Asia Pacific Baptist Federation

At the time of his election as APBF General Secretary in 2017, Tetseo was co-lead pastor of the Okinawa Daiichi Baptist Church in Okinawa, Japan. He is also the founder and director of Live to Worship Ministries International, which conducts workshops for worship, music, and leadership for churches in Asia.

He has had longstanding involvement in Baptist life globally. Since 2010, he has been vice president of the BWA Youth Department and president of Asia Pacific Baptist Youth. He was worship band leader during the BWA-planned Baptist Youth World Conference in Singapore in July 2013, for which he composed the theme song, “Reach.” His band also led worship and he composed theme songs for APBF Congresses in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2006; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2012; and Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in 2017.

Born in Nagaland State in Northeast India, Tetseo studied English Literature at the Baptist College in Kohima, Nagaland; earned a master’s degree in church music at the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary in Baguio City, Philippines; and completed a doctoral degree in worship studies with the Asia Baptist Graduate Theological Seminary.

After pastoral and teaching assignments in the Philippines, he moved to Japan in 2001 to become a music teacher at Okinawa Christian School International, where he also served on its board. He became actively involved in Baptist life in Okinawa, serving as chair of the Okinawa Baptist Convention Music Committee and member of the convention’s World Mission Committee.

Tetseo has written or co-authored three books on worship and youth ministry as well as recording and producing several musical CDs.

He is married to Ai Nohara and they have three sons: Levito, Kozo, and Setsuri.

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