Rev. Movses B. Janbazian

Rev.Movses Boghos Janbazian was born in Anjar, Lebanon on July 26, 1945 to Boghos and Agnes Janbazians. He received his early education at the Armenian Evangelical High School of Anjar. In 1968, he received a B.A. degree in Modern European History from Haigazian University, and, in 1971, a Master of Christian Education degree from the Near East School of Theology, both in Beirut, Lebanon.

Rev. Janbazian has served Armenian Evangelical churches of Lebanon as youth director, Sunday School teacher and superintendent, and organizer of Sunday School teacher-training conferences. He has also served as visiting pastor at Armenian Evangelical churches in Damascus (Syria) and Zahle (Lebanon).

After founding and directing the Armenian Evangelical Social Service Center of Trad (Beirut), Lebanon, from 1971 to 1972, Rev. Janbazian served as a missionary-minister to the Armenian Evangelical Central Church of São Paulo, Brazil, and as the visiting pastor of the First Armenian Evangelical Church of Montevideo, Uruguay. Rev. Janbazian had a fruitful ministry in South America, where his services, in addition to regular pastoral duties, also included a weekly citywide radio program, a prison ministry, youth and Armenian language programs, and leadership positions in community activities.

In 1980, Rev. Janbazian was called by the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) to serve as the first Field Director of the Association. In that capacity, he held a variety of administrative and fieldwork responsibilities. In 1987 he was appointed as the Executive Director of the AMAA. As the chief executive officer of the AMAA, Rev. Janbazian was responsible for the oversight and guidance of the life and work of the AMAA, which was founded in 1918 as the missionary agency of the Armenian Evangelical Churches, and is currently engaged in educational, humanitarian and mission ministries in 23 countries around the world.

Rev. Janbazian has served as the president and the secretary of the Armenian Evangelical World Council. He was also a member of the Yerevan-based Council of Directors of the "Hayastan" All Armenia Fund, the Board of Directors of the United Church Board for World Ministries of the United Church of Christ, the Board of Directors of Dorcas Aid International in the Netherlands, the Board of Trustees of the Stephen Philibosian Foundation, the Board of Directors of United Armenian Fund, the Board of Managers of the Near East School of Theology, the Board of Trustees of Haigazian University, the Middle East and Europe Committees of the National Council of Churches of Christ-USA, the Board of Trustees of the State Engineering University of Armenia, the Board of Directors of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America, the Central Committee of the Armenian Evangelical Fellowship of Europe, and various Armenian and non-Armenian church-related agencies. Rev. Janbazian's outstanding contribution to worldwide mission and service ministries was recognized with an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity conferred upon him by Haigazian University of Beirut, Lebanon, in 1998.

Rev. Janbazian passed away on September 25, 2000.

A.M.A.A