Day 12 – Boom’s Story - Reaching The Akha UPG living in Thailand - Dec 24, 2020

As we shared in our last update, one of the great joys that God has graciously allowed me to experience on a regular basis is the joy of seeing 1^st generation believers grow in their relationship with God and become true fishers of men and mentors for other 1^st generation believers. Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.”

As I write this update, I am sitting in Amazon Café and thinking about all of the discipleship and mentoring that happens through the awesome Thai staff that God has surrounded our work with. We have introduced two of them already but today and tomorrow we want to introduce two more who are both from the Akha people group. All of our 5 full time staff are 1^st generation believers and committed to evangelism and discipleship. Here is a picture of two of our NTIM Thai Staff who are 1^st generation believers from the Akha Unreached People Group (UPG) and who also serve as Staff at Grace Language School and Baan Athitaan Church.

Let me introduce you to Boom today and tomorrow we will introduce you to Bee.

Boom is a Thai citizen and is from the Akha people group. Boom joined the NTIM ministry team on January 3, 2015, 5 years ago, shortly after she graduated with a degree in linguistics from Chiangrai Rachapbat University. Boom is from the Akha UPG, a UPG that is scattered all over Thailand, Myanmar, China, Laos and Vietnam. Boom became the 2nd person in her entire family to become a follower of Jesus while she was in her 3rd year as a university student. Boom was introduced and led to Christ through her older sister (Bum) who had previously been led to Christ by one of our former NTIM team members (Kim Matthews Rattanasongkarm) shortly after Bum had begun studying English with us at Grace Language School. We have included a short video clip of the day Boom received believer’s baptism July 27, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8X2LntEup4&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR1F1IydPGOlnDXBylvLwuD9Py_Z3xb5Pcr_RvqlIWcdca5Vy7xRNBtv_XI

Through God’s leadership, we invited Boom to come and serve the Lord with us about a year after she graduated from university. Since that time, Boom has been involved in leading various aspects of our youth ministry and currently serves as our Staff leader for university students. Boom also currently serves as our Administrator for Grace Language School, as one of our key translators, and as our Worship leader. In addition, Boom also serves as one of our English teachers and guitar teachers. Like all of our staff, Boom is also heavily involved in mentoring and discipling young people and currently mentors and meets with several new believers every single week helping them grow in their walk with Jesus. Boom’s favorite Bible is Hebrews 12:3-4 which says, “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin. 

Prayer Example: “Lord, thank You for loving us enough to send someone into our lives to tell us about the gospel. We thank You for loving Boom enough to send someone into her life to tell him about the gospel. We thank You for loving others enough to send people like Boom into the lives of others to tell them about the gospel. We want to take this moment and ask You to bless Boom in a very special way. Help her to be salt and light in all that she does. Help her as she serves You faithfully through NTIM at Grace Language School and at Baan Athitaan Church. We ask that You would be pleased to use her to help reach her family, her friends, her neighbors, her own people group, and even other people groups. Thank You for her work with NTIM and how she faithfully serves You each and every day. We pray that You would give her great love and wisdom as she pours her life into discipling young university students there in Northern Thailand. We pray this in Jesus name.”

Today is Day 12 of our Season of Prayer of getting to know and then actively praying for Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), its partners, 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.

Reaching The HMONG UPG living in Thailand - Day 11 – Season of Prayer - Dec 21, 2020

One of the great joys that God has graciously allowed me to experience on a regular basis is the joy of seeing 1^st generation believers grow in their relationship with God and become true fishers of men and mentors for other 1^st generation believers. Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.”

As I write this update, I am sitting at my desk thinking about all of the discipleship and mentoring that happens through the awesome Thai staff that God has surrounded our work with. All of our 5 full time staff are 1^st generation believers and committed to evangelism and discipleship. Here is a picture of our NTIM Thai Staff who also serve as Staff at Grace Language School and Baan Athitaan Church.

This is a picture of Jay. Jay is one of our key leaders who has been serving with us for over 10 years now in several different roles. Jay serves as one of our key English teachers at Grace Language School. He serves as one of our key translators for Baan Athitaan Church. He serves as one of our key Youth mentors and he serves as our key leader for our soccer outreach ministry. Jay came to know Jesus when he was a student at Rajabhat University shortly after he began to study English with us at Grace Language School and began attending Baan Athitaan Church services. What a great joy it was for me the day Jay gave his heart to Jesus and shortly after that Jay was baptized on Oct 21, 2007 along with Nong Wan – another 1^st generation believer from the Karen PWO unreached people group. Here is a short 5 minute video clip of their baptismal service.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7c6R_dYflI

God has given NTIM great access to many different people groups and one of those people groups is the Hmong Dao of Thailand. Jay is from this people group. In the last 10 years we have taken several 3-hour trips to Jay’s home village and partnered with a small church there to help them reach out to the entire village at Christmas time. Here is another short 4-minute video clip of our trip to Huay Khu Village several years ago. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9-XXDOWMFE

There are 37,000 Hmong Dao living in Northern Thailand but there is a total world population of this people group of over 1 million people. According to Joshua Project statistics there are some 1,422,000 living today primarily in China, Laos, and Vietnam but also a large number living in the USA.

Jay deeply loves the Lord and wants to serve Him with all his heart. Today we would ask that you join us in praying for Jay and for NTIM’s work among the Hmong people group. Let us join together in prayer.

 

Prayer Example: “Lord, thank You for loving us enough to send someone into our lives to tell us about the gospel. We thank You for loving Jay enough to send someone into his life to tell him about the gospel. We thank You for loving others enough to send people like Jay into the lives of others to tell them about the gospel. We want to take this moment and ask You to bless Jay in a very special way. Help him to be salt and light in all that he does. Help him as he serves You faithfully through NTIM at Grace Language School and at Baan Athitaan Church. We ask that You would be pleased to use him to help reach his family, his friends, his neighbors, his own people group, and even other people groups. Thank You for his work with NTIM and how he faithfully serves You each and every day. We pray that You would give him great love and wisdom as he pours his life into discipling young university students there in Northern Thailand. We pray this in Jesus name.”

Today is Day 11 of our Season of Prayer of getting to know and then actively praying for Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), its partners, 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.

The Main Thing Will Always Be the Main Thing - Day 10 - December 19, 2020

 “Fervently Love One Another” - Day 10 of Season of Prayer – Dec 19, 2020

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 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.

Our last Prayer time focused our time of prayer for reaching Thai Children with the gospel. 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 no matter where we live and that is to love God above all other people and things and to love our neighbor as our self. Life is all about learning how to love more fully and more deeply.

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 not what the author of 1 Corinthians had in mind. The Apostle Paul was writing to the church in Corinth and was 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 Jesus said they would know we are followers of Jesus by our love for one another.

God is building a new kind of church in the heart of Northern Thailand. Our desire for over 20 years now has been to join God in establishing a strong “mother type” church that welcomes every ethnic group of people that lives 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.”

We currently have 23 different and distinct ethnic people groups represented in the overwhelmingly 1^st generation church.  God is building His church right in the heart of lostness and the crucial atmosphere we are joining God in creating is an atmosphere of growing in our ability to love the Lord God above all other people and things and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Please join us in praying for Baan Athitaan Church and for its members to truly and genuinely express fervent love for one another so that all men will see that we are His followers and be drawn to Christ. Here is a picture that was taken last Christmas before the pandemic hit. God is moving.

Prayer Example: “Lord, we thank You that You are at work in Northern Thailand. We thank you for the dozens and dozens of Thai people who have become the first persons in their entire families to become followers of Jesus. We want to take a moment today and ask you to help these new believers learn the importance of fervently loving one another as well as reaching out with the love of Christ to their family and their friends. Please fill them with Your Word, with Your Spirit, and with Your Love. We pray this in Jesus name.”   

 

Reaching Children With The Gospel - "Let the little children come to me" - Day 09 - December 18, 2020

Children are precious in the sight of our Lord. I fondly remember as a child learning the song "Jesus loves the little children.... all the children of the world... red and yellow black and white they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world." Great song for children and adults. I also remember one time in the Bible when the disciples were making it difficult for the children to connect with Jesus and he stopped them and said those famous words, “Let the little children come to Me.” 

With that in mind, we want to ask you to join us in praying for the children in our community that we reach out and teach English too every Saturday morning at our church.  We want to especially ask that you pray for their tender hearts as we put on our Christmas ESL outreach program for the children that study with us.  Most of these children do not know our Lord Jesus.  Currently we teach English to about 72 children from Grades 1-6 every Saturday morning at Baan Athitaan Church and tomorrow we celebrate Christmas with all of these children in our special Christmas ESL program. This will a very special time of planting the seeds of the gospel in their hearts as we tell them the true meaning of Christmas. Please pray that God will melt their hearts and draw them to Himself.  Most of the pictures here are from our Children’s ESL Christmas program two years ago. 

With that in mind, we want to ask you to join us in praying for the children in our community that we reach out and teach English too every Saturday morning at our church. 

When we look at the life and teachings of Jesus, we find that Jesus honored and considered children to be very important. We often see Him teaching His disciples to be more like children in the purity of their faith sincerity in their questions about life. Do you remember the time when Jesus disciples tried to stop the children from coming to Jesus? Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14. Let’s be fair to the disciples. They really did have good intentions of not wanting these children to “bother” and “get in the way” of what Jesus was doing. The problem the disciples had is the same problem we adult have many times. We don’t see these children through God’s perspective but through our own perspective.

Prayer Example: “Lord, we thank You that You love children very much and do not see them as a bother but as an integral part of Your plan to reach the world. We thank You for all of the outreach activities that are supported through NTIM and their partners and we pray that You would open the hearts of these little ones who do not know You as they listen, many of them for the first time in their lives, to the real meaning of Christmas tomorrow. May You draw their tender hearts a little closer to You as the seeds of the gospel are planted in this fertile soil of their hearts. We pray this in Jesus name and for His glory. Amen.”

Reaching the Unreached - Khon Muang UPG - Part 2 - Day 8 of Season of Prayer - December 17, 2020

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. 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.

We live in a place in God’s world that is filled with rich cultural beauty and heritage. It is a place where dozens and dozens of very different unreached people groups live and exist together in relatively good harmony. These people groups cross “geo-polical” boundaries and live in Thailand, modern day Myanmar (formerly named Burma), China, Laos, and some in Vietnam. The largest of these unreached people groups living in Thailand are the Khon Muang or better known as the Northern Thai. There are many names that people have given to this unreached people group in the past. Other names they have been given are Tai Yuan, Lanna, Yonok, Payap, Tai Wang, and Tai Nya just to name a few. It is estimated that there are 33,000 from this unreached people group (UPG ) living in the country of Laos but the majority of this UPG – some 7,466,000 – live in Northern Thailand. The heart of this UPG is right here in the city of Chiang Rai where my family lives. Others believe that there are still thousands living in Myanmar, Vietnam and in China but the research is still incomplete.

It has been my opinion for many years now that this unreached people group of the Khon Muang is one of the least reached and most overlooked, yet one of the most strategic people groups in Southeast Asia. 

This people group has the influence, the respect, and the potential to reach out and become great fishers of men for the cause of Christ but they must be won to Jesus first and then discipled and taught how to follow the Lord and become the fishers of men God desires for them to become.

 

Hundreds of years ago the Northern Part of Thailand was not incorporated into the kingdom of Thailand that we know today. No. The Northern part of Thailand along with parts of Burma, parts of Laos, Southwest China, and parts of Vietnam were ruled under a Kingdom know as the Lanna Kingdom. The founder of this Kingdom – King Meingrai – was the leader of this people group called the Khon Muang people. A twenty minute drive from my home will put you at the place where a moment and stature of King Meingrai has been erected. The spirit of King Meingrai is believed to still reside here and prayers of blessing are made at this site every single day by the Khon Muang people who still do not know about Jesus.

This is a picture taken of the statue of the founder of this great kingdom of times past. The Lanna people were the movers and the shakers of times past in and around Northern Thailand and the reality is that today they are still the movers and the shakers in Northern Thailand making up most of the population. Yet, less than ½ of 1 percent of this UPG  know Jesus as their personal Savior. But God is at work. NTIM has seen a great move of God among these people and we want to continue to join God in reaching this unreached people group for Jesus and helping equip them to reach many other people groups in this part of God’s World for the glory of God. Would you join us in this great effort as we seek to join God in what He is doing and wants to do in and through the Khon Muang UPG?

Prayer Example: “Lord, we come before your throne of grace, recognizing the reality that no one can come to You unless You draw them. When we hear of how very few people in this people group know You and we hear of their background of influence in the past, our heart senses that You may have a very special plan for using the Khon Muang people to reach others. We plead for their salvation and for You to draw them to Yourself. We also pray that they would see Your heart and Your desire to use them to reach other people groups for the sake of the gospel. We pray for you to bless and strengthen the outreach efforts of NTIM and other organizations that are working everyday to reach these people for You. We pray that you would provide them with the resources they need in finances, in personnel, and in training so that their lives can be changed and your kingdom can be done on earth as it is in heaven. We pray this in Jesus name and for His glory. Amen.”

 

Day 7 - God is Transforming People from the 3rd Largest People Group in Thailand - The Muang UPG - Part 1.

Today is Day 7 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. With all the business of the holidays, we must confess that we have skipped a few days in updates but are back on track again. Thank you for being patient and 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.

DAY 7 - December 16, 2020 - "Reaching The Unreached – Muang UPG – Part 1”

One of the great joys that God has graciously allowed me to experience on a regular basis is the joy of seeing 1st generation believers grow in their relationship with God and become true fishers of men and mentors for other 1st generation believers. Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” 

As I write this update, I am sitting at my desk in my office thinking about what goes on every single week. Just a few moments ago, Pii Ja just left the church on her way to spend some discipleship time with another 1^st generation follower of Jesus named Gatii. Gatii is the first person in her entire family to be a follower of Jesus and is originally from the Isaan Unreached People group but moved to Chiangrai with her husband.

The picture above is a picture taken a couple of years ago of something I see going on every single week rain or shine. You may see one thing but let me tell you what I see. I see one of our awesome staff – Ja (who has served in partnership with us for over 17 years and who is the first person in her entire family to become a Christian, and who is from one of the least reached unreached people group in the world called the Muang or more popularly known as the Northern Thai) disciplining, teaching the Bible, praying with, encouraging, counseling, mentoring, and investing her life into the life of a university student named Nice. 

God has allowed NTIM to be a part of helping not only reach 1^st generation believers, but also to help equip them to reach and mentor others. I don’t know what you think, but I really think that makes the heart of God smile.

So that you will know how to better pray for us, let me share with you a little about this 1st generation mentor named Ja. Ja gave her heart to Jesus as a university student and shortly thereafter came on staff at our English language school as our accountant. We began discipling Ja and helping her know how to grow in her relationship with the Lord 17 years ago when she was 23. She deeply loves the Lord and wants to serve Him with all her heart.

Ja serves God in several different roles. She serves as one of our key mentors for new believers. She also serves as our "minister of finances" at Baan Athitaan Church. She serves as one of our staff at Grace Language School where she helps with any legal paperwork for the school and manages all the finances for the school as well as helps teach English to Children on Saturdays. She also serves as one of our staff at Channel of Blessing Foundation which for all practical purposes is NTIM-Thailand. Here she serves both as a board member as well as our treasurer and accountant. Here is a link to a video clip of her testimony we did a year ago.

Today we would ask that you join us in praying for Ja and for NTIM’s work among the unreached people group of the Muang. Please pray for many of the outreaches that target the Khon Mueang that we are involved in. Tomorrow I will share more details about this very strategic unreached people group. But for now, let us join together in prayer for this 3^rd largest unreached people group in Thailand called the Muang UPG.

Prayer Example: “Lord, thank you for loving us enough to send someone into our lives to tell us about the gospel. We thank you for loving Ja enough to send someone into her life to tell her about the gospel. We thank you for loving others enough to send people like Ja into the lives of others to tell them about the gospel. We want to take this moment and ask you to bless Ja in a very special way. Help her to be salt and light in all that she does. We ask that you would be pleased to use her to help reach her family, her friends, her neighbors, her own people group, and even other people groups. Thank you for her work with NTIM and how she faithfully serves you each and every day. We pray that you would give her great love and wisdom as she pours her life into discipling young university students and as well as young adults there in Northern Thailand. We pray this in Jesus name.”

 

Day 6 – Father’s Day In Thailand – Season of Prayer – December 5, 2020

Today is Day 6 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.

DAY 6 – Father’s Day In Thailand – Season of Prayer – December 5, 2020

As I sit here in a coffee shop on the outskirts of Chiangrai, Thailand, I am reminded of the need to ask all of our Friends, Family, and Ministry partners all over the world to pray today in a special way for the Fathers in Thailand. I just finished putting my finishing touches on the “Fathers’ Day” sermon that I will share tomorrow at Baan Athitaan Church where we worship together with people from all over this part of God’s World.

Living in another country is not always an easy thing but there are lots of unexpected blessings that come as well. One of the blessings that we as Americans get to receive while living is Thailand is that we get to celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day not just one time but two time. We celebrate them on the day other American’s celebrate those days but also on the days that Thailand celebrates those days. Today, December 5 is Father’s Day and has been since way before we ever moved to Thailand. It is the birthday of the former King Rama 9. He was considered the “Father” of the Nation and today even today we celebrate this day as Father’s Day.

Would you join us today in praying for God to draw the hearts of all the Father’s in Thailand to Himself. I do not know how many fathers there are among the people of Thailand but I do know that less than 1 in every 100 persons is a follower of Jesus which means that 99 out of every 100 is not in a personal relationship with Jesus and is not in any way attempting to “train up their children” in the “fear and instruction of the Lord.”

Prayer Example: “Lord, thank you for the reminder to pray for the millions of fathers that live in Thailand. We know that most of these leaders of families do not know you as their personal Savior and that NTIM and others are doing all they can to reach out to the Lost in Thailand. We ask you to soften the hearts of all the men in Thailand and especially the Fathers. May you soften their hearts to the gospel that they may experience the abundant life that you promise to those who come to you. Please bless all the outreach activities that are going on right now in Northern Thailand and may the love and message of Christ find fertile soil in the hearts of the Fathers in Thailand. We pray this in the name of our Lord Jesus. We pray this in Jesus name.”