Last month we got a picture of a woman being baptized. It was Oy, who came to me the last Sunday that we were in the church in Waeng Yai to tell me she wanted to be baptized. It is fantastic to see that it really happened  now. I was glad for four different reasons. (more…)

We moved into our village in Isaan in the beginning of March. Our house is almost at the end of the village and is pretty nice in comparison with the houses most Isaan people live in. At the other side of the road, opposite our house, lives a pretty typical Isaan family. Their house is probably 50 meters from the road and is build behind a little workplace. We didn’t see a lot from these neighbors because they’re busy with work. My wife went for a walk a couple of weeks ago. At the time she left the house, the lady that lives in the other house walked by as well. My wife greeted her in Thai and tried to make a little conversation. She was very surprised to hear the lady say: ‘Oh…you speak Thai. I didn’t know that. I’ve been observing you for weeks (more…)

In what kind of church do many outsiders come to faith in Christ? My research among Thai churches, had a surprising outcome. There are two things that tell you about everthing you need to know about the growth potential of a church. Only two things. (more…)

In my research how people come to the Lord in Thailand, I also looked at the role of the various media. That gave rise to some surprises.

30% of all new Christians said that no media played any role in their conversion. This shows that personal relationships are the driving force in evangelism, and that media can only play a supporting role.

10% said that radio (3%) or television (7%) played a role. This is remarkable for two reasons. First of all, it’s a low percentage. And second, there is much more Christian radio than Christian television. Yet television is influencing more people.

The big surprise however was that 60% of the converts said that printed media played a role in their conversion. 17% mentioned an evangelistic tract. For every positive mention I ever heard about the evangelistic value of tracts, I am sure I heard at least ten negative ones in my life. Yet in Thailand evangelistic tracts were influential in the conversion of almost twice as many people as radio and television combined!

The other 43% mentioned a book. This consisted of three equally large subgroups. The first group meant the Bible. The second a Christian book. And the third group mentioned both the Bible and a Christian book.

Why would printed media be so much more effective in evangelism than broadcast media? Radio and television are much more intense, aren’t they? I do not know what the answer is. But I have two pretty good guesses. First, radio and television are literally broadcast. But Christian books are precision casted. They are mainly given in interactions between people. So they are better suited to support evangelism in personal relationships- and that is the main way that the Gospel spreads.

Secondly, printed media offer the opportunity to re-read something that grabbed your attention. You can lay it down and come back to it later. That is another significant advantage while thinking about the important question whether or not to follow God. What an eye-opener! Even in a country like Thailand, where reading is not all that popular, printed media prove to be the most effective media in evangelism by far. It would be interesting to know how it is in other countries.

Does anybody know?

A church member chatted with a woman in a village about ten kilometers from where we live. In the past she had visited a church, and she wanted to know more about God.

With four people from church we went to her village. We found the woman under a corrugated iron roof next to the main road. That was her shop. Her husband was at home as well. He was winding yarn onto a bobbin. Ten finished sets were hanging in the shop. It probably is a way to make some money, but it certainly won’t make him rich.

Tuk, the wife, told us (more…)

I have an extra free evening. That’s not a reason to be glad, by the way. Since a few months I was teaching the Bible in a neighbouring village. It was a nice group. Often around 10 people showed up to hear the Bible stories. We had our meetings in the village shop, a corrugated iron shed. All passers-by could see what we were doing, and could easily join in.

But it’s over now. Why? Because I’m rumoured to have bought votes in the village head election. (more…)

Do you still remember our friend the Tailor?

This group (pii Faay and friends) started to get more body and more and more children were coming to listen to the bible stories and do a craft. They really liked it and were always full (more…)

Mong lies on a tiny bamboo bed for 24 hours a day. His head has a normal size, but for the rest he has a miniature body that he can hardly use.  So it is not miraculous that for years on end Mong was depressed. But the miracle is that this is no longer the case! Mong lives in Kaeng Khro, an Isaan district with over 90.000 people. A Thai YwaM team shared the Gospel with him, and he came to the Lord. Recently during an evangelistic outreach in his village some other people also expressed interest in the Gospel.

This week I visited Mong and his relatives. I explored whether (more…)

Waaniet is a joyful man who lives in a small village just outside our little bit bigger village. His wife is a Christian and I think he is as well. I study the chronological bible study with him. He understands lost of things in is own simple way.

Last week we talked about the snake who told Eva to eat the fruit. After the lesson he explained to me that that was the problem of today as well. He said it feels like Satan is constantly talking in my ear and that of the people in the world. But when he has this feeling he prays to God that he can do his will.

I went back home and this time I was the one that learned a lesson!

Remember the tailor who was interested in the gospel? Last week my wife went there again but this time she had bad news. She can not become a Christian because then she is not allowed to go to the Buddhist temple anymore, but my wife was still allowed to come and teach the bible.

(more…)

A few weeks ago I went to a local tailor to have some trousers made. She took my measurements and said that it would be ready in two days. When I came to collect the trousers, (more…)

foto: partsnpieces

We always limited ourselves to proclaiming the Gospel. So far we’ve done little in the way of social work. In a rather prosperous country like Thailand social work is possible, but certainly not always necessary. Now we have found something that helps people, is easy to do, does not create dependency and directly suppports evangelism: (more…)

Getting to know a different culture is difficult. I’m living in Thailand for nine years now, and I still get amazed.

Es, a crippled man from our church, had shared the Gospel by phone with his sister in Japan. She came to the Lord and asked him to visit Deng, a friend of hers, so that she would hear the Good News as well. In times gone by Es had met Deng one or two times, so he was willing to go.

I accompany Es to Deng’s village. When we arrive there, we ask the first person we meet (more…)

I was on the way to teach an evangelistic home group, when I was told the people would not be at home. Instead, I ended up chatting with a man who did not stop asking questions. Why do Dutch cows give so much milk? What (more…)

Some people get interested in Jesus by reading a tract, watching a movie or through a family member. Sometimes people get interested by falling out of a tree.

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In the small village where we organise a small Sunday service each week, I learned a wonderful lessen. Every week we celebrate the Lord’s supper”with the (very) small group of Christians. This week (more…)