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From a small beginning at Byculla in 1867, the church grew to be relocated first in Bombay Central and later to Colaba in 1911 where it stands today at the present site. It was served by a number of pastors who were mainly Canadian and British. Their tenure ranged from a few months to a few years.
During this period the church was a refuge to many passing folk from the Naval and Army personnel who were strengthened in their faith before they went on to their next posting. Some of the pastors were graduates from the Spurgeon’s Bible College. They were responsible for the numerical and financial growth of the church.
From a small beginning at Byculla in 1867, the church grew to be relocated first in Bombay Central and later to Colaba in 1911 where it stands today at the present site. It was served by a number of pastors who were mainly Canadian and British. Their tenure ranged from a few months to a few years.
During this period the church was a refuge to many passing folk from the Naval and Army personnel who were strengthened in their faith before they went on to their next posting. Some of the pastors were graduates from the Spurgeon’s Bible College. They were responsible for the numerical and financial growth of the church.
Many of the pastors or their families during late 1800s and early 1900s paid a high price, even as malaria and other sicknesses took their toll of these ministers. Some of them had to leave the country on board a ship on a stretcher, as either they or their family members were critically ill.
The Sunday school was very strong on Bible knowledge and would win almost every inter-church competition in the city that they participated in. Under guidance of Rev Lloyd Raine there was great ministry through song and music. Often people would hear God speak to them through solos, duets, or even the choir. During Rev Raine’s time the church consisted of older people while the Sunday school was for those under 15, many of whom never became members of the church. So a young people’s fellowship was started to keep them involved with God. This group of young people became the core who became part of the renewal.
Charles Lazaro came to the city in the early 1970’s as a worker of Youth for Christ, but soon felt the call of God to be trained at the South India Biblical Seminary. On his return, he was appointed as the next pastor of the church from 1973 to 1981. The church went through a period of renewal and revival. The team of deacons changed hands as younger but more spiritual people joined the team.
Holiness was the theme, which Pastor Lazaro emphasized. He began to lay stress on righteous living and commitment to the body of Christ. The faithfulness of the pastor was rewarded as God added new members and baptized them with His Holy Spirit in 1975. This was the second move of the Holy Spirit, the first being in the 60’s. This time, however, the renewal stayed with us. The congregation saw a new expression of Christian Life and worship in the youth of the church. This caused integration of youth into the church. Later the same young people went back to the Sunday school to teach and the Baptist church became a family where every age group was integrated and accepted, though the proportion of youth was large.
Members were encouraged to exercise their spiritual gifts during the worship. The choir too changed from being a band of talented singers to a group of worshipers. Talent was no longer the basis for entry, commitment to glorify God was the main criteria. Therefore many who had no talent for singing were trained to be singers. Some took up playing instruments and became proficient in them.
As the influence of the church grew the pastor was invited to speak in many places. He trained members to preach and teach the word so that they could step in during his out of town engagements. He called this group, “men of the word”. Arthur Thangiah who is presently pastors our Tamil congregations is one of those who completed the course.
Towards the end of Pastor Charles Lazaro’s tenure God led him and the church members to appoint Stanley Mehta as an assistant pastor to Charles Lazaro. Stanley Mehta was already being discipled by Charles Lazaro, and he took over from him after Charles Lazaro went to Australia in September 1981. Teaching of the kingdom, which was a vision with Pastor Charles Lazaro, became the mainstay of Stanley’s ministry. As newly married couples moved to the suburbs many new churches were founded by the leaders that were sent out.
Another area of transformation was the finance of the church. This began with Pastor Charles Lazaro who emphasized the need to stand on our own feet rather than depend on the western money. He faithfully taught about tithing. Today the churches & its religious activity is totally indigenous, supported by the tithes and offering of the members and receives no foreign funds.
In 1992 the church started ‘Antioch Training Center’ (ATC) which was a mini Bible school for its growing need. The students come from different parts of the country and from different nations. The faculty consists of senior proven mature pastors or trainers who are very well accomplished in their particular field or subject. Today, the former students of the ATC are seen to be planting and pastoring a number of satellite churches. Stanley’s wife Esme Mehta was instrumental in successfully running the New Alpha academy pre-primary school at the premises of the Bombay Baptist Church, Colaba. The school still continues to provide quality education and values to children in south Mumbai.
In 1984 the church acknowledged the apostolic oversight of Victor Gledhill. His input has caused the church to grow without any bottlenecks. Through his teachings, the church has understood the need to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ and felt the need to minister to the destitute and outcasts of the society. As such a separate trust called ‘Sahaara Charitable society’ was established in 1994. These days it has been transforming the lives of orphans, prisoners , children in Remand Homes (home for Juvenile prisoners), commercial sex workers (CSW) and their children.
Under the leadership of Pastor Stanley Mehta churches began to be planted within Mumbai, India and in other nations. The leadership then felt to bring all the churches under a separate trust called “Gateway Ministries International” (GMI). In 2016 Stanley passed on the baton of GMI to his disciple Joemon Joseph.
Joemon and his wife Sunitha Joseph continue to raise disciples and plant churches within India and overseas. Joemon also oversees the ATC which is now led by the Dean, Rahul Thomas. Sunitha being a trained social worker and counsellor is now overseeing the GMI counselling hub which is led by Sushmitha Philippose.
God’s story which began through the Bombay Baptist Church in the 1800’s, which is now Gateway Ministries International, continues to transform lives and communities in the nations. The vision of “Nations Rebuilt” is being realised through 140 plus churches, in 7 countries and 9 languages. All glory to God.