The arrival of Rev. K. W. Hagstrom and his wife, the first missionaries sent by the Board of the Foreign Missions of Baptist General Conference (BGC) to India at North Lakhimpur in 1946 changed the scenario of Mission strategies for Nyishi tribe. The couple upgraded the North Lakhimpur Lower Primary School to Middle school renaming it as the John Firth Mission School (JFMS) in memory of John Firth-first missionary to North Lakhimpur field.
Rev. K.W. Hagstrom had a great vision to reach the tribal people living in the foothills of the Himalaya regions with the Gospel. He sought permission for entry from political officers to enter the Lower Subansiri district in 1947, but his request was rejected. Regardless of the strong restriction imposed by the political officers, he visited the Nyishi hills thrice through Harmuty-Doimukh route. Because of his great zeal to evangelize the Nyishi people, a primary school was opened at Rangajan village in 1948, 8 KM away from North Lakhimpur Mission Compound. Mr. Taying Bat, the first ordained evangelist from the Nyishi tribe comments that because of Hagstrom’s love for the Nyishi people and his creative plans and programs, the Gospel could penetrate among the hills Nyishi as well. Had it not been him, it would have been a different story today. Mr. Ter Tana Tara, the ex-executive secretary of NBCC, also says that Hagstrom was the initial founder member of the present Nyishi Baptist Church Council. Main objectives of the school imparting of education besides bringing these students to the knowledge of Christ in order that these students could proclaim the Gospel to their own respective parents, friends, relatives, villages and society. This is what happened exactly in the life of the Nyishi Baptist Church.
