Rev Dr Theodore Williams (1935 - 2009)
Founder and first General Secretary of the Indian Evangelical Mission
Dr. Theodore Williams was the founder and first General Secretary of the Indian Evangelical Mission (IEM). As a leading mission statesman during the period of the emergence of many new mission movements within India, he was affectionately known as Annachi (elder brother in Tamil) by the many Indian mission leaders he mentored and supported. He was also respected as a powerful preacher and as the author of significant texts on mission within the global context.
Dr. Williams first trained as an economist but set aside his ambition to become a successful economist when he heard God’s call into mission. At the time colleagues called him a fool for abandoning what could have been a very successful career but he was certain of his call and knew that God does not make mistakes. The young Theodore deliberately decided to make a mark for God and God honoured His faithful servant. Having graduated as a student from the South India Bible Institute, Bangarapet (SIBI), he remained in the same institution to become an accomplished teacher and outstanding preacher. Many of his students gave witness to how Annachi used to encourage and even accompany his students on mission adventures and provide regular mentoring support. Today a number of his students are making a mark for God in various corners of the globe as pioneer missionaries or mission leaders.
Dr. William’s life work was to build up the people of God by imparting the Christian vision of the mission of God, inspiring those he touched through his uncompromising Biblical teaching and writing. As an effective evangelist he inculcated Kingdom values and principles in the lives of thousands as they came to know Jesus Christ and accepted the commission to make Him known to others. At the age of 30, Theodore’s commitment to seeing Indian’s mobilised for cross-cultural mission led him to found the Indian Evangelical Mission. Beginning with just one mission worker in 1935 the mission grew rapidly under his capable and dedicated leadership. As the first General Secretary and then later as a senior adviser Dr. Williams saw the IEM grow into a major mission force within, and beyond India, by 2010 employing over 900 mission workers.
Alongside his work with IEM, Dr. Williams also played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Friends Missionary Prayer Band (FMPB), and the India Missions Association (IMA). The FMPB was formed in the small village of Pannaivilai as a group of teachers and friends coming together to pray for India. After many years of prayer together and the establishment of over 1,000 prayer groups across India the FMPB sent out its first missionary in 1967. It now sends over 900 missionaries cross-culturally and supports more than 1,050 local evangelists. The India Mission Association is the national federation of missions in India which today brings together hundreds of mission agencies and churches to partner in the proclamation of the Gospel within and beyond India. On a wider canvas Dr. Williams also served as President of World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF) for a number of years and through that body ensured that new missionary enterprises were established in a number of countries in all continents.
In semi-retirement Theodore Williams served as a pastor at Richmond Town Methodist Church, Bangalore continuing to preach and to mentor mission leaders. Living in Bangalore he visited the offices of IEM each week to lead a Bible study for staff. He died on 29 December 2009 and two days later 1500 people attended his funeral giving glory to God for a life well lived and thanksgiving for one of India’s great Christian leaders.