Joseph Chirayil Abraham

Pastor Joseph Chirayil Abraham was born on November 21, 1953, in Pariyaram, Kottayam, Kerala to his father Joseph Abraham and his mother Aleyamma Abraham. He was born and raised in a Jacobite family and was going to be a Jacobite priest, but in 1967 his mom became a Pentecostal believer and took water baptism. Later in 1971 he also got saved, was baptized and became a Pentecostal believer. After his salvation he decided to be a minister of the gospel and went to Bible college in 1973.

He graduated from Mount Zion Bible Seminary in Mulakuzha in 1976 and began his ministry in Kerala. After two years of being a pastor in various churches throughout Kerala, he relocated to Bombay and began his ministry in North India. From 1978 to 1992 he was a senior pastor of several Church of God churches in Bombay, Bokaro, Bilahi, and New Delhi. He was also co-founder and Vice President of Thane Pentecostal Fellowship.

He came to the US in 1992 as a visiting pastor and then later became a senior pastor of Coney Island Church of God in New York. During this time, he immigrated his family to the US. In 1999 he moved to Denver, Colorado and became the senior pastor of Denver Salem Church of God. In 2000 he relocated his family to Dallas, Texas. For the past 20 years in Dallas he has been the senior pastor of North Dallas Church of God, Faith Tabernacle Church of God and Bethsaida Christian Assembly.  He was also involved in various ministries at Crossview Church of God.

On May 29^th, 2021, at 12:38 pm, it pleased the Lord to call him to his eternal home. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Mercy Joseph, his children Joe Abraham, Betsy Mathew and Winston Joseph, his daughter-in-law Rincy Abraham and Hannah Winston, his son-in-law Ligit Mathew, his grandchildren Adriel Abraham, Esther Abraham and Ephraim Abraham, his sisters Mariamma John, Aleyamma Mathunni and Annamma Babu. He was preceded in death by his brother Thomas Abraham.

Throughout his life he held many different jobs and worked hard to provide for his family, but his true vocation and passion was sharing the Word of God and being a minister. He loved teaching and comforting people during difficult periods in their lives. He was a great motivator and loved to encourage believers to develop their talents. He preached the gospel all over the world and was never ashamed to speak about Christ to anyone.  He was a great man of God and will be greatly missed.