We recently called on all of our Prayer Partners to please pray for Camp Logos on Wednesday (13^th), Thursday (14^th), and Friday (15^th). Today is the last day of camp so please keep praying even after the camp is done but we did want to say God has heard your prayers and was moving in a mighty way last night. At the end of our time of worship at Camp Logos led by Gahn last night, 6 Thai people (that I know of, maybe more) gave their hearts to Jesus and now have their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life.There were about 20 people who came up for prayer but at least 6 of them were taken through the “steps to peace with God” and surrendered their hearts to Jesus.

The Bible says that the angels in heaven rejoice over one person who repents and turns to God in faith. Last night at least 6 Thai young people turned to God in genuine faith. Your prayers played a part in that process. Please keep praying as we seek to reach and train a new generation of authentic followers of Jesus here in Northern Thailand.

Shortly after the camp is done, we will do a video and update for you but wanted you to be able to rejoice with us along with the angels in heaven over these new brothers and sisters in Christ today.

Today is a special day for another reason for us because on July 15, 2016, we sent out a request for pray and a message that informed everyone that we were in the process of purchasing the land that God has now given us. God has blessed us with an awesome multi-purpose building that we have named "The Lighthouse Learning Center (LLC)" or "The Lighthouse" as we call it. I am sitting in my office in this building this morning writing this update. This LLC building belongs to God and is now the home for Baan Athitaan Church (BAC), Grace Language School (GLS), and Channel of Blessing Foundation (which is the legal sister foundation in Thailand for NTIM).

Praise God for God's leadership and provision and for all the awesome partners all over the world (but especially in the USA) that God has called to work together to make disciples of Jesus in and around Northern Thailand. This part of God's world is where some of the least reached people groups in our world today live in darkness with little or no light of Christ and where many that we see come to Jesus are the first person in their entire family to become a follower of Christ. We recently had a building dedication and will send out an update on that as well in the coming days.

Thank you for joining God in what He is doing in and around Northern Thailand through your prayers, through your giving, through sending us as your representatives, and through your coming on mission trips. We are now ready and able to receive mission teams now that the pandemic is mostly behind us.

May God be glorified in all that we do to reach these precious souls for Jesus Christ and equip them to walk with Jesus and become authentic followers of Jesus Christ and share their faith with all the people they know in and around Northern Thailand for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom.

Below is the message we sent out 6 years ago on July 15, 2016

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---Written on my Facebook page and posted on July 15, 2016---

Please Keep us in your prayers. We are in the process of purchasing a piece of land so that NTIM can put up a more permanent "Beach Head" known as Grace Language School (originally began as Lighthouse Language Center 15 years ago). This will be a multi-purpose facility and Lord willing will be where Baan Athitaan Church will also have offices and will have full access to the facility.

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Please keep us in your prayers. 

Until all the people in and around Northern Thailand know Him,

Love & Prayers from A Grateful Heart,

Bro Michael (or Pii Mikun as many Thai people call me.)

“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5

-----------------------------------------------------------

Financial support can be given through NTIM....

Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA Main Website: www.gontim.org

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, unreached people groups (UPGs) are all around us, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives. 

We all calling on all of our Prayer Partners to please pray for Camp Logo on Wednesday (13^th), Thursday (14^th), and Friday (15^th). This camp starts in the morning at 9:00 and will be 2 nights in our new building and 3 full days. This is most likely the most important camp we have ever done and we have about 70 people that will be involved in this “Youth” (jr high, sr. high, and university students).

The reason that we think that this is the most important camp we have ever done is because the name “Camp Logos” is not just a good name but has very significant meaning. Many of you know that the word “logos” is a Greek word used in the Bible to refer to the Bible and to also refer to Jesus as “the WORD that became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus also said that He was the bread of life. We will be lifting up the Word of God in honor of “the Word” that became flesh according to John 1:1,14. 

We also know that God’s Word tells us that we are to live not only on bread alone but also on every “word” that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. So, we felt led by the Lord to design a camp around the theme of helping our young people become more active in reading the Bible, studying the Bible, memorizing the Bible, reflecting on the Bible, and obeying the Bible. That is what “Camp Logos” will be all about. 

Please pray for us each day starting tomorrow morning at 9:00 A.M. Thailand time. Please remember to pray for not only those who are “campers” but also those who will be teaching, leading, or in some way involved in the equipping of this new generation of young Thai people so that as God’s Word tells us in 2 Timothy 3:17, “so that the man or woman of God may be fully equipped for every good work.”

Until the People in and around Northern Thailand know Him,

Michael for the team

“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5

-----------------------------------------------------------

Financial support can be given through NTIM....

Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA Main Website: www.gontim.org

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, unreached people groups (UPGs) are all around us, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives. 

                                                                             

 

Dear Family, Friends, Partners in Ministry,

I must confess that yesterday was an incredibly joyful day when all of us connected to Grace Language School (GLS) (our ESL outreach into the community for our local church and for NTIM) along with our first team of volunteers from the USA since covid hit 2 years ago, got to do an amazing ESL outreach. We are so thankful for our partnership with Crosspoint Church in Gulf Port, MS and our close relationship with the Piper family. About 19 of us got into 2 trucks and a car and drove about 30 minutes to a school on the outskirts of our city (Chiangrai) and put on what we call an “English Fun Day.”

As I understand it, this school had never had a native English speaker come and teach English on their campus and let me tell you, these kids were pumped and very excited about having our team. Let me also tell you that we had a blast. We had lots and lots of fun. We even got a natural chance to share about the real story behind Christmas, which most had never heard before in their life. Imagine a place where you can grow up all of your life and never hear the real Christmas story. That place does exist actually in many places in our world but one of those places is Northern Thailand. What huge opportunities God has put in our hands.

We love Thai people both children, teenagers, young adults, and older adults. We want all of them to know that God loves them. We also love reaching out to Thai people through our English language school. We teach on campus at the new Lighthouse building but we also go into our communities to bless them and take the light to them.

We love bringing volunteer teams over to partner with GLS from the USA, Canada, Australia, and other countries. They come to work with us and to go out together all throughout Northern Thailand, into China, into Laos, and all over Southeast Asia blessing this part of our Lord's world and being the salt and light of our King and reflecting His love to those who have never heard. Here is the link to see some of our pictures of our outreach activities yesterday but we have also included a short video clip of our time together yesterday.

 

Link to pictures: https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=GraceLanguageSchool&set=a.5324608810948349

Short 2 minute Video Clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn0tU3f-rsg

Thank you for all of you who prayed for our outreach. Thank you to all of you who pray for us on a regular basis. Thank you for all of you who pray for us every day. God is listening to those prayers and moving in mighty ways. Please keep us in your hearts and prayers.

Also, a special thank you to all of you who give to NTIM so that we can live and serve the Lord here right in the heart of some of the least reached people in our world today. Out of approximately 150 children that we interacted with all day yesterday, according to the statistics there were less than 2 or 3 of those children who were followers of Jesus and most of them do not know that Jesus died on the cross as the payment for their sins. How will they know if no one tells them?

Will you come help us? We at Grace Language School are in need of a two or three people to commit to come and to serve with us as English Teachers for 1 or 2 or even 3 years and help us take the love and light of Christ into the darkness and let our lights shine brightly for our King and for the expansion of His kingdom. Please pray that God will raise up laborers for His fields here in Northern Thailand that are ripe for the harvest. If you know someone who might be interested, forward this update to them and have them contact me directly at pray4ntim@gmail.com Thank you for your prayers.

May God richly bless you. Thank you for your generosity and for sending us to Thailand. Any gift you would like to make to our normal, everyday ministry, no matter how small or how large, helps us reach people who are the first persons in their entire families to know Jesus.

Until the People in and around Northern Thailand know Him,

Michael for the team

“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5

-----------------------------------------------------------

Financial support can be given through NTIM....

Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA Main Website: www.gontim.org

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, unreached people groups (UPGs) are all around us, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives. 

                                                                             

 

 

As I write this urgent prayer request this morning here in Northern Thailand, I am sitting in one of the rooms at an elementary school here in Chiangrai, Thailand where Grace Language School is doing an English outreach that we call an "English Fun Day." We have a team from a partner church from Crosspoint Church in Gulfport, MS in the USA with us along with all of our GLS Teachers and staff as well as some of our Thai university students and Young adults with us doing this outreach. Please take us before the throne of grace and ask our Lord to help us be the salt and light of Jesus in this school to these kids and teachers. This school has never ever had Native English speakers come to their campus and they are all very excited. We will be teaching and interacting with about 150 kids from about 4 years old to about 12 years old all day along with about 18 Thai teachers from this school. Praise God he has opened up the door for us to do these kinds of outreaches again now that pandemic is dying down. "Here we are Lord, use us."

 Dear Family, Friends, Partners in Ministry,

This is a little long but we felt the need to highlight a few of the things that God is doing here in Northern Thailand.

1) Update on “Lighthouse” building and upcoming Dedication on July 3.   Here are a few pictures that we took yesterday of our multi-purpose building.

Praise God that we have been using this building for almost 1 year now (move in date was July 17, 2021). We are in the very final stages of construction on this new multi-purpose building we are calling the “Lighthouse Learning Center – LLC.” This multi-purpose building functions as the new home for Baan Athitaan Church, for Grace Language School, and for Channel of Blessing Foundation (NTIM-Thailand).

The construction is almost complete with some additional living quarters for some future English Teachers/Missionaries that God is in the process of calling to come and serve God with us (are you one of those people?). I’ll share more on our need for personnel later. We are also almost finished with our outside kitchen and eating area and children’s playground areas. We are very excited about having a small “church family” dedication this next Sunday at the beginning of our Sunday morning service. We are still doing “live-online” services so if you would like to join us online, we will start our ceremony at 10:30 in the morning Thailand time, which is the same time as 10:30 in the evening on Saturday night, US Central Time Zone. We are planning to have a short 15–30-minute ceremony at the beginning of the service followed with a shortened version of our “worship/singing” time and a “short message” on dedicating not only our “things” to God but dedicating our very lives to God.

2) Update on Youth Welcome Back Party on June 10.  

Two weeks ago today, we had our “Youth Welcome back Party. As most of you know, because we live on the other side of the world from the USA, the “summer time school break” is not June, July, and August like in the USA but it is “March, April, and May” in Thailand. God has blessed us with the opportunity and responsibility to care for, to shepherd, and to teach the Bible to a fairly large group of teenagers and university students. Please remember to pray for us as we seek to join God, join parents, and the leaders of a couple of children’s homes in helping love these young people and helping teach these young people to become more authentic followers of Jesus Christ. We have a special time with these young people every Friday night during what we call “Friday night cell group.” Here are a few pictures of this event a couple of weeks ago.

3) Update on Upcoming Youth Camp Called “Camp Logos” from July 13-15.  

We are in the planning and promotion phase of an upcoming youth came we are calling “Camp Logos.” We believe that this is one of the most important, if not the most important youth camp (7^th grade – university students) we have ever put on. The reason that we say that, is because the name “Camp Logos” is not just a good name but has very significant meaning. Many of you know that the word “logos” is a Greek word used in the Bible to refer to the Bible and to also refer to Jesus as “the WORD that became flesh and dwelt among us.” 

 Dear Family, Friends, Partners in Ministry,

I must confess that this last Sunday was one of those Sunday’s where my heart was filled with joy. It was a very special Sunday for us here in Northern Thailand. It was a great time where we celebrated for the first time in our new building both of the ordinances that our Lord gave us to do until He returns. We began our service with the Lord’s Supper, had a time of worship and singing, followed by believer’s baptism and many other activities. 

Baptism is a really special time for us because it is normally a time where we have several people representing several different unreached people groups being baptized. Remember, we are in Thailand where over 95 percent of the 67 million people who live here are Buddhist believers. Thailand is considered the most thoroughly Buddhist country in the world. Yet, God is actively working in and around Northern Thailand reaching down into families where those families have never ever had a follower of Christ in their family. However, through His grace and mercy, God is allowing us to be a small part of seeing people baptized who are the first person in their entire family heritage.

Several of those 6 new believers that were baptized this past Sunday were the first person in their family to become a follower of Jesus. But this is just the beginning of a great work of God in the days ahead.

Today we just wanted to share this good news with you and to thank you for your prayers and for your financial support as we together join God in His great work of Redemption. Please remember to pray by name for these 6 new followers of Christ: Nong Nok, Nong Pat, Nong Wan, Nong Boom, Nong Bum, and Nong Gook-gik.

This is an 8 min video that we ask Gahn to put together for us and wanted to share the link with you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-IY93qUdfM

Here is a link to our Baan Athitaan Facebook page where you can see short videos of each of the people baptized

https://www.facebook.com/BaanathitaanChurch

This is a link to all of our pictures that we have stored on Facebook so that you might be able to see them as well.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=BaanathitaanChurch&set=a.7588400487867364

May God richly bless you. Thank you for your generosity and for sending us to Thailand. Any gift you would like to make to our normal, everyday ministry, no matter how small or how large, helps us reach people who are the first persons in their entire families to know Jesus.

 

Until the People in and around Northern Thailand know Him,

Michael for the team

“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5

-----------------------------------------------------------

Financial support can be given through NTIM....

Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA Main Website: www.gontim.org

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, unreached people groups (UPGs) are all around us, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives. 

                                                                             

 

 Dear Family, Friends, Partners in Ministry,

As I begin writing this update, I am sitting at my desk in Northern Thailand, drinking a cup of coffee, sitting in our new building, in my new office, and thinking about the goodness of God and what God might want me to share with you today.

Since you have not heard about our children’s English Outreach in quite a while, let me take just take a few moments and walk you through certain things that are going on that will help you know how to pray for us.

Jesus loves children. And children loved Jesus. It is amazing how children seem to have this “6^th sense” about people and they respond well to people that they sense are “safe” people.

One of the ways we serve God here in Northern Thailand and reach out into our community is through a partnership with Grace Language School and Baan Athitaan Church. It has been my honor a privilege to lead both of these organizations from the time we founded them over 20 years ago.

*GOD HAS GIVEN US AN AWESOME ESL OUTREACH FOR CHILDREN ON SATURDAYS

Several years ago, we saw the need to open up an ELS outreach to children grades 1-6 in our community. This has been a great way for our church – Baan Athitaan Church – and our school – Grace Language School – to work together in reaching the precious Thai children. This is also a time where we get to train and equip some of our university students in teaching as well. Please pray for us as we continue to grow. Before Covid we were running about 70 children every Saturday. However, since covid those numbers have dropped to somewhere around 50. Please pray for all of those involved in the Children’s ESL Outreach program on Saturdays. As I write this update, there are 6 different groups of Children studying English in our new – multi-purpose facility called the Lighthouse Learning Center. Our Thai Staff, under Ball’s leadership, along with several of our church’s awesome university students, lead this ESL Children’s outreach. Please pray for Ball, Ja, Jay, Pat, Nat, Mon, Mali, Yim, Thip, Jeerawan, and Nana as they help with our ESL Outreach to Children.

Here are some pictures from today and a link to all of the pictures on our Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=BaanathitaanChurch&set=a.7287424944631588

 

Many of the people we see come to Christ are the first person in their entire family to become an authentic follower of Jesus Christ. Please keep us in your prayers as we sense a great move of God during this time and as we begin this new year where Thai people seem to be very open to hearing the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

* OTHER AREAS OF PRAYER WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU

You have heard me say on many occasions, one of the most significant things that I do while serving as God has shaped and gifted me is to faithfully, boldly, gently, and clearly teach God’s truth almost every Sunday morning to our church family that is made up of over 23 different people groups from all over the 10-40 Window and is also a mix of several international groups. Our desire has always been to plant a community purpose driven church that welcomes every ethnic group of people that comes through our doors and not segregate their ability to serve based on ethnicity or nationality but based upon gifting, calling, and heart. We are truly becoming a vibrant and active community church and I believe we have the blessing of God upon us  at this time …… in this place ….. and for His purposes and His glory.

Please pray for what God is doing right here in the heart of Southeast Asia. As Henry Blackaby has said many times, God it truly at work all around us and He invites us to join Him in what He is doing.  

We love you and miss you, but at the same time, are very happy to serve our Lord Jesus in this place, among these people, at this season in life, and for God’s redemptive purposes.

May God richly bless you. Thank you for your kindness and generosity and for sending us to Thailand. Any gift you would like to make toward our normal, everyday ministry, no matter how small or how large, helps us reach people who are the first persons in their entire families to know Jesus.

Until the People in and around Northern Thailand know Him,

Michael for the team

“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5

-----------------------------------------------------------

Financial support can be given through NTIM....

Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA Main Website: www.gontim.org

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, unreached people groups (UPGs) are all around us, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives.                      

You can send donations to support God’s work to NTIM. All donations made are tax deductible and can be made either online at www.gontim.org or mailed to NTIM, P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL  35260

If you would like to get on our email update listing, please send me an email at pray4ntim@gmail.com 

 

Please join us in prayer for this very special weekend coming up today! Because of Covid we are not able to do the large Christmas outreaches that we love to do this time of year but we do have 3 major Christmas events coming up this weekend that we would ask you to pray about. 1) The first one is this Friday night (Dec 17) where we are celebrating Christmas with our Youth and College Age people. 2) The second one is this Saturday morning (Dec 18) where we are celebrating Christmas with all the Children grades 1-6 that study with us on Saturday mornings. 3) Our third Christmas program this weekend is for the Church family and will take place on Sunday morning (Dec19) in place of our normal corporate Sunday morning service. This is a time when God is moving in the hearts of Thai people drawing them to His heart. Please pray for these three upcoming events.

God has also put on my heart to remind you to pray for all the villages here in and around Northern Thailand this season. Here is a short video clip that will help you understand how we like to do outreaches in this part of God’s World. This is a clip of a Christmas Outreach that we did 12 years ago to one of the villages that we have a very special connection too in Northern Thailand. Watch, enjoy, and most importantly let what you see drive you to your knees on behalf of some of the least reached people groups in our world today that live here in Northern Thailand.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------

Financial support can be given through NTIM....

Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA Main Website: www.gontim.org

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, unreached people groups (UPGs) are all around us, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives. 

You can send donations to support God’s work to NTIM. All donations made are tax deductible and can be made either online at www.gontim.org or mailed to NTIM, P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL  35260

If you would like to get on our email update listing, please send me an email at pray4ntim@gmail.com 

 

 

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM NORTHERN THAILAND - Dec 8, 2021

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make "breakfast food" for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made "breakfast" after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad.

I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed that the biscuits were really burnt bad. All my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing...never made a face nor uttered a word about it! When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said, "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then." (I really miss my Dad).

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides--a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"

As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times.

Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. The important thing is how you treat people in those situations that are not so perfect.

I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today...that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of Jesus and learn to be thankful for everything He has given you.

Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding and love is the base of any healthy relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship or work-relationships.

So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Financial support can be given through NTIM....

Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA Main Website: www.gontim.org

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, unreached people groups (UPGs) are all around us, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives. 

You can send donations to support God’s work to NTIM. All donations made are tax deductible and can be made either online at www.gontim.org or mailed to NTIM, P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL  35260

If you would like to get on our email update listing, please send me an email at pray4ntim@gmail.com 

Dear Family, Friends, Partners in Ministry,

As I begin writing this update, I am sitting at my desk in Northern Thailand, drinking a cup of coffee, sitting in our new building, in my new office, and thinking about the goodness of God and what God might want me to share with you today.

Since you have not heard from us in quite a while, let me just take a few moments and walk you through certain things that are going on that will help you know how to pray for us.

Let me begin by saying that even though our world may seem to be falling apart, God’s work of redemption, reconciliation and restoration is continuing to flourish here in Northern Thailand. Even during one of the most horrific pandemics our world has ever seen, God continues His work of transformation.

* GOD IS AT WORK BUILDING HIS CHURCH

Many people have a misunderstanding of the local church. They seem to think that the local church is the building where people congregate for meetings. But the truth is that the local church is not a building but it is a group of believers that come together as a church family.

Another misunderstanding of the local church is that meeting together on Sunday morning is man’s idea and it  is not really important. However, that idea goes against what the Bible says in Hebrews 10:24-25. The great news we want to share with you today, is that in the heart of some of the least reached people and people groups in our world today, God is at work changing lives and building the church here in Northern Thailand, and one of those local churches is called Baan Athitaan Church.

We thank God for the recent opportunity to open back up from the previous COVID restrictions. We had a wonderful church service this past Sunday with 160 people praising our Lord together in our new building. God is Good. If you have Facebook and would like to see some pictures from this past Sunday you can simply click on the link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.6714210025286419&type=3

Many of the people we see come to Christ are the first person in their entire family to become an authentic follower of Jesus Christ. Please keep us in your prayers as we sense a great move of God during this time and as we begin to approach the Christmas season where Thai people seem to be very open to hearing the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

* GOD HAS OPENED UP ENGLISH CLASSES THROUGH GRACE LANGUAGE SCHOOL

As many of you know, one of our most effective outreaches into the community here in Northern Thailand is through the avenue of teaching English through a genuine English language school platform called Grace Language School (GLS). It is also our legal platform where we can get a teaching visa and work permit and work as English teachers who are “ON MISSION.” GLS is designed to target junior high, senior high, and university age students but we also have a number adults that also study with us a couple of evenings each week. There are also a few children’s homes that are a part of our church family that we bless in a special way by giving them scholarships to study at GLS. Over the 20+ years of teaching English, we have seen hundreds of people begin their journey of become genuine authentic followers of Christ by studying English at GLS and what was formerly known as the Lighthouse Language Center. Pray for us as we are always in need of good Native English Teachers who want to build relationships with Thai students for spiritual purposes. Please remember to pray for our current teachers by name: Susan, Michael, Dallas, Hope, Liz, Jay, & Ball (and pray for God to send us a few more teachers).

*GOD HAS GIVEN US AN AWESOME ESL OUTREACH FOR CHILDREN ON SATURDAYS

Several years ago we saw the need to open up an ELS outreach to children grades 1-6 in our community. This has been a great way for our church – Baan Athitaan Church – and our school – Grace Language School – to work together in reaching the precious Thai children. This is also a time where we get to train and equip some of our university students in teaching as well. Please pray for us as we continue to grow. Before Covid we were running about 70 children every Saturday. However, since covid those numbers have dropped to somewhere around 50. Please pray for all of those involved in the Children’s ESL Outreach program on Saturdays.

*NEW BUILDING UPDATE – Multi-Purpose Facility.

Praise God for this new multi-purpose building. It is both beautiful and extremely practical for us. We still have some final touches that need to be done for Building A and Building B to be completed but the building was well enough to move in on July 17, 2021 and on that day we had lots of help from many places and especially from the awesome young people at Baan Eden. 

Here is a great video clip of our move date – July 17, 2021 that Gahn Rattanasongkarm put together for us. Thank you Gahn for loving your church family and being a good example of what it looks like to serve God through your church. Love you. Pii Michael. 

Here is the short video clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ukLMVh8ESw&t=39s

We also thought you might want to see a picture of the property 4 years ago and then 4 years later taken in the same spot.

We also took some pictures just a moment ago and posted them in Facebook. If you have Facebook, just click on the link: https://www.facebook.com/www.gontim.org/photos/a.5120976741251435/5120973177918458

Even though we have “moved in already” we still have some construction and projects that are still far from being complete. One picture below was taken today of “building C” which will be designated for female staff housing as well as a guest speaker apartment.

God has truly been gracious to us through many of you who have given and blessed us with funds to be able to take care of this whole project completely debt free. Thank you for your generous gifts and partnership as we seek to build platforms that will serve God’s purposes and plans for many generations to come and maybe even until our Lord Jesus comes again. Keep us in your prayers as we come to the completion of our building process and begin to plan a “New Building” dedication. We are still uncertain about the date but thinking sometime in March or April of 2022. Suggestions welcome to be sent to pray4ntim@gmail.com 

*EQUIPPING THE NEXT GENERATION – Theological Education Through Online Studies at Thailand Baptist Theological Seminary (TBTS) in Bangkok.

We believe in joining God in equipping Thai leaders and helping them to grow in their ability to lead. Over the last 10 years, we have been very intentional about inviting guest speakers who are very capable Bible teachers to come for a week or two weeks and dedicate that time to equipping our full time staff with both Biblical knowledge and skills to interpret the Bible as well as equipping our full time staff with other leadership skill like “time management,” “team building,” and many other topics. But because of the COVID problems we have not been able to have any volunteers come from out of country and God opened up a door for 4 of our 5 Thai staff to become “on line” students at the Baptist Seminary in Bangkok. I am so thankful for the relationship that we have with A. Chaiwat and for his opening up the opportunity for our Thai staff to study online at TBTS while still living here and working here in Chiangrai. What a great blessing this has been and we would ask that you specifically pray for Ja, Jay, and Ball as they are in their second term of studying 3 courses while working full time and also pray for Bee as she in now taking 1 course this term. Please pray for them and for their growth as a new generation of church leaders.

* OTHER AREAS OF PRAYER WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU

You have heard me say on many occasions, one of the most significant things that I do while serving as God has shaped and gifted me is to faithfully, boldly, gently, and clearly teach God’s truth almost every Sunday morning to our church family that is made up of over 23 different people groups from all over the 10-40 Window and is also a mix of several international groups. Our desire has always been to plant a community purpose driven church that welcomes every ethnic group of people that comes through our doors and not segregate their ability to serve based on ethnicity or nationality but based upon gifting, calling, and heart. We are truly becoming a vibrant and active community church and I believe we have the blessing of God upon us  at this time …… in this place ….. and for His purposes and His glory.

Please remember to also pray for Dallas and Liz and Mary Ella who have recently moved back to Chiangrai sensing God’s leadership to return and serve the Lord in various ways. We are so very happy to have them here.

As I put the final touches on this newsletter yesterday, Liz was teaching level 4 at GLS, Dallas was teaching level 6 at GLS, and Hope was at home having some grand parenting time with Mary Ella. Please keep them in your prayers as they make adjustments and follow the Lord’s leadership step by step for His glory. Here is a recent picture of Dallas, Liz, and Mary Ella.

Please continue to pray for Hope as she now in her 2nd year of taking the lead role as Head of School at Chiangrai International School serving along side Khun Ning. God has gifted and prepared her for this role for such a time as this. Please pray for them as they seek to create an environment where the light and love of Christ can flourish in this international school environment and the help the teachers to embrace the love of Jesus that can then be poured out into the lives of all of their students.

Please pray for what God is doing right here in the heart of Southeast Asia. As Henry Blackaby has said many times, God it truly at work all around us and He invites us to join Him in what He is doing.  

We love you and miss you, but at the same time, are very happy to serve our Lord Jesus in this place, among these people, at this season in life, and for God’s redemptive purposes.

May God richly bless you. Thank you for your kindness generosity and for sending us to Thailand. Any gift you would like to make toward our normal, everyday ministry, no matter how small or how large, helps us reach people who are the first persons in their entire families to know Jesus.

Until the People in and around Northern Thailand know Him,

Michael for the team

“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5

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Financial support can be given through NTIM....

Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA Main Website: www.gontim.org

NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, unreached people groups (UPGs) are all around us, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives. 

You can send donations to support God’s work to NTIM. All donations made are tax deductible and can be made either online at www.gontim.org or mailed to NTIM, P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL  35260

If you would like to get on our email update listing, please send me an email at pray4ntim@gmail.com