KOHIMA: The sprawling mega church of Konyak Baptist Church Mon (KBCM) in the heart of Mon town, Nagaland, is poised to claim the title of Asia’s largest Baptist church.
Dedicated on November 24, KBCM, with an estimated capacity exceeding 10,000 individuals, surpasses the state’s Zunheboto Sumi Baptist Church’s which has a capacity of 8,500.
Constructed under the architectural supervision of Engineer Jwinga Seb, the present MLA from Tseminyu constituency, the mega church stands tall in Mon town, covering an expansive area of 35,035 sq ft with a length of 284 ft and a breadth of 143 ft.
The church’s was constructed at the cost of Rs 41.80 crore.
The dedication events, held from November 24-26, witnessed a grand celebration with the presence of Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) officials, local church pastors, ordained ministers, sister churches in Mon, 6th NAP Tizit Church and Pipe Band, among others.
The church’s journey had begun with the laying of the foundation stone on January 24, 2013.
A testament to resilience and determination, the construction spanned ten years and ten months, overcoming challenges posed by COVID-19 lockdowns that caused minor delays.
The dedication ceremony was led by Rev Dr Zelhou Keyho, General Secretary of Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), in the presence of key figures including Rev M Nahngom, the Church’s Pastor, N Thongwang, Convenor of the Church Construction Committee, Rev M Chemyuh, Executive Secretary of Konyak Baptist Bumeinok Bangjüm (KBBB), and Rev Dr Pongsing, Former General Secretary NBCC.
Rev Nahngom emphasized that the primary objective was to accommodate the growing number of worshippers in Mon town.
He expressed gratitude for the collective effort that made the completion of this colossal structure possible.
Contributions poured in from church members, Konyak frontal organisations, the Church association, constituent member churches, elected leaders of Nagaland, and the Konyaks specifically.
While KBCM stands tall in Asia, the world’s largest church remains the Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea, a Pentecostal congregation with a staggering 12,000 seats.
