Kurien Thomas (1922–2000) or Kurian Thomas was a pioneer Christian missionary, pastor and religious teacher of the pentecostal missionary to Central India.
He hailed from Kerala. In the beginning he was a missionary from the India Pentecostal Church of God but later formed a new organization called the Fellowship of the Pentecostal Churches in India along with other Christian leaders. He authored several books originally in Hindi, English, and Malayalam. He was the pastor of the Pentecostal Church at Itarsi, Founder/Chairman and later Patron of the Fellowship of the Pentecostal Churches in India, and Principal of the Central India Bible College, estd. in 1962 (now Central India Theological Seminary) for several years.
He was recipient of several awards for his outstanding contributions in the field of Christian literature, education, and ministry. His book God's Trailblazer In and Around the World[1] was his autobiography.
Kurien Thomas also began a Hindi Christian magazine called Satyadoot that is one of the prominent Christian magazine in the Hindi language.
The Fellowship of the Pentecostal Churches in India has now over 1100 pastors working in close network with headquarters at the mother Church at Itarsi. Pastor Kurien pastored the Church from 1945 till his death in 2000. He is now succeeded by his son Dr. Matthew K. Thomas who is also the Chairman of the Fellowship (FPCGI), Editor-in-Chief of "Basileia", Secretary of Pentecostal World Fellowship, and President/Principal of Central India Theological Seminary.
| Dates | Important Events in the Life and Ministry of Dr. Kurien Thomas | |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Kurien Thomas gets saved in K.E. Abraham's meetings at Kerala. | |
| 1945 | Kurien Thomas comes with his wife as missionary to Itarsi. | |
| 1946 | The first Pentecostal Conference in Itarsi. | |
| 1948 | Satyadoot India's widely read Hindi Christian magazine is born. | |
| 1962 | Bharosa Bible School begins with 7 students. | |
| 1966 | The Fellowship of the Pentecostal Churches in India (FPCGI) is born with Pastor Kurien Thomas as Chairman. | |
| 1996 | Dr. Kurien Thomas PG Studies and Research Center is established. | |
| 2000 | Dr. Kurien Thomas passed away. |
All writings were published by Central India Bible College, Itarsi.