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The Kohima Ao Baptist Church started with a humble beginning on 12th of February 1939, with around ten families and some few students. Back then it was just a fellowship known as “Ao Christian Fellowship.”

It all started when the British rulers established Kohima as the Headquarter for the Nagas, and Government employees had to settle in Kohima. And with time, as they adapted to the new way of living, they yearned for worship like they did in their own native villages. So with much prayer they joined hands with Sumi, Lotha and other tribes and started a combined fellowship as Daklane Church in 1938.

As the Capital Kohima developed, more people migrated and settled in Kohima. And with the given increase in the number of Ao families, the growing need for an Ao dialect service was deemed necessary. So with the permission of Rev. Sapplie, the Ao community started their own Ao Christian Fellowship separately in February 1939. Mr. Imtinüngsang from Waromung village was chosen as mission in charge in April 1939. Since there was no Pastor at the time, the service was taken up in turns by the members.

Then Second World War reached our doorstep with the invasion of the Japanese military coop of Kohima. As it became impossible to live in Kohima, the government ordered people to leave the town. Apart from those government officials, women and children left Kohima in 1942. When the fight intensified and it was heard that the enemies were reaching Kohima, all the government officials left their work and departed from Kohima on April 3, 1944.

After the Second World War ended, the government officials with their families returned to Kohima and with much faith once again wanted to revive the Ao Christian Fellowship. So in 1946, they started the Fellowship with Mr. Chubameren from Kübza village as the service-leader and Alemkaba from Waromung village as mission in charge.

The Ao Christian Fellowship for a long time was praying of a pastor and Mr. T. Süpongsenba from Molungyimsen village fit the role like an answered prayer. So he was chosen as the pastor on March 1972. And with time, Ao Christian Fellowship gradually changed to Kohima Ao Church with the vision of the Church as “Faith, Service and Missions.”

KABA Vision Statement

  1. Worshiping God and Fellowship of believers.
  2. To bring souls to the church and nurture them.
  3. To make each member of the Church mature in Christ.
  4. To preach the Good News everywhere in order to deliver lost souls.
  5. To participate in every work for the extension of God’s kingdom.
  6. To lead the Church grounded on Biblical Teachings and the Baptist Faith.

After Pastor Süpongsenba, Rev. M. Asangba Longkümer on 1st March 2004 took over as the Pastor. During his time, there were many notable changes made in the title allocation such as Senior Pastor, Pastor, and Associate Pastor. Rev. M. Asangba Longkümer served as the Senior Pastor of KABA from March 2017 till November 2020. Rev. Sentisashi Aier took over as the Senior Pastor in December 2020.

    Church

    During the initial years worship services were conducted at a place called Mission Chapel which progressed to an army store house. It was then shifted to the Naga Club house and later on, to a house belonging to the Assam Rifle (Para military). After all these years of worshiping without a proper place the first church building was constructed during the year 1956-57 at the current location. This was followed by the second church building during the year 1963-65; the same church was enlarged in the year 1970. After 10 years, as the members grew, the same Church building was dismantled and enlarged during the year 1980- 83. From 1983, for almost 27 years, till 2010 the church building served its purpose of worship and fellowship. With the increasing number of members the need for a larger church building was felt and hence it was dismantled in the year 2010. The construction of a new church building resumed the same year. It took almost 9 years before it was finally inaugurated and dedicated on the 28th of April 2019. This building is referred to as the ‘main church’ of the Kohima Ao Baptist Church.

    There are seven full-fledged fellowships and two semi fellowships within the Church spread across different localities within Kohima. The Main Church has a total sitting capacity of 3600: 2500 in the main hall and 1200 at the basement.
    It houses the administrative office of the church along with meeting halls, library and Sunday school. Adjacent to the church building, within the same campus, are the residential quarters of Pastors and care takers.

    Fellowship under KABA

    • Town Fellowship
    • Chandmari Fellowship
    • A.G. Fellowship
    • Lerie Fellowship
    • New Ministers’ Hill Fellowship
    • Ministers’ Hill Fellowship
    • Merhülietsa Fellowship
    • Bayavü Fellowship
    • Phezoucha Fellowship

    Important works undertaken after Golden Jubilee

    • The Kohima Ao Baptist Church at the apex of celebrating its Golden Jubilee on the 9th of February 1989 undertook the commemoration of a holistic centre named Jubilee Memorial Centre in Lerie Colony (JMC).
    • South Bank Baptist Mission Field in Jorhat District which was initially taken up by Kohima Officers Union became part of KABA outreach Mission in 2011. In its 25th Jubilee year, the mission field after affiliating with TAKAM was handed over to the local churches.
    • Clark Memorial High School, Impur under ABAM was looked after by KABA for 5 years (1993-1997) and as signed in the MOU was handed back to ABAM.