Bangkok church filled with ex-Buddhists has a big vision

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Pastor Khajorn
Pastor Khajorn addresses Sunday evening Valentine service

By Mark Ellis

In a storefront location on a bustling street near two malls and a university lies a glittering diamond in God’s kingdom, a church poised for growth in a nation where only one percent follows Jesus.

“We started with three people,” says Gai Tanangunvirog. She and her husband Khajorn lead Tai Church, which has grown to 100 and already planted five churches in other provinces of Thailand.

More than 70 percent of the church are former Buddhists. During a weekend Valentine conference this week, two twenty-something Buddhists received Christ. “Every week my staff shares the gospel,” notes Pastor Khajorn, who has an evangelist’s heart and is a sought-after speaker in other churches in Bangkok.

Pastor Khajorn (left) and his wife Gai (far right) meet with team visiting from California, Tom Ravensberg and Beka Farrar
Pastor Khajorn (left) and his wife Gai (far right) with part of team visiting from U.S., Tom Ravensberg and Beka Farrar

“We have a big dream,” says Gai. A decade ago Gai says the Lord revealed in a dream the church would grow to 60,000 people. “It’s such a big number it’s hard to imagine,” she confesses.

“People ask me why we’re so busy. I tell them our vision is not from man but from God.”

It can be challenging to reach Buddhists in this country. “They don’t want to stand out as different,” Gai observes. “Some family members get upset and then they back away from that pressure. They are afraid of rejection from friends and family.”

Gai leads a small group every morning at 6 am for prayer and worship, composed mostly of women in the church. For an hour, as the sun rises over Bangkok, she and her small band press into the Lord and his promises.

The church has an extremely talented young worship team and a system for “raising up disciples who can train and teach others.”

Waiting on the Lord’s promises is never easy, but Gai leans on Abraham’s story for inspiration.

“God has given our members the heart to plant churches,” she says. “Many in the church want to start churches in their homeland.”

Gai and Khajorn located a piece of land in Bangkok that will accommodate a church for 10,000. But whether the growth happens through church planting or a larger facility in Bangkok, one thing is paramount to this highly-focused couple.

“The important thing is to save the souls of the Thai people. We have a big vision and we are preparing ourselves for the future.”

4 COMMENTS

  1. Grow up and get real. Science has already proved Christianity to be wrong on all points.

    • Prove is a strong word, nothing has been proven wrong, just like you can’t prove it right, You know and feel him in your heart and its proven real to you, but can’t prove to another. Jesus performed miracles right in front of peoples eyes and some still refused to believe.So you cant prove much more than that if people don’t want to believe, they won’t. In order for science to prove anything, you need a team of people over thousands of years, to observe test, analyze and take notes, then show the results, which has never happened and can’t happen.So its impossible for “science to prove Christianity wrong” as you put it. There earth itself gives overwhelming evidence that God is real and many bible prophecies have already come to past.

  2. Prayer request
    Christian asylum seekers facing problem in those days Thailand. 48 peoples in jail (IDC)Bangkok. People have not money to bal because one preson 50’000Bth .please pray for those people.God open the door .Amen

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