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{{Infobox Christian denomination
|name = Angami Baptist Church Council
|image =
|caption =
|main_classification = [[Protestant]]
|orientation = [[Baptist]]
|founded_date = {{start date and age|1885}}
|founded_place = [[Kohima]], [[Nagaland]]
|area = [[Nagaland]], [[India]]
|associations = [[Nagaland Baptist Church Council]]
|congregations = 111<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://abcconline.org/member_churches.html |title=List of ABCC Member Churches |access-date=16 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510012055/http://www.abcconline.org/member_churches.html |archive-date=10 May 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|members = 42,880
|website = [http://abcconline.org/ www.abcconline.org]
}}

The '''Angami Baptist Church Council''' ('''ABCC''') is one of the 20 associations in the [[Nagaland Baptist Church Council]] (NBCC). Through the NBCC, the ABCC is part of the [[Baptist World Alliance|Baptist World Alliance (BWA)]]. Its headquarters, [[Kohima]], is the second station of the [[American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society]] in [[Nagaland]], India.

== History ==
In 1878 Mrs. and Rev. C. D. King,<ref>[http://dspace.vidyanidhi.org.in:8080/dspace/bitstream/2009/4123/2/NEH-2005-008-1.pdf Rev. C. D. King in Angami Territory pdf] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721180758/http://dspace.vidyanidhi.org.in:8080/dspace/bitstream/2009/4123/2/NEH-2005-008-1.pdf |date=21 July 2011 }}</ref> the first American Baptist Missionary to the [[Angami Naga|Angamis]] arrived in [[Chümoukedima]]. But they had to flee back to [[Sibsagar]] due to the hostilities between the [[Angami Naga|Angamis]] and the [[United Kingdom|British]]. After the British finally established their administrative headquarters at [[Kohima]] in 1879, Mrs. and Rev C. D. King arrived in Kohima on 25 February 1881 with the Gospel.

On 29 March 1883, the Kohima Baptist Church was established. In 1885, four Angamis from Kohima accepted Christ and were baptized. Unfortunately, when the King family left for the USA because of health reasons, these early believers left the faith. However, in 1887, Mrs. Hattie and Dr. Sidney W. Rivenburg transferred from Molung, Assam, Nagaland to Kohima to restart the work. After laboring for five years, they saw their first convert. And thereafter slowly but steadily men and women from other villages started coming to Christ. Mrs. Hattie E. Rivenburg died in Kohima and is buried on the A.B.C.C. compound. Dr. Rivenburg continued to work among the Angami people until 1923.<ref>[''Star of the Naga Hills'', Narola Rivenburg, American Baptist Publication Society, Philadelphia, 1941.]</ref>

== Present day ABCC ==
As of 2023, the Council has 111 Churches with about 42,880 baptized members and 57 [[ordained]] ministers and 118 [[Licentiate (degree)|licentiate]] [[pastors]].<ref>[http://www.nbcc.in/statistics.html NBCC Statistics]</ref> The Council runs three institutions- Baptist High, Baptist College and Shalom Bible Seminary. The Council has 6 Departments- Women, Youth, Men, [[Catechism|Christian Education]] & Literature, Missions, Property & Socio-Economic Development. Dr. Rachülie Vihienuo is the present{{when|date=January 2021}} [[Executive Director]] of the Council.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

The ABCC celebrated its 125 years<ref>[http://www.morungexpress.com/local/42842.html 125 Years of Christianity in Angami Land] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714115544/http://www.morungexpress.com/local/42842.html |date=14 July 2011 }}</ref> of ministry at Kohima in February 2010. During the four-day celebration (3 to 7 February 2010), the Council donated $8,744<ref>[http://www.xtremeteamonline.org/read/18348 ABCC contribution towards Haiti Relief] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320130742/http://www.xtremeteamonline.org/read/18348 |date=20 March 2012 }}</ref> towards [[2010 Haiti earthquake|Haiti earthquake]] relief.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

== Theology and practice ==
As a member of the Universal Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, the ABCC believes in the:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://abcconline.org/about_abcc.html |title=About ABCC |access-date=16 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724214106/http://abcconline.org/about_abcc.html |archive-date=24 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Priesthood of all Believers.
* One personal God, eternally existent in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
*
* The [[Bible]] as the Word of God is the divine inspiration, authentic and final authority, sufficient for our faith.
* Freedom from every kind of [[Slavery]]
* [[Baptism|Believers Baptism through immersion]].

=== Church and State ===
The ABCC is not against the political aspirations of the [[Naga people]] but, with the [[Nagaland Baptist Church Council|NBCC]], the ABCC is against and will oppose the unbiblical ideologies and means to attain those aspirations. Affirming the State-Church separation, the ABCC resolved not to participate in state/political group sponsored programs that undermine the State-Church separation.

== Missions and affiliated organizations ==

=== Mission Department ===
The Mission Department was established in 1980. At present the Council has 41 [[Missionaries]] and 20 [[Evangelists (Christianity)|Native Evangelists]] serving in different fields.

* '''International Fields:''' [[Nepal]], [[Thailand]], [[Chad|Chad (North Central Africa)]], [[Gambia|Gambia (South Africa)]], [[Cambodia]], [[Bhutan]], [[Myanmar]], [[Kyrgyzstan]], [[East Timor]], [[Laos]].
* '''National Fields:''' [[Sikkim]], [[Chandigarh]], [[Assam]], Nagaland-Assam Border.
* '''Fields in Nagaland:''' Reaching Non-locals in [[Chümoukedima]], [[Dimapur]] and [[Kohima]].
* '''Fields in partnership with other Missions agencies:''' [[West Bengal]], [[Bangalore]], [[Manipur]], Nsong, [[Mumbai]], and [[Delhi]].

=== Youth Department ===
The Angami Baptist Youth Department (ABYD) was officially established in 1932 with the missionary Rev. J. E. Tanquist and his wife Mabel Tanquist. Initially it was called Angami Christian Endeavour Union (ACEU). The ABYD celebrated its 75 Years of ministry in the year 2007 at Khonoma.
The objective of ABYD is to help and equip the Youth members to share their faith with others as well as to develop second line leadership for evangelism. Focusing on this, the ABYD organizes seminars and trainings every year. One of the notable contributions by the ABYD is in the area of [[Christian music|Music]]. Currently, the department is emphasizing on Sports Ministry and [[True Love Waits (organization)|True Love Waits]] (TLW) seminars in order to reach the youth members even outside the Church.

=== Seminaries and Colleges ===
Apart from evangelism and other Church activities, as part of its endeavor towards spiritual development, the ABCC gives equal importance to human resources development with Christian values.
Towards this, there are three (3) institutions:

* '''Baptist High:<ref>[http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17197:baptist-high-celebrates-jubilee Baptist High Kohima celebrates Golden Jubilee]</ref>''' Established in 1959, it is a [[Higher Secondary Examination|Higher Secondary School]] in [[Science studies|Science stream]].
* '''[[Baptist College, Kohima|Baptist College]]:<ref>[http://entrance-exam.net/list-of-colleges-in-nagaland-university-nagaland/ Baptist College Kohima]</ref>''' Established in 1982, the College offers [[Bachelor’s Degree]] in [[Bachelor of Arts|Arts]] and [[Bachelors of Commerce|Commerce]] streams.
* '''[[Shalom Bible Seminary]] (SBS):<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.shalombibleseminary.org/ |title=Shalom Bible Seminary |access-date=16 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904175336/http://shalombibleseminary.org/ |archive-date=4 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>''' Established in 1996, '''SBS''' offers [[B.Th.]], [[M.Div.]], and [[M.Th.]] Degrees.

== Angami (Tenyidie) Bible ==

=== History ===
[[Translation|Bible Translation]] works happened to be one of the priorities of the American missionaries. The first translation of the [[Book of Matthew]] was started by Rev. C. D. King. However, he could not complete as he left for home. Later, it was translated by Rev. Dr. S. W. Rivenburg in 1890. He also translated the Books of [[Book of John|John]] and [[Book of Acts|Acts]]. Miss Narola, the daughter of Rivenburg, translated the [[Book of Mark]] in 1915. In the same year the [[Book of Luke]] was translated by Rev. J.E. Tanquist. [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]], the last Book of the [[New Testament]] was translated in 1918. Consequently, through the efforts or the missionaries and native leaders, the [[New Testament]] was brought out in 1927.

Translation of the [[Old Testament]] started around 1940, and a good portion was translated. But during the [[Battle of Kohima]] in 1944, all the [[manuscripts]] were lost. Vigorous translation then began again and the [[Book of Genesis]] was published in 1950. However most of the manuscripts (of the remaining books) were again destroyed during the Indo-Naga conflicts in 1956.

=== The Release of the Angami (Tenyidie) Bible ===
In 1966 the Angami Baptist Women took the initiative in helping translation works again. The long expected [[Angami Naga language|Tenyidie]] Bible of the Angami Nagas was finally released and presented on 20 December 1970, with a huge congregation of thanksgiving, held at Kohima Local Baptist Church.

=== Fresh Translation Works ===
The revised edition of the [[New Testament]] was released in December 1995. With regard to the [[Old Testament]] revision, the project began in 1986. The new translation of the Old Testament was released in 2009.

== See also ==
* [[Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110508154047/http://www.abcconline.org/ Angami Baptist Church Council]
* [http://www.internationalministries.org/read/18622 International Ministries]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110217014221/http://www.abc-usa.org/Resources/AmericanBaptistNewsService/tabid/79/articleType/ArchiveView/month/2/year/2010/Default.aspx American Baptist News Service]
* [http://www.internationalministries.org/read/18907 Haiti relief]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110930034656/http://www.nagalandpost.com/ShowStory.aspx?npoststoryiden=UzEwMjI1NTQ=-Q8I2pa0u+p0= True Love waits by NBCC]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Angami Baptist Church Council (Abcc)}}
{{Draft categories|
[[Category:Christianity in Nagaland]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1885]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Kohima]]
[[Category:Baptist denominations established in the 19th century]]
[[Category:Baptist denominations in India]]
[[Category:1885 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Angami Naga|Baptist]]
}}

Angami Baptist Church Council - Revision history

Ab2030 at 23:58, 6 May 2026