Tallia Klong Toei Church

Praise God. God is amazing...That's all there is to say about this weekend. This was probably the best weekend yet in Klong Toei. It started Friday when I was walking by Tallia Klong Toei Church near my house. It was just after lunch and there were three men and a woman working in the church. As I passed by I paused for a few seconds to look in. Koon, an outgoing, comic, Thai who is studying to be a pastor, saw me and ran out to say hi. I have talked with him once before but nothing ever came of it. This time he dragged me into the church excitedly and introduced me to everyone there. We talked for about 10 min, and at the end of our conversation Noi invited me to go to a weekly prayer meeting that night. I was excited to get the opportunity to worship with Thais (Tallia is a Thai church) so I accepted.

Friday night I returned for prayer. 10 others and I sang, prayed, shared praises and prayer requests. One man praised God that his mother was healed from a kidney stone she had. It used to be very big and since the church had prayed for her it has shrunk drastically. Noi asked we pray for the church ministries. Koon has often told me he prays and believes one day God will save all of Klong Toei. He also asked us to pray for freedom. I ask that you join me in praying for these people and their requests before God.

After the meeting Koon, Es, and Bee took me to Lompo (a slum next to Jet Sip Rai where I live). There they showed me a church plant Tallia is starting. Koon is studying the Bible under Tallia's pastor's care in order to be the pastor who starts the church.
After kids club, Ya and Koon invited me to have lunch with them at the church. I was able to take Mr. Quinley (CEO of Step Ahead) with me. Mr. Quinley has been trying to connect with the church to partner with them but has not been able to make a connection with the church. He took my involvement with the church as a chance to connect. I am not sure what God will bring of Tallia and Step Ahead together but it is cool to see Thai churches and international development agencies working together.

That afternoon I went with Koon and one of the pastor's sons to play basketbon and footbon with people in the community. As I understand it this is a regular after work activity for the Tallia staff so as to build relationships with the people in the community. It is cool to see the amazing reputation the Tallia pastors have in the community. Everywhere they go everyone is excited to see them. I was able to meet three Buddhist men who asked me to play on their footbon team and after the games showed m some moves. They invited me to play with them more often. At the time I didn't know they were Buddhist, but I did know they were friends of Koon's. So, I asked if they were Christian. They said no but that we were friends anyway.

Sunday, I went to a Thai church in North Bangkok, because a friend invited me. It was a Thai church founded 22 years ago by American missionaries. Now the church focuses primarily on university ministries. I talked with the Thai pastor who spoke very good English. He asked me if I would like to go with him and a team of 10 short term American missionaries to the universities in the weeks to come to teach English and share the good news of Jesus. He even invited me to go on a retreat they are planing the first weekend in July for the university students. Again huge opportunities. One thing stood out about what he said to me. I asked him about denominations in Thailand. He told me, "Denominations were brought to Thailand by the West they are not Thai. Pentecostal and Baptist work together, unlike in America where denominations don't talk." It is a sad truth: In America there isn't a Christian church there are many denominations. In Thailand there is a sense of the Christian church.

After church in North Bangkok I traveled back to Klong Toei to assist Tallia with there weekly English classes from 2-5 pm. There were some 40 students from Klong Toei there. This is about the size of the church population, and is a huge witness to Christ to the community. I already feel like I could say Tallia is my church home because it is where I can do the work of Christ with my fellow believers. I feel I am actually making a contribution to the community I live in.

After the English classes I went with seven of the church members including the pastor to eat dinner and return back to the church for coffee.

This is a great answer to prayer. I have really wanted to get plugged into Thai churches and in one weekend I have become plugged into a Thai church in North Bangkok and heavily plugged into my local church. God is so good. It is amazing and awesome to see the native church. One of my life questions is what was the church made to look like. After all, the church is the bride of Christ. Christ died for this bride. He rescued her from her filth so she could rise out of it and be clothed in righteousness. And Jesus did not have polygamy in mind when he named the church His bride. He intended her to be one. Paul stresses this over and over in his letters. So I want to discover what it means to have the church live in the light of the living but distant bridegroom, the fallen state of the world, and the unity the church is called to but hasn't achieved. I pray God shows me more everyday I am in the Thai churches and international churches what He desires His bride to be.