Update from John & Nok

Recent Events

Discipleship Program

Since the beginning of 2015, we both felt that the Lord had put this thought in our hearts to focus on discipleship in our church. At that time we had 12 leaders including both of us in five different places. We found out that some of the places had a very good leader with potential in multiplying but some of the places did not.

Therefore we started a discipleship program on Sunday afternoons to equip with teaching skills and knowledge those who would go out to teach and lead the house groups.

Over the past six months we have seen the multiplication of churches from 5 to 11 and also believers who have multiplied 12 more disciples. The total of new believers is 153 people.

We therefore also arranged a Bible study at our church every Thursday from 7pm where we teach them about the gospel for the poor and understanding how to walk as a new creation in the Kingdom of God. In this big Bible study group we teach them how to apply the teaching in their everyday live. This method has helped the new believers to learn and have experiences with God, testified in their testimonies.

Prayer requests:
1) That all 153 new believers will get to know the Holy Spirit and receive new strength to walk in their new life and experience the power of the Holy Spirit.
2) That God will choose His worker from the people in this group that he/she would be able to open their own home as a house church.
3) That God will provide the worker from the people in this group so that we will have more workers in our team.
4) In these 153 new believers there are 20 people in Supanburi, 15 in Kanjanaburi, 10 in Nakhonpathom. May the Lord provide local believers who can teach others, at least two people.
5) This is the name of the group leaders, please remember their name and family in your prayers.
Samruay – Yui - Wan Roj - Somrak – Wan-Ben – Nana - Yui – Mac - Nat – Sah-May – Lily - Pu – Yam - Udom – Bantao- Somchai –Jun - Somchai – Wimon- Tawee – Lek- Kob – Nui - Paw – Daw - Ben – Noi - Nok – John 

Personal Stories

Samruay

Samruay borrowed money from four different loan sharks to a total of 95k baht. All the loaners were very patient with her but she was very worried that she wouldn’t be able to pay what she owed.

On June 13th while she was on her usual motorcycle riding and dropping her customer off, God spoke to her, He asked her to calculate the total amount that she owed the loaners. When she arrived home she started to list it all on paper. She was quite confused why God asked her to calculate the amount she owed. On June 15th Nok called her and asked her how much money she owed the loaners? Samruay said 95k and then Nok told her that her friend called Mr Lee, while he was praying in his house, God put Samruay’s name in his head three times and God told Mr Lee to help pay for Samruay’s debt.

After that Mr Lee went to talk to his wife and his wife told him that God has been asking her to help Samruay as well. Mr Lee’s wife knew the amount of money that Samruay owed too but she tried to ignore it, then Mr Lee came to talk to her. Mr Lee and his wife then agreed to pay for Samruay’s debt and asked Samruay to come and collect the money right away by asking Nok to help manage everything.

Samruay was speechless and in awe. She was so happy and gave thanks to the Lord for He had set her free from her debt. Samruay says last month she decided to never borrow money ever again because now she knows that in the Kingdom of God we will not be borrowing from others but have enough to give to others. Now she knows that when we listen and obey God’s command, God always make a way for us.

Daughter with breast cancer

I had received the news from my daughter on June 1st that she had breast cancer and needed to get surgery to stop the spreading of cancer. I was shocked and very worried about my daughter and I wanted to fly back to India to see her but I didn't have enough money to do so. I came to see Nok and Nok asked if she could pray with me in this matter. During the time of waiting to get enough money to go back and see my daughter, Nok encouraged me to believe that God would heal my daughter and she wouldn’t have to go through the operation, that God would perform a miracle and heal my daughter.

Nok told me the story of her daughter, when her daughter was ten years old. The gate fell off and crushed her little girl to the ground. She had to have immediate surgery because she got a blood clot in her brain. This happened when Nok and her husband were in Chiangmai and they prayed for their daughter who lived in Pathumthani. They came back as soon as they could and they found out that God had done a miracle to their daughter. She was healed and didn't need surgery. The x-ray scan was completely normal and she left the hospital the next day. Nok’s testimony of her daughter gave me hope and I prayed with Nok about this matter. I asked God that He would do this same miracle to my daughter as well and then I went back home.

On June 10th I had got more money but was still 7,000 baht short for a one way ticket back home to India. I was very worried and wanted to be there with her. I told Nok that I need 7,000 baht more. Nok shared this need with the church at the next Sunday service on June 14th and asked for an offering and I got the amount that I was asking for. But the miracle happened. Before I was about to get the money on June 15th, I received a phone call from my daughter and she said she didn’t have to receive an operation anymore. The doctor couldn’t find the tumor and he was very curious what was happening so he kept her in the hospital for observation. But I knew this is the miracle, the answer to my prayer. I knew that this miracle of my daughter not having to go for an operation was the best way. I didn’t have to lose my current job in Bangkok and fly back home to India without knowing when I can come back again, and if I came back I wouldn’t have a job anymore. But God answered my prayer on time before I bought the ticket. God let me know that I don’t have to go back anymore. I praise God and give thanks to Him for this situation.

The Vision God Gave Us

During 20 years of serving the Lord, the one phrase that is clear and always in our hearts is “Thailand belongs to Jesus”. But we had no method, we didn’t know who will do that job and we didn’t understand what this meant? We were working as a youth minister, leading young people in serving God, we evangelized to kids and teenagers, we helped with a course that studies through correspondence and produced a magazine to give away all over Thailand, we did church work, we did cell groups, we were doing church planting.

Church Planting Movements will be with us for a short period of time but what do we learn from church planting? The most important lesson in our life is that whatever doesn’t lead you to real discipleship will not last!

Changing Point
To focus at Pathumthani church, help them in their walk with the Holy Spirit, teach them how to listen to Him and obey His voice, and help the new believers experience with power of the Good News.

We have seen numbers of people be set free from alcohol in a marvelous way. We’ve seen reconciliation between husband and wife. We’ve seen miracles in people's financial situation that it is getting better and their income has been increased, there are more channels for them to work to earn more. There is miraculous healings from heart attacks, thyroid and the miracle of being saved from a snake’s bite. People have received healing from cutting wounds and accidents.

The Kingdom of God is here and God is moving through people who obey Him.

Join us in faith, pray for blessing over Pathumthani, that this province would be an example of God’s Kingdom for people to see and decide to join us in this Kingdom of God. Now we know what "Thailand belongs to Jesus” means, and what we can do.

Discipleship making is not only about the lesson or knowledge but it is about the truth, nourishing, teaching and being an example so that they can follow. Every advice was from experience: we did it, we went through it and encourage them that they can too. They can forgive and forgive again. Be patient and yet be more patient again.

All of these things can make Thailand belong to Jesus. Because it is God’s method, He designed it so we could follow. And now we are doing it and will continue to do it.

Prayer Points

1) Give away rice project
2) Gospel for the poor online project

We understand that God has lead us in these two projects so that the good news of Jesus Christ would effect more people. We didn’t explain the details of these projects in this newsletter but we will try to find an opportunity to share with you about the projects later.

May your prayers be a part of our projects that they will be according to His will so that people would receive salvation and enter into the fullness of life in Jesus Christ.