Using Discipleship Evangelization to Encourage Believers in Northeast Thailand Who Are From a Buddhist Background to Witness to Their Family and Neighbours

Abstract

As a cross-cultural missionary in Thailand, I discovered that less than one percent of the population professes to be Christian. I set out to strengthen the Christian presence in northeast Thailand, spending three years planting a church by evangelizing, discipling, and training local leaders, providing humanitarian aid, and building strong community relationships. I realized social barriers prevented local Christians from openly discussing their faith, so I proposed discipleship evangelization to empower believers in northeast Thailand. I conducted qualitative research to see if discipleship evangelization could overcome these barriers. The research revealed that participants felt more confident and motivated to engage in evangelism in their neighbourhoods and found the methodology valuable. The project had a positive effect on the church, evidenced by new converts' participation and the continued use of discipleship evangelization after the research finished. Conducting this research enhanced my understanding of intercultural relationships, contextualization, and leadership theory; engaging with the local community, I gained insights into cultural nuances and social dynamics, allowing me to build stronger relationships; through adapting evangelization methods to local contexts, my efforts were more effective; and training local leaders taught me first-hand the value of a strengths-based approach, ensuring reliable and actionable findings.'