Rev. Panom, a local pastor in Thailand, dreamed of sharing the Gospel in his hometown of Huaikeng, where his family resides. Caring for families is a priority for him, as he believes it reflects God’s care for His people. For years, he prayed for an opportunity to bring God’s love to the people of Huaikeng.
Huaikeng First Church of the Nazarene began in a family’s home, where they opened their doors to hold worship services. Over time, it quickly grew into a missional church through the active participation of God’s people.
The church’s impact expanded when missionaries from South Korea and the United States began visiting, alongside local pastors from the Thai District and NYI leaders, who hosted a Christmas event in December 2024.
One of the South Korean missionaries took a creative approach to introduce worship to the community. Over three weeks, he gradually built the structure of the service: starting with a worship song, introducing an offering, and finally reading from the Bible.
Mireu and Mijiye Kim, Korean missionaries, also explored contextualization in their ministry. During an activity about God’s creation, a member made a mango tree to symbolize the story of the tree in the Garden of Eden. This moment highlighted that many in the community had never encountered traditional biblical interpretations, such as the idea of the tree being an apple tree.
The Korean missionaries facilitated two mission teams, Ingwang Church of the Nazarene and Joyous Missional Church to visit Huaikeng First Church. Their purpose was to evangelize to unreached people. The teams visited local villages and schools to share the Gospel and invite people to church.
The following Sunday, 25 people gathered to hear about Jesus at the church. This marked the beginning of a spiritual movement. As the power of the Holy Spirit continues to work through the church in Udonthani, Northern Thailand, please pray that many more will come to know Jesus and experience His creation story for the first time.
By: Mireu Kim
