GOD IS ON THE MOVE IN ASIA
CHURCH MULTIPLICATION STORIES FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA – 2024
GOD IS ON THE MOVE IN ASIA
CHURCH MULTIPLICATION STORIES FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA – 2024
Edited by Carson Daniel
First Fruits Press Wilmore, Kentucky
God is On the Move in Asia: Church Multiplication Stories from Southeast Asia
Copyright © 2025
First paperback edition, 2025
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1. Church development, New Southeast Asia. 2. Church growth Southeast Asia. 3. Southeast Asia Church history. I. Daniel, Carson, editor. II. Trumpower, Carolina, editor. III. Asbury Theological Seminary, Center for Church Multiplication.
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Contributors
Rev. Manik Corea is the National Director of the Singapore Centre for Global Mission as well as Associate Pastor of Crossroads International Church, Singapore. He is an ordained presbyter in the Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others, Anglican Church of North America. Prior to this, he was a missionary church-planter with the New Anglican Missionary Society (NAMS) in frst Colchester, England (2000-2005, leading their international campus ministry) and then in Bangkok, Tailand (2012-2021, where he planted All Nations Bangkok Church with his wife). He was also Global Executive for NAMS from 2017-2022.
Manik has a Masters in Intercultural Studies from Asbury Teological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Sociology from Goldsmiths’ College, University of London. He has served as an editor in a Singapore Christian magazine called Impact as well having a writing and teaching ministry over many years. He is also the Asbury Global Hub co-ordinator for South-East Asia, and in this capacity was involved in organizing the frst Church Multiplication Connection conference, during which the case-studies in this book were presented.
Manik is happily married to Maple and they have a 16year old son Josiah.
Samuel Ka-Chieng Law is Associate Professor for Intercultural Studies and the Dean of Advanced Studies at Singapore Bible College, and the Pastorat-Large for the Evangelical Chinese Church of Seattle where he previously served as Elder Board Chair and pastor for English-speaking ministries since 1996. Sam holds a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies (Asbury Teological Seminary, Wilmore KY) and a M.Div. from Regent College (Vancouver, BC). Prior to entering ministry, Sam served as a Staf Fellow at the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, US National Institutes of Health (Bethesda MD) and holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering (Tulane University, New Orleans LA). Sam’s research interests include contextualized spiritual formation, church revitalization, inter-religious dialogue, research methodology for missions, and science-faith issues. He has authored one book, co-edited two others, and more than 30 articles and abstracts. Sam and his wife Esther have four adult children.
Rev. Henry Yeo is a missionary pastor from the Methodist Mission Society of Singapore (MMS) and the Country Director for Tailand. Prior to joining the MMS, Revd. Henry served with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Singapore from 1988-1990 and YWAM in Tailand from 1990-1996. He holds a Master of Arts in Leadership from Fuller Teological Seminary in 2008.
Jason Young started his career as an investment banker after graduating with a BA in Economics from University of Chicago and later with a MBA from University of London. He was eventually called by God into fulltime ministry, with a focus on strategy and leadership development, where he has 20 years of experience in local church, NGO, and education contexts. Currently, he is serving as an “urban missionary” & “kingdom consultant”, developing teams and networks to pioneer new church expressions that will be relevant and efective in large cities. Jason and his wife Juliana have fve young children, and are passionate about equipping and empowering young adults for Godly marriage & family and for marketplace missions.
Dwight Martin’s life is a remarkable journey of faith, service, and obedience. As the son of the frst Protestant missionaries in Nakorn Phanom province, Dwight grew up immersed in the culture and language of his adopted country. He enjoyed the benefts of having dual citizenship in Tailand and the US. He moved to Bangkok with his family at the age of three and lived there until he graduated from high school in 1974. He then moved to the United States, where he married Mary Kay and had two children. Dwight pursued a successful career in the computer feld for many years, eventually starting his own software company. But in 2002, he heard a divine call from heaven that changed his life forever. God told him to sell his business, house, and everything else he had in the US and returned to Tailand as a mis-
sionary. Dwight obeyed and embarked on a new adventure of serving the Tai people with his skills and passion. When he arrived, he was welcomed by many Tai Christian leaders who remembered him and his family from his childhood. Tey recognized his expertise in the computer feld and asked him to be the Research Coordinator of the Tai church, a role he still serves today.
In 2021, after the Association of Free Churches in Tailand (AFT) revival started, Dwight was chosen as the frst President of this new church afliation, a position that requires him to lead and oversee the growth and development of this emerging Movement. Dwight Martin’s story is one of courage, dedication, and love for God and His people. He is a living testimony of how God can use anyone who is willing to follow His voice and His plan.
IntroductIon
Gregg A. Okesson, Ph.D.
Ira Gallaway and D.M. Beeson Chair of Leadership Development, Mission, and Evangelism; Professor of Leadership and Development; Chair of Missions Department; Presidential Envoy and Director of Global Partnerships
Asbury Theological Seminary
Paul writes to the church of Colosse, “Te same good news that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you frst heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace” (Col 1:6 NLT).
Tis book God is on the Move in Asia arose from a regional church multiplication summit hosted at Singapore Bible College, in January 2024. We welcomed church planters, scholars, and practitioners alike from throughout the region, including countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Tailand, India, Hong Kong, Myanmar, and Australia. Our goal for these events is to welcome people to a table of shared learning, where each participant brings a dish (metaphorically speaking) and we eat, fellowship together, and learn from each other regarding global church planting. Te dishes are all cooked in indigenous pots. Church planting looks, feels, and tastes diferently all around the world. We cannot foist our understanding from one context upon another.
Te seasonings, cooking styles, and favors ooze out of traditions handed down over the centuries, arising directly from people and land. It is one of the great mysteries of the Gospel that God uses people in their contexts. He does not ask us to escape culture but redeems culture from within. He does not ask us to return to Jerusalem … but be sent by the Holy Spirit everywhere. Te story of the early church makes this clear. We see it in Paul’s words to the church in Colossae; but then narrated by the spread of the gospel around the world in the ensuing centuries, to places like southeast Asia where this event took place.
We heard case studies arising from Tailand and Hong Kong, and then refected together in small groups upon what we were hearing about the Holy Spirit’s work in those contexts. Te case studies demonstrate God’s fruitfulness in varied contexts of church, businesses, and grassroots discipleship. Yet, they don’t tell stories of success alone. We heard of hardship, persecution, marginalization, and sufering. We listened. Participants were asked to share challenges and difculties along with joys and successes. We don’t want hagiography.
Our desire for these events is primarily descriptive and only thereafter do we seek prescriptive insights, and then only collaboratively. We want to learn together. Te pages that follow in this volume chronicle the case studies, questions, refections, and main lessons learned
from this regional church planting summit. Te chapters begin with the voices of practitioners. It’s their food; their pots. But with subsequent refections from scholars throughout the region.
I used to have a church plant in Tanzania. We learned a local, unwritten language called Kirangi. Tey have a fascinating saying. If you want to congratulate someone upon their food or meal. You say, “Hongera moto,” which literally means, “I congratulate you on your fre.” When cooking with pots, the fre is everything. We can wax eloquent about the seasonings or methods, but without a good fre (in Tanzania, often cooked between three stones), the meal is a failure. In the West, we often take the fre for granted. It’s a given; and we only debate the diference with gas or electricity. We want to control everything. Te fre costs us practically nothing. But around the world people trust the fre. It requires wood which is increasingly scarce in contexts of massive deforestation. Without a good fre, there is no meal. People starve. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. In church planting, the Holy Spirit is the fre. Tis book tells a story of a shared meal together in Singapore. But the greater story is the one God is narrating around the world, using local, fragile, charred pots. Tis book bids us to trust the fre. Congratulate the fre!
“Te same good news that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives …”.
“GOD
IS ON THE MOVE IN ASIA”
Rev. Dr. Manik Corea
Te Asbury Global Hub for Southeast Asia was launched on a balmy evening in Singapore with a prayer by Asbury Teological Seminary’s Provost and Senior Vice-President of Academic Afairs, Dr Gregg Okesson.
He was joined on stage by Dr Emilio Alvarez, Associate Provost of Lifelong Learning who also oversees the Centre for Church Multiplication of ATS - which oversees the Asbury Global Hubs. With them were Revd. Ivan Tan, Asbury Alumni Coordinator for Singapore, and Revd. Manik Corea, who will coordinate our SouthEast Asia Global Hub.
Prior to that, Dr Okesson had given a plenary talk on “Global Church Planting.” Basing his opening comments on Colossians 1:6, he encouraged all present to consider the multiplying and apostolic nature of the churches Paul planted, like the church in Colossae. “Te story of churches in history is a story of church-planting.” Okesson also pointed out that historically, churches had always practiced a broad pattern of gathering and scattering, seeking to inculturate into diverse communities while maintaining Gospel diference.
About 40 participants were present at Singapore Bible College (SBC) for the “Church Multiplication Con-
nection”, a two-day conference on 12 and 13 January. It was jointly organised by the Singapore Centre for Global Missions in partnership with ATS and Singapore Bible College. Altogether, 3 church-planting case studies were presented on the Saturday - two from Tailand and one from Hong Kong.
Fueled by some delicious local food and snacks, attendees frst heard from Revd. Henry Yeo of the Methodist Mission Society of Singapore share about the story and strategy behind the two churches that he planted with his Tai wife in Chiang Mai in the North of Tailand. In both cases, they used a strategy of reaching children frst in the community, engaging in a long-term discipleship and supporting their needs in the community, as well as reaching out sensitively to their parents. Revd. Yeo outlined some of the challenges that hinder the spread of the Gospel among the Tais, particularly the strength of Tai Buddhist cultural identity and the communal shame experienced by those who convert.
In the second case study, Pastor Jason Young spoke of the market-place churches he had been involved in helping to start and support in Hong Kong. According to Jason, the marketplace today is possibly the largest, most ripe and urgent mission feld within the cities of Asia, brought about by rapid urbanization and migration. He shared wonderful testimonies of a few “ecclesia in the market-place” stories where literally people had been brought to faith, discipled and nurtured in com-
munities by teams of work-based Christian leaders who had established credible churches that “met In the marketplace context, let by marketplace leaders, for marketplace mission and multiplication.”
Te fnal case study featured church-planter Dwight Martin, who grew up as a missionary kid to American parents serving in Tailand. Today, with his wife Kay, he continues to serve there, leading the Association of Free Church (AFT) in Tailand, which is making a profound impact in fve provinces located in central Tailand. Working with a Tai pastor, they have already planted thousands of house churches and seen mass baptisms of new believers in their thousandssomething previously unheard of in the so-called ‘hard ground’ of Tailand. Participants watched a short video of baptisms and a testimony.
Pastor Dwight shared how they learned simply to look for people of peace in the villages they went to. Tey told them stories of how Jesus had changed their lives, then enquired: “Do you have a problem in your life? Ten Jesus can help you.”
As we heard amply illustrated each of the case studies shared, God is on the move in Asia. Many were impacted by what they heard. Each of the presentations were followed by group discussion. Tere was lively discussion and feed-back with much learning taking place also during question-answer time with the 3 presenters.
Tose who attended the conference were a mix of students (from SBC and a number of doctoral students from ATS accompanied by Dr Jay Moon, Professor of Church Planting and Evangelism), local church members, mission leaders, scholars and visiting pastors from the US, Australia, Myanmar, Tailand and India!
We thank God for what was heard and learned in the time spent together that weekend.
CASE STUDY 1
Rev. Henry Yeo, Northern Thailand
INTRODUCING SANPRANET AND SHINEFORTH
Te Sanpranet Methodist Church and the Shineforth Methodist Church in the Sansai district of the Province of Chiangmai were planted in Northern Tailand between 2000-2004. Both Tai-speaking churches were planted by my wife, Ms Sungwan Yeo, and I as missionaries sent from the Methodist Mission Society of Singapore.
Sanpranet MC was planted in a relatively densely populated community in Sanpranet. Te majority of the inhabitants are Lanna Tai people. Most of the other people groups are internal migrants from the mountain tribes, (e.g. the Lahu, Karen, Akha, Hmong, etc) who have made this community their home as they seek economic opportunities in Chiangmai city. Te community is mainly made up of lower to middle income groups, although there are some very poor families trying to make ends meet because they’re unable to fnd jobs. Several converts were working for a large pig farm not too far from the church.
Te Sanpranet Methodist Church was an of-shoot of a church planted by the Lahu tribe for the Lahu internal migrants living in the community. Since they use the Lahu language in all their activities, my wife and
I felt that we also needed to reach out to the rest of the Sanpranet community who do not speak Lahu. Te Shineforth Methodist church grew out of the Sanpranet Methodist Church because it became inconvenient and unsafe for some of the children to travel to attend the Sanpranet church.
Te similarity in the church planting model for both of these churches was that they each started of with ministries for children. Tese eventually drew the parents and adults to the churches. Tere were also common challenges in that both churches had difculties persuading the Khon Mueng (City People) to accept Christ. Most of the people who were attracted to these churches were members of hill tribe people who had migrated as they sought work in the city. Tey usually resided in rented housing while the Khon Mueng owned their properties.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHIANGMAI
Chiang Mai, founded by King Mangrai in 1296, was the capital of Tailand during the Lan Na reign. It was an important birthplace of Teravada Buddhism (one of the branches of Buddhism adopted by the majority of the Tai people) and the center for the spread of this movement. Te city has more than 100 temples and is referred to as the Northern Buddhism capital.1
People of the Lan Na state speak “Kham mueng” (City Language), a variation of the central Tai language that
1 Te Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
has some distinct diferences. Te Lan Na people are known as “khon mueng” or “city people”. Recently, the New Testament was translated into the Lan Na Tai language using the Lan Na script, which is a descendant of the Old Mon script like the Lao religious scripts and Burmese script. Most modern Lan Na Tai people cannot read this, so this translated Bible also uses central Tai scripts.
A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT FOR CHRISTIANITY IN THAILAND
One of the most signifcant events for Christianity’s spread in Tailand was the execution of the frst convert to Christianity in the city of Chiangmai. Tis also marked the turning point for freedom of religion in the Kingdom of Siam (Tailand’s previous name). After a brief period of evangelistic success, Christians underwent a time of persecution in 1869 during which two converts were martyred. Tis persecution abated in 1878 thanks to the Edict of Religious Toleration.2
Te majority of the Tai people feel that to be Tai is to be a Buddhist. Consequently, when someone becomes a Christian, he or she usually experiences considerable family pressure and village opposition, yet is rarely physically persecuted. In Northern Tailand, Noi Sunya (Suriya) and Nan Chai, two early converts to the Christian faith, lost their lives as a direct consequence
2 Christianity in Tailand, en.wikipedia.org
of their conversion to Christianity. On Tuesday morning, September 14, 1869 the two martyrs were executed by order of the ruler of Chiang Mai. Te reason given was that the two new Christians, who were his employees, refused to work on the Sabbath. Tey were charged with disobedience and sentenced to be beaten to death because of their refusal to do the ruler’s work. Actually, the ruler of Chiang-Mai was under increasing political and social pressures, and he blamed the Christians’ presence for his difculties in ruling. So, he decided to punish these two Christians as a way to discourage others. Later, challenged publicly by Rev. Dr. McGilvary, Prince Kawilorot openly acknowledged that the only reason the two men had been killed was because they were Christians.3
Despite the Edict, conversion among the native Lanna Tai people is still rare today and some tribal communities won’t allow Christians to build church structures. Tere were several incidents of churches being burned to the ground. Although this sort of physical opposition is rare, Christians encounter very subtle and verbal opposition of various forms.
Chiangmai has the greatest number of Christians in Tailand, although another northern province of Tailand, Maehongsong, has the highest percentage of Christians. However, most of the Christians in these
3 National Report: Christian Mission In Tailand. December 16,, 2016 by Prawate Khid-arn. Asian Mission Association Press
provinces and other northern provinces are from the numerous tribes that have migrated to Tailand.
THE PLANTING OF THE FIRST THAI-SPEAKING CHURCHES
My wife and I helped establish the Methodist Mission to Tailand (MMT) in Chiangmai, Tailand in 1998. We were sent by the Methodist Mission Society with my role being identifed as the Country Director. Te main objective of MMT was and still is to plant churches that will be supported and enhanced by community services and social welfare (Te MMT was renamed in 2004 as the Mettakij Church Association, MCA).
When we arrived in Chiangmai in February 1998, we attended the frst church adopted by the MMT. Tis church existed before the arrival of MMT and had requested for MMT to adopt it since they needed legal coverage and fnancial support. Many Tai pastors plant independent churches and seek legal coverage later to become legitimate entities. Tis church was planted by a pastor from the Lahu tribe. When my wife and I attended this church in 1998, we found that while it was a vibrant church, the 80 odd members were all from the Lahu tribe. Outreach eforts geared toward villagers who were not Lahu were limited. At the same time, these villagers were not interested in joining the church because of its exclusive usage of the Lahu language in all its ministries.
Te majority of the villagers residing in the community were either from other tribes or the native Lanna Tai (Khon Mueng). Apart from using a language foreign to most of the community, the church had not created activities to attract the locals.
As a teacher, my wife was interested in fnding out how she could use her giftings to serve the community better. She visited an elementary school operated by a local Buddhist temple and found that many of the students needed help after school with their home assignments. Many of the kids were raised by single mothers or lived in broken families. In most situations, both parents were working full time with long hours 6 days a week. Te children had no one to look after them after school, and no one to help them with their home assignments. Even if their parents were home, many were not educated enough to help or too tired after a long week.
Because of her fndings, my wife decided to start a ministry to aid children with home assignments after school. She called it the “after school program,” attracting lots of children between grades 4-6 because. She assessed each child so that she could identify the weaker students and tutor them.
During her free time, my wife would visit the parents of these children. She would spend time chatting about their students and praying with the parents. Many of the parents appreciated her and trusted her. However, she found that while these parents appreciated what she
was doing for their children, they were not open to receiving Christ as their Savior.
My wife began to invite the children to come to church on Saturday mornings. Soon, more than 80 kids were in attendance, learning songs and stories from the Bible. Even though most of the parents are not willing to accept Christ or attend church, they readily allowed and even encouraged their children to attend the Saturday morning activities.
At one point, my wife organized a one-day event for children with help from a couple from the United States. About 80 children attended and at the end of the day, at least 40 children prayed to receive Christ. A few months later, most of them were baptized in a nearby swimming pool.
MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY
My wife had no training on planting churches, nor a degree in theology. She was not trained as a missionary. She simply accompanied me as a wife in the mission feld, which happened to be her home country. She did what she felt was needed for the community, especially the education and welfare of children in her neighbourhood. For example, she started a child-care center because she realized that many parents worked almost every day and needed a place to send their children while they were gone.
My wife and I did not stop at providing for the needs of children in the community. We also looked for ways to meet the needs of local adults. For example, we brought some adults to an evangelistic healing crusade. One elderly lady accepted Christ after pain in her arm was healed. A cell-group was formed in her house since her children would not allow her to go to church. Eventually, she had to let go of the cell group because her children did not approve. While my wife and I continued to visit her, she would not allow us to pray for her. She felt obliged to obey her children because she was dependent on their fnancial support. Her children were controlling her life, including her ability to live out her faith. Unfortunately, this is a very common occurrence in Tai communities across the country.
At one time, a group of Christian adults in the community expressed an interest in holding a worship service on Sundays for non-Lahu speakers. A Tai pastor who was from the Lan Na Tai (“city people”) was invited to help pastor this newly formed congregation. My wife and I were still not profcient in speaking the Lan Na dialect, so this pastor was especially helpful since he could speak both the central Tai language and the Lan Nan dialect. Tis congregation eventually became the Sanpranet Methodist Church.
To further meet the needs of the community, my wife and I set up the Student Sponsorship Scheme (SSS) under the MMT. Tis organization was established to
help some of the poorer families in the community send their children to school. Although tuition is heavily subsidized by the Tai government from grades 1-12, parents still need money to buy uniforms, books, stationery, etc.
WHAT ARE SOME HINDRANCES TO THE THAI PEOPLE BECOMING CHRISTIANS?
SOCIETAL PRESSURE/COMMUNITY REJECTION:
Tai culture is very communal. Expressing one’s individuality is interpreted as arrogance and selfshness, causing much shame. Individuality can create societal pressure that leads to rejection from one’s community and family circles. Tai people avoid ofending those whom they feel are responsible for their livelihood and acceptance in their own community.
It’s also very common to hear Tai people say that to be Tai is to be Buddhist. Te Tai feel proud to identify as Buddhist and view it as a part of their national identity. Buddhism is believed to have spread throughout Tailand as early as the 3rd century BCE in the time of the Indian Emperor Ashoka.4 Since then, Buddhism has played a signifcant role in Tai culture and society. Buddhism and the Tai monarchy have often been intertwined, with Tai kings historically seen as the main patrons of Buddhism in Tailand. Although politics and religion were generally separated for most of Tai
4 Karuna Kusalasaya (2006), “Buddhism in Tailand Its Past and Its Present”
history, Buddhism’s connection to the Tai state would increase in the middle of the 19th century following the reforms of King Mongkut. Tis would lead to the development of a royally-backed sect of Buddhism and increased centralization of the Tai sangha under the state, with state control over Buddhism increasing further after the 2014 coup d’état (Wikipedia). With about 65 million followers, Tailand has the second largest Buddhist population in the world after China, which is about 95% of the whole population of Tailand.5
Te 3 pillars of Tai society are Nation, Religion and the King. To invite a Tai person to embrace Christianity can feel like betrayal in denouncing their personal and national identity. It takes more than a personal sacrifce to convert to Christianity. Tey will need to be brave in facing objections from their family circles and Tai community at large.
Several Tai people who converted to Christianity retracted their statement of faith because of familial pressure and community pressure. Tis is common in most circles, with many elderly people voicing fears that no one will care for them or pay for their funeral when they pass on if they accept Christ.
COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP:
Most rural villages in Tailand come together to save funds for basic needs such as funeral services. Each
5 Pew Research Center, “Te Global Religious Landscape”. December 2012.
villager pays a small monthly contribution. However, those who convert to another religion are excluded from this service. Many communities have a simple crematorium that residents are free to use. Outsiders must have permission to use this and often have to pay a fee. Some villages don’t allow people who have converted to other religions to use the crematorium even if they have lived in the area for many years.
SHAME:
In Tai society, shame is a powerful emotion. Tai people must not embarrass each other, even if someone is guilty of something legally or morally wrong. Confrontation is avoided. Becoming a Christian and changing one’s religion brings shame to a family.
HOW DO WE OVERCOME THESE HINDRANCES?
GO BEFORE BUDDHISM ARRIVES:
I was advised to establish churches in tribal villages before Buddhism could take root in the community. We must build a church before they build a temple.
Even Christians convert to Buddhism because of the social pressure and the perceived benefts they’ll receive if they are Buddhist. For example, every house in Tailand is said to have a spirit. It is believed that every space on earth is inhabited by a spirit and one should ask permission to reside on any land. One must appease the spirit or spirits by building a small shrine at a corner in front of each house. Tey are to ofer food every morning for
as long as they reside there. Every big complex, from shopping malls to ofce buildings and condominiums, have a shrine.
REACH A WHOLE COMMUNITY:
Converting key people in a village that have authority will lead to the conversion of the majority, if not the whole community. Tis happened in the Phetchabun province by the Free In Jesus Christ Church Association in May, 2023, with 1,760 being baptized shortly after. Christianity spread faster because missionaries shared the Gospel with the whole village rather than individuals.
LESSEN SHAME:
Tere will be less chance of bringing shame to a family or community if many people convert all at the same time.
EVANGELIZE TO THOSE WHO HAVE MIGRATED OUT OF THEIR VILLAGE OR ARE DISPLACED:
Most people who migrate into Tailand from Laos, Myanmar or China, such as the Lisu, Karen, and Lahu are easier to evangelize to because they were not originally Buddhist, but animist. When these groups migrate to Tailand, they must be taught about the Gospel before they are taught that they should embrace Buddhism to become Tai.
Christianity is also spreading among university students where evangelism happens among peers. Tere is less pressure from family or community when students are on campus, and students are usually more open to new perspectives.
DO CHILDREN MINISTRY:
Te Sanpranet and the Shineforth MC church grew out of children ministry programs. My wife did very well in meeting the needs of the children by helping with home assignments, fnding extra tuition for students and creating activities on weekends. Tis ministry also helped parents by keeping their children safe and preoccupied on weekends.
My wife was able to establish good relationships with many of the parents and bring their children to church even though the parents were not willing to accept Christ. Many of these children continue in their faith even into adulthood. Some walked away for a period of time but returned again as well. We believe the exposure these children received while they were young makes all the diference. As Proverbs 6:22 says:
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (NKJV).
MAKE DISCIPLES:
One of the things that we would do diferently is spend more time discipling children. Many children who walked away from their faith would not have done so if we had spent more quality time with them building their faith. Many of those who are still in the faith would be better equipped to become disciples who can make disciples if we had been more intentional.
Most leaders agree that churches will not continue to grow if there is no efective discipleship. However, it has been an uphill task for most churches. Many Christians are not disciples, nor focused on making disciples.
It has been difcult to bring adults to Christ in this close knit community. Many of them, if not all, have heard the Gospel and experienced Christ’s love, yet it is too costly for them to convert. Te most probable way to reach them is through their children. Starting childcare and other children-related ministries is one of the better ways to open doors and bring the Gospel into families and communities.
REFLECTION
My wife and I accomplished much in starting 2 churches through children ministries and meeting the needs of the community. Some of these children accepted Christ and continued in the faith into adulthood, yet many did not. It is important that we help children not only accept Christ, but grow in their faith, becoming faithful and efective disciples through “intentional discipleship”.
Evangelizing to the majority of the Tai people remains a difcult challenge, but reaching a community through children ministry has proven to be one of the most effective ways. Unfortunately, most churches in Tailand still do not actively and intentionally develop children beyond the traditional Sunday school. Tese children must learn how to invite their non-believing friends to church so that they may hear the Gospel and become efective disciple-makers.
CASE STUDY 2
Pastor Jason Young, Hong Kong
ECCLESIA EVERYWHERE: EXPERIMENTING WITH MARKETPLACE CHURCH 6
ABSTRACT
Tis study explores the development of Marketplace Church in Hong Kong. When society and culture experience rapid change through, for example, geopolitics and epidemics, God is still at work and creating space for the Church to innovate. I focus on Mark 2:22 and John 1:14; 4.35 as a call to mission toward Generation Z and the need for the marketplace to be where the Church is. Here, I contend that Marketplace Church difers from marketplace ministry in that there is a shift towards I) Higher Viability, II) Deeper Commitment, III) Greater Authority and IV) Active and Strong Mission. As a result, I argue that this could be the largest and most strategic mission feld in Asia. After exploring what and why the Marketplace Church is required, I present how it is established. I also talk about the need for I) Core Principles, II) Commissioning, III) Coaching, and IV) Connectivity. Finally, I outline two case studies and then conclude that while my research on
6 In Greek, Ecclesia (or Church) Everywhere is . Tis case-study was transcribed and edited by Emma Ash from the presentation of the case studies that Jason Young made on Saturday, 13th January 2024 at Singapore Bible College.
Marketplace Church is in the early developmental stages and the future remains unknown, it is clear that a new marketplace church-planting movement is already underway. It is therefore worth serious exploration if we are to reach this most strategic mission feld in Asia.
KEY WORDS
Alpha, Church, coaching, commission, disciple, discipleship, God, Hong Kong, marketplace, mission, ofce, pioneer, pioneering, urban, workplace.
INTRODUCTION
No one puts new wine into old wineskins, now if not, the wine will burst the wineskins and the wine and wineskins will be destroyed. Instead, new wine [goes] into new wineskins.7 - Mark 2:22
I would argue, in recent years, that God is doing a new thing, given recent seismic political and economic challenges and the global COVID pandemic. I see it as God pouring out new wine for new seasons. In response to the new outpouring, I propose that the Church needs to prepare new wineskins to fully engage in this novel
7 Translation my own.
and exciting move of the Holy Spirit that is taking place within our cities and nations. Geopolitics, along with a global epidemic, means that we cannot go back to “business” or church as usual. Tis also means mission and church planting must evolve and adapt according to these innovations. My studies center around a couple of urban church planting mission networks within the context of Hong Kong.
MARKETPLACE CHURCH: AN EXPERIMENT
Since Marketplace Church is a recent development, further research involving qualitative and quantitative data is needed. Nevertheless, I present research from the early stages of this project.
MARKETPLACE CHURCH: WHAT IS IT?
I have begun to use the following defnition to describe what a Marketplace Church is:
Marketplace Church is a legitimate, fully functioning, New Testament Church that is established I) in the marketplace context, II) by indigenous marketplace leaders, III) for marketplace mission, disciple-making and multiplication.
It is, however, not limited to impacting the marketplace alone.
MARKETPLACE CHURCH: AN EVOLUTION
First and foremost, it is important to recognize the developing process and stages from Christians being in the workplace to the formation of a Marketplace Church. In Diagram 1, I show how someone with strong Christian virtues can transition from being a good colleague to inviting others to a local church service. From here, other initiatives evolve, such as outsourcing events to be hosted by outside ministries, the creation of new marketplace Bible study groups and outreach activities such as Alpha, all happening before a “shift” eventually takes place, creating a Marketplace Church.
DIAGRAM 1
Christian Work Ethic
Invite Colleagues to a Local Church Service
Parachurch-led Christian Activities
Marketplace Bible Study Groups
In-house Marketplace Outreach Activities
SHIFT : I) Higher Viability, II) Deeper Commitment III) Greater Authority IV) Active and Strong Mission.
Marketplace Church
MARKETPLACE CHURCH: THE SHIFT
In the last 2 stages, an organic move is seen from outreach activities happening within the workplace toward a more permanent New Testament culture with community living, working and being a Church in the marketplace. I would argue that when the shift takes place and forms a Marketplace Church, it will be made up of four essential parts. Tis development takes time. It is clear that the Marketplace Church is no longer an ofce Bible study, fellowship, or even a lunchtime outreach program. Instead, it has evolved into something more intrinsic for those who live and/or work in this environment. Te shift can be summed up as follows:
I. Higher Visibility, i.e. it is recognized as an actual church both internally and externally.
II. Deeper Commitment to each other with family values.
III. Greater Authority in embracing and executing all the New Testament functions and responsibilities of the Church. Tis includes administering the sacraments such as baptisms and collecting tithes.
IV. Active and Strong Mission focused on multiplication. Here, Marketplace Church is a legitimate, fully functioning, New Testament Church that is established in the workplace context by indigenous leaders.
However, the key point is that we cannot and should not restrict the work of the Holy Spirit. Terefore, while we want to create more Marketplace Churches, we do not want to limit it to reaching the marketplace alone. Nor do we envision such churches merely replacing the four walls of a church building with the four walls of an ofce building. Tis would be counterproductive to a strategic mission. Instead, we want it to be a launchpad to reach urban life and society.
MARKETPLACE CHURCH: WHY IS IT NEEDED?
Do you not say that “It is yet four months until the harvest comes?” Behold, I say to you, “Lift up your eyes and see the felds, because they are white toward harvest already!8 - John 4:35
Urbanization, along with mass migration, shows that the global Church needs to both adapt and shift with the transitions that are happening within our society. Tat being said, practically, the average Hong Kong citizen seeks to be gainfully employed and has a strong work ethic, aiming to provide a better life for his/her family and future generations. As a result, more time is spent in the workplace than anywhere else. Tough I have
8 Translation my own.
yet to explore the efects of this on health and quality of life, I would argue that at the very least, it would lead to dissatisfaction and disillusionment when dreams of success do not become reality. Generation Z, our emerging leaders set to make up a quarter of the Asia Pacifc region’s population (Kim, McInerney, and others, 2020, p. 2), are now entering the workplace in signifcant numbers. Consequently, the Church must also adapt and shift to engage them in the marketplace. Tis could be the largest and most strategic mission feld in Asia. Why? Because I genuinely believe that young adults are interested in Jesus and spirituality, desiring an authentic encounter with God, seeking hope, meaning and purpose as part of their identity. As a result, Jesus’ words that the harvest is ripe in John 4:35 lead me to advocate for the need for specifc Marketplace Churches in close proximity to such generations that have tended to stay away from traditional churches.
MARKETPLACE CHURCH: HOW IS IT ESTABLISHED?
Tere is no blueprint to starting or running a Marketplace Church. Churches come in many shapes, sizes and forms. Te dynamics of pioneering within diferent contexts means that the “how” becomes diffcult to defne. However, there are key elements that enable Marketplace Churches and their leaders to thrive and minister in a way that is healthy, sustainable and efective. Tese critical factors include: I) Core Principles, II) Commissioning, III) Coaching, IV) Connectivity.
I. Core Principles
Firstly, the Marketplace Church will need strong core principles. I have presented these as examples:
I.I. Te Power of “Yes.” I believe that God is more interested in someone’s availability than their ability. In other words, someone’s “yes,” to God is the biggest qualifer.
I.II. Te Call to All. Everyone partakes in God’s calling. I would argue that each person is called by God to be a messenger and a minister.
I.III. Church on Te Go. God’s people are not just attempting to bring their colleagues to church. Tey are actively seeking to bring the church to their colleagues right where they work.
I.IV. From Mission Field to Mission Force. God wants to transform the largest mission feld into the greatest mission force, advancing the Church through the marketplace.
Following these core principles will not only establish healthy communities but will empower each member to feel a part of the Church in their call to serve in the marketplace.
II. Commissioning
Secondly, commissioning is acknowledging the spiritual empowerment that takes place when someone is authorized and sent out. Pastors and elders who are trained and active in leadership within the Church endorse the ministry of those in the Marketplace Church. Tis empowers the community being sent, afrming their identity in Christ and the spiritual blessings in which they have [ See Ephesians 1:3-23]. Furthermore, it celebrates unity within the Church. Tose being sent are an interdependent extension of the wider body of believers.
III. Coaching
Tirdly, coaching and mentoring are forms of discipleship. New and emerging leaders within the marketplace setting will need regular investment, especially in terms of leadership, spiritual formation and theological development. In addition, coaching enables disciples as life-long learners to remain accountable, protecting the Church from error and weaknesses and allowing it to fourish. I believe that building a process that has high trust and low control will enable such relationships and ministries to grow and mature.
IV. Connectivity
Finally, connectivity refers to a peer-led space where church leaders can learn from each other, share best practices and testimonies, and support mission work at the frontlines of marketplace engagement. Here, regular encouragement and collaboration lighten the burden of challenges ministers face and allow time for synergy and impact to take place. In my opinion, the Great Commission needs great collaboration. Tis connectivity is summed up in three points:
IV.I. Creative Inspiration
IV.II. Care and Support
IV.III. Collaboration
By focusing on core principles, commissioning, coaching, and connectivity, we can establish strong Marketplace Churches.
APPLICATION
I will now present two case studies in response to the principles I’ve outlined and explained. While there are Marketplace Churches founded in working-class areas in contexts such as factories and construction sites, I’m focusing my case studies on more afuent segments of society that I’m more familiar with.
CASE STUDY 1: “DANIEL”
Daniel is a gifted, young evangelist in insurance sales. Brought up as a Christian, he was unable to reach any friends when inviting them to his church in a local fshing village. As the then National Director for Alpha in Hong Kong and South China, I encouraged him to run a course in the marketplace context. After two courses, Daniel had established a strong community with forty young adults interested in Jesus. However, they did not want to commute to Daniel’s home church each week.
As a result, he spoke to his Pastor and was commissioned to establish a Marketplace Church, reaching and discipling believers in the context of their workplace. Aspire Church was established six months later after Daniel began the frst Alpha course. Signifcantly, Daniel’s pastor welcomed other citywide leaders to work closely with Leo and the team, providing coaching and connectivity. Te next few years, new leaders rose, communities launched, and vibrant ministries were started, including a youth church. Tree points to recognize are:
I. Aspire Church is fully owned and led by young marketplace leaders, but it is supported by mature church leaders.
II. Instead of just having a centralized convening function, the Mother Church [from Daniel’s home village] took on a new role in sending and resourcing, providing a hub for marketplace missionaries to church plant on the urban frontlines.
III. Te Alpha Course is an efective catalyst for planting seeds for new forms of church. Nevertheless, there needs to be apostolic follow-up to further help establish these churches and enable them to mature.
CASE STUDY 2 – “ESTHER”
Esther is a Senior Partner of one of the big four accounting frms in Hong Kong. She was regularly involved in outreach within the workplace, hosting Bible studies, Alpha courses and seeing transformation within boardroom meetings. However, a feeling of discontent led Esther to dream about launching a Marketplace Church along the lines of the principles I have expounded. As a result, Simply Church was commissioned in 2021. Teir frst act was baptizing six disciples who had come to faith, were discipled and are now serving in their workplaces. Tey now have six missional families that meet separately covering each day of the week. In addition, they run groups outside of the ofce to engage with their family members. Te church’s leaders partner with other citywide churches and NGOs to serve the poor and engage with social justice projects in which non-believer colleagues are invited to participate in. Finally, they host training events so that others can launch their own Marketplace Churches, equipping leaders across Hong Kong.
Here, Esther was able to implement another key aspect of Marketplace Church - it is not limited to reaching
the marketplace alone, but regularly engages with wider families and friends. Where parachurch-led Christian activities once happened prior to a Marketplace Church evolving, these can now still be implemented at any point in time. Furthermore, engaging with social justice projects allows for those in the workplace to involve their colleagues without needing to come to faith seeing that the marketplace is still an active mission feld. Finally, as a leading example of Marketplace Church, Esther’s team is now training and sending others as pioneers in their own workplaces and networking with citywide church leaders, demonstrating the efectiveness of Marketplace Churches in reaching Generation Z.
CASE STUDIES: FURTHER THOUGHTS AND POSSIBLE CHALLENGES
While these case studies highlight new ways to plant Churches amid marketplace contexts that are dynamic and challenging, more research is required to address and answer the following issues, such as:
I. How do you equip Marketplace Church leaders in each stage of their development, allowing them to maintain fexibility and creativity in ministry?
II. How do you prevent burnout for a Marketplace Church leader?
III. How do you navigate complex and sensitive ofce dynamics?
Tere needs to be clear boundaries in place with regard to work hours and how discipleship takes shape and form within an individual’s life. Here, prayer breakfasts and weekly lunch-time one-to-one coaching and mentoring could be scheduled, provided other time is reserved for each person’s recreational and personal needs. Yet, could Marketplace Church incorporate this training into work hours? We need to safeguard against the ever-present threat of burnout, particularly among the less experienced leaders.
Employer-employee dynamics are also complicated. Marketplace Church needs to consider this when colleagues are transitioning between jobs and or Marketplace Churches. Colleagues might also need an alternative place to worship whilst transitioning from one industry to another based on contracts. Furthermore, in the case of church members who are colleagues or staf from the same department or ofces, when work performance appraisals are done, the boundary and separation of work-based performances from pastoral concerns need to be upheld.
In summary, while Marketplace Church has challenges to face and overcome as it journeys through its developmental stages, clear boundaries and open communication between church leaders and networks will help relationships grow and fourish.9
9 One can add that there has been little research or discussion yet about how we may consecrate particular buildings (as done in Anglican and Roman Catholic traditions) or
MARKETPLACE CHURCH: NEXT STEPS
Potential next steps for those interested in launching a Marketplace Church would be to:
I. Identify potential “marketplace missionaries” in your congregation or network and begin envisioning, equipping and empowering them to plant a “seed church” in their workplace, work district or industry network.
II. Connect with existing marketplace fellowships, cell groups, bible studies, etc, in your networks to explore the possibility of “activating” and “missionalizing” them into Marketplace Churches.
III. Form a team of kingdom-minded spiritual elders in your city/region who have a common vision and passion to commission, cover and create space for lay leaders across the city to explore fresh expressions of church in the marketplace.
As these case studies are still in the early stages of development and the research is new, more vision and resources would likely need to be developed over time so that more organizations and Mother Churches could actively promote and send leaders into urban workplaces to form a Marketplace Church.
how to organize sacred spaces and times for Marketplace Church within the work-place context or what church services in the marketplace for Generation Z would actually look like.
As a follow-up, I believe that it is important to advance this work personally through conferences, engagement via networking, and liaising with others who can carry this mantle so that Generation Z can have an opportunity to go to church and be Te Church in the places and spaces where they spend most of their time.
CONCLUSION
In this essay, I have presented what Marketplace Church is:
A legitimate, fully functioning, New Testament Church that is established I) in the marketplace context, II) by indigenous marketplace leaders, III) for marketplace mission, disciple-making and multiplication.
Tis model of church must evolve through a series of events and activities until a shift takes place. From here, a Marketplace Church can be launched that follows a pattern of I) Higher Viability, II) Deeper Commitment, III) Greater Authority and IV) Active and Strong Mission in the place that I believe to be the largest and most strategic mission feld in Asia. Trough core principles, commissioning, coaching, and connectivity, Marketplace Church has ample mission capacity and strategic vision to teach and equip others to begin fresh new expressions of church. It would lead to what I term Ecclesia Everywhere ( in Greek), that is, the people of God on the mission of God right where
they live, work and play. As seen within the research presented, Marketplace Church is not confned to the four walls of the ofce but is designed to move with the Holy Spirit, touching and impacting all walks of life within and beyond the marketplace.
In our experience, we are already seeing ordinary people do extraordinary things by being available and saying “Yes” to the mission of God. Both case studies give ample evidence to this. Tey show that while there are challenges to exploring church-planting and discipleship in workplace contexts, the fruits of ministry currently outweigh the challenges, albeit recognizing that clear boundaries need to be established to keep the Church fourishing. It is hoped that these studies would provide insight and a glimpse into what new innovative Marketplace Churches might look like in an ever-evolving future.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kim, Aimee., McInerney, Paul., and others. “What Makes Asia-Pacifc’s Generation Z Diferent?”, McKinsey & Company, (2020), 1-10 <https://www.mckinsey.com/ capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/ what-makes-asia-pacifics-generation-z-different> [accessed 29 February 2024].
Nestle-Aland. (2016). Novum Testamentum Graece: 28th Revised Edition. Institute for New Testament Textual Research (Eds.). Deutsche Bibelstiftung: Stuttgart.
Te Holy Bible: (2016). NRSV: New Revised Standard Version. (Anglicized edn.). Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
CASE STUDY 3
Dwight Martin, Thailand
FROM RESISTANCE TO REVIVAL: THE JOURNEY OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FREE CHURCHES IN THAILAND
INTRODUCING THE ASSOCIATION OF FREE CHURCHES IN THAILAND
In 2016, the Association of Free Churches (AFT) in Tailand, led by Pastor Somsak, aimed to establish 1,000 churches and welcome 10,000 new believers by 2020. During that same year, I served as the Research Coordinator for the Tai church and discovered that despite two centuries of the Gospel’s presence in Tailand, 95% of villages had never heard of Jesus. Tis led me to Pastor Somsak and we worked together to establish 1,087 house churches and add 11,883 new members by the end of 2020. In 2021, we focused on the Phichit province and established churches in every village despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Our two-year eforts signifcantly improved Phichit’s ranking from one of the least evangelized provinces in Tailand (70th out of 77), to the 4th most evangelized province in terms of Christian population percentage.
With the wisdom of experience under their belt, the AFT has embarked on a grand journey in Tailand. We envision a house church in every one of Tailand’s 85,000 villages and at least one district church in every one of Tailand’s 928 districts. Tis is no small feat. It’s a vision as vast as the country’s lush landscapes and as deep as its rich cultural heritage. Yet the AFT church planters are armed with invaluable experience from the past seven years and are boldly stepping forward to reach this goal. Teir determination is unwavering and their spirits are high. Tis is their journey, their mission - to bring light to every corner of Tailand.
FROM VISION TO REALITY: THE TRANSFORMATION OF PHICHIT PROVINCE
In the year 2016, nestled within the heart of Tailand, the AFT was a vibrant network of eight churches scattered across three provinces and was under the dedicated stewardship of Pastor Somsak, a local country pastor. It was during this time that a vision was received from God. In a divine revelation, Pastor Somsak was entrusted by the Holy Spirit with a monumental vision that would alter the course of his life. He was to establish 1,000 churches and welcome 10,000 new believers into the fold by the year 2020. Tis colossal task seemed insurmountable at the time, and Pastor Somsak was unsure of how this vision would materialize into reality. However, he took a leap of faith and embarked on this spiritual journey, taking one step at a time. Guided by
the Holy Spirit, each step unveiled a part of the grand plan that was initially shrouded in mystery. Pastor Somsak also sensed that the Lord would bring an unknown partner who would join him in this grand endeavor.
I was a missionary born and raised in Tailand to parents of the same calling. During the time Pastor Somsak was discerning these things, I held the position of Research Coordinator for the Tai church. With over a decade of experience and comprehensive data on all Tai churches at my disposal, I found myself profoundly moved by a verse in Mark 1:38. In this verse, Jesus says “let us go to the next village and preach the gospel there, for that is why I have come.” Tis resonated with me on a profound level. My meticulous research also revealed a startling fact. Despite two centuries of the Gospel’s presence in Tailand, a staggering 95% of villages do not have a Christian presence and most of the people have never heard of Jesus. Tis revelation ignited a spark within me, leading me on a quest to fnd someone who shared my vision of reaching every village with the Gospel’s message. In February 2017, my quest led me to Pastor Somsak, and we decided to join forces.
Trough a process marked by trial and error, we embarked on a journey of learning and discovery. We learned how to successfully share the gospel with Tai people, how to disciple them efectively, and how to establish house churches that would serve as sanctuaries of faith within their communities. By the end of 2020, our
relentless eforts bore fruit in ways we could not have imagined. We exceeded our 2020 goal and established 1,087 house churches, welcoming 11,883 new members (of which 5,885 people have been baptized) into our growing community. Tese initial house churches were established in random locations without a strategic overall plan.
At the end of 2020, after succeeding in their 2016 vision, the leaders of AFT established a new vision for the year 2021. Tis new vision was to establish 800 more house churches. Using the data at my fngertips, I suggested a way for the AFT church planters to be strategic, rather than random, and do something that had never been done before; to completely reach every village in a Tai province with the Gospel. Having data on all the churches in Tailand, I knew that Phichit province had over 800 villages without any Christian presence. I suggested establishing those 800 churches strategically by reaching every village in Phichit province with the Gospel. Once a house church had been formed in every village, they would establish a district church in every district to continue mentoring and growing the village churches. So that is what the AFT decided to do.
Te Phichit province was a province steeped in Christian mission history as being ‘hard soil.’ Tis term, a metaphor as rich and layered as the soil itself, represented the formidable challenges missionaries faced in spreading the Gospel in this area. Phichit, with its
reputation of resistance to the Gospel, was perceived as a tough nut to crack. But the AFT leaders, armed with faith and determination, were about to unearth a truth that ran contrary to this belief. After embarking on their mission, they discovered an unexpected reality. Te people of Phichit were not resistant to the Gospel; they were yearning for it. Teir hearts were like parched land, desperate for the life-giving rain of the Gospel. Tey longed for the good news of Jesus Christ, the only God who could liberate them from their endless cycle of karma and sin.
Tis revelation was more than just an eye-opener; it was a turning point in the AFT mission. Te leaders were infused with renewed vigor and determination as if they had found a hidden wellspring in a desert, promising hope and salvation to those who sought it. Tis newfound understanding fueled their resolve to bring about a spiritual awakening in Phichit, transforming its ‘hard soil’ into fertile ground for faith to fourish.
To carry out this mission, the AFT planned to deploy approximately 40 church planting teams. Each team was made up of four individuals whose goal was to share the gospel in 20 villages. Tey would return to these villages each week for 26 weeks, nurturing and discipling the new believers in their faith. Tese volunteer teams were the backbone of this mission, unsung heroes working tirelessly week after week. Tey embarked on an impressive journey, exploring every secluded nook
and unseen cranny in the pursuit of fnding “persons of peace” following the teachings of Jesus as depicted in Luke 10. Teir mission was not merely to disseminate the word, but to establish house churches, emulating the apostle Paul’s approach in the book of Acts. Each house church they established stood as a living testament to their relentless eforts, serving as a beacon of faith amidst the villages.
However, they were met with an unexpected obstacle - the COVID-19 pandemic. Tis global crisis posed signifcant challenges to their mission, threatening to halt their progress, and casting a long shadow of uncertainty over their eforts. But these leaders, fortifed by their faith, were not deterred. Instead, they turned to God in prayer, seeking His guidance in the midst of the adversity. In response to their unwavering faith, an opportunity was revealed. Tey decided to provide masks and hand sanitizers to the people as they shared the Gospel. Tis act of service, a beacon of hope during a time of fear and uncertainty, transformed their mission. It allowed them to connect with the community on a deeper level, opening doors for meaningful conversations about faith and providing a tangible demonstration of God’s love and care in these challenging times.
Over the course of two transformative years, their tireless eforts began to bear fruit in ways that surpassed their wildest dreams. House churches, like seeds of faith sown in fertile soil, sprouted in every village, painting
a picture of unity and shared belief. District churches, symbols of resilience and determination, were established in all 12 districts of Phichit province. Te seeds of faith they had sown blossomed into a thriving community of believers who were strong and unwavering like the leaders who guided them.
Tis transformation was nothing short of astounding. Phichit province rose like a phoenix from the ashes to become the 4th most reached province. Te Gospel’s message resonated with over 19,424 souls and more came to know Jesus every day. Emboldened by their success in Phichit province, the AFT in Tailand set another ambitious goal. Teir vision is to form house churches in all of Tailand’s 85,000 villages and establish a district church in all 928 districts across all 77 provinces of Tailand.
Teir next target was Phetchabun province. In 2023, AFT church planters embarked on a mission to form house churches in every village and a district church in every district of Phetchabun province. Teir goal was not just to establish churches, but to create sanctuaries where people could meet with the one true God and continue to grow in love and confdence in their faith in Him. Tis mission was not just about building physical structures, but about fostering spiritual growth and nurturing a community of believers, each house serving as a beacon of hope where people could fnd solace and strength in their faith. Tis ambitious plan is a testa-
ment to AFT’s unwavering commitment to spreading the Gospel across Tailand.
In 2024, the AFT has set its sights on the provinces of Nakorn Sawan and Khon Kaen. Teir goal is not just to establish house churches in every village, but to create a network of faith that spans across provinces and villages. In the subsequent years of 2025-2026, they plan to reach every village in the provinces of Chaiyapum, Phitsanulok, Loei, Nong Bua Lumphu, Sukhothai and Kumpaeng Phet. In the years after, they remain open to divine guidance, ready to follow wherever their mission may lead them next. Tey understand that their journey is about lighting a beacon of hope that guides others toward faith in Jesus Christ, touching lives and transforming communities through faith.
CHANGING METHODOLOGIES AND CHALLENGES
When I frst encountered the work of the AFT, I observed several aspects that difered from the conventional evangelism methods I was accustomed to. My frst observation was that Pastor Somsak spoke about coming to know Jesus, eschewing the traditional verbiage used by Tai pastors and missionaries which typically referred to coming to “know God”. Upon inquiry, Somsak explained that he was aware that Tai people recognized many gods, but knowing that salvation is found in no one else but Jesus, he intentionally used the name Jesus instead of the generic term ‘god’. Somsak understands the Tai people and their worldview deeply. Tis
gift, along with his remarkable ability to communicate in a way that resonates with them, enables him to share the Gospel in a compelling and efective manner, truly touching the hearts of his fellow citizens.
Te unfamiliarity of the villagers with the name “Jesus” would often add an element of intrigue to their encounters with the AFT church planters. Tis curiosity opened doors for meaningful conversations about faith, providing the church planters with an opportunity to introduce the villagers to the teachings of Jesus.
Another observation I made was that initially, Pastor Somsak was the sole evangelist. It seemed like a daunting task for just one church planter to start 1,000 churches. However, the leaders of the AFT recognized this challenge and embarked on a journey to train and disciple hundreds of other evangelists and church planters who would be just as efective as Somsak in sharing the Gospel. As of 2023, the AFT has successfully trained over 800 volunteer evangelists, a testament to their commitment and adaptability in spreading the Gospel.
In the early years of church planting, AFT evangelists would seek permission from the village head to hold an evangelism event to share the “good news”. Most of the time, the village head agreed. On the day of the event, the AFT evangelists would bring food, lights, a loudspeaker, and walk around inviting the villagers to this event. However, they soon realized that while this method was efective, it was also costly and demanded a sig-
nifcant amount of time. Now when the church planters from AFT set their sights on a new village, they begin their mission with a “prayer walk.” Tis spiritual journey takes them down the roads and lanes of the village, their hearts and minds open to discovering “persons of peace.” As they encounter these individuals, they share their personal stories of faith, explaining why they are followers of Jesus and how His teachings have helped them overcome their sins and karma.
Tey extend an invitation to these individuals to pray to Jesus, ofering them an opportunity to experience His divine grace. Te AFT evangelists are recognized for their heartfelt slogan, “Do you have a problem in life? Jesus can help you.” Tis simple yet powerful message resonates with many, often marking the frst step in the new believer’s discipleship journey. Tis encounter is not just a meeting; it’s the spark that ignites a new faith community. It’s the beginning of a new house church, a place where believers can gather to worship, learn, and support each other.
I was born and raised in Tailand 67 years ago. As a result, I hold dual citizenship in both Tailand and the United States. My upbringing was steeped in missionary work since my parents were the frst Protestant missionaries in the Northeast province of Nakorn Phanom, Tailand. My childhood home was nestled in the Tai countryside on the banks of the Mekong River, overlooking the country of Laos. After graduating from high
school in 1974, I left Tailand. I became a software developer, yet in 2006, I returned to Tailand after receiving a divine calling from God. Soon after I returned, I was asked by the national Tai Church leaders to serve as the Research Coordinator of the Tai church. My unique perspective – shaped by my childhood experiences of being raised in Tailand, knowledge of the Tai language and culture, and many years of research on the work of missionaries and Tai pastors, was a valuable asset.
When I joined the AFT, I noticed that they were leading hundreds of people to Christ- but their method of tracking these new believers was archaic, relying on names scribbled on pieces of paper. Recognizing the inefciency and limitations of this system, I decided to leverage my expertise in software development. I developed a software application called “KapTrack”, a digital solution designed to bring clarity and efciency to mission work. KapTrack is a smartphone app that allows users to keep track of remote data, such as new believers in Jesus, and track their discipleship progress. Tis innovative application allows AFT church planters to capture vital information, such as the believer’s name and photograph, the GPS coordinates where they frst heard about Jesus, the date they believed in Jesus, their age, phone number, who led them to Christ, what level of discipleship they have achieved, and if they have been baptized. Tis wealth of information can be easily accessed and updated, enabling AFT church planters to
monitor each believer’s discipleship growth and follow up with them efectively.
In addition to tracking individual believers, KapTrack also helps the church planter keep track of the thousands of house and district churches. Every time a new house church is started, the information is recorded. Tis includes data such as the current date, picture with GPS coordinates, attendance, date started, name of leader, and more. Tis “real-time” data provided credibility to AFT’s work. When people unfamiliar with AFT question their results, they can show them live data on the internet about the work they are doing. Tis data not only encourages AFT workers but also helps them manage their workload and stay informed about the progress they have made. Kaptrack transformed AFT’s approach from a manual and inefcient system to a streamlined and efective digital solution. Tis software didn’t just track numbers; it tells stories of faith and growth. It paints a vivid picture of AFT’s mission work, making it tangible and real for everyone involved.
One of the most frequently asked questions that members of the AFT encounter is whether their work faces opposition from the government or Buddhists. Te answer, quite surprisingly, is a resounding no. In fact, in some instances, the government has shown support for their work. Tey have witnessed the transformative changes that the AFT’s eforts have brought to Tai villages and have encouraged them to continue their
mission. Tey see the positive impact on people’s lives when they believe in Jesus and recognize the value of such change.
As for the Buddhists, the AFT’s approach is not one of comparative religion or forced conversion. Tey do not compel new believers to drastically change their way of life. Instead, they place their faith in what the Great Commission says, which is to “go and make disciples”. Tey believe that as they disciple new believers, the Holy Spirit will guide these individuals in their spiritual journey. As a result of their transformation, they discard their old beliefs and ways of life naturally. Te traditional method of evangelism, which often involves forcing individuals to convert, is not part of their strategy.
Interestingly, the most signifcant opposition the AFT faces comes from an unexpected source - the traditional Christian church. Tese churches, entrenched in their conventional methods, seem resistant to acknowledging the innovative ways in which the Holy Spirit is working within the AFT. As a result, rumors and false accusations are often circulated. Te AFT leaders desire open and honest dialogue with these churches to address any misconceptions, but such conversations rarely occur. Tis situation presents a unique challenge for the AFT. On one hand, they are making signifcant strides in spreading the Gospel and transforming lives in Tai villages. On the other hand, they face opposition from those within their own faith community. However, they
remain undeterred. Teir focus is on their mission and the positive impact they are making on individuals and communities.
In conclusion, while the AFT’s journey is not without its challenges, their unwavering commitment to their mission continues to drive them forward. Tey navigate through opposition and misconceptions with grace and determination, always guided by their faith and their commitment to spreading the Gospel. Indeed, the evolution of AFT methodologies is a testament to their adaptability and commitment to their mission. From organizing large evangelism events to adopting a more personal and cost-efective evangelism approach through “prayer walks,” the AFT has shown remarkable fexibility in their methods. Tis willingness to learn, adapt, and innovate is a key factor in their success in spreading the Gospel across Tailand.
WHY THAI PEOPLE EMBRACE JESUS
Over the course of seven transformative years, the AFT in Tailand has been on a remarkable journey. Tis journey, however, is not just about the miles traveled, but about the lives touched and the communities transformed. At the heart of this journey is a clear, unifed vision that everyone within the AFT supports and works tirelessly toward. Tis vision is not just a distant dream but a guiding light that illuminates their path and gives purpose to their eforts.
Te AFT is powered by hundreds of passionate volunteer church planters. Tese individuals are not just volunteers; they are torchbearers of faith, driven by a profound passion to reach their fellow Tai people with the Gospel. Tey carry with them not just the message of Jesus, but also the hope and promise it brings.
Teir approach is methodical and heartfelt. Tey traverse every village and road, seeking out “persons of peace.” Tese individuals are not just random villagers; they are the key to opening doors and hearts to the Gospel. Tey are the bridge between the church planters and the community. Every new believer recorded in the database is signifcant, not just numbers in a record. Teir faith journey’s are a chronicle of spiritual growth and transformation.
Te AFT evangelists bring a gospel of love, hope, and reconciliation with the Creator, not religion, rules, and regulations. Tey encourage new believers to immediately develop a relationship with Jesus through prayer. Instead of sending new believers to a “big” established church, they form house churches where these new believers can grow in a spiritually safe and comfortable environment. After forming a house church in every village, they start a district church. Te district church continues to work with the house churches to help them grow. Trough continued discipleship and additional teaching, these churches continue to grow. Tis journey is more than just numbers or statistics - it’s a
story of lives changed, and communities transformed. It’s a testament to the power of faith and resilience in the face of adversity.
REFLECTION
I used to believe, like most Christians, that Tai people were hard to reach and that Tailand was a difcult place to spread the Gospel. Tis belief seemed to be supported by the fact that Tailand is the least reached country in Southeast Asia with a Protestant Christian population of only 0.75%. However, after being a part of the AFT for the past seven years, my opinion changed dramatically.
I now believe that the issue does not lie with the Tai people, but with the missionary methods that have been used to reach them for the past 200 years. I’m advocating for a shift away from traditional religious methods and toward a more passionate and intentional approach. By going to every village and telling people about Jesus and how He is the God that loves them and can free them from their sin and karma, they will respond. Te key is to return and disciple them without imposing “Christian” religion, rules, and regulations on them. Instead, let the Holy Spirit convict them and transform them. Tis approach is very natural and does not incite opposition from their family or society. As they are transformed by the Holy Spirit, they will give up their old ways of life.
As you delve into this account, envision the faces behind these statistics - individuals who have discovered hope and purpose through their newfound faith. Picture the joyous gatherings in house churches across Phichit, Phetchabun, and all the other provinces. Imagine the sense of community as people come together, united in their worship and their quest to learn about Jesus. Each gathering is a testament to their faith, a celebration of their shared beliefs, and a beacon of hope illuminating their path forward.
Tis is more than just a case study; it is a vivid tapestry of faith, resilience, and community woven together by the shared belief in the Gospel’s transformative power. It is a testament to what can be achieved when we dare to dream big and remain steadfast in our mission, even in the face of adversity. I invite you to explore this dynamic dashboard (through the link below), which is updated daily to refect the tireless eforts and extraordinary achievements of the AFT church planters. Tis dashboard vividly illustrates the growth of the AFT faith community, with new believers continually joining. To witness this inspiring journey frsthand, please click this link. http://estar.ws/AFT.html
Each point on the map signifes a person who has accepted the salvation message of Jesus Christ. Te varying colors denote the district where they believed in Jesus. Feel free to utilize the dropdown flters and menus
to delve deeper into various facets of this spiritual revival. Witness the power of faith and community in action. Kaptrack is the application that enables the creation of this “Business Intelligence or BI” dashboard. It is a revolutionary application designed specifcally to bring clarity, transparency, and efciency to mission work. Tis groundbreaking tool is transforming the world of missions, making it easier for individuals and organizations to track, manage, and enhance their mission eforts. Visit http://kaptrack.com to learn more about this innovative application that’s changing the game in the world of Christian missions.
CASE STUDY 4
Samuel K Law, Singapore Bible College
NAVIGATING THE AXES OF CHURCH MULTIPLICATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY
EFFECTIVE CHURCH MULTIPLICATIONINTRODUCTION
Refecting on the Church Multiplication Conference (CMC), the most critical principle to be remembered is that contextualization is essential in the navigation of any successful church multiplication process. Te CMC presentations confrmed my experience as a second-generation church planter with roughly thirty years of personal experience as a planter and missiologist. Properly understanding the context of church multiplication endeavors enables you to choose the most appropriate model and processes that will increase the efectiveness of the churches and the long-term viability of the fedgling congregations. Te diversity of the presentations on church multiplication, in Tailand by Reverend Henry Yeo through the Methodist Mission Society of Singapore, Pastor Dwight Martin through the Association of Free Churches in Tailand, and “marketplace” churches in Hong Kong by Pastor Jason Young, clearly illustrate that it is impossible to apply a “cookie cutter” approach to church multiplication. In this refection, I will add narratives with my own experiences to expand our hori-
zons, then close with a look across church multiplication history to uncover three axes that church multipliers need to navigate: the sodality-modality relationship, the organic-institutional timeline, and the local-central identity dimension. For the purposes of this refection, I will use “church multiplication” to refer to a movement of church plants and “church plant” for the establishment of a single church. While church planting will be discussed, the focus of the article will be on efective church multiplication.
A SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTATIONS
From the discussions following the CMC presentations, several common themes emerged despite the disparate models and contexts of the church multiplication case studies. Reverend Yeo’s presentation was a case study of his church plant in Tailand under a denominational mission society. Pastor Jason Young’s presentation was a case study of “marketplace” churches that were primarily self-initiated and what might be termed “free-form” congregations that are still in the process of self-defnition. And lastly, Pastor Dwight Martin’s presentation seemed to center around what church growth scholar, Donald McGavran, might have described as a “people movement.” Despite the diferences among the case studies, three common axes emerged that determined the shape, pace, and trajectory of multiplication. Two of the axes overlap with McGavran’s fve axes (McGavran and Wagner 1990:17-19).
Te frst axis is defned by the roles of “sodalities” and “modalities,” terms coined by Ralph Winter to describe two kinds of missionary communities (Tennent 2010:441). A “sodality,” originating from the Latin word soldalis or “companion,” is a group of companions that share a particular purpose. In contrast, a “modality” is a difuse movement or “unstructured fellowship.”
A church planting/multiplication team is generally considered a sodality while a church plant congregation may be considered a modality. From the presentations, the interaction between sodalities and modalities shaped each case study. It seemed that when modalities were given ownership and the right to self-diferentiate, the speed of church multiplication was faster and difused more naturally as in the cases of Young and Martin’s presentations. Sodalities provided the impetus and the framework, but the more autonomy modalities were given, the higher the rate of propagation, something that McGavran also concluded (McGavran and Wagner 1990:153).
Te second axis centers around the defnition of “church” across the organic-institutional timeline and the question “what does it mean to be a church?” In church multiplication and planting, is there a need for a church building? Is there a need for a specifc identity, name or theology? Does there even need to be clergy or full-time workers? Te common theme across the presentations was that when a church plant or multiplication process remained organic for a long period
of time, relational transmission sped up propagation. Both Young and Martin’s case studies were organic and undiferentiated, and both grew faster. Even Rev Yeo shared that he and his wife focused on relationships. Tey tried to delay the more formalized institutional structures of the Singapore Methodist churches among their church plants. All three cases noted a need for institutional structures as the church plants grew, but it was clear that the longer the organic nature was preserved, the faster the churches multiplied. Tis was also McGavran’s main assertion (McGavran and Wagner: 199) since many studies have shown that increased institutionalization contributes to a decline in the multiplication process and over institutionalization results in the stagnation and decline of churches (Hiebert, Shaw, and Tienou 1999:357).
Te third and fnal axis focused on the issue of local versus central identity. Greater freedom within the church to self-diferentiate enhanced the efectiveness of the church multiplication processes. All three case studies allowed the local contexts to defne the approach and shape of the “churches” to be formed. Yeo focused on children’s ministry in response to the high degree of brokenness among Tai families, Young focused on the marketplace context and its related issues, and Martin indigenized evangelistic eforts through oral narratives and lifestyle witness. Training was given and resources were provided, but these were quickly handed over to local leadership. As a result, the church plants and mul-
tiplication processes were more readily contextualized and incarnated.
It is important to understand that these three aspects should not be seen as “either/or” choices, but “both/ and.” Over time, churches will shift around on each axis to navigate the internal life of the church and the external changes of their contexts (Saarinen 2001:6). Te ability to be fexible and to appropriately navigate contexts determines not only the viability of church plants and the health and longevity of churches, but for church multiplication, the speed of propagation. But can one generalize the observations of the three case studies? Te next two sections seek to expand the perspectival horizon to confrm these observations.
EXPANDING THE CHURCH PLANTING HORIZONS
My church planting experience began with watching my parents as they planted two churches, one in Ipoh, Malaysia from 1964 – 1968 and the other in Tacoma, Washington (USA) from 1971 – 1976. I had the opportunity to plant a church in the Seattle, Washington (USA) metroplex while pastoring the Evangelical Chinese Church of Seattle from 1996 – 2009, and now I’ve served as a missiologist since 2009 studying church multiplication movements in the US, Taiwan, South Asia and Southeast Asia (Law 2016). To set a frame of reference, I’m a third-culture American-born Chinese that has lived overseas for a third of my life and two-thirds in the US. Te majority of my minis-
try experience has been among the Chinese diaspora. Tis may limit any generalization of my refections.
REFLECTIONS ON MY CHURCH PLANTING PARENTS
My church planting lens was signifcantly impacted by my father’s ministry. My parents, Reverend Jeremy Chong-Hian and Elsie Wen-Hua Elsie Law, both seminary-trained at Bethel Bible Seminary (Hong Kong) and Western Teological Seminary (Holland, Michigan), were called from their teaching posts at Bethel Bible Seminary (Hong Kong) in 1964 to establish a Chinese congregation at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Ipoh, Malaysia. Te Scottish Presbyterians recognized that Malaysia’s independence would eventually lead to a signifcant decline in the expat population.10 Desiring to ensure the longevity of St. Andrews after their departure, it was important that a congregation of local Christians be frmly established. In the context of 1960s Ipoh, much of the work was evangelistic through door-to-door and community visitations. My memories of this time center around sitting with my parents as we were welcomed into living rooms, shophouses, and nursing homes – and being scolded for consuming all the snacks provided by the hosts. By the time they left Malaysia in 1968, the Chinese congregation numbered about 40 parishioners. Today, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
10 https://db.ipohworld.org/view/id/4108, https://roxborogh.com/REFORMED/ malaysia.htm. accessed January 2024
Church numbers are in the hundreds with multiple language congregations at two locations.11
Te second church plant was in Tacoma, Washington (USA) while my father pastored the Evangelical Chinese Church of Seattle. A faculty member of Pacifc Lutheran University, Dr. Kwong-Tin Tang, and a surgeon, Dr. Chung-Chun Chan, were leading Bible studies for Chinese-speaking students in the Tacoma area. For a period of four years beginning in 1971, my parents would drive down from Seattle to Tacoma on Fridays to support the Bible studies and host outreaches for the small Chinese community. After three years, Sunday worship services were started and eventually the Evangelical Chinese Church of Tacoma was established in 1976.12 My memories were of reading books or playing under the tables while my parents led the Bible studies and playing with the college students.
Although both church plants were among minority Chinese diaspora people groups, the context shaped my parents’ church planting eforts. Te Ipoh church plant was through community outreach to a difuse population for an existing institutional church while the Tacoma church plant was targeted toward a homogeneous group that was yet to be defned.
11 https://www.sapcipoh.com/about-sapc. accessed January 2024
12 https://www.ecctacoma.org/history. accessed January 2024
In each case, the placement of the loci on three axes gleaned from the Church Multiplication Conference were consistent as factors that determined the success of each church plant. Although the role of my parents was sodal, they were dedicated to equipping the modality. Tey considered the training of Bible study leaders and deacons to be vital. Tis allowed both church plants to develop a greater sense of ownership (that is, self-diferentiation) rather than having to rely on external leadership and sponsorship. But unlike Young and Martin, the two church plants were more similar in process to that of Rev. Yeo and the Methodist Mission Society in that institutionalization occurred earlier. Tis connected St. Andrews to the Malaysian Presbyterian Church and the Tacoma church plant to the Evangelical Chinese Church of Tacoma, their Statement of Faith and the Articles of Incorporation nearly identical to the Evangelical Chinese Church of Seattle (my father, being Reformed, removed “premillennial” from ECC-Tacoma’s Statement of Faith).
REFLECTIONS ON MY CHURCH MULTIPLICATION EXPERIENCES
Personally, I have been blessed to participate in three church plants through the Evangelical Chinese Church of Seattle (ECC) which is counted as among one of the one thousand best congregations in the United States (Wilkes 2001:257). Before the adoption of its current church, multi-campus model (OCMC) in 2005, ECC’s mission statement was to plant a church in the Seat-
tle area every four years. From 1975 through 2000, it planted or assisted in planting the Eastside Christian Community Church (1980), the Evangelical Chinese Church of Kent and Renton (1994, later renamed South King County), and the Evangelical Chinese Church of Snohomish County (1999, later to become ECC’s North Campus). Tere was only one failed church plant in Federal Way, Washington.13 ECC also helped church planting eforts in what is now the Anchorage (Alaska, USA) Chinese Christian Church and the Bellingham (Washington, USA) Chinese Christian Church. In 2005, ECC moved to the OCMC model that resulted in planting three language congregations in Redmond, Washington between 2001 - 2012. Te shift to the OCMC model resulted in the church doubling from 600 to over 1200 between 2002 – 2009. Also of notein 2021, almost 20 years after its incorporation in 1999, the Snohomish County church plant was re-incorporated as ECC’s North Campus. Each church plant was assigned a lead pastor from the ECC Pastoral Staf. I was blessed to support the Federal Way and Snohomish County church plant eforts and lead the planting of our Redmond campus, helping with the formation of two of its three congregations.
How did the loci on the three axes contribute to the success or failure of ECC’s church plants, Federal Way and Snohomish County being considered “failed”
13 See https://eccseattle.org/en/home/. accessed January 2024
church plants? In the frst axes, the failed church plants relied heavily on sodalities and failed to mobilize the modalities. Te same lead pastor for both church plants relied heavily on members from the mother church to support the church plants, but unlike the lead pastors for the other church plants, he did little to develop local community leaders. Te Federal Way church plant never took of and the Snohomish County church plant, lacking sustained leadership, was eventually re-incorporated into ECC as the third campus twenty years after its incorporation. In the second axes, the two failed church plants were more institutional rather than organic, seeking to replicate the mother church in its worship service, leadership structure, and its various ministries. Little was done to contextualize the church plants to the two local Chinese populations who came from diferent immigrant streams and had diferent socioeconomic backgrounds compared to the mother church. Finally, in the third axes, the church planting pastor of the failed church plants retained full control and authority throughout the church planting eforts. Everything went through him with little input from the local community. Tis was partly due to the lead pastor’s high church, denominational background where clergy did most of the work compared to the lead pastors of the other church plants. He also did not identify the diferences in the demographics and cultural diferences arising from diferent immigrant streams (Law 2016:87) between the church plants and the mother
church, keeping the format and style of the ministries identical with the mother church.
In contrast, the lead church planting pastors of the successful church plants all focused on discipling the modality, and cultivating organic development by frst understanding the local context, then quickly establishing local leadership, ownership and identity. For example, as the church plant immigrant streams were more from mainland China than from Taiwan and Hong Kong, the song selections, choice of leaders, and even the language script (simplifed versus traditional) were adjusted to account for the demographic changes at ECC South King County and in the Redmond campus.
REFLECTIONS AS AN OBSERVER OF CHURCH MULTIPLICATION MOVEMENTS
In my years after leaving ECC to become a theological educator at Singapore Bible College in 2016, I’ve had the opportunity to study diferent church multiplication eforts in the US Chinese diaspora, Taiwan, Singapore, Cambodia, Nepal and India. I’ve noticed that the way church multipliers navigate the three axes, consistent with the CMC case studies and my previous experiences, often determines the trajectory and the success or failure of multiplying churches. In almost all successful cases, modalities were quickly mobilized. Te two case studies in the US Chinese diaspora, the Houston Chinese Church (HCC) and its seven church plants, and the Chinese Bible Church of Maryland (CBMC)
seminary degree?” Tere is a need for theological education, but from all the presentations, experiences, and research, one cannot deny that natural, organic growth trumps a structured institutionally-dictated church planting process. Institutionalization is a natural and necessary aspect of church maturity, but church multipliers need to properly discern the timeline to allow organic growth to take place.
Lastly, the various case studies confrm that if a church plant refects local agency and identity, its rate of multiplication is faster than if it replicates the central mother church. One case is that of the Houston Chinese Church whose church plants are not identical to it. Even congregations within each church can have diferent worship styles and formats. For example, the 1997 church plant sought to become more multicultural, renaming itself the “Fort Bend Community Church.” Similar to the free churches in Tailand, my study of Cambodian churches revealed that church multiplication processes did not focus on church buildings, but sought to refect the early church models of house churches. Te Cambodian churches that multiplied fastest and those that are healthier are those who have adopted local models. According to Martin’s example, many of the healthy churches were self-supporting as they adopted the bi-vocational model for their pastors, eschewing Western church models that rely on church oferings and the foreign mother church for their salary (Law 2022:22). In the case of Jharkhand, India, where the
Christian minority faces ostracism and persecution and must be increasingly self-reliant in the face of government restrictions on foreign aid (Dasgupta and Mohan 2024), Christian communities band together to create a “system within a system.” Te church I studied is not merely a center of worship. It has now become an agricultural cooperative where Christians work together to generate income to support members’ livelihoods and provide education for their children from primary to secondary and vocational schools. Hence, when church identity, structure, and agency are allowed to refect the local context, church multiplication is faster than trying to replicate the central, mother church. Tis has led some to question whether Asian churches should retain denominational adjectives such as “Lutheran,” “Anglican,” and “Methodist,” as the percentage of Christians in Asia surpasses that of the West. Already, many Majority World Christians have separated themselves from their Western parent denominations as the divergence in theology, social values, and politics increasingly widens.
I believe the case studies are consistent with my experience and my study of church planting and multiplication in the broader perspectival horizon. Te conclusions I’ve made suggest that 21st century church planters and church multiplication processes should eschew church multiplication methods from the last several hundred years. It has already been argued that such methods work best in an era of colonialism, but in
the polycentric, multicultural context of the 21st century, such methods may no longer be appropriate. But are the three axes untested innovations? My next section strongly suggests that the conclusions are not new, but tested, tried and true processes.
21ST CENTURY LESSONS: ANCIENT-FUTURE CHURCH MULTIPLICATION
Refecting on the CMC presentations in the light of my own perspectival horizons strongly suggests church multiplication eforts in the diverse, multicultural, fuid landscape of the 21st century require more robust and contextualized processes. While not discounting the great advances in mission by Western missionaries (though the role of indigenous missionaries also played a signifcant part (Roberts 2009:172)) in the postWorld War II era, with Majority World Christians now accounting for more than half of the world’s Christian population in a myriad of contexts that are dissimilar to Europe and North America, to use late 20th century models will most likely be a recipe for failure. For example, while long considered a modern missions success story, refecting on the precipitous decline in Korean church attendance in the last decade, Hyung Keun Choi argues that this trajectory is a consequence of Korean churches defning their identity and ministries by Western defnitions of church (Choi 2017). Similarly, colonialism was a critical element in church multiplication throughout the Majority World, yet traditional
methods have now increasingly become obstacles in the postcolonial era of the 21st century (Tennent 2010: 26).
It is perhaps one of the reasons Roland Allen was challenged to write his book Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours over a hundred years ago. Decolonizing church multiplication processes is warranted not only in the Majority World, but in the Western World of Christendom due to the changing context of the 21st century (Gould, Dickinson, and Loftin 2018:9). However, decolonization within Christendom is not to be considered a new method. It should be characterized as a return to precolonial, premodern, and pre-Christian processes that were formulated in the early Church. Hence, while the history of missions from 1492 can be said to be one of the greatest phases of human history that contributed in the spread of Christianity throughout the world, it may not be appropriate in the 21st century where Christianity has its greatest representation in the Majority World and may once again be an Asian religion (Tennent 2010:34). Echoing Allen, church growth scholar George Hunter III argues that church multipliers in the post-Christian world would do well to note lessons from the pre-Christian context rather than those from the more recent Western, Reformation context (Hunter 2000:62). Te following section seeks to expand the perspectival horizon further by looking at church multiplication in the early church and in the pre-Christian era using George Hunter III’s case study of St. Patrick in Ireland.
Michael Green’s landmark classic, Evangelism in the Early Church, provides an authoritative account of church multiplication in the frst century of Christianity. Looking through the lens of the three axes, one fnds evidence that correlates with the case studies mentioned thus far. While Green notes the sodal aspect of Acts 13 when Paul and Silas were sent out by the church in Antioch (Green 1970:168), he concludes that church multiplication was primarily by modality, for “Christianity was from its inception a lay movement” (Green 170:173). Comparing the early church methods of church planting, Green writes, “all of this makes it abundantly clear that in contrast to the present day, when Christianity is highly intellectualized and dispensed by a professional clergy to a constituency increasingly confned to the middle class, in the early days of the faith it was spontaneously spread by informal evangelists” (Green 1970:175). Tis made early churches more organic rather than institutional. Irvin and Sunquist note that there was no clear organizational structure up until the third century, but a strong network of leadership that provided community and continuity among the churches, writing that “the true power that joined people together in churches was that of love and faithfulness” (Irvin and Sunquist: 2007:68). Finally, agency was grounded in every Christian with the identity of churches refecting their local contexts. “Te great Church of the third century cannot be described as a monolithic entity. Institutionally, it was a network of local churches stitched together across several cultural zones by lines of communication and
personal relationships’’ (Irvin and Sunquist:107). Tese conclusions are consistent with the axial trajectories of the two previous sections.
From a historical perspective, St. Patrick’s eforts in the pre-Christian era share similar patterns in church multiplication. Prophetically, it is why George Hunter III entitled his study, Te Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity can reach the West again, arguing that modern 20th century church multiplication methods are an anomaly in the context of the breadth of global church history. Hunter argues that continuing such methods lack “both the precedent and the ‘paradigm’ for engaging the West’s emerging mission felds” (Hunter 2000:9-10), resulting in the decline in church attendance as the West becomes postmodern and post-Christian. He concludes that we must take pre-Christian church multiplication and Majority World processes seriously if “all (or most) efective advocates do certain things, or that all (or most) Christian movements do certain things, or that all (or most) primal peoples respond to the gospel in certain ways” (Hunter 2000:11). Hence, pre-Christian, pre-Reformation church multiplication methods strongly support the Majority World presentations as the pattern for the 21st century globally, including the West.
Hunter describes the contrast between the church multiplication eforts of the Roman Church and those of St. Patrick. By the ffth century CE, traditional church
planting eforts required target populations to be frst “civilized,” in order to be considered “a church” (Hunter 2000:17). In other words, the “Roman Way” of church planting relied heavily on the sodality, the establishment of an institutional church, and to have a civilized, Roman identity and appointed Roman leadership. Restricted by this approach, “the Church assumed that reading barbarians was impossible” (Hunter 2000:17). In contrast, during St. Patrick’s lifetime, his “Celtic” church multiplication processes resulted in about 700 churches, the ordination of perhaps a thousand indigenous priests, and with 40 or more of Ireland’s 150 tribes becoming substantially Christian (Hunter 2000:17).
Patrick “found a new kind of church, one which broke the Roman imperial mold and was both Catholic and barbarian” (Hunter 2000:26)
According to Hunter’s case study, St. Patrick leaned more toward modal communities, organic growth, and local patterns of ownership and identity to enable more rapid and efective church multiplication. While monasteries were established throughout Ireland, Hunter argues that they were less “mission stations,” and more the centers of communities. For example, many Irish ceased to go to shamans, but went instead to the monasteries (Hunter 2000: 32). As St. Patrick ordained large numbers of Irish priests, monks, and nuns, church multiplication in many aspects reshaped modalities to become sodalities, so much so that within two to three generations, flled with missionary zeal, it was these
Celtic modal sodalities who went on to “save Europe” (Hunter 2000:40). Tus, Celtic church multiplication grew organically, with ordination seen less as an institutional status, but a commission to share the gospel. Finally, Celtic churches, from the perspective of the Roman Church, remained “barbarian” as churches, even in their theology, and were heavily indigenized (Hunter 2000:70). However, they were so successful that Celtic church multiplication processes even received the blessing from Pope Gregory (Tennent 2010:237). Sadly, when the Roman wing of the Church regained power to espouse only the “Roman Way” in the 7th century CE, the era of Celtic church multiplication came to an end. It would not be until the Counter Reformation in the 15th century that the Catholic Church would once again grow with such speed through the Jesuits (Hunter 2000:43).
Hunter’s case study of St. Patrick is not unique in church history. As church multiplication is no longer seen through the biographies of Western missionaries, and indigenous historiographies become increasingly available, Allen’s conclusion that St. Paul’s methods are more appropriate in the 21st century context becomes increasingly more valid. Readers are referred to Dana Robert’s case studies of Bernard Mizeki among the Shona in the African context and Watchman Nee in the Asian context in addition to that of St. Patrick (Robert 2009:142-172).
SUMMARY
In conclusion, the case studies presented in the CMC are prophetic in pointing us to pre-Christian church multiplication processes in the post-Christian 21st century context. Te case studies have helped to identify a framework to understand what variables defne the trajectory of church multiplication. Learning how to navigate along the axes of sodality-modality, organic-institutional, and local-central agency and identity will aid church planters and multipliers to attain successful outcomes. In refecting on the perspectival horizons presented, one can fnd assurance that such methods are not new nor untested, but have been used far more extensively and far longer than current modern methods by a great host of church planters and multipliers across the ages.
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McGavran, Donald and C. Peter Wagner (2002) Understanding Church Growth, third edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Roberts, Dana L. (2009) Christian Mission: How Christianity Became a World Religion. West Susses: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
Tennent, Timothy C. (2010) Invitation to World Missions: A Trinitarian Missiology for the Twenty-frst Century. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications.
Saarinen, Martin F. (2001) Te Life Cycle of A Congregation. Bethesda: Te Alban Institute.
Wilkes, Paul (2001) Excellent Protestant Congregations: Te Guide to Best Places and Practices. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.
CASE STUDY 5
Rev. Dr. Manik Corea, Singapore
BEING, BECOMING AND DOING - SPIRITUAL FORMATION AND A RULE OF LIFE FOR CHURCH PLANTING
I could not imagine a worse start to a Sunday morning service. Te year was 2015 and my family and I arrived early at the shop house in Bangkok, Tailand where we met as a church-plant. Isaac, my young intern from England who lived on the top foor of the shop-house, was sitting outside the ground-foor kitchen wearing a look of despair and disgust. He told me that the sticky traps we had laid in the kitchen had caught another large, ugly rat which was struggling and squeaking away in fear, but he had no heart to deal with it. (We forgot to add “rat-killer” to the job description for Isaac’s internship!) I put the rat out of its misery and disposed of it before we got on with the Sunday gathering. I was soon leading the blissfully-unaware congregation in singing God’s praises with gusto and preaching my heart out.
Looking back over the 13 years my family and I were involved in cross-cultural missions in a mega-city like Bangkok, there were many more difcult times and harder issues to deal with than those presented by those pesky, relentless rodents. But perhaps rat-infestation is an appropriate metaphor for the irritating and often unexpected, sometimes overwhelming challenges and
difculties that church-planters must be ready to face in the course of their work. It is no easy vocation for those of us who, like the Apostle Paul, have been called by God to be church planters and pioneers of new communities of disciples.14 Personal weaknesses, interpersonal confict, temptations from within and without are things we seem to face often. You can be sure that the devil will fnd every opportunity to throw problems at those who labor at the front-lines of claiming lives and communities for Christ.
Tere were particular demands in pioneering work that are unlike anything I have experienced in any other facet of Christian ministry. Church planters seek to advance the Kingdom of God into new territory, and it takes perseverance and unfagging zeal to go and work with a team, and to see people of diferent communities, backgrounds and cultures, reached and discipled for Christ.
SPIRITUAL FORMATION FOR MISSIONAL VOCATION
Church planting is primarily a spiritual enterprise. It is a Spirit-empowered work rooted in obedience to the Great Commissions in Matthew 28:18-20, where Jesus, on the basis of His universal authority and his guaranteed presence, called the apostles to the discipling of people from every ethnic group on the face of the earth.
14 Paul described in 1 Corinthians 3:6 the work of church-planters and pioneers as “planting” while others, exemplifed by Apollos, were called to water - that is, to nurture through a teaching ministry. In both cases, it is ultimately God who works to bring growth through human agency.
Te making of disciples also necessitates the planting of new churches. Everywhere in the book of Acts, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed and disciples are made, churches are planted.15 Gathering disciples into new churches or communities is the context in which such disciples may be matured, encouraged and multiplied (see Acts 14:21-23).
Yet the doing of Gospel work such as evangelism, making disciples, planting churches and the raising of leaders and shepherds for their on-going maturity and multiplication, can often and easily overshadow the tending of the inner life of those called to pioneer, plant and lead such endeavors. Tis is because church-planters tend to have extroverted personalities and are typically rabid activists, impatient to complete the tasks God has set for them - like Paul’s godly ambition, to go with the Gospel to where no one has gone before (Romans 15:20). Vision and passion often drive them to be and do the things they lead others in. But therein lies a deep challenge.
In their haste to bring to birth what God has shown them, they may rush on ahead, hungry to seek and see the fruit of their eforts, worked out with much blood, toil, tears and sweat. Te result is often that church-planters get burned out by the demands of min-
15 Craig Ott and Gene Wilson, Global Church Planting, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2011, page 23. Ott and Wilson mention that there are only two possible exceptions to this in the book of Acts - the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-39) and the few believers made in Athens (Acts 17:34).
istry and the constant ‘rat-like’ challenges that seek to discourage and drive them to failure or giving up.16 Te work of pioneering and leading teams and pastoring people as church-planters is demanding when it comes to maintaining our inner life and interpersonal relationships within marriage, family and community. We easily believe that our eforts, skill and giftings will exclusively or predominantly determine the outcome of our labors. Tis often creates an unbalanced perception where one prioritizes “doing for Christ” over “being with Christ.”17
Winfeld Bevins and Mark Dunwoody in their book “Healthy Rhythms For Leaders” speak of the rhythm of an ebb and fow to the spiritual life, consisting of inner tending of our walk with God by withdrawal and practices that help us abide in the presence of Jesus, to an outward living out in mission and good works.18 Both are needed, in as much as breathing consists of both breathing in and breathing out. Tey write, “Breathing is a beautiful analogy for the Christian life because it reminds us that our mission is directly connected to
16 In March 2022, a Barna study found that 42% of pastors in the USA considered quitting, and more than half listed “immense job-stress” as the main reason. Source: https://www.barna.com/research/pastors-quitting-ministry/
17 Scarzzero, in his classic study on healthy leadership said the following: “Te emotionally unhealthy leader is someone who operates in a continuous state of emotional and spiritual defcit, lacking emotional maturity and a “being with God” sufcient to sustain their “doing for God.” Peter Scazzero, Te Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming Your Inner Life Will Deeply Transform Your Church, Team, and the World, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015, page 25.
18 Winfeld Bevins and Mark Dunwoody, Healthy Rhythms for Leaders: Cultivating Soul Care in Uncertain Times, Exponential, 2021.
our spirituality...Mission isn’t just doing something for God; it begins and ends with being with God.”19
Tey illustrate this by drawing from church history and the remarkable 6th century Celtic mission in Lindisfarne (or Holy Island) on the North-East coast of England, led by St Aidan, whose missionary teams did so much to spread the Gospel all across northern England. Aidan and his missionary monks followed a “pattern of outreach and withdrawal, advance and retreat” aided by the fact their monastic base was on an island that would be cut of by the tides from the mainland except for low tide twice a day.20 During the times the tide shut them out as an island, the monks would retreat for worship, prayer and rest. But when connected to the mainland, they went out on mission to fnd many similar monasteries that themselves became centers of evangelism and mission.
Bevins and Dunwoody argue that there needs to be a re-discovery of spiritual practices that bring about formation for holistic mission into the world and that form the heart of a truly missional spirituality. We retreat to God to be efective on mission with God. “Te ultimate fruit of spiritual formation is not retreat from the world, but missional engagement with the world.”21 Why is this a critical issue for church-planters and their teams?
19 Bevins, Dunwoody, Healthy Rhythms, page 29.
20 Bevins, Dunwoody, Healthy Rhythms, page 33-35.
21 Bevins, Dunwoody, Healthy Rhythms, page 35.
Because the ultimate fruitfulness of our work for Christ is dependent on how strong and steady our walk is with and through Christ. Terefore, giving attention to the inner life and formation of our hearts is just as important as the specifc vision and mission we are called to in the work of church planting.
DEVELOPING HOLY HABITS THROUGH A RULE OF LIFE
Te church planter is frst and foremost a disciple of Jesus. Christian discipleship is a journey of a lifetime, requiring consistency and constancy of habits that are developed over time to help us and others, to daily deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Christ (Luke 9:23).
Jim Elliot, the famed missionary and martyr, wrote: “one does not surrender a life in an instant - that which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime.”22 In other words, the call on church-planters and all believers is to ensure that our discipleship translates and is refected in the totality of our every-day life - devotion, worship, service, family, workplace, community, recreation, rest and meal-times.
I would encourage every church planter to consider designing a personal Rule of Life to help cultivate inner formational life that supports faith lived out in the
22 Tis quote is taken from the January 31st, 1949 entry in Jim Elliot’s journal. Elisabeth Elliot (ed.), Te Journals of Jim Elliot, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books House, 1978) page 114.
world. A Rule of Life (ROL) is a set of statements outlining a commitment to practice particular devotional acts and life-enriching habits to help guide and direct a devoted follower of Jesus into the pursuit of the will of God by regular and constant practice. Justin Earle points out that the English word ‘rule’ is derived from the Latin word ‘regula’ which is associated with a bar or trellis that acts as scafolding for which a plant can climb on as it grows up.23 In other words, it acts as a support to aid our growth in the right direction. Rules of Life historically provided Christian monastic communities and religious societies with a clear list of communal and devotional acts that were expected to be practiced and followed by all members. Tese rules promoted focus and purpose through acts that were pleasing to God and outward or other-centered. Earley described a reworking of the Rule for Christians today as “a set of habits you commit to in order to grow in your love of God and neighbor.”24 It is meant to help Christians establish holy habits that form faith in increasing measure through daily practice. Te goal of a ROL is to help us live a life of integrity, consistency and honesty that glorifes God. It’s also a means of grace to help us stay focused on God and in love and service to others.25
23 Justin W. Earley, Te Common Rule, Downer Groves: IVP Books, 2019, page 14.
24 Earley, Te Common Rule, page 21.
25 Earley argues thus: “Tis vision—of a whole and coherent life—is the goal of a life curated by habit.” Earley, Te Common Rule, page 163.
BEING, BECOMING AND DOING
In his book “Crafting a Rule of Life,” Stephen Macchia argues that an ROL must be empowered by the Spirit, helping us glorify Christ and follow the example of Jesus.26 He recommends including both specifc rhythms and naming relationships that are part of helping us be and follow after Jesus. Te goal is Christ-likeness. Te illustration (fgure 1) is a sample of some of the rhythms and relational commitments that form the major parts of my own ROL. It is divided and organized into 3 main sections that are inter-related areas of the Christian lifeBeing, Becoming and Doing. Tese areas are supported through regular habits and acts that are either practiced daily, weekly, monthly or annually.
MY RULE OF LIFE:
1. Being In Christ - Anchoring my identity.
A. Daily - Devotion before Devices. First thing every morning, I commit to prayer and a time of reading and refecting on the Scriptures and journaling my thoughts and prayers before I look at my phone or emails.
B. Weekly - Working From Rest.
I’m committed to taking a Sabbath day of regular ministry on Mondays in order to rest, recreate and renew my mind and body.
26 Stephen A. Macchia, Crafting a Rule of Life: An Invitation into the Well-Ordered Way, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012, page 17.
C. Yearly - Retreats for Renewal.
I’m committed to taking an annual retreat (alone or with my wife) to seek the Lord, refect on the past year, hear His Word afresh and seek His direction anew.
2. Becoming Like Christ - Stewarding my calling.
A. Daily - Tending to my family.
I’m committed to reading the Scriptures and doing daily evening prayer with my wife and son, ending each time with the Lord’s Prayer.
B. Weekly - Tending to my Marriage.
I’m committed to having a date night with my wife, watching a movie or going out together.
C. Monthly - Tending to my Faith.
I’m committed to attending a Band (accountability-group) meeting with two other leaders who will keep me accountable to my primary devotion to Christ and His community.
3. Doing Trough Christ - Bearing fruit.
A. Weekly - Evangelistic Relationships.
I’m committed to making time at least once a week to have a meal or cofee with a nonbeliever to witness to him or her.
B. Monthly - Discipling Others.
I’m committed to spending time one-on-one with my young brother who is a leader at least once a month to mentor and disciple him.
3 ELEMENTS OF HEALTH DISCIPLESHIP
As illustrated in Figure 1, these three-fold facets intersect together and add to each other, leading to a holistic expression of discipleship that is devotional, formational and missional.
Te intersection of the Venn diagram, represented by the cross, indicates that the center of true discipleship is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is at the very heart of true faith, the very goal of our lives lived in praise and honor to God, the One we are following and whom we are being made after (Matthew 10:25, 11:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). He is the source, the base, the cornerstone and
foundation of all that is godly and good in us (John 15:5; Colossians 1:16-17; Ephesians 2:19,20; 1 Corinthians 3:11). He is the Who and the Why of our lives!
Tis is fundamental and critical because activity for God can so easily be equated with, or replace, intimacy with God in the life of missions. Why do we do what we do? Or for Whom? Jesus predicted that many will, on the day of His judgment, profess or boast of impressive works of prophecy and miracles, but His dismissive reply will be the same: “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:22,23). Terefore, intimacy with Jesus is primary and preliminary to service for Him. Te question is not “do we know Jesus” but rather “does Jesus know us?” Are we intimate with him? Are we living ONLY for him? Each of the things I seek to live by in my Rule are formed and founded in my true, God-sustained desire to be aligned with the will and call of God in Christ by the Holy Spirit in order to transform, renew and sustain my life of faith.
COHERENCE AND CORRESPONDENCE
“Being” pertains to my true and fundamental identity in Christ (i.e. we are new creations, born from above after his image through God’s regenerative work in salvation). Included in this section are practices that maintain my purity of devotion to Christ through the daily priority of devotional time with God, weekly Sabbath rest, a monthly Band meeting where I am accountable
to two others and a yearly 2-day retreat to seek God and to examine my life before Him.
While “Being” pertains to our roots in Christ (and so tending to the nourishment and support we receive and are dependent on), “Becoming” is about the process of growth into Christ-likeness. We must grow in holiness and righteousness from one degree of glory to another through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Included in this section are practices that build upon the other-centered and relational aspects of life, whether they be my marriage, family or friendships. Each of these help me become all I am called to be in Christ - a husband, a father and a friend before (or rather, in harmony with) any ministerial and vocational responsibilities I might otherwise also carry.
Finally, the practices categorized under “Doing” are connected to the missional nature of my life. Te disciple is called to be a disciple-maker.27 Included in this section are more missional acts - for example, a weekly commitment to build a witnessing relationship with a non-believer and a monthly commitment to be discipling at least one other believer.
27 Matthew 28:18-20
Illustrated in Figure 2 through the cyclical direction of the arrows, each facet of life as a disciple builds and supports the other. Being rooted in Christ is the basis and prerequisite for the on-going process of becoming like Christ.28 Becoming like Christ will ultimately move us toward being His witnesses and workers in the world, to “show and tell” the good news through our actions and interactions with others. Doing the works of God calls us back to cultivating our walk with God, lest we are tempted to do the works of the Kingdom in our own strength and are found wanting (as Jesus emphasized in John 15:5b).
28 We see this in the Ordo Salutis or Order of Salvation, that describes the milestones in the life of faith by which salvation is truly efected. In the Wesleyan tradition, this typically is depicted as proceeding from the following 4 steps, and in rightful order: 1) Prevenient Grace through God’s initiative, 2) Conversion through repentance and faith in Christ, 3) Regeneration through justifcation and 4) Renewal and perfection through sanctifcation.
CONCLUSION
Having an ROL helps us give attention to that which will matter most in our lives and relationships. Church Planter and theologian Stuart Murray said, “church planters need to know their strength and weaknesses…. and be committed to practices that sustain and renew them.”29 Church-planters are judged mostly by the outcome of their works and can therefore be tempted to be pragmatic and hard-working at best, obsessive and compulsive at worst. To call for a greater commitment to self-awareness, prayer, rest and refection may seem counterintuitive for many. However, I have learned and seen that allowing God (through His Spirit and through other people) the power to shape and mold us is the biggest factor in determining if we can last the course of our work and ministry. Humility, accountability and brutal honesty before each other for the sake of God trumps talent and ability in the long-run.
When I was church-planting in Tailand, the Anglican mission I served under had a Rule of Life that all members vowed before God to follow. Among the most distinctive things in their Rule was a call to all their members to abide daily in the word of Jesus, to be in a discipling relationship with their spouses (if married), as well as to take a spiritual retreat (1-2 days) every three months to be with the Lord and to seek to be
29 Stuart Murray, Church Planting: Laying Foundations, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 2001, page 167.
renewed in vision, focus and vitality. Such holy habits were life giving to me in the work of church-planting. Tey helped my team and I defne and refne our plans and purpose so that they aligned fully with God’s will and glory. Tey ensured that we not only did what was right, but for the right reasons. We must be careful in how we build - with care and wisdom (1 Corinthians 3:10). Ultimately, if church-planters do not allow their lives to be ordered after devotion and faithfulness to Jesus, some other love/s will bend us out of shape into despair. Te outcome of the works He has called us to will not last the test of time (on earth) or perhaps even the fre of God’s judgment (on that fnal day) if we are not balanced.30 In conclusion, a ROL will help us keep Jesus as the treasure and telos (goal) of our hearts and daily lives through devotional, communal and missional habits centered around Him. 30 1 Corinthians 3:12-15
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bevins, Winfeld Bevins and Dunwoody, (2021) Healthy Rhythms for Leaders: Cultivating Soul Care in Uncertain Times, Exponential.
Earley, Justin W. (2019) Te Common Rule, Downer Groves: IVP Books.
Elliot, Elisabeth (ed.), (1978) Te Journals of Jim Elliot, Grand Rapids: Baker Books House.
Macchia, Stephen A. (2012) Crafting a Rule of Life: An Invitation into the Well-Ordered Way, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Murray, Stuart (2011) Church Planting: Laying Foundations, Pennsylvania: Herald Press.
Ott, Craig and Wilson, Gene (2011) Global Church Planting, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
Scazzero, Peter (2015) Te Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming Your Inner Life Will Deeply Transform Your Church, Team, and the World, Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
THE CENTER FOR CHURCH MULTIPLICATION AT ASBURY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Asbury Teological Seminary is a community called to prepare theologically educated, sanctifed, Spirit-flled men and women to evangelize and to spread scriptural holiness throughout the world through the love of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit and to the glory of God the Father. Our motto is “the whole bible for the whole world.”
Te vision of the Center for Church Multiplication is healthy, multiplying, and sustainable churches in every context on earth.
Te mission of the Center for Church Multiplication is to recruit, support, train, and connect Spirit-flled church planters to plant healthy, multiplying, and sustainable churches in every context on earth. CCM recruits church planters from ATS and church planting networks, supports church planters through matching grants and prayer, trains church planters through ATS programs, conferences, and coaching, and connects church planters with each other and church planting research, tools, networks, and resources.
Te Center for Church Multiplication also engages global conversations on church multiplication to share ideas and learn from others with a posture of humility, curiosity, and grace.
Te case studies in this book were presented at a gathering of church planting practitioners in Singapore in 2024.
Every year the Center for Church Multiplication sponsors highly participatory gatherings like these (what we call, “Global Hub Gatherings”) to recruit, support, train, and connect church planters, celebrate progress in church multiplication, promote training options through Asbury Teological Seminary, and facilitate conversations on church multiplication issues.
Te ultimate goal of every Global Hub Gathering is to increase the growth of healthy, multiplying and sustainable churches in every context of that region.
To learn more about Asbury Seminary, please visit: asburyseminary.edu
To learn more about Asbury’s Center for Church Multiplication, please visit: asburychurchplanting.com
CHURCH LEADERS ACROSS THE WORLD are hearing the call of the Holy Spirit and they are stepping out into God’s mission. Churches are emerging from disciple-making eforts and people are encountering Jesus Christ and His Kingdom for the frst time.
Te case studies in this book provide a glimpse into how God is building his church in Southeast Asia. Tese stories were presented at a gathering of church planting practitioners sponsored by Asbury’s Center for Church Multiplication. Tey remind us that God is on the move, bringing redemption and restoration in every context on earth.
Te mission of the Center for Church Multiplication is to work collaboratively with the schools and faculty of Asbury Teological Seminary to recruit, support, train, and connect Spirit-flled church planters who plant healthy, multiplying, and sustainable churches in every context on earth. Te Center also engages global conversations on church multiplication to share ideas and learn from others with a posture of humility, curiosity, and grace.
ASBURY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY was founded in 1923 by H.C. Morrison with a class of three students and an audacious seal that said, “Te Whole Bible for the Whole World.” Te mission of Asbury Seminary is “to prepare theologically educated, sanctifed, Spirit-flled men and women to evangelize and to spread scriptural holiness throughout the world.” Te Seminary is a multi-denominational graduate school in the Wesleyan tradition committed to teaching the unchanging truth of orthodox Christianity.
Over 100 years later, the Seminary has more than 13,000 graduates serving in every time zone around the world through social justice initiatives, government, art, mission organizations, education, and the church. Alumni of the Seminary serve around the world in 82 countries, all 50 states, and 148 denominations.