History
history
When we look into the origin of the Church of God in South India, the first name that stands out is the name of Bro.Khan from Kolkatta. He got a spiritual conviction that the ideals of Anderson Church of God and the revealed biblical truths are one and the same through a tract called ´Gospel Trumpet´. This made him get in contact with the missionaries abroad, and they visited different places and broadened the ministry over here. In 1898, he decided to devote his full time to the cause of the Lord and went to different places on the mission of spreading the gospel. As part of this, he also landed in Kerala. His first place of call in Kerala was Karthikappally, in the Central Travancore Region. There he met Rev. P. J. Philip, who later became the first President of the Kerala Chapter of the church. Thereafter, Bro. Khan used to visit Kerala frequently and was associated with the setting up of small congregations in Chengannur and surrounding areas.
Brother Nicholos Roy and Brother Aquila, who were associates of Bro. A.D. Khan, came to Cannanore (now Kannur), and their work resulted in Bro.Joshua Nathan Spadigaun, who left the Basel Mission and started working for the Church of God.
Rev. P. J. Philip
P.J.Philip was one of the early workers of the Church of God in South India and its president for many years, providing leadership to the movement. He started several congregations and institutions. The Immanual Chapel at Chengannur, Girideepam Office, Bodhini Press, and the Lower Primary Schools at Pandalam and Karuvatta were started by him. Rev. K. K. Mathai and Rev. P. C. Zachariah were also active in providing leadership for the church’s work in those days.
The Missionary Period
It was in 1954 that missionaries from the United States started coming to help with the Church of God in South India. Rev. Gordon A. Sheick, along with his family, came in those years and spent many years in Kerala. It was during this period that the followers of the Bible Faith Mission working at Neyyattinkara as a base, who were without effective leadership, merged with our church.
Leadership of the Church of God in South India (1969–1991)
In 1969, Rev.P. V. Jacob was elected as the president of the Church of God in South India, which continued until June 1991. The spell witnessed major progress in various aspects of the church and evangelization work. In 1975, the headquarters of the church were moved from Chengannur to Ecclesia Campus, Kochi-24. The Asian Bible College was launched along with this shift in headquarters. The College of Technology Industrial Training Center began in Kallepadam,Thrissur district, Kerala, and started under the leadership of Rev.P. V. Jacob. S.M.M.High School, Pazhambalacode, Palakad district, came under the management of the Church of God during Rev. P.V. Jacob's tenure.
Leadership of the Church of God in South India (June 1991–October 2012)
Rev.Dr. George Tharakan was elected as the President of the Church of God in South India in June 1991.
In June 1991, Rev. Dr. George Tharakan was elected president of the Church of God in South India due to the sudden demise of the president, Rev. P.V. Jacob.
The Church of God in South India gives much emphasis to evangelization. The existence of Asian Bible College is an added asset to this. It has attained the accreditation of the Asia Theological Association (ATA). It will be one more golden feather added to the Church of God in South India. As a part of evangelization, open-air meetings, fasting prayers, and other devotional meetings are being conducted. In the beginning, most of the church buildings and parsonages of the Church of God were rented buildings. But as time went on, God helped us to have our own buildings for this purpose to some extent.
As a part of the self-help program, technical schools were started. The education was given freely to the needy and poor, and others were paid for the same. It worked as a social developmental program.
As a part of the expansion of our social activities, we have selected the rural areas and started English-medium schools, except for the existing seven schools, which are already functioning under this management. At different locations, efforts are on to secure +2 levels of gradation for the high school. An English-medium school started in 1998 at Kallepadam in Trichur District, Kerala.
Rev. Dr. Morris Berquist who was a great scholar and preacher and gifted with the gift of healing, came to South India to preach the gospel. Rev. Dr. George Tharakan has invited him as a guest speaker for the general convention of the Church of God. While he was ministering in Kerala, suddenly God called him to be with Him. To reflect the love of the great servant of God towards the Church of God in South India and as a reverence towards him, Dr. George Tharakan has built an auditorium in Kochi in memory of Rev.Dr.Morris Berquist. This is also one of the self-help projects of the Church of God in South India. For the past 21 years, the Church of God in South India has witnessed many developments under the able leadership of Rev. Dr. George Tharakan. We give full glory and honor to God!
Current Leadership of the Church of God
Rev.Johnson Tharakan
On October 30th, 2012, members of the Church of God unanimously elected Rev. T.G. Johnson as the President of the Church of God. Johnson served as a council member of the Church of God from 1997 to 2004. During these periods as a council member, he helped to expand church ministry and self-help projects. Johnson served as President of Church of God Ministries in Nagpur, India, from 2006 to 2012.
In addition to a bachelor’s degree in law and science, Johnson earned a master’s degree in divinity and the arts. He and Lethamol have two children.
Vision: Empower pastors and churches with the tools they need to multiply disciples. To ensure healthy multiplication occurs throughout South India, a team of pastors interested in developing, learning, and working together will be developed. Establish connections with church planting networks in southern India to find ways to share resources and have a collective influence.