Pammal of the CSI, he was converted to Christianity and was attached to the Church Of South India (CSI).
He brought up all his child in the Lord. He devoted much of his time in reading the Bible and prayer.
The Bible says "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring." Once James Pammal went to Malaysia.
It was during this period that M.G. Samuel had a vision. He saw two missionaries from abroad coming with James Pammal.
While James Pammal was in Malaysia, he was attracted to beautiful hymns sung. Approaching the direction of the hymns, he came to a home service conducted by the True Jesus Church in Sungai Petani, Malaysia.
His search for the truth brought him to the True Jesus Church in Ipoh, Malaysia. He accepted the truth and was baptized. He then brought the gospel back to India.
All the Praises be given to our Lord Jesus Christ; the vision came true. At the invitation of James, missionaries from Singapore and Malaysia namely Dn. John Chin and Dn. Paul Wong came to Madras in the year 1969 and they preached the truth by conducting three days of Evangelical Meeting.
They selected six leaders and taught them the truth for fifteen days before baptizing them. Among them who heard the truth and was baptized was Bro. M. G. Samuel and his family. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit a prayer house was started at the residence of Bro. Samuel.
On 5th November 1970, Bro. Samuel together with Bro. Abraham of Pammal was invited to attend a Theological Training Course for two months in Singapore which was conducted by Dn. John Yang. They were later ordained as Deacons on 4th January 1971.
During the visit of Dn. John Yang and Dn. John Chin to India in 1971, a permanent church premise was constructed with financial assistance from IA.
The church premise located at No. 9, Meenambal Sivaraj Street, S.V. Nagar, Oragadam, Ambattur, Madras was dedicated to the Lord in the month of March 1972.
In the year 1973 IA again invited some workers from India to attend a two months Theological Training Course in Singapore.
Such workers training were very useful for the progress of the churches in India. Membership in Ambattur grew to about 350. A period of refining, testing, trials and temptations saw some members leaving the fold.
Those that remain were found to be sincere to the truth. The gospel began to spread to neighbouring areas.
Through the combined efforts of the church here in Ambattur and Pammal the gospel was then preached to the neighbouring state of Kerala.
From 1977, Ambattur, Pammal and Kerala became Centres for divine work in India. In order to enhance coordination of the divine work in India, the Coordination Board in India was formed with its office in Ambattur church.
On 5th November 1980, Dn. Samuel was called to rest in the Lord. The work of church continued with the guiding hand of the Lord.
Churches were established at Chengalput, Thiruvothiyur, Tirunilai and Bangalore. Places of worship were also established in Royapuram, Kilpauk and Pazhavanthangal.
The present deacon-in-charge of Ambattur church is Dn. Vedamanickam. Churches who were under the supervision of Ambattur Centre started to mature and have its own administrative committee.
The ITTC was build adjacent to the Ambattur premise. This serves well for the development of our members. Members took the opportunity to attend as many seminars and trainings as possible.
The foundation of the future generation is strongly established. This allows the members in Ambattur the opportunity to serve when seminars and trainings were held here.
Today, membership in Ambattur stands at about 100 with constant flow of truth seekers.