When I first came to Thailand, I met Jakraphan, a former Muslim who had dedicated his life to Christ. At the time, he was studying at a modest seminary in Bangkok. In a country that’s 93% Buddhist and less than 1% Christian, Jakraphan’s choice to follow Jesus came at a tremendous cost. His family disowned him, but he remained steadfast.
After completing his seminary training, Jakraphan began serving at a church in Bangkok, married, had children, and for over 25 years, he faithfully ministered to his congregation. When his senior pastor retired, Jakraphan was appointed as the new senior pastor. Over the years, I stayed in touch with Jakraphan and watched his son, Ben, grow into a remarkable young man- graduating from college, marrying a woman with a passion for missions, and completing his seminary degree. Inspired by his father’s legacy, Ben returned to Bangkok to serve under Jakraphan.
In our collaborative effort with City to City, a church planting network, I serve as a church planting trainer and city catalyst. Bangkok, with its 12 million residents, has only 457 churches—far fewer than cities like New York, which has over 6,000, or Atlanta, which has 4,000. In fact, there are more places of prostitution in Bangkok than churches. Ben attended our Church Planter Intensive and felt a compelling call to start a new church. He approached his father with a bold request: to send 25 members from his existing congregation to a different part of town to help establish a new church.
In May 2021, amidst the challenges of COVID, Gospel City Church launched online. Today, Gospel City has over 40 attendees and has become a vibrant community. Walking alongside Ben as his Church Planting Coach has been deeply fulfilling. He recently shared with me, “No one is doing what you all are doing. Most people come, offer a brief seminar on church planting, and then leave.” It is a true privilege to support and encourage church planters like Ben, providing ongoing training and mentorship. Ben, now a trainer himself, is passing on the lessons he learned.
Witnessing God’s hand at work through young leaders like Ben in a country with less than 1% Christian population is incredibly rewarding. Church planting in Thailand is challenging, but Thais like Ben are uniquely equipped to succeed where outsiders might struggle. As global workers, our role is to facilitate and support, allowing God's church to grow in a sustainable and replicable way across Thailand and beyond.
Stories from the Field
