https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Evangelical_Churches_Association_%28India%29Evangelical Churches Association (India) - Revision history2026-08-21T01:35:15ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Evangelical_Churches_Association_(India)&diff=498725&oldid=prevSvetlanafvq: stub - done2025-07-06T20:41:01Z<p>stub - done</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Infobox Christian denomination<br />
| name =Evangelical Churches Association<br />
| main_classification = [[Protestantism]]<br />
| orientation = [[Reformed Christianity|Reformed]]<br />
| polity = [[Congregational]]<br />
| founded_date = 1952<br />
| founder = [[Watkin Roberts]]<br />
| founded_place = [[Churachandpur]], [[Manipur]], [[India]]<br />
| members = 35,000 (2017)<br />
| congregations = 200 (2017)<br />
| website = {{url|https://eca.org.in}}<br />
| associations = [[Evangelical Congregational Church of India]], [[World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship]] and [[World Communion of Reformed Churches]]<br />
}}<br />
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The Evangelical Churches Association (ECA) is a Protestant Christian denomination of congregational orientation, founded in 1952, with headquarters in Chiengkonpang, Churachandpur, in the state of Manipur, northeastern India.<br />
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== History ==<br />
In 1910, Welsh missionary [[Watkin Roberts]] began evangelistic work among the tribal people of the Senvon region of Churachandpur. Roberts founded the indigenous missionary agency '''Thadou-Kuki Pioneer Mission (TKPM)''', later renamed as '''North India General Mission (NEIGM)'''. This movement was instrumental in planting local churches among the tribal population.<br />
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In 1952, the congregational churches founded by this missionary agency came together and formed the Association of Evangelical Churches.<ref name=HIS2>{{cite web|url=https://eca.org.in/about-us.html |title=Association of Evangelical Churches|accessdate=April 20, 2025}}</ref><br />
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Since then, associated churches have spread across northeastern India.<br />
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As of 2017, the association had about 200 churches and 35,000 members.<ref name=HIS2/><br />
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In 2020, the Government of India cancelled the denomination's license number under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA), preventing it from receiving any type of foreign donation. This came against a backdrop of restrictions on Christian churches in the country, with around 10,000 churches barred from receiving international aid.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ucanews.com/news/india-bans-four-christian-groups-from-accepting-foreign-funds/89450 |title=India bans four Christian groups from accepting foreign funds|date=September 8, 2020 |author=Nirendra Dev |location=New Delhi | website=UCA News| accessdate=April 20, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/india/ |title=2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: India |website=United States Department of State| date=2020 | accessdate=April 20, 2025}}</ref><br />
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In 2023, 17 churches of the denomination were burned in a wave of violence against Christians in northwest India.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/catholic-evangelical-and-baptist-churches-among-more-than-120-destroyed-in-india-violence |title=Catholic, evangelical and Baptist churches among more than 120 destroyed in India violence |date=May 13, 2023 |author=Donna Birrell | website=Premier Christian News| accessdate=April 20, 2025}}</ref><br />
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== Doctrine ==<br />
ECA professes a reformed evangelical faith, with emphasis on the following points:<br />
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*The authority of the Holy Scriptures as the only infallible rule of faith and practice;<br />
*Belief in the Trinity: God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;<br />
*Jesus Christ as true God and true man, whose death and resurrection provide salvation;<br />
*Salvation by grace, through faith in Christ;<br />
*Practice of baptism and the Lord's Supper as ordinances instituted by Christ;<br />
*Christian life marked by holiness, service and evangelism.<br />
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== Ecumenical Relations ==<br />
ECA is a member of the [[Evangelical Congregational Church of India]], the [[Evangelical Fellowship of India]] at the national level. At the international level, the ECA is a member of the [[World Communion of Reformed Churches]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wcrc.eu/about/members/|title=World Communion of Reformed Churches: Members|language=English|accessdate=19 April 2025}}</ref> and the [[World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship]].<ref>{{cite web|title=World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship Members|url=https://cong-wecf.org/member-fellowships/|accessdate=7 January 2025}}</ref><br />
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== See also ==<br />
*[[Congregationalism]]<br />
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== References ==<br />
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{{Refs}}<br />
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[[Category:Protestantism in India]]</div>Svetlanafvq