Early Beginnings

The year was 1947 – the year of India’s independence – and while most Westerners were leaving India, a young man with a sense of calling named Robert Duff made his way to North India to share the hope of Christ. He eventually settled in Delhi, and by 1954, Delhi Bible Institute was founded. DBI had its humble beginnings in a rented shop in Jor Bagh Market with a clear focus on promoting the reading, study and teaching of the Bible. From the beginning, DBI has worked with the local church, and through the local church, training those seeking to plant churches, preach, and do the work of evangelism. The work of DBI began with Bible correspondence courses, answering tens of thousands of queries about Lord Jesus and the Bible. In 1966, through generous donations, Bible Bhavan (House of the Bible) was built and dedicated to the service of God and His Word. Its facilities have been widely used by the Christian community in Delhi and India, and it continues to serve the Bible teaching and reaching ministries of DBI, as well as providing a home for the local church – Bible Bhavan Christian Fellowship.

Current Training Centers

1. Bible Bhavan, New Delhi – The original center, training began in here in 1954 in a storefront shop, and eventually grew to reside in its current location, Bible Bhavan (House of the Bible) in 1966. Bible Bhavan is a fully-modern facility, which houses Delhi Bible Institute and the church Bible Bhavan Christian Fellowship. Since 1966, over 4,500 students have been trained here and sent into the far reaches of North India with the gospel. This center in the heart of the nation’s capital continues to be the central location of DBI’s ministry endeavors, and going forward will be the location focusing on training the leaders of the church of North India in upper-level courses, such as the one year Expository Preaching & Practical Theology degree program.
2. Bible Ashram Dehradun – This center was inaugurated in 2006, and is located just kilometers from one of the holiest sites in Hinduism – Haridwar. This strategic location allows for students from the surrounding area to come and be equipped without needing to travel to New Delhi. This center is currently conducting training, but like the other centers, functions also as home to a church, with both English and Hindi services, with the directors/faculty of the center also pastoring the church.
3. Bible Ashram Lucknow – Located in the capital city of the largest state in North India, Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), this center is the newest, having opened in July 2007. Lucknow is a city rich with history and Muslim as well as Hindu culture. The state of U.P. has a Christian population of approximately one-tenth of one percent (.01%). For the Christian population of U.P. to grow to simply two percent (2%) 50,000 church planters would be needed today. The challenge is significant, but this center is one major step toward meeting that need. This center seeks to train 100 students in its first full year of operation through various courses, and to engage in significant relief and social initiatives in the slums and villages in and around Lucknow