Rev. Daniel Israel was born and raised in southern India and immigrated to the United States in 1976 to pursue graduate studies. While earning his graduate degree in Marketing from the University of Baltimore, he found Christ and was saved and baptized in 1980. His experience led him to earn his M. Div.from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1984.

Daniel served as a chaplain for the Maryland Department of Corrections for 20 years, interacting with inmates in various correctional facilities across the state. In 2000, while still working for the correctional system, he founded Church of India in Columbia, the direct ancestor of Acts 2:42 Church. He continued to oversee the Church in addition to his duties for the state until he retired in 2015 to pursue the ministry full-time.