Church Planting in the Slums of Bangkok: Moving from a Missionary Dependency Model to a Vulnerable Mission Model

Abstract

In 1990, two missionary families moved to Thailand under the supervision of the Baptist General Conference to study the Thai language, intern under a Thai pastor, and eventually plant churches. Their coming to Thailand was following many years of Buddhism that is firmly established in the land. Christianity has not had an easy reception, but slowly the Christian church has been planted by men and women with faith, a call, determination, vision, and hard work. As these two missionary families began to work together, they started to realize that they each had a distinct calling. After twelve years, their one church became two in order to better develop their strategies for reaching the Thai people with the gospel. This paper looks at the ministry of one of these families who had a heart and vision for the poor of Bangkok.