THE BIG DAY IS HERE!!!! - Update Dec 18

As I write this update, it is Friday afternoon about 4 pm in Thailand (it is 4 am early morning Friday in the USA) and we are all busy getting ready for our largest single evangelistic event of the year. By the time those in the USA read this since we are 12 hours ahead, our program will be in full bloom. When most of you read this (those of you in the USA) the program on the other side of the world here will be in full bloom because we are about 12 hours ahead of you so 7:00 AM in Alabama is 7:00 PM in Thailand. We have included some pictures of our celebration last year.

As I shared with you a few days ago, Baan Athitaan Church is hosting this single largest evangelistic event of the year called “Christmas is a time for Joy.” We have no idea how many people we will ha ve but in the last 10 years we have not had less than 400 people but never had more than 1,000 people. But what I want to ask you to emphasize in your prayers is to ask the Lord to help the people who come to open their hearts to the true message of Christmas and to take a little step closer to allowing Jesus to their Lord and Savior.

Please pray for the blessing of God on everything that we say and do tonight. Please say a special prayer for Troy Roberts who will be sharing a brief message on the meaning of Christmas and on Pii Phet who will translating. We have skits and songs from our youth and college students and from several children’s homes. It will be a great time together. There will be lots and lots of people from some of the least reached peoples of the world here in this place tonight and some of them listening to the message of Jesus for the very first time in their lives. Pray for a special touch from God. We are very excited about reaching out with our Christmas celebration in just few hours from now.

Prayer Example: “Lord, We want to begin our prayer with thanking you for the awesome opportunity that you have given to NTIM and to Baan Athitaan Church to celebrate Christmas and share the message of Jesus with many who have never heard and some from the least reached peoples in Asia. We pray that all that they do and say tonight will bring glory and honor to you and would be used to help draw many to our great Savior Jesus Christ. Please speak clearly through Troy and Pii Phet and all the others who will sharing in this celebration. We ask you to open the hearts of everyone who hears and may they be drawn to you. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.”

IT IS TUESDAY… BUT FRIDAY IS COMING….

IT IS TUESDAY… BUT FRIDAY IS COMING….

Today is Day 10 of our Spiritual Adventure of getting to know and then actively praying for Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM) and all of the various unreached people groups in and around Northern Thailand. Thank you for joining us for this great time of seeking the face of God on behalf of millions who have never heard the message of our Lord Jesus.

 

I love this time of year. It is a time when Christians all over Thailand will be given numerous natural ways to share the love and message of Jesus with many who have never heard. Every year our church – Baan Athitaan Church - takes special effort and care to make the most of the time and financial resources that God has given us to share the love and message of Jesus. We are involved in numerous outreaches and evangelistic events. We help other Christian organizations and village churches reach out to their community. 

Please remember to pray for all of the Christmas outreach activities that we are involved in this year but today I want to ask you to specifically pray for our single largest evangelistic event that will be happening this week. This Friday Baan Athitaan Church will host a program called “Christmas is a time for Joy.”

We have no idea how many people we will have but in the last 10 years we have not had less than 400 people but never had more than 1,000 people. We have several children’s homes that are an integral part of our church family that will be doing some skits and presentations along with various folks from our church. Our university student ministry will have a presentation as well as some of our staff and several others. It will be a great celebration.

 

Following our main program, we will release everyone to go to our soccer field in front of the church where we will have food booths set up along with lots of activities for the children including one of those huge sliders. It will fun, free with lots of prizes, but most importantly there will be dozens and dozens and possibly hundreds of people at this one event that will be hearing the message of the gospel for the very first time in their lives.

I would also estimate that there will be people from over 30 different unreached people groups (some of them the least reached peoples in Asia) gathered in this one place where the church of Baan Athitaan meets in front of Rajaphat University of Chiang Rai.

Prayer Example: “Lord, We want to begin our prayer with thanking you for raising up financial supporters of NTIM and for their partnership in this strategic and important Christmas Evangelistic event going on this Friday night at Baan Athitaan Church in Chiang Rai, Thailand. We pray that You would bless all of those who will be serving and participating in this outreach especially Troy Roberts as he shares a short message from Your Word and Phet as she translates that message into Thai. May the love of Your people and the message of Your Word penetrate the hearts of the lost and draw them to Yourself. We pray that You would draw the lost to this event so that they may hear the message of your Word and interact with Your church and be impacted by Your love expressed this Friday. May Jesus be lifted up in all that is said and done and may people from many different people groups be drawn to You. We pray this in Jesus name and for His sake. Amen.”

Fervently Love One Another - Day 9 of Season of Prayer

Thank you for joining us for this great time of seeking the face of God on behalf of millions who have never heard the message of our Lord Jesus. Today is Day 9 of our Spiritual Adventure of getting to know and then actively praying for Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM) and all of the various unreached people groups in and around Northern Thailand.

Our last Prayer time focused our time of prayer on God’s Word changing the lives of people. Today we want to follow up on that concept and highlight what God says in His Word about what should be one of the main objectives of our lives.

  

When most people read 1 Corinthians 13 their thoughts begin to think about the husband and wife relationship but let me say very clearly that is now what the author of 1 Corinthians had in mind. The Apostle Paul was writing to the church in Corinth and explaining to them the kind of love that each of the church members should have toward one another. As followers of Jesus, we must love one another fervently. The Apostle Peter said in 1 Peter 1:22 “…fervently love one another….” Jesus also said in John 13:34-35 that the whole world would know that we are followers of Jesus, not by how much we know, not by our great skills and abilities, but Je sus said they would know we are followers of Jesus by our love for one another. 

September two years ago, I also spoke on the subject and we have recorded the audio in English and in Thai of that message if you would like to hear it. Here is the link:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeaDdS_1G28

 

As I shared with you in a previous update, “our desire is to join God is establishing a strong church that welcomes every ethnic group of people that live in our community and who comes through our doors. We are careful not to segregate ability to serve the Lord based on ethnicity or nationality but based upon gifting, calling, and heart. We are truly becoming a vibrant and active community church full of 1^st generation believers and I really believe we have the blessing of God upon us …… at this time …… in this place ….. and for His purposes and His glory.” Please join us in praying for Baan Athitaan Church and for its members to truly and genuinely express fervent love for one another.

 

Prayer Example: “Lord, we thank You that You are at work in Northern  Thailand. We want to take a moment today and ask you to help these new believers learn the importance of fervently loving one another. Please fill them with Your Word, with Your Spirit, and with Your Love. We pray this in Jesus name.”   

God's Word Changes Lives in Thailand - Day 8

Thank you for joining us for this great time of seeking the face of God on behalf of millions who have never heard the message of our Lord Jesus. Today is Day 8 of our Spiritual Adventure of getting to know and then actively praying for Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM) and all of the various unreached people groups in and around Northern Thailand.

For those of you who follow our ministry closely, you know well that we live in a part of the world where there has been Satanic strongholds keeping people in darkness for thousands of years. Most of the people whom we see come to Christ are the first persons in their entire family to know Jesus… but it doesn’t stop there. God is moving and desires to reach the whole family and He is doing just that … one heart at a time. God is truly changing lives through the power of His Word.

 

You have heard me say on many occasions, one of the most significant things that I do while  serving as God has shaped and gifted me is to faithfully, boldly, gently, and clearly teach God’s truth almost every Sunday morning to our church family that is made up of over 23 different people groups from all over the 10-40 Window and is also a mix of several international groups.

 

Our desire is to join God is establishing a strong church that welcomes every ethnic group of people that live in our community and who comes through our doors. We are careful not to segregate ability to serve the Lord based on ethnicity or nationality but based upon gifting, calling, and heart. We are truly becoming a vibrant and active community church full of 1^st generation believers and I really believe we have the blessing of God upon us …… at this time …… in this place ….. and for His purposes and His glory.

Reaching, Teaching, Discipling, Equipping, Training, and Serving people in and Around Northern Thailand through acts of love and compassion and through the teaching of God’s Word is what NTIM and our ministry team is all about.

 

Prayer Example: “Lord, we thank You that You are at work in Northern  Thailand and establishing a church that has a community focus and wants to be used of you to reach into all areas of their community with the Word of God. We pray for them as they gather for worship and a time of teaching this Sunday. May you help Pastor Michael speak the Word of God boldly and may you bless Phet as she translates this message into Central Thai. We pray for Your Word to change the hearts and lives of people and help them to love You with all of their heart and to reach out and love their neighbors and be the salt and light of Jesus in that place. We pray this in Jesus name and for His sake. Amen.”