Christ Alive Ministries International was founded in June 1992 by Jerry and Julie Chamberlain under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The ministry began as Christ Alive Ministries Worship Center, a Full Gospel independent church established in Tyler, Texas, where the first home base was formed.
From the beginning, CAMI has been a missions-focused ministry, both locally and internationally. In March 1993, we were invited to India by an Indian minister who had previously preached in our church. We had partnered with him financially to help establish a Bible College and an orphanage. Through this divine connection, God opened many doors for CAMI in the state of Kerala, India.
During this season, the Lord blessed the ministry with numerous crusades marked by miracles and the salvation of hundreds. Within just a few months, five churches were planted, and a home was purchased for the orphanage. Many graduates from the Bible College became actively involved, playing key roles in both the orphanage and the founding of local churches.
Two years after CAMI’s founding, God placed a burden on our hearts to begin planting churches in the state of Orissa (now Odisha). This vision came through a relationship with an Indian minister who had attended our crusades in Kerala. Following additional crusades in Orissa, we established a Bible College and continued planting churches. Later, during a period of Hindu insurrection against Christians, CAMI responded by founding an orphanage for 36 children who had been left in the jungles after the violence ended.
Where We Are Today
Today, CAMI oversees:
Most of our churches and evangelistic outreaches serve tribal regions of India.
From the outset, our vision has been to raise up indigenous leadership—ordinating pastors and evangelists—and to trust the Holy Spirit for guidance. Because of this model, the ministry has grown and flourished without our full-time presence on the ground. While the people have often desired us to be there continuously, CAMI has remained independent, relying solely on God’s provision.