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Dear Christian Friends,
My family and I are doing so very well with Nick being home this summer. Particularly Mary and John; they are thoroughly enjoying every second together. We hope that Nick is treasuring his uncountable experience in order to well prepare him for his future ministry here in the Southeast Asia and China. At the moment, it is a monsoon season here in Thailand. The monsoon brings a lot rain to us. It rains days and nights. Sometimes it lasts over a week, nonstop. However, the monsoon is time for farmers who have been busy growing their new crops in the farms. This is impacting our ministry. As situational oriented, our ministry has to shift from outdoor evangelistic mission to indoor church related ministry, particularly in teaching, preaching and visiting churches. Mission fields among church denominations are also widely opening here in Chiangmai. Many of them are hungry for the truth of His Scripture. As I have heard, many of them have complained about their denominational teachings that are not faithful to God’s Word. However, I have seen this as the great opportunity in reaching them out for the sound doctrines. For instance, there is a Thai church here in Chiangmai. Most members of this church are third-generation Christians. They grew up in Christian families and denominational background. They now know that they need to grow in biblical knowledge. As their request, besides preaching once a month, I am now offering them a bible study course at this church every Sunday afternoon for about an hour. We are now studying the book of Revelation. The class is going on very well, and over 30 people attend at every session. The great news is that through the preaching/teaching, the basic doctrine on baptism and communion are reinstated. Many of them respond to the call of immersion (in the past they knew only “sprinkle”). Communion is starting to hold at church services (in the past they had communion only once a year). But much work needs to be done with this church. Many doctrines are needed to be shaped. Like this church, there are many more churches in Chiangmai that are hungry for the sound doctrine of the Scripture. We are asking you to keep this ministry in mind whenever you are spending time with our Living God and Lord.
Our Bible study group offered to senior Christians at our house which is held twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday, is promising. Adding to a senior judge, a lawyer, and a former university professor, we now have a doctor and his wife. They are really enjoying study the Scripture. Our program “college without a boundary” is reaching out more Christians to study God’s Word. With this program, we are turning church into a Bible class. Christians will be able to study the Scripture without taking time off of their daily normal life but still having a chance to study God’s Word. The college without a boundary will take Bible class room teachings and settings to local church so that every ordinary Christian in this region is able to learn His Word. The past week we have received calls from many Christians in Laos requesting us to offer the “college without boundary” to them. Since teaching God’s Word in Laos is very restricted and illegal, we need to find a church as a base at the border area on Thailand side. We are contacting one of the churches nearby Mae Kong River to let us use the church building so that Christians in Laos can cross over Mae Kong River and study the Scripture inside of Thailand. This is a crucial ministry so your continue prayers is most appreciated.
In Him Alone, Stephen and family
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