The Gospel was preached to India by two different groups of people. The first group is known as True Jesus Mission. The second group is that of the True Jesus Church.
真耶穌教團的沿革及進展
History of True Jesus Mission and their Development
Zaccheus S.Ponniah在大約1930年間抵達當時的馬來亞‧霹靂區的怡保工作,他原本是一位Church of South India的信徒,在居留馬來亞期間,他接受了全備的福音並受洗成為本會的信徒。之後藉著神的大能,他行了兩件醫病的神蹟,在1931年7月18日,他被按立為真耶穌教團的執事。1932年藉著異象,他把耶穌基督的福音帶回在印度南部的Madathupatti,Tirunelveli的家鄉,藉著神的帶領與能力,在方圓300哩(480公里)的範圍之內成立了6所教會。
Zacchaeus S.Ponniah had come to Ipoh, the Federal Malay State of Perak, Malaya around 1930 to work. During his period of stay, he accepted the complete gospel and was converted and baptized into our church in Ipoh from another Christian denomination, known as CSI or Church of South India. After conversion, it was reported that through the Lord he had performed two great healings. On 18th July 1931, Zacchaeus Ponniah was ordained a Deacon of the True Jesus Mission in Ipoh. In 1932, through revelation, he brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ back to his native in Madathupatti, Tirunelveli, south of Tamil Nadu state, India. With the guidance of God and the power of the Lord, six churches were established within 300 miles.
As the gospel spreads, came World War II. After the War, contact were lost and severed with Malaya. Attempts were made later by this group of believers to contact "The True Jesus Mission General Board" in Shanghai, China in the 1950s but they were not successful due to the fact that then the "Board" was no longer situated in Shanghai. As the "Border Conflicts" between China and India escalated, Diplomatic ties between the two countries was severed. Further attempts to contact with the churches in China were made impossible. Despite this, they had kept to themselves and had no contact with other Christian denomination. They were self-administered and self-finance.
Members were later scattered to other parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. They brought the gospel to these new places that they settled in and churches were established in various tea plantation estates located on the hills(especially in Kerala)where they worked and lived. However due to non-contact with us, and their weak foundation in the Truth, some of their teachings changed over the years. They became the lost sheep.
Near the end of 1996, a member from the True Jesus Mission who stayed near Pammal came across the True Jesus Church in Pammal. Through curiosity he came and enquire about the church. Through this, through the guidance of the Lord, the True Jesus Mission whose contact with us was severed for about 60 years was resumed in the year 1997.
In these seven years, India Mission Committee(IMC)and I.A. Department of World Mission(IADWM)have been keeping close contact with them and putting in much effort in guiding them the truth. Some progress was made: they understand the significance and truth in the name "True Jesus Church." From the "True Jesus Mission," they have changed their name to "True Jesus Church" (to differentiate this group from the other, they are known as the True Jesus Church in Kerala and South Tamil Nadu). They have also expressed interest in returning to the fold. However, the returning to the fold is a personal decision of each individual in the group and it is based upon the acceptance and practice of the Truth as revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ to the True Jesus Church.
真耶穌教會的沿革及進展
History of True Jesus Church and their Development
Similar to the first group, the first believer from this group also received the gospel in Malaysia. In this case, an Indian man by the name of James(pastor of another Christian denomination) was attracted by the beautiful hymns sung by our church in one of the Home Services in Sungai Petani. He went to Ipoh and started to search for the truth and he was eventually baptized in the True Jesus Church. Thereafter, he brought the gospel back to India in 1969. The Gospel was preached there that year together with a few Deacons from Malaysia. Churches were established in Pammal and Ambatur. The gospel was then preached to Kerala State in 1977 and churches were established. The gospel was later preached to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh States.
In the initial few years, the Indian workers set up many places of worship with the support of the International Assembly(IA) and the South-East Asia Evangelical Center(SEAEC). The churches were administered from three Centers: Pammal, Ambatur and Kerala. The Coordination Board was also established first in Ambatur and then in Pammal.
In 1994, the work in India was passed on to India Mission Committee(IMC). Beginning from 1997 till 1999 resident preacher was stationed to stay for five consecutive months in India to establish the pastoral and evangelical work. India Theological Training Center(ITTC) building was constructed and dedicated in 1999. Trainings for Preachers, Ministers, Youths, and Religious Education Children are on going. India Coordination Board was restructured in 2001.
At present there are six Churches; two Prayer Houses; and five Places of Worship in India. Membership stands at about eight hundred. There are eight Deacons; three Preachers; and four Trainee Preachers. Work in Tamil Nadu is advancing. Work in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh is slow. The work in Kerala is at a standstill due to the church non-attachment to us and their attachment to Ahimas, which was excommunicated from the church.
Today,India Coordination Board(ICB)with assistance from IADWM and IMC will continue to prosper the work there. They will work towards a church that is "Self Administer,Self Propagate and Self Finance."