“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Our Lord Jesus commands us to make all nations, including the Thai nation, into disciples. Evangelism in the Kingdom of Thailand is the proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the Thai nation, so that those who hear, and believe, can become disciples.
THAI WORD develops new tools for evangelism to the Thai people with the awareness of the following important considerations.
God's Word is the Foundation of Evangelism
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
The Bible in the form of story books. Easy to read. Manageable. Beautiful. Cost Effective.
We cannot proclaim the Christian faith without the Scripture. However, giving copies of the standard Thai translations of the Bible to Thai people is not effective for the following reasons:
- The standard Thai Bibles are very hard to understand.
- The Bible is too big.
- The Bible as a formal religious text may be rejected even before the reader starts to read.
THAI WORD overcomes these problems by developing and giving away stand-alone books of the Bible as well as other Christian books that are uniquely Thai.
Affirm the Thai Identity
Last Supper. Was Jesus a Bearded white man with long hair?
"But I am a Thai. I can't be a Christian."
This is the usual refrain from a Thai person who has heard, understood, or even agreed with the Christian Gospel. Anyone who has done any close-up evangelism in Thailand would be familiar and perhaps exasperated by this reply.
THAI WORD develops and gives away Christian literature and art work that do not reinforce the stereotype of Christianity as a white people's religion.
Thai People Honor Sacred Objects - We Give Sacred Christian Books
Any visitors who have been to Thai homes or businesses would have noticed that Thai people are very spiritually minded. Although, Thai people don't generally discuss truth in religion, they honor sacred objects, sacred days, and sacred places. The reverence for sacred objects poses a challenge for Christians.
But there is one important exception. Sacred Books are honored by the Thai people, but not usually worshipped. Giving away sacred Christian books to Thai homes will increase familiarity to Christianity among Thai people.
Proclaim the Gospel on Christmas and other Christian Sacred Days
Thai people pick auspicious days and times for every important occasion. They consult monks, astrologers, and other holy persons for a good day to get married, build a new house, and even when a baby should be born. (Elective Caesarean birth is very popular in Thailand.)
Normally, Thai people are not very open to hear about the Christian faith. In recent years, however, Christmas is now celebrated along with New Year season in mid to late December. THAI WORD promotes Evangelistic outreaches on Christmas by partnering with churches and Christian organizations.