Kurien Thomas
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Kurien Thomas (1922–2000) or Kurian Thomas was a Pentecostal missionary pastor, founding Chairman of the Fellowship of the Pentecostal Churches in India and founding President of the Central India Bible College in Central India.
Early Life
Kurien was born on 9 January 1922 at Ranny, Kerala. His parents belonged to the Syrian Orthodox Church and traced their origins to the first converts of Thomas the Apostle.[1] In his early days he participated in the independence movement of India and opposed Pentecostal work in his area.[2] However, in 1939 he was converted and received the baptism of the Spirit in a gospel meeting held by Pastor K.E. Abraham.[3] For a while after that he traveled to different places for ministry, including to Lahore where he was stationed for a few months, before entering into full-time ministry.[4]
Work at Itarsi
In February 1945, he and his wife Annamma went to Itarsi as pioneering Pentecostal missionaries.[5] In the beginning he served as a missionary with the India Pentecostal Church of God[6] but later formed the Fellowship of the Pentecostal Churches in India along with other Christian leaders. He authored several books in Hindi, English, and Malayalam. He was the pastor of the Pentecostal Church at Itarsi, Founder/Chairman and later Patron of the Fellowship of the Pentecostal Churches in India, and Principal of the Central India Bible College, which he founded in 1962.[7] Many indigenous missionaries received theological training at this college.[8]
He was recipient of several awards for his outstanding contributions in the field of Christian literature, education, and ministry. He wrote an autobiography titled God's Trailblazer In and Around the World.[9]
Kurien Thomas also began a Hindi Christian magazine called Satyadoot in 1948 [10] that is one of the prominent Christian magazine in the Hindi language.
The Fellowship of the Pentecostal Churches in India includes some 1200 congregations served by around 900 pastors.[11] Pastor Kurien pastored the Pentecostal Church at Itarsi from 1945 until his death on October 19, 2000.[12] He is now succeeded by his son, Matthew K. Thomas, who is also the Chairman of the Fellowship (FPCGI) and President/Principal of Central India Theological Seminary.
Global ministry
Kurien traveled widely speaking at various churches and conferences across the globe. He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.[13]
| Dates | Important Events in the Life and Ministry of Dr. Kurien Thomas |
|---|---|
| 1939 | Kurien Thomas gets saved in K.E. Abraham's meetings at Kerala. |
| 1945 | Kurien Thomas comes with his wife as missionary to Itarsi. |
| 1946 | The first Pentecostal Conference in Itarsi. |
| 1948 | Satyadoot India's widely read Hindi Christian magazine is born. |
| 1962 | Bharosa Bible School begins with 7 students. |
| 1966 | The Fellowship of the Pentecostal Churches in India (FPCGI) is created with Pastor Kurien Thomas as Chairman. |
| 1996 | Kurien Thomas PG Studies and Research Center is established. |
| 2000 | Kurien Thomas dies. |
Selected bibliography
All writings were published by Central India Bible College, Itarsi.
- अतीत की पगडंडिया Autobiography
- परिणयगाथा A Commentary on the Songs of Solomon
- प्रकाशितवाक्य A Commentary on Revelation
- मिलापवाला तंबु The Tabernacle
- पवित्र आत्मा Holy Spirit
- धर्मविज्ञान प्रणाली Systematic Theology
- Ruth: Malayalam
See also
References
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- ↑ Kurien Thomas, God's Trailblazer (Bombay: GLS Press, 1986)
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- ↑ Kurien Thomas, God's Trailblazer (Bombay: GLS Press, 1986)
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