By Sue Danneker, an Alliance international worker who serves in Thailand
Last summer my husband, Ed, and I began partnering with Mahapawn Living Water Church in Mahachai to plant a new church in the district of Baan Paeo. The Lord impressed on us the need to pray first. Along with our team from the mother church, we interceded and prayer walked, individually and corporately, for three months before we began outreach in the new area.
Our first Wednesday night cell group in Baan Paeo was scheduled for January 27. But we weren’t feeling “ready”—we felt time had gotten away from us. So we renewed our prayer focus in earnest.
Stepping Out in Faith
The Sunday before the group was to start, Pastor Sukprasan, who leads the mother congregation, said, “If we wait until we are ‘ready,’ we’ll never step out in faith.”
Mahapawn Living Water Church had averaged 32 attendees each Sunday for the past six months. But this Sunday we were in the mid-20s—hardly the picture of a strong “mother” church.
Nun, a new believer who was to host the group in her hair salon, was more than ready. And she had invited more than 20 people. Ed and I had invited other seekers as well.
When I visited Nun the morning of January 27, she could hardly contain her excitement. She had rearranged her small, one-room beauty shop several times to accommodate the most people. We prayed that God would bring those whose hearts He had prepared.
Praise the Lord—we had 16 people at our first cell group, eight Christians and eight seekers. The believers included Pastor Sukprasan and three members of Mahapawn Living Water Church. The seekers were those whom Nun had invited.
Pastor Sukprasan led a lively meeting. Ed delivered an interactive message from the Word, specifically addressed to people seeking truth.
It was a blessing to see the team from our mother church minister to everyone who came, especially during the light meal afterward.
Let the Children Come
During the meeting, some children who like to hang out at Nun’s hair salon stared in through the glass walls and doors of the shop. The room was too small for them to join the adults.
But when the refreshments were served, Nun invited them in. The kids were part of the group that had attended the Christmas outreach in front of her salon December 19. They were still singing the songs we had taught them that day.
I told Nun that I would start teaching them on Saturday afternoons. So January 30, we had our first Baan Paeo Kids’ Club with 12 children in attendance, ages 4 to 12. I have rarely met such an enthusiastic, appreciative group of youngsters. Their parents are pleased that their children are doing something constructive. Also, some of the parents attended the cell group on Wednesday.
Pray
Please pray that each seeker at the cell group and all the children at the Baan Paeo Kids’ Club will put their trust in Jesus.
Join the Alliance family in praying for our workers in Thailand and worldwide, who are taking the good news—in word and deed—to some of the most spiritually dark places on earth. Use the weekly Alliance Prayer Requests to assist you.