A Few Images from Day One

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Here are a few photos from today. The first is a picture of some members of the team enjoying Pad Thai in the outdoor market. The next two were taken at the Buddhist shrine.

A Day of Orientation

The day began officially at 8am, we gathered together to join in prayer for the nation of Thailand and for our team. On our knees, we asked that God would allow the gospel to bear much fruit in Thailand and we asked that God would grant to us a unity of spirit and mind.

We opened the Bible and worked our way through the first chapter of Mark's gospel. We explored why Jesus, who was perfect in every way needed to be baptized. Answering that question helped us to understand more of the fullness of the gospel. Namely, that the gospel is not only the fact that Jesus died for our sins but he also lived for us - fulfilling everything that God requires us to do. He is our substitute not only in his death but also in his life.

Breakfast was eaten the hotel. It was a delicious spread of both Thai and western items. Everyone ate their fill and was sufficiently satisfied!

Rob Moore met us at the hotel after breakfast and we headed to the Centre. Some rode with him, others took the "Song-Taw" - a covered pick up truck - which is the taxi service in Chiang Mai.

At the Centre, we were oriented to both Thai culture and to the ministry of The Centre. It was encouraging to hear of how influential the ministry of the Centre is in the lives of the students in Chiang Mai.

After a traditional Thai lunch, we headed to Doi Suthop. This is one of the holiest sites for Thai Buddhists. It is believed that remains of the original Buddha are found here. To get to the temple, we had to snake our way up a side of a mountain and then climb a 450 - 500 step incline. While observing the Buddhist practices, our team joined in prayer for Chiang Mai and Thailand, asking that God would glorify Jesus in this nation and that He would tear down all strongholds that prevent the Thai people from confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord.

We returned to the Centre after a couple of hours at Doi Suthop and debriefed. From the Centre we walked back to our hotel, stopping in a market for a traditional meal of Pad Thai - fried noodles.

It is 9:00pm as I write this. The students are busily finalizing their lessons for upcoming ministry. Our students will be teaching through some of Jesus' parables. We trust that God's word will not return to Him void. Please pray to this end with us.

All the members of the team are well - tired but well.

Arrived Safely in Chiang Mai, Thailand

We thank God for his provision and grace in granting us safety in our travels. We have arrived safely in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is now 7:40pm on Sunday evening. We have just finished a delicious dinner in the Chiang Mai Hill Hotel.

Our scheduled visit to the market has been canceled simply because we are far too tired to appreciate the sights and sounds due to jet lag.

The day begins tomorrow morning with a time of Bible study and prayer. We will be working our way through Mark's gospel in the mornings. Feel free to join with us in our reading, if you wish.

Please pray that the members of the team will be able to adjust to the new time zone quickly. Pray that with lack of sleep, we will not become irritable but would bear with one another in Christian love. Pray that we will be focused and on task while in Thailand so that many may hear and respond to the gospel.

Thank you!

In Hong Kong

After a very very long flight, we have arrived safely in Hong Kong. We fly out of Hong Kong in a little over an hour. Right now, students are checking into the final leg of our journey. Although most are tired, we are all well. Please continue to pray for a fruitful ministry in Thailand. Pray that the gospel will be faithfully communicated and that it will bear much fruit and that this fruit will last.

Sa Wat Dee!

Writing to let you know that we are waiting for departure. Everyone is happy, indulging in snacks, playing games and napping while we wait. We board in an hour, will fly for 17 hours to Hong Kong, where we will wait for three hours for our two hour flight to Bangkok. In Bangkok we have a two hour lay over for our flight to Chiang Mai. We will arrive at 2pm Chiang Mai time. A total of 24 hours of traveling! Thanks to all who came to see us off at the airport!

Evangelism Reflections

On December 3rd and January 21st, each of our PCA students were partnered up with a Campus for Christ university student and they went out to approach other students on the University of Toronto campus with the purpose of starting conversations about spiritual things. Here is some of the feedback from our students about the experience:

Dorothy
My partner was Fae, and together we went into several buildings to find people to chat with. We had an opportunity to talk to twin sisters who were polar opposites in spiritual/religious beliefs. However, they had common ground in believing that there is a God, but it is impossible to have a personal relationship with Him. We did not get a chance to dig deeper and to actually share the message of Christ, but I believe that it is a start and that seeds were planted in their hearts that day.
When Fae and I sat down to debrief about our conversation with the twins, we mentioned how we wanted to share the gospel but didn't get a chance to. But, we came to a conclusion that it is God's perfect timing and that it isn't our job to share this news with them but rather, to plant a seed. Fae shared with me a scale that shows how each time someone evangelizes to a person, they shift from left to right, one number at a time. When they reach zero, it means that the person has accepted Christ, and each number after that is their growth and walk with the Lord. It was encouraging for me to remember that God is working even here at home and that He gave me an amazing partner that I learned a lot from.

Ivan
I was paired up with a student named Sath. He was extremely helpful and a really great example to learn from. We struck up a conversation with a guy eating his lunch. Sath opened by asking him if we could spend some time talking about his thoughts on God. The man said yes, and Sath began by asking him several questions such as, “What is your background in terms of faith?” and “What are your views of God?” Sath listened to his reply without interruption and when he spoke, he made an effort not to contradict anything the man said. Instead, he showed understanding and then merely presented his own views based on the same subjects. Unfortunately, the man was on a schedule and had to leave, but we quickly found another student willing to talk to us. We spoke with him for a while and found out that he was agnostic. However, he also believed that all religions were true to some extent, so he was in contradiction, but Sath didn’t point that out. Instead, he presented the Gospel as rational and logical religion which he himself accepted after thorough research. I learned a lot about evangelism from Sath and I am very grateful for his time spent with me.

Candice
I usually feel uncomfortable with having conversations with people I don't know and just start to talk to them about my faith. But it was interesting how Khevna, my partner, started the conversation. She explained that we were from C4C and we just wanted to see what people at the campus thought of or realized the pessimism of Christianity with the professors (or something like that). As the conversation went on, the girl we approached was really cool and was open to talk about what she believed in and her faith. She was a Sikh who wasn't really religious but on a relationship level in her faith. It was just amazing how she was so truthful and open about talking about what she believed in. Later on, her friend joined us. He was a Hindu by birth and didn't really seem to know much about his religion. It was like he was confused about what truth really was and seemed to be seeking. I gave him a "Jesus book", which they called it, but he refused. I really admired how Khevna told her story and relationship with them like they were old friends. She was really natural and genuine and everything just flowed. She was really bold and wasn't at all shy about sharing her faith. I've never evangelized like this before but it was really cool and I think I will continue something like this when I go to university.

What Kind of Religion Is This?

In a sermon Dick Lucas once preached, he recounted an imaginary conversation between an early Christian and her neighbor in Rome...

"Ah," the neighbor says. "I hear you are religious! Great! Religion is a good thing. Where is your temple or holy place?"

"We don't have a temple," replies the Christian. "Jesus is our temple."

"No temple? But where do your priests work and do their ritual?"

"We don't have priests to mediate the presence of God," replies the Christian. "Jesus is our priest."

"No priests? But where do you offer your sacrifices to acquire the favor of your God?"

"We don't need a sacrifice," replies the Christian. "Jesus is our sacrifice."

"What kind of religion is this?" sputters the pagan neighbor.

And the answer is, it's no kind of religion at all.

-Tim Keller

Thai Missionaries: You will either be faithful or be popular

"To preach salvation by good works is to flatter people and so avoid opposition.

This may seem to some to pose the alternative too starkly. But I do not think so. All Christian preachers have to face this issue.

Either we preach that human beings are rebels against God, under his just judgment and (if left to themselves) lost, and that Christ crucified who bore their sin and curse is the only available Saviour.

Or we emphasize human potential and human ability, with Christ brought in only to boost them, and with no necessity for the cross except to exhibit God’s love and so inspire us to greater endeavour.

The former is the way to be faithful, the latter the way to be popular.

It is not possible to be faithful and popular simultaneously. We need to hear again the warning of Jesus: ‘Woe to you when all men speak well of you’ (Lk. 6:26). By contrast, if we preach the cross, we may find that we are ourselves hounded to the cross.

John Stott

To belong to Jesus is to embrace the nations...

A Prayer For Our Thai Missionaries

“God save you from the sin of paring down the gospel to suit the pride of men. God grant that you may deliver your message straight and full and plain. Only so, whatever else you may sacrifice, will you have one thing — the favor of the Lord Jesus Christ.” J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937)

William Carey's 11 Commandments for Missions

William Carey is considered to be the father of the modern-day missionary enterprise. He was a pioneer missionary in India. Carey had 11 Commandments for Missionaries. Here they are in order:

1. Set an infinite value on immortal souls.

2. Gain all the information you can about “the snares and delusions in which these heathens are held.”

3. Abstain from all English manners which might increase prejudice against the gospel.

4. Watch for all opportunities for doing good, even when you are tired and hot.

5. Make Christ crucified the great subject of your preaching.

6. Earn the people’s confidence by your friendship.

7. Build up the souls that are gathered.

8. Turn the work over to “the native brethren” as soon as possible.

9. Work with all your might to translate the Bible into their languages. Build schools to this end.

10. Stay alert in prayer, wrestling with God until he “famish these idols and cause the heathen to experience the blessedness that is in Christ.”

11. Give yourself totally to this glorious cause. Surrender your time, gifts, strength, families, the very clothes you wear.

HT: Ray Ortlund

Meeting Time for Thailand

Please note the correction to the itinerary. We will be meeting at the airport, terminal 3, at 10pm on Friday, February 25. Our flight takes off on Saturday, February 26 at 1:30 am.

See you then!

Thailand 2011

The 2011 Senior Missions Team is headed to Thailand. We leave for Thailand on February 26 at 1:30am. Lord willing, we will return on March 11. Please keep the team in your prayers.