In late 1974 a group of young people, most of whom were associated with the Evangelical Union, began meeting for a weekly Bible Study. This was held every Sunday between 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. This stopped for a time but was revived around 1976 and Mr. John Main volunteered to help out. Sometime in 1978 there was a growing sense of need and commitment to take the step of meeting together as a local Church. With just two families and a few college students a house church took shape in late 1978. From the inception those gathering together met on the basis of Acts 2:42 and also collected offerings which were mostly used to support evangelistic and missionary work.
Group includes Jo Jamieson, Vicky Emblem, Miranda Wee, Jono Main, Jenni Main Hiroo Khemlani, Malini Khemlani (now Mansukhani), Liz Main, Cameron Main, Glen?
After about a couple of years this house group adopted the name Disciples Community Church and very soon after moved from a “home” to the Methodist “St. Stephen’s Memorial Hall” in Bhawani Peth. Later DCC moved to St. John’s School Hall and from there to our present location. We have grown from just two families and a few youth to the present number. In 1988 March some felt the need to leave DCC while others have been transferred because of studies or employment. By December this year we will have about 12 families, 2 singles, a widow and 2 broken families on our official Membership and about 25-30 others worshipping with us – a tremendous challenge and responsibility to be a local Church that is committed to understanding and obeying God’s Word and to evangelism
Shantanu Dutta, Vinodh ?, Henry de Souza, Keith Jamieson, John & Val Main
as well as missions.
In the past D.C.C. has sent a “once-off” financial gift to IEM, I.E.H.C., Bible Society and other organisations. For several years we supported, on a monthly basis a missionary of Friends Missionary Prayer Band and Maharashtra Village Ministries. Presently, we are supporting a missionary of Love Maharashtra, called Suresh Chavan. For over a decade, DCC ran a residential for underprivileged children, many of whom now attend our services as adults.
DCC has now existed for almost four decades. We’ve had our share of problems through our history, but with God’s help and by His grace these have been surmounted. There were “growing up” pains and “middle-age” pains.
DCC is not affiliated to any other body nor is it part of a larger fellowship/denomination. We stand or fall all alone. We form our identity all on our own. From its inception this identity formation has been based on Scripture. The founders were aware of various models and read many books but struggled to understand and stay close to the Word of God.
Our priority has been the obedience to the Word of God. In the first years of our history John Main and I (Pastor Chris) had no doubt in the matter of our primary responsibility. We taught God’s Word. All attenders of DCC unquestioningly came for the weekday Bible Study. Our commitment to the inductive study and expository preaching methods were implicit. Another important aspect of our life together was prayer. Almost everyone enthusiastically responded to prayer meetings and half-nights and full nights of prayer were frequent. Fellowship was not organised but spontaneous. There was a rich sense of family spirit and the Elders united in heart and purpose.
As a local Church those were our foundational commitments. As these were maintained the membership got its motivations to spend our money and be involved in Mission and Evangelism. I believe we need to hold on to the foundational commitments as we keep going and growing.
