Since the beginning of June, people have been getting saved every week while visiting and soul winning. Thailand has been mostly safe from viral infections, seeing many more with dengue fever than anything else. The government here has taken strong measures to keep problems out of the country, and the Thai people seem united in getting through this. We, our family, are just thankful to be here, serving the Lord with gladness while helping our newest independent church plant, International Baptist Church Nong Phlap (pronounced “plop”).
As an update from the last letter, the building directly next door is now rented and part of the church. This doubles our space. Thank you for praying! Just last night, August 5, our Teaching All Nations Discipleship Bible Study had 36 in attendance, exceeding our average of 22 over the last two months. I’ve been teaching this series since early June at an offsite location, as many of the families have nursery-age children. August marks the first month of having the nurseries open. Just last Sunday, August 2, we saw the Sunday morning services rise to their highest levels. Temperature checks, masks, news, and unemployment realities have not slowed the hearts of these Christians to learn and grow in the Lord. Here are some more blessings we’ve seen:
In the middle of June, we hired a truck to pick up many people and bring them to church. The truck driver, Lek, trusted in Jesus to save him from his sins and take him to Heaven eternally that morning as Star relayed the Gospel. The very next week, Lek sent his son to drive for the truck route. Lek’s son and daughter-in-law were sweetly saved as Daa, Pastor Pong’s wife, relayed the Gospel. Today, Lek delivers two routes of people, using his truck and his servant’s heart to do God’s work.
Another man, Kanee, of whom I wrote about two prayer letters ago, also uses his truck to faithfully bring people to church. Even greater, Kanee conservatively plays guitar for our congregational singing and practices ahead of time for the hymns that we sing. His wife Malee is also strong in the Lord, helping and serving in the church.
When the church operated its first Sunday morning service on June 7, Prosit, an “eight years faithful” man from our Hua Hin church, brought his neighbor Oot to the Nong Phlap church for the first time. Oot was saved and then baptized. She has attended faithfully for the last two months, bringing family members. She took the step of fully removing and disposing of the long-standing Buddhist items in her home. She now places full dependence on the Bible, prayer, and her relationship with Jesus. She is so happy and joyous in the Lord. She told us that one day, she missed her time reading the Bible. She said that it was a “terrible day.” What a blessing it is to see how God moves in a young Christian. I think we can all testify that “A day without time in the Lord is an empty day.”
This church is blossoming in attendance and spirit under Thai national, Pastor Pong, and his assistant, Bro. Star. The goal is for this church to be a copyable example for our next church plant. All church plants can channel in future Bible college students, allowing for more church plants. Exciting opportunities!
The last weekend of July, I took my family to Southern Thailand. We visited Khao Lak Baptist Church, which I’ve written about in the past. One of the Thai missionaries our Hua Hin Thailand church supports began this church plant after the 2004 tsunami. It was a wonderful blessing to see faithful Christians and servants continuing on in this crisis-stricken area, but the greatest encouragement was to hear how well the International Baptist Church Nong Phlap did while we were away. Pong and Star did fantastic. Praise the Lord! Thank you for your prayers and faithfulness during these times! May the Lord keep you safely in His arms through every turn.
Grateful to serve,
Bro. Chad Inman & Family
