Tamil Church Atlanta

The first Tamil worship service in Atlanta was organized in one of the Baptist Churches in the city in the year 1994 under the guidance of the Language Missions Board of the Georgia Baptist Convention sponsored by the North American Mission Board. Daniel Thayakaran served as the pastor during this time. Since then, the group met as a fellowship of Indian Christians with Tamil as their main language and was the first Tamil congregation in Atlanta. The order of worship was in Tamil and was widely appreciated for the mission.

After a brief period of inactivity a newer and renewed effort was initiated in March 2009 by Sam Raj (Samuel Raj), a renowned Baptist Preacher of Indian origin. Reverend Raj re-established the mission with a fresh approach to evangelism and mission; founded the First Tamil Church of Atlanta or FTC Atlanta and served as its pastor until March 2012. The service style is a mix of liturgic and contemporary worship styles and has both English and Tamil as the worship language.

The Church has members of various denominations and new believers, and it associates itself with the Roswell Association, Georgia Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention and is sponsored by The Crabapple First Baptist Church, Alpharetta GA. The Church's mission is to serve as a mission base for ministry among the South Asian and Indian communities in the Atlanta and Greater Atlanta region.

FTC Atlanta is also a member of the Indian Churches Association of Atlanta and works along with Crabapple First Baptist Church, Roswell Association, North America Mission Board, Georgia Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention. In May 2011 FTC Atlanta ordained the first pastor from within - Rev. Joshua Sunderraj under the leadership of Rev. Samuel Raj, Dr. L. D. Preston, Jr. of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Gladsden, Alabama and Rev. Clark of Powder Springs Baptist Church. FTC Atlanta is the first ethnic Indian church in the United States to ordain a pastor from within.