BBI: My Memories Of A Great Centre Of Theology –001

John_Paul_RanchiGreat institutions do not happen by themselves. Rather, they are created by the hard work of visionaries. The Brethren Bible Institute at Pathanamthitta (Kerala, India) is one such great institution. I had the privilege of being associated with it right from the time it was in the planning stage. Eventually I became the faculty member to teach the first class on the first day in its history.

Picture: The Late John Paul of Ranchi

Over the years it has been my privilege to be part of its growth and in this memoir I plan to write down some of these excitement developments that I saw, and in which I participated, from close quarters. Actually the cause of my involvement with BBI started two decades before BBI was founded. The cause was my love for expository Bible teaching and my conviction that in the nineteen nineties the Brethren Assemblies needed to prepare a strong team of Bible expositors.

I came across Expository Bible Teaching in my own assembly under the ministry of a number of highly able Bible teachers. This included my own father Philip Abraham, late John Paul of Ranchi and late Dr. Anand Choudhari. Have studied the Bible under them during my school years, I had a great desire to continue studying the Scripture when I entered college. That was the time I met Dr. Robert Reid.

Dr_Anand_ChoudharyDr. Robert Reid was an outstanding Bible expositor and he created in me a great desire not only to study the Bible, but also to become a Bible expositor. It was his influence that eventually led me to join the Asian Christian Academy in Bangalore for my MTh program under late Dr. Isaac John.

Picture: The Late Dr. Anand Choudhary

I joined ACA in 1978 as an external student because ACA did not have a campus of its own at that time. The more this training progressed the more I became convinced that the Assemblies in India needed a similar institution. I shared this vision with many, and hoped that eventually the Lord would raise up such an institution.

It was around this time that Dr. OM Samuel left his job and came to India. He settled in Muvattupuzha. In 1982 I married Santha from a place close to Muvattupuzha. Soon after this I visited him at his residence, and the moment we met it resulted in an instant love for each other. I shared the matter with him also.

In 1988 uncle KA Philip told me that many brothers in the Pathanamtitta area had a desire to start a Bible School and that the Lord might definitely help them to start such a work. I kept in touch with him to learn about the developments and what developed in the years that followed was a blessed ministry beyond what anyone could have anticipated. [To Continue …]

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