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Dr. Chana

A STUDY ON CHURCH PLANTING STRATEGY OF KOREAN MISSIONS IN THAILAND

	A STUDY ON CHURCH PLANTING STRATEGY OF KOREAN MISSIONS IN THAILAND SEUNG HOI CHUNG California Graduate School of Theology 1992 CONTENTS CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1 A.The Purpose B.The Importance C.The Method D.The Extent E.The Limitation CHAPTER II GENERAL BACKGROUND OF THAILAND 6 A.General Background 6 1.Historical and Racial Background 2.Social and Cultural Background 3.Religion B.Situation of Christianity in Thailand 50 1.History of the Church 2.Present Situation of Christianity a.Denominational Situation b.Thailand Protestant Churches Coordinating Committee c.Regional Situation 3.Religious Policy of Thailand CHAPTER III HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THAILAND MISSIONS 95 A.Western Missionary Work in Thailand 95 1.Missionary Work of the CCT 2.Missionary Work of the EFT 3.Missionary Work in the S. Baptist B.Korean Missionary Work in Thailand 107 1.The Age of Presbyterian Missions 2.The Age of KIM Missions 3.The Golden Age of Korean Missions C.The Evaluation of Mission Strategy to Thailand 135 1.Direct approach of Missionary Work 2.Indirect approach of Missionary Work CHAPTER IV THE VISION OF KOREAN MISSIONS TO THAILAND 142 A.Vision of Korean Church for Mission to Thailand 142 1.Calling of Korean Church for Mission to Thailand 2.Expectations of Thai Church Leaders for Missionaries B.Evangelization of Thailand and Greater Mission Throughout the Communist Countries in the Region 151 1.Mission for Thai-Tribal 2.Missionary Vision for Communist Countries C.Future Mission Strategy of Church in Korea 158 1.Situation of Korean Missionaries in Thailand 2.Future Mission Strategy of Korean Missionaries CHAPTER V MISSION STRATEGY FOR CHURCH PLANTING IN THAILAND 170 A.The Nevius Methods as General Mission Strategy 170 1.Background and Principles of Nevius Methods 2.The Strengths and The Weaknesses of Nevius Methods 3.Application of Nevius Methods in Korea and Thailand 4.Requirements for the application of Nevius Methods in Thailand B.Pastoral Training for Church Planting as New Strategy 187 1.Through Bangkok Graduate School of Pastoral Theology 2.Through The School of Thai-Tribal Church Workers 3.Through The School of Laos Church Workers 3.Through Pastoral Training Course for Seminary Students C.Example of Church Planting and Growth in Thailand by New Strategy 209 1.Principles of Church Planting and Growth 2.Tribal Church Planting in the North 3.Urban Church Planting in Bangkok 4.Rural Church Planting in the Northeast CHAPTER VI CONCLUSION 226 A.Conclusion 226 B.Proposal 227 APPENDIXES 229 1.List of Korean Missionaries in Thailand 2.Questionnaires and Interview form 3.Brief History and Work of The Korea Presbyterian Mission in Thailand 4.The Constitute of KPM BIBLIOGRAPHY 271 A STUDY ON CHURCH PLANTING STRATEGY OF KOREAN MISSIONS IN THAILAND CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A.The Purpose The Korean Presbyterian Church sent its first two missionaries to Red China in 1912. At that time the Korean Presbyterian Church was established as General Assembly of Church which today is known as “The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Korea.” This Assembly sent a total of six missionaries to China until the work were brought to an end with the closing of communist China to foreign missionaries. Upon the completion of the work in China, a new opportunity opened to enter Thailand in 1956. In the first 35 years of the work in Thailand, the Korean Church has sent a total of 58 families to Thailand including 7 single missionaries. Of these missionary families are still presently serving in Thailand as of 1991, About 1 in 4 of these families are working as professional full-time missionaries. Another 1 in 4 is not working as professional missionaries, but is serving in some other capacity. Finally, about one-half of the families are in language study or are otherwise preparing for their future ministry in Thailand. In its history until the present, the Korean Church has sent a great number of missionaries around the world. The reason for why such a few numbers of missionaries have been sent to Thailand might be said to be due to the lack of a clear strategy by the mission. While the Korean missionaries have served faithfully and with great effort, they still are lacking a clear defined purpose and strategy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assist the Korean churches and missionaries in Thailand in developing a clearer mission strategy. Particular emphasis will be given to church planting strategies in Thailand since most Korean missionary’s desire to plant new churches, but are still unaware of which strategies will be most effective in Thailand. The strategy of Korean missionaries has been strongly influenced by the well-known Nevius method. Korean missionaries believe the Nevius method is applicable for future ministry in Thailand. This Nevius method involves the principle of establishing self-supporting, self-governing and self-propagating churches. Critics may argue that these principles have failed in Thailand. However, the failure has not been in the principles as much as in the way those principles were applied and carried out. Therefore, this study seeks to re-examine the Nevius method and to affirm its principles as an effective way to plant churches in Thailand. In this way this study seeks to explore the points of weakness and failings in the application of the Nevius method in the past so as to present a new strategy for church planting in Thailand for the future. This new strategy will still lie in the bounds of the Nevius principles but will be adapted and modified to fit the situation and context of Thailand. B.The Importance A study of this nature must have a practical application and benefit. The practical Importance of this study is that the Korean Church seeking to work in Thailand needs to have a clearly defined strategy, especially in the area of church planting methods which requires different methods in Thailand than those that are effective in Korea. If the gospel of Christ is to be spread throughout all of Thailand, it will require the establishment of new strong churches that are trained and ready to take on the responsibility of doing their part in reaching the entire world for Christ. Specifically, churches in Thailand need to have a vision for missions at least to their neighboring countries in southeast-Asia such as Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Burma with whom they share some cultural and historical similarities. This is in keeping with a goal of the Thai church to have sent at least 60 missionaries by the year 2000. Most of these missionaries will be sent to neighboring countries. Thus, a study such as this can have a very important contribution to make to that mission. C.The Method The method of this study will begin with an examination of the general background of Thailand in Chapter II. This will involve a look at the historical and racial background, the social and cultural background and a view of religious beliefs. The purpose of this belief overview of the social and historical background of Thailand is to give the reader a basic understanding of the situation and context where in the missionary is seeking to establish new churches. In Chapter III we will examine the history of missions in Thailand beginning with western missionary work over the past 163 years. The history of Korean missions in Thailand will then also be studied. Although Korean missions have been in Thailand 35 years, it is only in the last 10 years that they have had a real strong missionary effect. In any case, the various mission effects and organizations will be examined regarding their foundation and strategies. Chapter IV will then go on to give a call and vision of Korean missions in Thailand and throughout the greater south-east Asian region. Finally, Chapter V will seek to establish a mission strategy for church planting in Thailand. This strategy will depend largely on the principles of the Nevius method, but will seek evaluate and improve the application of these principles in order to establish a new and more effective strategy for church planting in Thailand. Specifically, the Bangkok Graduate School of Pastoral Theology will be presented as important part of that new strategy along with various examples of other training centers throughout Thailand and even in Laos. This method of training pastors and leaders up to a Master’s Degree level will be shown as an essential and vital part of building up the church in Thailand. Strong leadership will result in strong churches and in such churches the Nevius method can be successful. In conclusion, specific examples of how this new strategy has been applied and the results for those cases will be presented as models of this new strategy. D.The Extent The extent of this study will focus specifically on church planting strategies for Thailand. It shall also extend to include some of the historical, social, and religious background of the Thai so as to better understand their situation. In seeking church planting strategies, a historical look at the method of various missions over the past 163 will be given. Finally, primary emphasis will be to the development of a specific church planting strategy based on the principles of the Nevius method, but adapted and improved for the situation in Thailand. The Extend of the strategy includes the training of Bible school students up through postgraduate students who are already involved in ministry as pastors. E.The Limitations A study of this breadth and magnitude is bound to encounter some limitations and difficulties. In terms of academic limitations of this study, the primary limitation is simply that time and space will not allow a complete detailed examination of all the issues and topics raised in the study. Rather, a general overview of Thailand and its history of missions are intended to serve only as the backdrop of a more detailed discussion of a church planting strategy for Thailand. In term of the practical limitations in the application of this study, there are many language and cultural barriers to cross even for the Thai missionary being sent out. However, these difficulties and limitations are not insurmountable as we give ourselves fully to the work. CHAPTER II GENERAL BACKGROUND OF THAILAND A. General Background 1. Historical and Racial Background a. Racial Origin It is important to consider the origin of the Thai people and in particular the origin of the various hill tribes in the north. Unlike the nation of Israel which has a very detailed record of their origins, there is still much uncertainty about the origins of the people of Thailand. Experts have presented numerous views in the origins of different people and tribes in Thailand ranging from Tibet, North Thailand, or possibly some migrated from south Thailand northward living for a long time in southern China. In any case, it appears that the origins of many hill tribes have evolved from a mixture of people so that their language and culture do not have a single origin. Therefore, when we prepare to share the gospel amongst the various hill tribe people, we must take into consideration their own cultural background. b. Historical The history of Thailand is very complex and dates back to at least the Sukhotahi period in about the 13th century A.D., In 1219 Phrakhunsriintratthit became the first King of the Sukhotahi period and established his throne in the city of Sukhotahi. His reign was the beginning of a line of 9 Kings who reigned over a period of about 200 years. Most notable was King Ramkhamhaeng, the third King of the Sukhotahi period, who established the Thai alphabet system. The next major period in Thai history is the Ayudhaya Empire. The city of Ayudhaya was established around 1350 A.D. and became a center of a growing empire for around 417 years until the year 1767. During this time a total of 33 Kings reigned over Ayudhaya. It was also during this time that the first Roman Catholic missionaries entered Thailand. The third period of Thai history is the Thonburi period. The kingdom was moved to Thonburi in 1767 by King Taksin when the city of Ayudhaya was by Burmese soldiers. However, the kingdom resided in Thonburi for only 15 years before being moved to Bangkok where the center of the kingdom has remained for over 200 years until the present time. In 1782 King PhraPhutthayotfa Chulalok became the first King of the present period and established the Chakri dynasty in Bangkok. He is more commonly known as King Rama I, During the reigns of King Rama I through King Rama III, the country of Thailand prospered little and saw change. However, beginning with the reign of King IV and onward the country began to develop and improve its living conditions as it entered the modern era. The most significant change in the present era has been the change to a constitutional monarchy and a democratic government. This change was carried out in a peaceful coup by military leaders on June 24, 1932 during the reign of King Rama VII. 2. Social and Cultural Background a. Social Thai society has gone through a number of changes from its origins as a traditional society in the early periods of its history until the emergence of its modern society found in Bangkok today. The Paternalistic dimension of Thai society has always been a dominant characteristic which made the social structure similar to a family structure. In the Sokhothai period the King was like a father to the people, and the people like children in that they were dependent on his goodness. Traditional Thai society from the Sukhothai period onward had at least four recognizable classes including, (1) Royalty (2) Royal servants (3) The common people and (4) Slaves, Slaves often being comprised of people conquered from neighboring states. In the period of Ayudhaya the status and power of the King were exalted making him the official owner of all property giving him the power to determine the fate of any individual. Thus, the average person had few personal rights and no rights to personality own property. Furthermore, in this period the Buddhist Wat(temple) began to serve as the cultural center of Thai society with education, medicine, religion and culture being passed on through the organization of the local Wat. Boys between 14 and 15 generally entered the Wat for a period of time for studies and training. Thus, Thai society was founded and based on the teachings of the Lord Buddha through the teachings of the Wat. The Thai people have since been characterized as being a gracious people with elaborate manners and rules of conduct. Thai society in the Thonburi and Bangkok period up until 1932 continued to be characterized by the dependence of the common person on the benevolence and good will of the King and the royal officials. However, with the acceptance of the constitutional monarchy in 1932 Thai society evolved into a modern society with the common people being invested with rights and privileges to govern themselves. Though the formal power of the King has diminished and the state of the common person improved, highest reverence for the King continues to be maintained and relationships of benevolence and dependency still pervade the social structure. b. Cultural Thailand was established upon the principles of Thai Buddhism from its earliest beginnings until the present. Thus, Thai culture has been greatly influenced and molded by the beliefs and customs related to Thai Buddhism. c. Social systems and values Professor Suphatra has stated that the social system of Thailand is characterized by the following qualities; 1) It is a slow paced society. 2) It is a society of little change. 3) It is an agricultural society with over 80% of the people working in agriculture. 4) It is a society full of culture and moral values. 5) It is a society of low education. 6) It is a society where people prefer to work close to their home town not venturing off to far. 7) It is a society of class structures based on wealth, education and status. Furthermore, it is important for the missionary to understand the values of Thai people so as to understand how we can best work with them. The highest Thai values are reverence for the King, Buddhism and a love for the nation of Thailand itself. Beyond these fundamental values are many values which characterize Thai people. First, Thai people have a high respect for people in positions of status and authority. Unlike western people who regard all people as basically equal, the Thai person gives greater reverence to those in positions of authority and honor. This would include a high respect for one’s elders in the family and community and for one’s superiors at work. Related to this, Thai people show great reverence for the benevolence that one has received from others. Thus, attention is given to recognize and honor the kindness and help that one has received from parents, teachers, and others in authority extending up to the kind benevolence of the King. Another value of Thai people is their love for fun and pleasure. Even in their work Thai people seek to do their work in a way that is fun and enjoyable and not too serious. Related to this value is the general preference of people to do whatever is the most convenient and comfortable. There is generally not a lot of concern given to keeping everything in conformity to strict rules of order. Thus, their lives are often characterized by a rather carefree and easy going attitude. While in one sense these values may be good and healthy in relieving stress and tension, they also leave people open to Satan and the control of the flesh. Yet another value shared by many Thai is personal freedom. Thailand is a proud nation never having been under the control of a western power. Individuals also prefer not having to live under the control or authority of others. This has led to a kind of individualism in which persons may seek their own interests rather than the interest of the group or society. Thus, it may be difficult to organize people together in a united effect. The Thai in general give high importance to ceremonies and rituals. There are ceremonies and rituals for the various stages and events of one’s life and ceremonies for special days throughout the year. The Thai often love to organize large celebrations and ceremonies as large as they are able to afford for the enjoyment and status they bring. The Thai enjoy the middle way as the Lord Buddha himself taught. Thus, a Thai may avoid extremes in beliefs or lifestyle and may avoid taking any position that would cause hardship or conflict with another person. The Thai can forget easy and therefore seek to live a carefree life. In summary, the life style of Thai people may in general be characterized by a pursuit of comfort, convenience and personal fun and pleasure. They are carefree people who easily forget and forgive seeking to avoid conflict whenever possible. These values have developed within the cultural mindset of Theravada Buddhism. 3. Religions a. Establishment of Buddhism The Thai are very religious people dating back from earliest times. Besides adhering to the dominant Theravada Buddhism, the Thai have also combined with this a mixture of other belief systems including Spiritism, Brahmanism, Astrology, and local folk legends. Thus, the Thai have created their own unique blend of all these various religions according to whatever will bring blessing and prosperity to the adherent. There is no pure Buddhism in Thailand that has remained true to the original teachings of the Lord Buddha. Likewise the mixture of religious beliefs in Thailand has caused confusion about the gospel and slow acceptance of the exclusive claims of Christ. As we seek to spread the gospel of Christ, we can never forget that these beliefs have been firmly established in the lives and the hearts of the Thai people over many countries and it will not be easy for them to be dislodged. The sixth King during the Ayudhaya period, King Leuthai, entered the monastery and proceeded to write a book on the doctrine of Buddhism. He also did much to spread the teachings of Buddhism throughout the kingdom so that from that time forward the Thai have been acculturated in Buddhism. It was at this same time that Brahmanism began to have a wide influence in Thailand. Thus, Buddhism, Brahmanism, and Animism have been in control of the Thai people ever since the Sukhothai period. During the Ayudhaya period Buddhism increased its influence in the lives of most people, especially in the reign of the ninth King, PhraBorommatrailokanat. This King also entered the Wat to become a monk and became the leader of Buddhism in Thailand. Later in the 31st reign of the dynasty, King Phra Phetratcha joined in cooperation with the country of Sri Lanka to bring about improved training of Buddhism in Thailand since the Sukhothai period. Its influence is best seen in the various ceremonies which are performed on important occasions and have often originated from Brahmanism. Although today there are only about 5,000 actual Indian Brahmans, their influence is widely felt. In summary, the following observations can be made about the influence and importance of Buddhism in Thailand: (1) Buddhism is the national religious of Thailand. (2) Common faith in Buddhism has helped to unite the Thai people as one. (3) Buddhism has been the basis of everyday life in Thailand. (4) Buddhism in Thailand has been an example of the syncretism of several religions into one (5) While Buddhism is the national religion, there still is freedom of religion for other of different faiths. (6) The Buddhist is able to live in harmony with other of different religions. (7) The Thai government recognizes the importance of other religions and invites them to work in Thailand for the benefit and peace of the Thai people. b. Other religions Christianity first entered Thailand by the Roman Catholic traders in 1518. However, the first Protestant missionaries entered Thailand with the gospel in 1828 coming from America. Yet until the present Christianity still has not any major in road into the mainstream of Thai Society. Islam, which is Thailand’s second largest separate religion entered Thailand during the Sokhothai period through Iranian traders. Since then Muslims have entered Thailand from India, Malaysia, Cambodia, China and Indonesia. In 1989 the Ministry of Education Affairs (Department of Religious) reported that the Muslim population in Thailand was at that time 2,443,486. However, it should be noted that 87.5% of these Muslim are Malay Thais and only 12.5% are of true ethnic Thai origin. The Muslim population is primarily concentrated in south Thailand in four provinces near the Malaysian border. These provinces are Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani, and Satun where over 70% of the population is Muslim. In recent years the Muslim population in south Thailand has been of concern for the Thai government due to security concerns and public unreset. Finally, Brahmans from India have a population of about 5,000. However, the influence of Brahmanism in various ceremonies and customs is much more widely felt. Sikhs, also from India, first arrived in 1894 and have come primarily in the business sector. In 1963 Sikhism was recognized by the government as an official religion registered in Thailand. The overall religious situation in Thailand is one in which there is freedom of religion for all persons of all faiths. There is no overt oppression of any particular religious group. These freedoms are provided however with the provision that religious practices by any group not bring about the division of the Thai people or bring instability. Thus, religious freedom exists in the shadow of the formidable structures of Buddhism which unite the people claiming 87.79% of the Thai population. B. Situation of Christianity in Thailand 1. History of the Church a. The beginning of the Gospel The first Protestant missionaries to enter Thailand with the gospel of Christ were Carl Gutzlaff, a German doctor, and Jacob Tomlin of the London Missionary Society. They arrived in Bangkok on August 23, 1828 and were granted permission to work amongst the Chinese in Bangkok. They were very hard - working missionaries who after 6 months of language study assisted in the translation of the four Gospels and Romans from Chinese with the help of a Chinese immigrant and a Burmese man. They also began a English – Thai Dictionary which they completed up to the letter “R”. In the early years little fruit could be shown for their labors. This first believer, a Chinese convert named BoonTee was baptized by Gutzlaff in 1932. Realizing the immensity of the task before them Tomlin and Gutzlaff sent letters to Mission agencies in America pleading for additional help. In the next decade three Protestant mission agencies entered Thailand making the beginning of mission work in Thailand. They were the American Baptists, the ABCFM(American Board), and the Presbyterian Church from America. b. Belief history of Church growth Using the analysis of Dr. Alex Smith, the history of protestant missions in Thailand can be divided into seven different periods as outlined below. 1833 -1851 Pioneer Years. During these years three missions were established in Thailand. Although the London Missionary Society sent the very first Protestant missionaries to Thailand, they soon were forced to withdraw after just a few years. Thus, the first permanent mission to enter Thailand was the American Baptists. Rev. John Taylor Jones arrived in Bangkok in 1833 to begin work among Chinese and Thai. The Baptist work has continued to the present. Then in 1834 the first long term missionaries of the ABCFM, Charles Robinson and Stephen Johnson and their wives entered Thailand. By 1840 they had 10 couples and one single woman on the field. Unfortunately, the mission was faced with many difficulties that forced them to leave Thailand in 1849 having seen only a handful of Thai come to Christ. Part of the difficulty was illness and death which claimed the lives of 6 missionaries. From this group of missionaries, two of them are most notable. First, Dr. D.B. Bradly became a well known doctor in Thai history and helped to introduce the cholera vaccination in 1840. Also, Rev. Jess Caswell was given the opportunity to be a personal language tutor for Prince Mongkut, the future King, which brought good relations with missionaries. The third mission established was the American Presbyterian Mission. Their first missionary, William P. Buell arrived in 1840 with his wife but were forced to leave in 1844 due to illness. In 1847 two new couples and a missionary doctor arrived to begin the mission again. 1851-1883 Establishing Christianity in Thailand. During this period the primary growth of the newly established Church in Thailand took place among the Chinese and in the North Thailand. The Presbyterians established new mission compounds in Phetchaburi and Ayudhaya. Then in 1867 Rev. Daniel McGilvary established his well known mission station in Chiangmai. From this location work was also carried out into to Laos. In his 30 years of mission work he saw 21 Thai converts and 13 Chinese. Other highlights of this period include a large movement of Karen to Christ beginning in 1880 and the “Edict of Religious Toleration” passed by King Chulalongkorn in 1888. 1984-1914 Period of Great Church Growth This period saw a great growth in the number of churches and members. In 1884 there were 11 Protestant churches and 1,841 members. By 1914 this had almost tripled to a total of 26 churches and 6,934 members. Most of this growth was in the North which comprised 90% of the Christians. 1914-1941 Period of Social Programs. During the period mission agencies such as the American Baptist and the Presbyterians invested much money and time in the establishment of schools and hospitals. However, these efforts saw very little spiritual fruit and the growth of the church slowed to a minimum. 1941-1945 Period of Persecution and Purging. The church in Thailand was greatly impacted by the outbreak of World War II and the occupation of the Japanese in Thailand. This was a time of purging for the church with an estimated 20-40 percent of church members leaving the faith. The number of Protestant Christians thus dropped from around 10,000 to as low as 6,000 in this period. Furthermore, all mission work was interrupted with most being forced to return home during the War and a few missionaries falling into captivity under the Japanese. 1946-1982 Period of Missionary growth. Since World War II a great expansion of the missionary force in Thailand has brought many new mission agencies into Thailand with Protestant missionaries numbering over 1,000. A committee for Evangelism was established and a great evangelistic effort carried out. The greatest growth in membership has occurred under the Church of Christ in Thailand which has seen 11% growth and in the first two years after the war experienced 20% growth to a membership of 13,425. Growth continued such that in 1978 the CCT had a membership of 28,000. Growth was also experienced in order missions as the total number of Protestant Christians reached 105,581 by 1986. Dr. Alex Smith stated the following reasons as the catalyst for the rapid growth of churches. (1) An emphasis on evangelism. (2) The increase in training seminars in the church. (3) Improved training of church leaders. 1982-2000 The Present and Future. There are no statistics available for this period as the government seems to becoming more restrictive on missionary work. The number of missionary visas has likewise been limited to just over 1,000 slots. Nevertheless, there has been increased cooperation among mission agencies and churches as witnessed by the establishment of a Coordinating Committee of Protestant Churches in Thailand in 1988. Some of their projects included the Lois Palau evangelistic crusade and the vision 2,000 program. This program has set goals of having 600,000 Christians, 6,000 churches, 6,000 trained pastors, and 60 Thai missionaries by the year 2,000. This last goal of having at least 60 Thai missionaries sent out to primarily neighboring countries is a point of great excitement as we see our role in working together with the Thai church in accomplishing these goals. 2. Present Situation of Christianity a. Denominational Situation As of 1991 the total number of Christian in Thailand including both Roman Catholic and Protestants was 534, 086 or 0.965% of general population. After 165 years of protestant missions in Thailand, the number of protestant Christians totaled 320,905 numbers in 854 churches. The total number of Roman Catholic Christians was 222,181 members in 331 churches. Protestant missions reported 1,125 missionaries and 1,158 workers with 382 organizations, 2 Universities, 32 hospitals and clinics, and 231 Schools, and 20 Bible Schools and Theological Seminaries. All mission agencies in Thailand must work under one of the five recognized Christian religious organizations which are all under the Ministry of Education Affairs. Of these five groups, the three major ones are; 1) The Roman Catholic 2) The Church of Christ in Thailand and, 3) The Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand. There are two other smaller groups which include; 1) The Baptist Church Foundation (Southern Baptist Convention) and, 2) The Seventh Day Adventists. Thus, there are 3 protestant groups recognized by the Thai government. A belief description of these five groups is given below; 1) The Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT) Missionaries of what is today the Church of Christ in Thailand first began their work in 1822 and 1840 by the American Baptists and the American Presbyterians respectively. In 1934 several of the existing missions at that time joined together to form the Church of Christ in Siam which included the above two missions, the Disciples of Christ and the Anglican mission as well as others. At that time the Church of Christ in Thailand had 9,421 members who joined the new organization. However, in 1934 other members dissented from joining. In 1957 a very important decision was made by the Presbyterian Mission to turn over all of its records, accounts and finances to the national church. Other missions of the CCT decided to make this same change in 1963 making a new era in their relationship with the national church. As of 1991 the CCT reports a total of 45,625 members in 283 churches, 108 Christian groups with 157 Thai Christian workers and 106 missionaries. The mission also has 2 Universities including the McGilvary Faculty of Theology, Payap University in Chiangmai. While the CCT desperately needs workers, it reports that only 1 in 5 of its graduates enter into pastoral work. The CCT has had a total of 7 Korean missionaries serving in Thailand. Three missionaries sent by the Presbyterian Church in Korea entered Thailand in 1956 and 1964. Four other missionaries serving with the Korea International Mission arrived in 1971. All of these Korean missionaries served under the CCT. 2) The Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand (EFT) Soon after World War II, many new missions began to enter Thailand and did seek to affiliate with the Church of Christ in Thailand. Therefore, the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand was organized to bring together the various evangelical groups under one umbrella. The EFT received recognition from the government in 1969. As of 1991 the EFT reported that it had 14,027 members in 245 churches with 161 Thai Christian workers. They also reported having 822 missionaries serving under them from 51 different foreign mission agencies. Some of the larger missions include the OMF, C&MA, WEC, New Tribes, and Finish Free Mission. The EFT also operates 10 Bible institutes, 3 Christian schools, and 2 Hospitals. In 1979 Rev. Chana Senug Hoi Chung of Korea received an invitation from Dr. Charan, Chairman of the EFT, to enter Thailand and establish the Korea Presbyterian Mission in Thailand. He was given 20 missionary visa slots and the freedom to establish his own mission organization in Thailand. This was the first and only Korean mission to be established in this way. The KPM has since invited 8 Korean missionaries and some western missionaries to serve together in Thailand. Also under the umbrella of the KPM, the Korea Global Mission was established in 1988 and has invited five missionaries to come through the KPM visas. Finally, the Holiness Church has had 7 Korean missionaries come through the Muang Thai Church of which 3 are still serving in Thailand. 3) Baptist Church Foundation (Southern Baptist Convention) The Southern Baptist Convention first entered Thailand in 1949 sending 13 missionaries at that time. They began work among the Chinese starting the Grace Baptist Chinese Church in Bangkok. Later work also focused on the Thai and rural areas. After 42 years of service, the Baptists report having 2,021 members in 45 churches with 33 Thai Christian workers. They also have 45 missionaries and operate 1 hospital. The Thailand Baptist Theological Seminary is their one seminary. The Baptists also manage the Baptist Student Center and the Baptist Education Center. There are no Korean missionaries serving with them. 4) The Seventh day Adventist. The first missionary of the Seventh day Adventists entered Thailand in 1919. After 72 years of work they report having about 5,000 members in 40 churches with 100 Christian Thai workers. They also have 84 missionaries in Thailand. Their institutions include 4 Hospitals and clinics, 8 Christian schools, 1 publication center, and 1 Bible institute. 5) Roman Catholic Church Roman Catholic missions have a long history in Thailand beginning as early as the 16th century with missionaries from Portugal. After some 436 years of missions in Thailand, the Roman Catholic Church today reports having 222,181 members with 1,944 foreign priests, sisters and other workers. They operate a number of institutions such as 2 Universities, 114 Schools, 1 Bible institute, and 20 Clinics and Hospitals. Their mission work has also been heavily involved in many social services including 43 orphanages, 12 homes for the elderly, 19 vocational schools, 11 development centers, 8 leprosy clinics, and work in 4 refugee camps. b. Thailand Protestant Churches Coordinating Committee 1) Thailand Church Growth Committee The Thailand Church Growth Committee was established in 1971 upon the completion of Thailand’s first church growth seminar with Dr. Donald McGavran as the speaker. The Committee had both Thai and missionary representation and received support from many major mission agencies in Thailand including World Vision and the OMF. The committee was established with nine major objectives; a. Stimulate spiritual fervor for prayer and revival. b. Develop cooperative evangelism across denominations. c. Strengthen and train local church leaders in evangelism. d. Organize regional and national evangelism conferences. e. Communicate reports about church growth. f. Publish relevant church growth tools, manuals and books. g. Research factors of church growth in Thailand. h. Provide consultation services for local churches. i. Keep facts concerning church growth. The Thailand Church Growth Committee has sponsored many very important seminars and conferences for the churches in Thailand. These include the Congress on Evangelism three times, and the “Towards New Life” campaign. The Thailand Church Growth Committee has also enjoyed a good relationship with Korean churches and with the Korea Presbyterian Mission in particular. In fact, several trips have been made by Thai leaders beginning since 1978 to visit churches in Korea so as to learn from Korea’s revival fervor in prayer and church growth. 2) Thailand Protestant Churches Coordinating Committee The Thailand Protestant Churches Coordinating Committee was established in 1988 following the Congress on Evangelism attended by 600 people. The Committee is the largest Christian Committee in Thailand uniting the CCT, the EFT, and the Baptist Convention. The Committee was established with the following three goals; a. To establish unity among Protestant groups. b. To coordinate work among Protestant missions. c. To represent the Protestant community before the government with one voice. c. Regional Situation 1) The North Work in the north has primarily been done by the Presbyterians and CCT ever since McGilvary established his mission station in Chiangmai in 1867. The McGilvary Faculty of Theology is at the highest level of theological training available in Thailand. However, it has struggled with keeping enrollment up and its teaching is of a liberal perspective. Today about 21.5% of Christians in Thailand live in this northern region. The north also has a lot of work among tribal groups since about 1950. Missions working with tribal groups include New Tribes Missions, Overseas Missionary Fellowship, American Baptists, and the Church of Christ, USA. This has proved to be a very faithful area of ministry with tribes coming to Christ in mass movements. 2) The Northeast Mission work in northeast Thailand, or lsarn, has largely been the responsibility of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. The C&MA entered Thailand in 1929 having had previous work in Cambodia. From the beginning they have worked in this area including Ubon, Nakornrachasima (Korat), Udon, Khonkaen and other provinces. They established an Association of churches known as the Gospel Church of Thailand and also established a Bible school in Khonkaen called Central Bible School. However, their history has also been marked with some turbulent times of trouble between the mission and church leaders causing some of the churches to separate from them and join the CCT. 3) The Central The Overseas Missionary Fellowship has been a mission leader in this part of the country along with their work in the north and south. They established a loose association of churches called the Association of Churches in Thailand. OMF work in central Thailand has involved 8 provinces and 30 churches. The work also was originally heavily involved in leprosy clinics and a hospital. Another noted mission in this area and working in north central Thailand has been the Finish Free Foreign Mission serving in Thailand since 1946. 4) The East In 1949 the Baptists began work in Thailand and have established churches in Ayudhaya, Chonburi, Nan, Chanthaburi, and Bangkok. 5) The South The Overseas Missionary Fellowship has established a very difficult mission among Muslims in the south near the Malaysia border. Also, the Scandinavian Pentecostal Mission has established the Association of Full Gospel Churches in the south along with one Bible School in Suratthani. This school was closed in 1990 and a new school has now opened in Prachuabkirikharn. 6) Bangkok Bangkok has once again become a focal point for the work of many missions as it is the very heart of the nation. Presently, there are 79 Protestant churches and 55 Roman Catholic churches. Roman Catholic membership in Bangkok is 125,114 comprising 23% of the Roman Catholic population in Thailand. Some of the major and historical Protestant churches include Maitrichit Baptist Chinese Church (a Chinese church started by the American Baptists), Grace Baptist Chinese Church (Southern Baptists), Saphan Leuang Church, Saton Church, and Wattana Church (Presbyterian), Jaisaman Church(Pentecost), and Hope of Bangkok Church(Independent Charismatic). Bangkok also is the home of the several Bible and Theological schools. The Bible Institute of Thailand was started by CCT., Thailand Baptist Theological Seminary was founded by the Baptist Foundation. Finally, Bangkok Bible College was established in 1971 as a joined effort of the C&MA and the OMF under the EFT. Many of these schools have faced difficulties with high costs and low levels of enrollment. 3. Religious Policy of Thailand a. Freedom of Religious belief When McGilvary began in work in the north in the late 1800’s he faced some opposition to his work by officials. This caused him to plead for help from U.S. government officials who in turn made a request to King Chulalongkorn, Rama V. This resulted in the Edict of Religious Toleration which has now become a part of the modern Thai constitution guaranteeing the right of freedom of religion to all citizens. b. Supporting policy in religion Although Thailand is a Buddhist nation, the government realizes the value of having religious instruction for its citizens for the betterment of society and national peace. It therefore has allowed mission work in Thailand to operate. An example of the government’s support is the fact that the Kore Presbyterian Mission receives $400 per year in aid from the Thai government for its work. c. Limitation policy on missionary visas In 1980 the government through the Department of Religious, Ministry of Education Affairs set a policy limiting the number of missionaries in Thailand to the present levels. The policy stared that each year missions would have to reduce their numbers by 10% until all missionaries were out of Thailand. Fortunately, this second aspect of reducing missionary number has never been enacted. Furthermore, the government encouraged missions to prepare Thai leaders to take over the work. Finally, religious freedom did not allow religious groups to create division and disunity among the Thai people. In such a case, the freedom of religion would not apply. CHAPTER III HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THAILAND MISSIONS A. Western Missionary Work in Thailand 1. Missionary work in the Church of Christ in Thailand Missions that are now a part of the CCT were among the first protestant mission groups in Thailand. These include the American Baptists (1933) and the American Presbyterians (1840). However, the CCT itself was not established until 1934 when several of these early missions joined together as one mission organization in Thailand. Then 23 years later the CCT made a major decision to turn over all of its records, finances, and accounts of the national church and the CCT missionaries were submitted under the national church leadership. Today just over 100 missionaries are still serving and primarily in roles working with the Thai church or Thai institutions. The work of the CCT has often been characterized by programs providing modern education, development, and social work assistance. Evangelism and Church planting have decreased in importance for the mission. Thus, while enjoying a lot of growth in its beginnings, growth in the CCT has slowed in recent years. 2. Missionary work in the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand After World War II many new missions began to enter Thailand that did not choose to associate with the CCT. Thus, in1969 the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand was established. Unlike the CCT which operated as one organization, the EFT was more of a loose association of many missions each having their own independent identity. Today there are 51 mission agencies under the EFT with 822 missionaries and 443 churches. Some of the major missions under the EFT include the OMF, C&MA, NTM, WEC and the Finish Free Foreign Mission. In general, missions in the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand have given much more emphasis to evangelism and church planting than those in the Church of Christ in Thailand. As a result they have enjoyed significant growth in recent years. 3. Missionary work in the Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptists entered Thailand in 1949 and now have 44 active missionaries. As of 1981 they reported having 1,526 members, 70% of whom were from the Bangkok area. In 1952 they established the Thailand Baptist Theological Seminary which has had 121 graduated in its history and now have an enrollment of 45 students. Other aspects of their work include the Baptist Student Center, a Baptist conference camp, and hospital. Yet, after 42 years it does not seem that the mission has enjoyed much success and seems to have had trouble in cooperating with its Thai leaders. B. Korean Missionary Work in Thailand Korean Missionary work in Thailand began in 1956 when two missionaries entered under the work of the CCT. However, it has only been in the last 10 years and specifically the last 2 years that Korean missionaries have entered Thailand in any significant numbers. Since 1956 a total of 58 Korean missionaries and their families have come to Thailand. 44 of families are still serving on the field. A full 50% of these have been in Thailand less than two years and are still in language study or preparing for ministry. Another 23% serve only part time in mission work while 27% are full time professional missionaries. Also only 10% of the present Korean missionaries have been in Thailand for ten years or more. The recent arrival of Korean missionaries is seen in the chart below; 1950’s 2 persons 1960’s 1 person 1970’s 4 persons 1980’s 31 persons 1990’s 24 persons 1. The Age of Presbyterian Missions (1956-1970) The history of Korean missions in Thailand can be divided in to three district periods. The first period of Korean missions involved the work of 3 Korean missionaries who served in Thailand under the CCT. These missionaries include; (1) Rev. Chan Young Choi, (2) Rev. Soon Il Kim, (3) Dr. Yea Keun Song. Rev. Choi and Rev. Kim arrived first in Thailand in 1956 and Dr. Song in 1964. They did some evangelism work, teaching and assisted the Thailand Bible Society. Dr. Song served for 5 years at CCT. leprosy hospital in Chiangmai. While these men may have not reaped a lot of fruit in terms of church planting and evangelism, their most important contribution was laying the foundation for future Korean missionaries. 2. The Age of Korea International Mission (1971-1980) During this period two Korean pastors, Rev. Shin and Rev. Kim, were sent by the Korea International Mission to pastor the Korean church in Bangkok under the CCT. The Korea International Mission is a well known interdenominational mission organization in Korea. The impact of this period on missions in Thailand was minimal as their ministry focused on serving the Korean community in Bangkok and did not have any cooperative work with other Thai missions. Over a ten years period there a total of 5 missionaries under this mission before it left Thailand in 1980. KIM has closed missionary work of Thailand in 1989 because no more missionaries and work with this mission organization. 3. The Golden Age of Korean Missions (1981-1990) This is referred to as the “Golden Age” because of the large increase of Korean missionaries in this period. It is actually the beginning of any independent Korean mission work in Thailand. a.The Korea Presbyterian Mission in Thailand The Korea Presbyterian Mission in Thailand is a unique mission in that it is the first and only Korean Mission recognized by the government of Thailand and has the freedom to carry out its ministry under the EFT. This mission was established by Rev. Seung Hoi Chung who entered Thailand in 1979 by an invitation from Dr. Charan and the Thailand Church Growth Committee. The KPM Thailand presently has 5 Korean missionary families and one single Korean missionary serving together in good partnership at the Hallelujah Church in Bangkok. This church serves as ministry base for the missions many works throughout Thailand and Laos. The KPM Thailand presently has 13 Thai churches and 13 Tribal churches in its fellowship. Other the KPM Thailand work includes the establishment of Bangkok Graduate School of Pastoral Theology in 1985, assistance of over 100 bible school students, refugee camp ministry, and providing training for the Laos Evangelical Church. Finally, The KPM Thailand has become a mission leader in Thailand and has participated in many cooperative efforts through serving on the Thailand Church Growth Committee, the 3rd Congress on Evangelism, through association with the Thailand Child Evangelism Fellowship, Christian Organization for the Handicapped in Thailand, and is a member of The Association of Churches in Bangkok. The KPM Thailand also serves as an advisor for the Thai Mission News paper and is involved in providing training for all Korean Missionaries who enter Thailand. b. Korea Evangelical Church Mission in Thailand This church, also known as The Holiness Church, sent three missionaries to Thailand in 1981 to work with the Muang Thai Church in Bangkok. However, the work only continued for 2 years. c. The Reformed Presbyterian Church Mission in Thailand This mission entered Thailand in 1984 under the invitation of the KPM Thailand. However, after a brief time three missionaries switched to work under the SACS doing tribal work in the north. d. Seomoon World Mission in Thailand Missionaries were sent by Seomoon church of Taegu in Korea to serve with the KPM Thailand. However, in 1984 they split off to work independently. They have had a total of 6 missionaries serving primarily in social work. They have also started two churches and on Bible school. e. The Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tong Hap) One missionary entered Thailand 1987 to serve as a professor at McGilvary Faculty of Theology, Payap University. f. Korea Global Mission in Thailand (GP) This mission was established after its missionaries split from the Korea International Mission. It was established in 1987 under the KPM Thailand. The primary work of the mission has involved the Thailand Evangelical Seminary and some social work. g. World Missionary Partners This mission has 3 missionaries serving under the CCT as a Pastor of Korean Union Church in Bangkok and instructor of Bangkok Institute of Theology of 7 District of CCT. h. Korea General Assembly Mission Includes one pastor who originally came with KGM but has since began an independent work training pastors under the CCT. i. Korea Methodist Church Mission in Thailand This mission began work in Thailand in 1988 with the goal of starting a Methodist Church among Korean in Bangkok. They have 3 missionaries including a sports missionary who has opened a Gym. j. Korean Missionaries on other International Mission Organization Since 1978 there have been 5 Korean missionaries who have served with other missions in Thailand. They have primarily been short term workers assisting in refugee work under CAMA, YWAM and World Concern. C. The Evaluation of Mission Strategy to Thailand 1. Direct approach of Missionary Work An evaluation of the mission strategy by various protestant missions in Thailand shows both the direct and indirect approach taken by many missions of the EFT has involved direct evangelism. While bringing many to the Lord, a weakness has been the failure to properly strengthen the churches and to provide leadership training. 2. Indirect approach of Missionary Work The CCT has done much in the way of indirect missionary work and has contributed to Thailand’s educational and medical development through several hospitals and schools. However, these avenues have not proved effective in impacting Thailand with the gospel. Only 37% of the hospital staff are even Christian and only 36% of the students in Christian schools are Christians. Thus, western missions have established many institutions with their abundant financial resources. Many churches have also been started over these more than 150 years. The western missionaries have thus made some important contributions as well as mistakes which the Korean missionaries can benefit from. CHAPTER IV THE VISION OF KOREAN MISSIONS TO THAILAND A. Vision of Korean Church for Mission to Thailand 1. Calling of Korean Church for Mission to Thailand In comparing Thailand with Korea one can see many reasons why the Korean church has a special calling to Thailand. Koreans have a special understanding of Buddhism and the mixing of religions from their own past, but now are an example of the gospel breaking through these barriers. Koreans can also identify with Thailand having communist neighbors. Finally, the Korean church and its rapid growth and reverent prayer have been a point of great interest of Thai Christian leaders in recent years. Thus, a special relationship has been established with the Thai church. 2. Expectations of Thai Church Leaders for Missionaries a. Don’t work alone, but with Thai workers in front. b. Don’t interfere with established churches. c. Don’t be a pastor or leader of a Thai church or organization. d. Don’t assist in any work too long. e. Stick to the Gospel of Christ. f. Don’t get involved in regular social work. g. Be united with other Korean missionaries. B. Evangelization of Thailand and Greater Mission throughout the Communist Countries in the Region 1. Mission for Thai-Tribal The Thai government reports that there are at least 30 different tribal groups in north Thailand. Some have come from Laos, Burma, and China in the last 200 years. Other have been in Thailand for up to 2,000 years. The population of tribal’s in 1983 was 405,777 of the major tribes are Karen, Lisu, Hmong, Khamu, Lahu, and Akha., Mission work has gone on among tribal groups for about 40 years. Most of the work has been by the OMF, NTM, American Baptists and Christ church of USA. The KPM Thailand has now established 13 tribal churches since 1984. 2. Missionary Vision for Communist Countries a. Refugee camp work Thailand presently has 123,042 refugees living in 7 provinces. These camps represent an important and strategic opportunity to train leaders who will either go on to third countries or will be sent back to their home country. There are 14 Laos’s churches in 3 provinces in Thailand with a churches membership of 3,472. b. Missions for Communist countries There are presently a number of western mission agencies doing relief work in Laos. The KPM Thailand has also had the privilege of helping in training pastors from Laos in partnership with the Laos Evangelical Church. These pastors meet for training four times each year for 2 weeks each time. The meetings are either in Laos or in Thailand. There are some 20 pastors involved serving some 160 churches in Laos. c. Thai Missions to Communist countries The Vision 2000 project of the Thailand Protestant Churches Coordinating Committee has set the exciting goal of having 60 Thai missionaries sent out by the year 2000. Most of these missionaries would be most likely sent to neighboring countries who share a similar cultural and religious background. C. Future Mission Strategy of Church in Korea 1. Situation of Korean Missionaries in Thailand There are now 44 Korean missionary families serving in Thailand. They are very hard working and earnest in their mission efforts, but tend to work independently without a clear mission strategy or direction. This lack of strategy sometimes causes difficulties and conflicts with a Thai church, other western mission agencies and even within the Korean missionary community. While most Korean missionaries are aware of this weakness, they have been unable to find solutions or come to agreement on a shared mission strategy. a. Mission Agencies with Korean Missionaries There are 16 sending agencies that have sent Korean missionaries to Thailand. In Thailand they work in 12 different organizations. Some belong to Korean organizations directly affiliated with either CCT or EFT. Other belongs to international mission organizations which are also affiliated with the EFT. In addition to these there are two families here independently with no affiliation. This information is seen as follows; ……………………………………………………………………………… AFFLICIATION NO. OF ORGANIZATION NO. OF FAMILIES ……………………………………………………………………………… Church of Christ 4 7 Evangelical Fellowship 2 16 Other Missions 6 21 Independent - 2 ……………………………………………………………………………… b. Weakness of Korean Missions As with any new mission effort there are several weakness of Korean missions in Thailand that need to be improved and corrected. Some of the most important issues are; (1)Tendency to establish personal kingdoms. (2)Tendency to use money to buy churches and leaders in order to get fast results. (3)Tendency to compete in ministry among Korean missionaries. (4)Zealous pursuit of mission goals without any knowledge or sensitively to Thai culture or Thai context. (5)Seeking to build churches rapidly without a strong foundation. (6)Sometimes lacking a clear call of God for this work. (7)A lack of professional skills to focus on special areas of ministry in partnership together. Instead most people are generalists and end up getting too involved in each other’s overlapping ministries. c. Strength of Korean Missions (1) It’s the strong background of Korean churches and a mission organization for supporting. (2) The strong support of prayer and money for mission. (3) The strong support of short term mission groups. (4) The missionaries are high ability. (5) The church planting and church growth of Korean churches are models for Thai churches. (6) Thai churches likes Korean churches for with work together.. 2. Future Mission Strategy of Korean Missionaries a. Present situation of disunity The biggest challenge facing missionaries sent by the Presbyterian Church in Korea is a lack of organizational unity. Over the years the Presbyterian Church sent missionaries to Thailand who now works in four different organizations. This problem of a lack of unity was perhaps cause by not having a clear policy or direction as a sending agency when the missionaries where first sent out. At present the missionaries work in the following organizations; ……………………………………………………………………………… Missionary Mission Organization Affiliation of Thailand ……………………………………………………………………………… Dr. HS Shin World Mission Partners 7 District, Church of Christ in Thailand Rev. SH Chung Korea Presbyterian Mission Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand Rev. SG Kim Seomoom World Mission Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand Rev. DH Kang Korea General Assembly Mission 6 District, Church of Christ in Thailand ……………………………………………………………………………… b. Recommended steps toward unity 1) Two body of Mission organization in CCT and in EFT centered unity The first step toward unity needs to be the merging of the two missions affiliated with the CCT to be one organization and the two missions affiliated with the EFT could also be merged to be one. As for the missionaries who would merge under the CCT, they could change their name to be the same as the sending denomination in Korea, Korea Presbyterian Church in Korea. AS for the two mission groups now affiliated with the EFT, upon merging they could retain the name Korea Presbyterian Mission. The reason for this is that the KPM is already an official mission organization recognized by the Thai government with a sufficient number of visa slots. Therefore, it would be in everyone’s best interest to maintain this status under the KPM. 2) One body of Mission organization of GAPCK Once the first steps of cooperation and merging are successfully implemented, then additional steps can be taken to bring greater unity between the missionaries affiliated with the CCT and those with the EFT. Eventually, all of the missionaries sent by PCK could be united as one organization working in Thailand under the name of our denomination. The work of KPM could then continue as a kind of branch mission of the PCK. This kind of cooperation and unity would greatly enrich and strengthen the mission efforts of all the missionaries. CHAPTER V MISSION STRATEGY FOR CHURCH PLANTING IN THAILAND A. The Nevius Methods as General Mission Strategy 1. Background and Principles of Nevius Methods The Nevius method of church planting and church growth was presented by Dr. Nevius who served as a missionary to mainland China. The method is most noted by its principles for establishing strong and productive churches. Namely, Dr. Nevius proposed that all churches which are planted by missionaries should seek to become self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating. Perhaps these ideas were not entirely original with Dr. Neviys since these principles can be seen in the local churches of the New Testament. Henry Venn, who served as the general secretary of the England church missionary society for 31 years, and the policies of Rufus Anderson, who served as secretary general of the American Board of Commissioners for foreign missions, ABCFM both had established very similar policies for their missions. 2. The Strengths and The Weaknesses of Nevius Methods a. Strengths There are a number of strengths with using these methods in church planting which have caused these methods to be used by many mission agencies today. First, churches are encouraged to be more responsible and stronger in their commitment. Second, members of such churches have a greater interest in studying the Bible and are able to develop greater abilities in leadership. Third, the local church is able to better fit to the local situation and culture being self governing. Fourth, these churches are able to be multiplied many times over because they do not create a dependency on an outside mission. b. Weakness While these methods are very helpful, there are also some weaknesses. For example, it is hard to raise up strong leaders or give assistance when so much emphasis is placed on the churches helping themselves. Second, it is hard to establish Bible institutes or schools without outside help. Third, it is hard to create a sense of unity between churches because of the scene of Independence that each church. 3. Application of Nevius Methods in Korea and Thailand In Korea, the Nevius method of church planting has been used with great success. Strong and growing churches have resulted. In Thailand, the method has met with less success. The failure of the method in Thailand is not so much due to the methods or principles being wrong, but is due to a misapplication of the methods by missionaries. The missionaries did not carefully follow the methods in a sincere way. Instead, too often the missionaries looked down on the Thai and therefore did not give over enough of the leadership to Thai leaders. Another part of the problem may be the character of the Thai in not wanting to take on full responsibility from the missions. 4. Requirements for the application of Nevius Methods in Thailand The Nevius methods can be used in Thailand with success, but a couple of requirements must also be taken to correct the weaknesses of the methods in Thailand. First, the mission agencies need to use their financial resources more freely in assisting the churches to become stronger. This will not create dependency, but will show trust in the Thai leadership and bring encouragement to get over the difficult beginning stages. Second, more effort must be given to training Thai pastors and leaders so as to make the churches stronger. These corrections will help to establish stronger and healthier churches. B. Pastoral Training for Church Planting as New Strategy 1. Through Bangkok Graduate School of Pastoral Theology In 1985 the KPM Thailand established the Bangkok Graduate School of Pastoral Theology with the purpose of strengthening churches to become strong mission and evangelistic centers. The school assists pastors who have finished Bible school and are already in ministry. Students in the school attend seminar classes five days a month for three years. As the conclusion of their time in the program they are also taken to Korea to learn from the rapid church growth movement there. 2. Through The School of Thai-Tribal Church Workers Besides this higher level of education, the KPM Thailand also provides training and Bible teaching through its School of Thai –Tribal Church Workers taught in the north. 3. Through The School of Laos Church Workers and Pastoral Training Course for Seminary Students The School of Laos Church workers, and through a pastoral training course for seminary students. In all of these ways, pastors and future pastors are being trained, encouraged, and built up in the service to the Lord. C. Example of Church Planting and Growth in Thailand by New Strategy 1. Principles of Church Planting and Growth a. Select a place and leader for the church plant. A worker and leader for any new church plant is best chosen from the local area since the person will best understand the local people. The leader should have finished high school education and a Bible school graduate preferred. Then have that local leader select the actual site of the new church plant. b. Prepare for the new church. (1) Pray, Pray, Pray. (2) Select room to rent for worship. – Beside of main and sub road (3) Select name for the church. – following the name of Province, District and Village. (4) Promote church through posters and fliers. (5) Train local lay leaders. c. Begin the church services. (1) Move to the area. (2) Begin worship services on Sunday (even if only one family is coming). 50% of the house rent for the worship room supported by the mission. (3) Visit new contacts and interested people. (4) Have an opening ceremony once enough new members are added to make it meaningful. (5) Make examination of the new church and leaders. (6) Assist pastors with salary as needed and provide accountability through a monthly report. (7) Continue pastors training at Bangkok Graduate School of Pastoral Theology 5 days per month. (8) Train new members of the church for baptism twice a year. – Training classes may run six months using mission curriculum. d. Actions for Church development. (1) Train and supervise workers to help them develop spiritually, in Bible knowledge, and their lifestyle. This is best done through regular visits to the workers. (2) Promote evangelism. Workers should be out doing evangelism four times a week. The members should be encouraged in doing evangelism. Also, new members receiving training should be visited at least 3 times a week by the worker. (3) Help to establish strong Sunday school program for children and a youth group for teenagers. Members themselves need training in disciplines of Christian life. (4) Provide discipleship and train leaders in the administration of the church including decision making and finances. (5) Build a church building using church funds as much as possible. e. Church Growth and Expansion. (1) Prepare to start a daughter church in the nearby area. (2) Promote missions to neighboring countries. 2. Application of Principles throughout Thailand. These principles and strategy detailed above have been applied with success by the KPM Thailand in tribal church planting in the north, urban church planting in Bangkok, and in rural church planting in the northeast. 3. Tribal Church Planting in the North The tribal work is still in need of more church workers and the lack of higher education of some difficulty. 4. Urban Church Planting in Bangkok The dynamic of the work in Bangkok are different where the Korean missionaries are able to be directly involved in the church ministry. 5. Rural Church Planting in the Northeast CHAPTER VI CONCLUSION A.Conclusion In conclusion, any church strategy that is effective must come from God and be ultimately under his control and blessing. The Nevius method can be help in guiding the missionary by its principles. However, the missionaries must apply these principles through hard and diligent work. Emphasis must be given to building up the churches and training Thai leaders to carry on the task. B.Proposal It is proposed that missions also seek to use their financial resources wisely in building up the churches that are planted to enable them to become strong and eventually self-supporting. Finances must be properly used and accounted. It is never acceptable for a mission to use its money as a way to “buy” an existing work that someone else has started simply as a way to expand a mission’s work. Yet, if finances are used wisely much can be accomplished for the glory of God and the expansion of his church throughout the World. APPENDIXES 1. List of Korean Missionaries in Thailand 2. Questionnaires and Interview form 3. Brief History and Work of the Korea Presbyterian Mission in Thailand 4. The Constitute of KPM BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Korean Kim, Kyung Ae. History of Thailand. Seoul : Kwan Ak Publishers, 1986. Kim, Nam Shik. Mission Methods of Nevius. Seoul : Sung Kwang Publishers, 1981. Kim, Soon Il. The Way of the Korean Missionaries. Seoul : Sung Kwang Publishers, 1980. Annual Report of the Presbytery of The Korea Presbyterian Church in Korea, 1907. Wagner, C. Peter. The Christian Mission Strategy. Jun, Ho Jin translation. Seoul : Life of Words Publishers, 1978 Jun, Ho Jin. The Missiology. Seoul : The Reformed Fellowship, 1989. Chung, Seung Hoi. 10 years of Thai Missions. Seoul : The Association for Supporting KPM Thailand,1991. ----------------------. The Duty of Korean Church for Thai Missions. Seoul : The Association for Supporting KPM Thailand,1988. Chae, Ki Eun & Chung, Bong Cho. 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