Madurai Main First Baptist Church was started in 1974 by 8 dedicated people. They were lead by God to start this Fundamental Baptist Church. By God’s grace it grew spiritually and numerically. God has blessed this church with other three more branch Churches. From this church more than 12 people have gone for full time ministry and many others who grew in this Church are useful in God’s ministry in different places. We have different programs for edification and evangelization.

Till 1985 our church did not have a Church building and we had gathered in different rental places. By God’s grace our hands were strengthened to build this present building. Now this church acts as a mother church for the other branches.  

I. Ministries of the Church:
We have different ministries for the edification of the church and the different programs for reaching the unreached.

2. For reaching the unreached, we have different programs in our church. Most of the time, whole church will be involving in our outreach ministry.

1. VISITATIONS:

Our Bible Women are doing Hospital Visitation and also visiting Homes to take the Gospel to non-Christian Women.

2. CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES FOR NON CHRISTIANS: 

On Sundays we have Children’s Meetings separately for Christian children and Hindu children in the church building after worship service. Besides, we conduct children’s classes at 5 Centers in the city. By this way we are able to reach the parents also.

3. HINDU WOMEN'S MEETING:
We conduct a meeting once in two weeks for Hindu women at a particular center called Chokalinganagar. Through that ministry some have come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We urge you to pray for this effort that many may come to Christ.

4. STREET PREACHING:

We use to go to the streets to preach the Gospel. First we sing a meaningful song then we preach the Gospel. Normally we get good response.

5. HAPPY EVENING:
This is a program for our non Christian friends and relatives of our church members. We invite them with a special invitation to come for this program. In this program we present the Gospel through songs, skits, short films, witness and finally a short message. All will be over in an hour. People those who hesitate to come to the church service on Sundays are easily come to this type of programs.

6. TWO BY TWO MINISTRY:
Every first Sunday evening we as a church go into the city in two by two to visit non Christian people in their homes to share the gospel. Through this we are able to meet many more people those who are in real need and also our church believers are being trained to share the gospel boldly.

7. FILM MINISTY:
God has provided a LCD projector and this helps us to meet the people with Gospel through films. The people those who do not have proper understanding about Christ are being benefited through this program. Mostly we do this ministry in villages. Sometimes, large number of people gathers for this program. This is a very good media to reach a mass at a time.

8. MISSIONARY SUPPORT:

As our pastor worked as a pioneer missionary in Orissa state of India, among HO tribal people, we still have a good connection with the ministry which is going on there. We give partial financial support regularly for four missionaries who are from among this tribe. Our pastor visits them periodically and preaches God’s word in their Jungle camps which is their annual convention. We as a church believe that God has a great plan for church, regarding Orissa state as it is the most backward state in our country and has a great need for Gospel.

This Church was started by Rev. A. Victor, but now due to his old age he is looking after the Bible Correspondence course and the Radio program of the Church. From 1991 onwards Rev. V. David Barnabas has been pasturing the Church.

Testimony of Rev. V. David Barnabas

I was born in a good Christian family with my two brothers and one sister. Our parents taught us about Christ through Bible stories from our small age. I accepted Christ when I was eight years old.
When I was doing my school, my parents use to tell me that you must go for Lord's work. These words rooted in my heart very deeply and in due course I was able to feel God's call in my life.
 After my college studies I joined in a missionary organization. I had a burden to preach the gospel to the people, who had never heard the gospel. I was sent to a remote place of Orissa state in India to work among the HO tribe. Even though it was very tough in the beginning, God helped me to learn their language and preach the gospel to them. In the midst of opposition God brought many families to accept Christ. I worked there for five years and then I came back to my own mother church to be a Pastor.  
For the past several years God has been so good to me in my pastoral ministry. Now I can say that God had a definite purpose in bringing me back to my own place. God has given me a very good ministry in the church.
I and my wife Alice Glory and our two sons Joel Nicolas and Clement Jason are happy in the Lord. Remember us in your prayers.

Church Location

Area
22 Sq. Kms (8.56 Sq. Miles)
Population
12.9 lacks (As per 2001 Census)

Altitude
101 meters (330 ft) above sea level
Latitude: 9.58 N Longitude: 78.10 E

Languages Spoken
Tamil, English, Sourashtra
Madurai is known as the Athens of the East. Madurai, the second largest city in Tamilnadu is situated on the banks of the river Vaigai. An ancient city, more than 2,500 years old and has a rich cultural heritage and history. Madurai is believed to have been built by the Pandyan King Kulasekara in the 6th century BC. Madurai was an important cultural and commercial center even as early as 550 AD. Madurai was the capital city for the great Pandya kings.
During the rule of the Nayaks, the bulk of the Meenakshi temple was built, the main attraction for visitors, today. Madurai also became the cultural center of the Tamil people. Madurai passed on to the East India Company in 1781, and in 1840, the Company razed the fort which had previously surrounded the city, and filled in the moat, constructed the veli streets and expanded the city. Madurai is Tamilnadu's most happening cultural arena. Today, Madurai is the thriving pulse of Tamilnadu’s industrial growth.

Church Address

First Baptist Church
Near to Communist office
Baptist Church Street, New Ellis Nagar
Madurai - 625 010
Tamil Nadu, India
Ph. 0452 4354405