Rev. Dr. Martin Alphonse, a native of India began his ministry in the Methodist Church in India as a church planter in a village in 1976. Since then he has served the church in various ways including as Senior Pastor of Emmanuel Methodist Church, Chennai, India; District Suprintendent of Madras and Andaman Districts for Methodist church; a missionary pastor in two Tamil Methodist Churches in Singapore; pastor of two United Methodist Churches in Chicago area. He has also served as professor of missions and evangelism in various bible colleges and seminaries in India, Singapopre and USA. He is currently teaching full time as Professor of Missions at the Multnomah University in Portland. A gifted speaker, Dr. Alphonse has been featured as a plenary presenter in major global gatherings of evangelicals, including one sponsored by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization. He is frequently invited to speak in church conventions in USA and India, including the well known Maramon Convention of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. His academic and theological degrees are: BA - St. Xavier's College, Playankottai, India; MA - Madras Christian College, Chennai, India; MDiv. - Union Biblical Seminary - Yavatmal, India; MTh. and PhD. in Intercultural Studies (Missions) - Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA.

Dr. Alphonse and his wife, Padmini, have three children, two sons, Anugrah in Chicago; and Nirup along with his wife Hannah serves as full time worship leader in a church in Indiana. Their daughter, Nisha is junior in High School and she plays guitar in the church's worship band here at IIC.

Founder and former Pastor of India International Church. He has various degrees from the following universities. South India Biblical Seminary (G.Th), Karnataka, India, Azusa Pacific University California (BA.), Western Evangelical Seminary (M.Div.),Trinity Theological Seminary (Th. D.), Indiana, USA.

In the past he served many leadership roles. Evangelist for Underworld Gospel Mission, Mysore India. Founder of first Tamil congregation , Bangarapet, India. Missionary to Malaysia. Founder and Pastor of first Tamil congregation under Marthoma Church. Pastor, Evangelical Church, Foster, Oregon. Pastor Columbia Community, NE Portland, OR. Pastor Eastmont Bible Church, Boring, OR. Associate Pastor, Grace Bible Church, OR. Associate Pastor, Jennings Lodge Evangelical Methodist Church. Founder and former President of India Christian Fellowship, OR. Pastor First Evangelical Methodist Church, Portland, OR.