File:Side View of GEL Church.jpg

English: There are many schools of thought about the origin of Christianity in India. Some claim it is through St. Thomas who came to India in 52 A.D. Others claim that a Syrian merchant, Thomas of Cana, came to Travancore in Kerala and established a Christian colony there.

Despite debates, India stands among the earliest countries where Christianity spread. Christian missionaries were sent to different states in India to spread their religion.

As of the 2011 census, Jharkhand ranks among the top states in India with over 14.2 lakh Christian population. Christianity's origin in Jharkhand dates back to 1765 when the British entered from the Singhbum-Manbhum side.

Conversion in Jharkhand traces back to the mid-19th century when Johannes Evangelista Gossner sent 4 missionaries from Germany to Myanmar. They reached Kolkata in 1845 and stayed there for some time, where they got to know about the rising influence of American Baptist Missionaries in Myanmar. They also met with some laborers from Ranchi and got to know about the people of Chhota Nagpur. They changed their plan and headed for Chhotanagpur. They arrived in Ranchi on November 2, 1845, and camped on what is now called the 'Bethesda Ground'.

In the meantime, Adivasi Christians from Ranchi were taken to Assam, Siliguri, and Jalpaiguri as tea garden workers, known as Tea Tribes. This expansion of the GEL Church extended from Ranchi to Assam and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

The current structure, named Christ Church, was built in 1855 and funded with ₹13,000 sent by Johannes Evangelista Gossner. This makes it the oldest church in Jharkhand. The church's architecture is Roman, resembling a post-Renaissance European Protestant church.

It is reported that during the 1857 revolt, the church was attacked by Indian soldiers. The church was hit by four cannon balls, and the marks are still visible today.

Today the church oversees five dioceses and has around 500,000 members spread across various states and cities. Beyond its spiritual mission, GELC actively contributes to education, healthcare, and social services.