About Us

1. The Karen Baptist Convention

The KBC is the co-operation and co-ordinating body of all the Karen Baptist Churches in Myanmar.

2. Brief Historical Background

The first Karen Baptist convert was a former illiterate and uncouth man named Saw Ko Tha Byu. He was converted through the ministry of the American Baptist pioneer missionary Adoniram Judson. Later he asked for baptism, and on a trip to Dawei with George Dana Boardman, the first American Baptist Missionary to the Karens, he was baptized at Dawei on May 16, 1828, at the age of 50. His conversion turned him into a flaming evangelist. By the time of his death on September 9, 1840, at age 62, there were 1270 Baptist church members among the Karens. He was also given a title of "The Karen Apostle" by The American missionaries.

3. Vision and Mission

3.1 Vision

The vision of the Karen Baptist Convention is to organize all the Karen Baptist Churches in Myanmar for co-ordination and co-operation in holistic Mission.

3.2 Mission Statement

Karen Baptist Convention is the co-operating body organized with all the Karen Baptist Churches in Myanmar. The KBC is committed to strive for the oneness of the Karen Baptist Churches, and working together in Church planting, holistic development of the Church leaders and church members, spiritually and physically which will lead to the fullness of life with dignity through worship, fellowship and meeting, training, publishing of literature and co-operation with churches and organizations, inside and outside the country.

The Convention, however, shall have no power to interfere with the internal affairs of its churches and associations in its endeavor to fulfill its purposes.

4. The Organization

The following churches associations co-operate fully in the work of the Convention.

The Hpa-an Mawlamyaing Karen Baptist Association
The Pathein Myaungmya Sgaw Karen Baptist Association
The Yangon Home Mission Karen Baptist Association
The Hinthada Karen Baptist Association
The Shwegyin Karen Baptist Association
The Toungoo Paku Karen Baptist Association
The Toungoo Thandawn Bwe Moh Bwa Karen Baptist Association
The Dawei Myeik Karen Baptist Association
The Toungoo Kehko Kehbah Karen Baptist Association
The Pyi Thayawady Karen Baptist Association
The Kayah Moh Bwa Baptist Association
The Hpa-pun Karen Baptist Association
The Nyaunglebin Karen Baptist Association
The Upper Myanmar Karen Baptist Association
The Myaungmya Sgaw Karen Baptist Association
The Myeik Karen Baptist Association
The Kayah Poo Baptist Association
The Bago-Yangon Baptist Association
The Kya Inn Karen Baptist Association
The Myro Baptist Association

5. The Departments of the Convention

The following churches associations co-operate fully in the work of the Convention.

Finance and Property Department
Evangelism and Mission Department
Christian Education Department
Publication Department
Care and Counseling Department
Leadership Promotion Department
Christian Social Service & Development Department
Theological Department
Department for Youth Work
Women's Department
Ministers' Department
Communication Department
Men's Department
Literature and Culture Department

6. Standing Committee

Social Ministry Board

7. Projects of the Convention

Study Bible translation Project
21^st Century Second Phase 10-year project

8. Commissions under the Supervision of General Secretary

Church Affairs and Peace
Partnership in Mission

9. The Institution and Work Centre

The Karen Baptist Theological Seminary
The Go-Forward Printing Press
Rural Mission Development Centre
KBC Hospital

10. The Administration Officers of the Convention

President	-	Rev. Dr. Samson
Vice President	-	Rev. Dr. Paw Gaw
Vice President	-	Rev. Victor Maung Maung
General Secretary	-	Rev. Doo Du Lay @Rev Ywar Du Moo
Assosiation General Secretary	-	Rev. Dr. Lay Htoo
Assosiation General Secretary	-	Rev. Myaung Mya Paw
Treasurer	-	Thramu Sheeta Paw

Directors of the Departments

1	Finance and Property	-	Thramu Sheeta Paw
2	Evangelism & Mission	-	Rev. Edward
3	Christian Education	-	Thramu Eh Thaw Htoo
4	Publication	-	Dr. Tanar Htoo
5	Care & Counseling	-	Thramu Nita
6	Leadership Promotion	-	Rev. Dr. Moses Thein
7	Christian Social Service & Development	-	Thramu Dr.Javelin
8	Theological	-	Thramu Mu Mu Wah
9	Department for Youth Work	-	Thramu Sar Blut Wah
10	Women's Department	-	Thramu Ju Paw
11	Ministers' Department	-	Rev. Thra Hsa Hay Gay
12	Communication	-	Thramu Gay Gay Htoo
13	Men's Department	-	Thra Win Be
14	Literature and Culture	-	Thramu Hser Nay Gay

11. Coordinators of the Projects

Study Bible Translation
21^st Century Second Phase 10-year Project

12. Officers of the Karen Baptist Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Christopher Day (Principal)
Rev. Dr. Shwe Gyan (Vice Principal)
Thramu Swe Swe Latt ( Treasurer)

13. The Growth of KBC

With a modest beginning of 1270 members at the death of Saw Ko Tha Byu in 1840, the KBC today has 20 Churches Associations, 1829 Churches and 287682 members.

Its annual budget reaches Kyats 570 Million in 2009. The great majority of the Karen Baptist Churches had reached the three goals of missionary effort; being self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating.

The KBC is affiliated to the Myanmar Baptist Convention which in turn, has relationship with the Myanmar Council of Churches, the Board of International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches, the Baptist Council of World Mission, the Asia Baptist Federation, the Baptist World Alliance, the Christian Conference of Asia, and the World Council of Churches, for participation in world-wide mission.

14. The latest statistics of the KBC (2024)

No.	Associations	Church	Membership
1	Hpa-an Mawlamyaing	104	11,247
2	Dawei Myeik	76	17,023
3	Pathein Myaungmya	305	55,821
4	Yangon	349	69,800
5	Hinthada	114	18,520
6	Shwegyin	109	17,193
7	Toungoo-Paku	169	17,290
8	Toungoo-Bwe Moh Bwa	83	11,882
9	Kehko-Kehbah	52	3,546
10	Pyi-Thayawady	61	5,425
11	Kayah MohBwa	56	8,740
12	Hpa-pun	47	7,550
13	Nyaunglebin	50	8,022
14	Upper Myanmar	21	7,822
15	Myaungmya	58	15,494
16	Myeik	104	13,655
17	Kayah Poo	46	6,284
18	Bago-Yangon	24	4,210
19	Kya Inn	66	9,088
20	Mro	27	1,600
Total		1,921	310,212