Adven Chirstian Church

In 1880, a retired English military captain named Spence, living in India, stumbled upon Advent Christian literature from America. This sparked a flame that would become the Adven Chirstian Church in Chennai. He embraced the Advent Christian beliefs. The American Advent Mission then tasked him with finding a skilled translator. Remarkably, the very next day, a qualified Indian pastor appeared at his doorstep. The Adven Chirstian Church’s foundation was laid on this divine intervention. The work began immediately with translating and publishing literature. By 1886, evangelistic efforts were underway. A printing press arrived in Madras, now Chennai, churning out numerous tracts. The Adven Chirstian Church’s reach expanded further with the opening of two schools in 1892. Captain Spence’s daughters, both biological and adopted, joined the mission in 1898, further solidifying the family’s commitment. The Women’s Home and Foreign Mission Society of the USA, now part of the Advent Christian General Conference of America, took over the work in Velacheri, Madras, in 1898. A devastating famine struck India in 1900. The women of the mission provided refuge for countless orphaned and destitute children. Orphanages for boys in Velacheri and girls in Guindy were established. By 1901, the printing press, then located in Bangalore, printed tracts in seven languages. The first American missionaries, William Edwards and Jess Saunders, arrived in 1901. Edwards introduced industrial training for Indian boys, equipping them with valuable skills. This program continued into the 1960s. Since then, around 35 missionaries from America, Canada, and New Zealand have served in India, many dedicating long years to their ministry. Two missionaries and one missionary baby rest in Indian soil, a testament to their ultimate sacrifice. In 1902, the first church was established in Guindy, Madras, a moment of immense joy. The Adven Chirstian Church continued to flourish. The American Advent Mission has been ministering in Tamil Nadu since 1880, leaving an enduring mark on Chennai’s spiritual landscape. It oversaw the establishment of numerous churches, culminating in the formation of the Advent Christian Conference of India in 1973 and the Fellowship of Blessed Hope Churches in 1988. Today, these autonomous conferences administer over 90 Advent Christian churches in and around Chennai and southern Tamil Nadu. The renamed mission, Yesuway Jeevan Mission (Jesus is Life Mission), continues to support these conferences and connect with the Advent Christian General Conference in the US.