Ken is a missionary’s kid and was born and raised in India. Mary grew up in a godly Christian home in Everett, WA. They met at Los Angeles Baptist College (now the Master’s College).  They were married while Ken was at Northwest Baptist Seminary. Upon graduation from NBS Ken and Mary were accepted by Baptist Mid-Mission as missionaries to India. They have been serving in India since 1978.

 

With the team of missionaries and Indian co-workers they have been involved in 5 church plants. Ken was pastoring the Bethel Baptist Church, an English Congregation, until 2003. They also started the Northwest Baptist Seminary (of Tacoma, WA) India Extension. In 1998 the seminary became independent of Northwest Baptist Seminary and is known as the BAPTIST SEMINARY OF SOUTH INDIA. Ken continues to serve as the president and teacher in the seminary.

 

Mary has ministries conducting Bible Studies for the women of the church and helps run the Bible Seekers which is a program for children similar to AWANA.

 

The following is an excerpt from the July 2005 Report on India Ministries at the BMM Tri-Annual Conference.

 

Political Situation: (Indian pop. 1.03 billion)

In a stunning defeat the government backed by the Hindu fundamentalists was voted out of office in May of 2004. The new government is a moderate secularist coalition and already some of the more extremist policies of the former government have been relaxed. However, there is still a strong sentiment among the people favoring some of the positions of the former government that keeps the present government from a total reversal of previous policies. These are some of the implications:

• ● Missionary visas for Christians are unlikely to be granted.

• ● While missionary visas are not being granted, the issuance of 10 year multiple entry tourist visas with

•    each visit limited to 6 months seems to be an acceptable alternative although the rules state that tourists

•    are prohibited from religious activities. This arrangement seems to pacify the more extremist elements.

• ● There will continue to be increasing scrutiny and regulation of foreign funds coming in for religious, non-

•    profit activities and organizations.

• ● Non-Indian missionaries will have to keep a low profile and work under the framework of the India Field

•    Council of Baptist Mid-Missions which is a registered society in India.

• ● Missionaries, who are Indian citizens, can expect opposition and possible persecution with little sympathy

•     from the local law enforcement officials.

 

Bangalore, Karnataka: (pop. 6,500,000)

 

1. Bethel Baptist Church

           

Bethel Baptist Church was organized in 1983 by Ken Waldock and Fred Waldock was called as a missionary pastor. In March of 1987 Fred and Dorothy Waldock had to leave the field for medical reasons. Ken Waldock was called to be the missionary pastor and served in that capacity until June of 2003.

 

In 1992 the church was able to lease a small building and moved out of the Waldock’s home. By 1994 the church was financially self-sufficient and was fully supporting an associate pastor and providing partial support to a mission work 60 miles out of town. In 1997 a Nepali congregation and a Tamil congregation were organized and met in the same building. These churches also became mission projects of Bethel Baptist Church.

 

In 2002 the church moved into their own building at a cost of approximately $200,000 ($100,000 for the land and $100,000 for the building). The Nepali and Tamil churches also use the same building. The building and property funds were

raised in the United States and about 40% by the congregation of Bethel Baptist Church.

 

Bethel Baptist Church has encouraged its members to take the initiative in being active in ministries and starting new projects. As a result Bethel Baptist Academy (an English school), a day care, and a weekly clinic have been started. Others have started fellowships in the Hindi and Malayalam languages with a view towards starting churches in these languages. There are plans to start a rehabilitation center for drug addicts and alcoholics.

 

The original goal was to start a church among the middle class that would be able to eventually sponsor ministries without relying on foreign funds. Now it is a goal that has been realized and is continuing to be carried out.

 

On June 5, 2005 Nelson D’Cunha was called to be the third pastor and first Indian to pastor Bethel Baptist Church. Nelson had a promising career in a major software developing company in India but gave it up to go into the ministry. He went to Northwest Baptist Seminary, Tacoma, WA and received the M. Div. degree. Bethel Baptist Church is now a fully independent and autonomous Baptist church.

 

Dave and Marilyn Clark have assisted in the preaching and teaching ministries of the church while being primarily involved in the seminary. Rachel (Rife)Waldock is the newest BMM missionary to India arriving in October 2004. She and Nathan Waldock were married in June and hope to be on the field to help in the church planting and seminary ministries by June 2006.

 

2. Baptist Seminary of South India

                       

The Baptist Seminary of South India has its roots in the extension program offered by Northwest Baptist Seminary of Tacoma, WA. In 1998 it was determined that we had the capability to have a program independent of Northwest Baptist Seminary. The name “Baptist Seminary of South India” was carefully chosen to emphasize who we are in a pluralistic society and where we are located. The decision to go independent of Northwest Baptist Seminary was confirmed by the Lord when He led Dave and Marilyn Clark in 1999 to join in the new ministry. Dave Clark came with many years of experience as a pastor in the United States and as a teacher of theology in Asia. Marilyn has been a tremendous help in organizing the library and participating in various ministries of Bethel Baptist Church.

 

Our objective is to train men and women for ministry within the local church and we are committed to having within our faculty those who have had actual experience as pastors in Baptist Churches. This sets us apart from some of the other Bible schools and seminaries operating in India today. We also are determined to keep the seminary within the city in order for students to be involved in churches while they are studying with us. Property is cheaper in the rural areas but the students coming from all parts of India are not able to minister in the villages as they do not know the languages. Within the city there are churches in English and other languages which our students are able to attend and be active.

 

The seminary offers 3 degrees: M. Min., M.T.S., and M. Div. and we are slowly strengthening our faculty. The faculty are:

     1.      David Clark, D. Min.

     2.      Prem Williams, Ph.D.

     3.      Saji Thomas, Th.M. and S.T.M.

     4.      Simeon Sundar, Th.M.

     5.      Ken Waldock, M.Div. (on furlough)

     6.      Sam Lynn, Th.M. (BMM appointee)

     7.      Nathan Waldock, M.Div. (BMM candidate class of 2005)

 

At present we have 41 students. We have had students from all over India and some from Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and the U.S.

 

Some of our graduates have gone on for further training in the United States and have subsequently started 3 Bible Colleges in India, 1 in Bangladesh, and at least one in Myanmar. Many of our graduates are pastors of churches while others are Bible college teachers, school principals, Bible women, and Bible correspondence directors.

 

The seminary has leased a 4 storey building for 10 years in which we provide housing for the students as well as dining facilities, offices for the faculty, chapel, classrooms, and library. The lease expires in 2011 and the challenge now is to purchase property and construct a suitable campus within the next 6 years.

 

Another challenge is to ensure funding for the seminary from both Indian and American sources in the event that missionaries are not able to stay in India.

 

Conclusion:

 

When Mary and I arrived in India 27 years ago it was considered a miracle that we were able to obtain missionary visas. The Baptist Mid-Missions personnel in India was steadily diminishing and there was an air of pessimism as to how much longer we would be able to maintain a presence in India. Now we have more missionaries in India than at any time since the early 1970’s. We are no longer confined to the northeastern state of Assam where BMM ministries began in 1935 but we are spread out all over the sub-continent.

 

When we were resigned to the possibility that the Lord was allowing the doors to close we witnessed the Lord working in ways that were considered out of the question 20 some years ago. The Lord has kept the doors open by providing Indian nationals as missionaries and by moving the Indian government to introduce long-term, multiple entry visas for non-Indians.

 

These changes have caused us to reevaluate the way we do “missions” and it has not come without a struggle. The Lord’s ways are certainly not our ways and our slowness in keeping pace with Him has not hindered Him in calling out a people for His glory in the great land of India

 

“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.” (Ps. 115:1)

  
Ken & Mary Waldock