END AND BEGINNING OF THE NEW MISSION 2013

Shalom All,

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth!

Hebrews 13 verse 21 says: "May He equip you with all you need for doing His Will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen!”

It has never been easy to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Thailand. The number of Christians in Thailand is only about 200,000 out of a total population of 68 million. Yet is it not a surprise that the Mormons are faring better than the Christians in Thailand due to their zeal and persistence in reaching out to the people they evangelize to. Most of the Christian missionaries are quite successful in reaching out to the hill tribal people in northern Thailand, as well as neighboring border areas such as Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia but few Christians focus on the bulk of the Thais themselves.

Just like what Jesus says “The harvest is great, but the workers are few” - Matthew 9 verse 37. Yes, it is true that Thailand has been a challenging ground for the past 190 years and it still is, but I trust in the power of Jesus Christ that the day has come for changing the mindset and hearts of these dear brothers and sisters of ours, to bring the Gospel of peace, love and salvation to these wonderful people of Thailand! But we need to seek God’s wisdom on how to mold and transform them.

Let us not think this will be an easy walk of faith. We will certainly encounter many problems ahead of us, for it is never easy to start a Church in this or any new community. I can sense that some supporters are expecting short and quick results. I certainly hope this will be the case, but short of a miracle, a breakthrough like that is difficult if not impossible. We need to build a strong base of trust, caring and love, as much as our Lord has shown and taught us, plus His mercy of healing and bonding and relationships with Him in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

With that in mind, we will begin to teach English and Malay languages every Saturday. The idea of teaching Malay language was mooted when I met a Thai Christian leader who shares with me his vision of a longer term vision about the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015. In ASEAN, there are 4 countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei) and Malay is the official language in each of the country. In addition, it is also a commonly spoken or understood language in southern Thailand and parts of the Philippines. There is therefore a high possibility that Malay language will be an official language for ASEAN. Using this common language is therefore one way we can get close together and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In distributing gospel tracts in multi-languages learning, it find great interests by some wanting to learn other languages, including Malay. Praise the Lord!

During the past 2 months, we had some visitors from Vietnam, Macau and Malaysia as well the local Thai Christians. We have started the Sunday Church Service since early January 2013. A friend from Malaysia also came to help the Church. Since last 2 weeks ago, Pakping Christian Cafe from Nonthaburi joined the Sunday Service with us.

On December 16th, 2012, the elder of Jaisamarn Full Gospel Bang-Pa In invited us to join the Christmas event in Nakorn Luang, Ayutthuya. A few hundred from the village turned up for the event. Jenny helped in handling the children ministry.

The team from the Bangkok Christian International Library (BCIL) invited us to join the Christmas party on December 18th, 2012 in fellowship with the Christian brothers and sisters there.

The Mayan prophesy about doomsday on December 21st, 2012 had even spread to this corner of Thailand! A young girl told her mother … ", we are going to dead soon and I am not sure that you can enter Heaven because you have not received water baptism. The mother told us what her daughter has said and she is willing to accept Jesus Christ as her Savior. We did as she wished, giving her the water baptism that day. Hallelujah and thank you Lord!

In early October 2012, the pastor of Manebnoprat AG Church invited me to preach on Christmas Day. We went to Chiang Mai and joined the church members for Christmas caroling on December 22nd, 2012. On the following day, I preached on the topic, " The Meaning of Christmas” and then I made an alter call. One lady stood up. Praise the Lord for opening Heaven doors to receive her. Another two ladies also came forward for healing.

After Chiang Mai, we went to Mae Sot, Chiang Rai on December 26th, 2012 to meet up with Bro. Tee who serves his own Akha Hill Tribe there with his Japanese wife. We had a great fellowship there. Please pray for the wife to know Jesus Christ. Bro. Tee taught us about how to make straw brick and how to remove rice husks and explained to us how bees communicate. We also visited some local pastors and shared with them the Word of God. They are so encouraged that they asked me to return to lead them in Bible Study this year. All Glory to the Lord!

Before returning to Bangkok, we visited the Noah Church in Chiang Rai on December 29th, 2012. This is under the care of the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church. Praise the Lord for this church.

As my Thai visa is about to expire, I decided to go to the nearest border town of Aranyaprathet (Thailand) and Poipet (Cambodia) to renew my visa for another 3 months. I travelled there together with Bro. Steven Wong from Malaysia visiting me at the time. I have been invited by the pastor in Poipet to visit their new Church and so we dropped by the Church to fellowship and pray together. May God continue to bless the servant of God there.

I have had some gout pain from November 2012 till December 2012 then fungus on the toe from December 2012. I had surgery on the toe on 18 January 2013. Resting now and trusting the Lord for healing very soon to enable me to be on the go again!

“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property - along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then - Mark 10 verses 29 - 31. We have surrender everything to the Lord and follow Jesus Christ to reach out the needs. Do pray along with us for His provision, protection and spiritual guidance.

In God we completely place our trust. May the God we love be also with you, in your toil, in your joys, wherever you are.

God bless you all.

Blessings,

Rev. Steve Peter H S Kok

THE UPCOMING CHURCH FINANCIAL REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2012

Shalom All,

Greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth!

We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift. We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable - 2 Corinthians 8 verses 20 - 21.

Below is the up-coming Church Financial Report for the month of December 2012 for your review.

 Nothing is impossible if we have Jesus Christ in us.

May God continue to put a new hope for you and a fresh New Year to serve Him.

Blessings,

Rev. Steve Peter H S Kok

MERRY CHRSTMAS

Blessings,
Rev. Steve Peter H S Kok and Sis Jenny Ruth Kok

THE MISSION CHURCH OUTLOOK AND THE CHURCH FINANCIAL REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 2012

Shalom All,

Greetings in the Name of Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth!

As I reflect over the many responses I have received since my last posting, I am truly overwhelmed by GOD'S amazing grace and presence in preparing, guiding and planning for the planting of a new Church in Bangkok, to meet the needs of His people in this corner of the world, where many here are yet to know the Lord and receive His salvation.

Let me recall and narrate here the recent events.

Right after I have posted the email on starting a new church here in Bangkok, I have thought to myself (with misgivings and guilt I must say now) that I might not get enough funds just to rent the house to start a church, as I received a minimum fund of THB 18,000 (RM 1,920/USD 605) per month, resources which I didn't have then. Just renting the house alone will take away THB 10,000 (RM 1,065/USD 336) per month. However, about half an hour later into this reflection, I received an email from a US Senior Pastor saying he wants to contribute one month rental in advance, as he has had a vision about God's need in Thailand in his dream. Praise the Lord for this pastor's vision in his dream. Surely our God will continue to provide, to make this vision possible!

Then I have also asked God to send volunteers for short-term mission work. About 6 hours later, a US Christian contacted me saying she desires to serve a short term in Bangkok, to help our Church to reach out to the local community. Then also came  calls from Christians from the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore saying they plan to come and serve the Lord for short term work. Praise the Lord again.

One late evening, the Lord led me to read the story of King Hezekiah in Book of Isaiah. From this, I sensed that God wants me to call His new Church " The Spring Valley Community Church". And  that I need to include in his Church a special prayer room for His presence.

Here is a short slideshow presentation about the up-coming new Church:

We plan to start our first church service in Thai-English on the 2nd Sunday of January 2013, as well as to start an exploratory testing of the waters in assessing the need and the level of teaching English to children.

This will gauge the group's level of understanding in spoken English, to enable us to plan for subsequent levels of teaching English for a class or future classes.

We hope to have more activities to reach out to the urgent spiritual and other needs of the local community as we move forward step by step.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us go forth in prayer and faith that our God is always there ahead of us, beckoning us, leading us and urging us to move on to serve Him through the giving of our time. talent, strength and resources.

I strongly believe the Lord will bless us in our walk with Him each step of the way.

Truly our God works in mysterious ways.

As he touches His people.

And they readily respond to His call.

This is the verse we must carry with us each step of our way.

"I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength" – Philippians 4 verse 13.

Yes, first there must be our individual will to want to serve the Master.

Yes, alone, you or I can do little or nothing.

But together with God, we can do much, indeed much, for His Kingdom and His glory.

Below is the Financial Report for November 2012 and a projected financial need for the Church.

May God bless each one of you in your journey with Him!

Blessings,

Rev. Steve Peter H S Kok

Email : faithwithyou@gmail.com

Spring Valley Community Church

95/654 Moo. 3

Mu Ban U-Thong Place 2

Ku Khot

Lam Luk Ka

12130 Pathum Thani

Kingdom of Thailand

MISSION TO START A COMMUNITY CHURCH IN THAILAND

Shalom All,

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth!

1 Peter 4 verse 11 - “Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen”.

Our thoughts were drawn deep into the above verses for the past few months?

What is the call of the Lord for us?

Should we plan to start a church to serve the community around us?

Obstacles, yes, lots of it ahead for us even to think about it!

It is never easy to start a church, surely?

But when we begin to pray and say, "Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth  ..." surely, Jesus will take over from there? ...

Say “Amen” to that?

We will continue to pray on and for this vision, daily, and we certainly need your prayer support for this vision, too.

Last Sunday and yesterday, in our home sharing, it came as a great surprise to know that another family also has similar to set up a church to serve the local community around us. Therefore, we now have two families in agreement instead of one!

So we started looking for a suitable place to start a community church. We found a big house at Lum Luk Ka District, Pathum Thani Province (near Don Mueang Airport).

The owner presently rents it out for about THB 10,000 (RM 1,000/USD 334) per month. There are 3 bedrooms, a big living hall/room and a garden.

It appears to us to be a suitable place for us to start a church, for worship and to also use it for community service, prayer and mission outreach ministry workplace.

Also a locale for transit missionary workers stopping over in Bangkok for take-off to other mission fields close-by ... Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia, Laos ,Vietnam and China, etc.

A welcome place for workers of the Kingdom, for the spread of the Gospel and  for greater harvests for the Lord, as He commanded.

Now is time for us to pray for this vision to come true.

A House for the Lord or just a house as it is now.

See photos below.

All Praise to the Lord, as we seek His will ... Do uphold us in prayers.

Thank you and God bless!

Blessings,

Rev. Steve Peter H S Kok

SERVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART

Shalom All,

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Time comes and goes ever so quickly and without our ever realizing it, we are one week older than the last ... with, in my case, a patch of beard on my chin. And then also one year older with some noticeable wrinkles beneath the eyes when none was there a year ago!

And as time goes by, nearer to God we must be, heeding His call, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.

We should continue to share the love of God with every nation and tribe we find ourselves in. Whether the person we meet is poor or rich is besides the point for everyone needs God and His Love.

And we share this joy of the Lord with every one irrespective of rank or status, sincerely, compassionately and dutifully.

Let the true Love of God flow from Him to us and onwards to many, many others His Love touches and will touch.

In this regard, we need not be constrained by time in the spread of this Love for who can count time and number that only the Timeless God can fathom? We just have to do our little part and let God take care of the rest!

God has a great and beautiful plan for each one of us, our life. His timing, not ours, is always perfect.

We just need to seek Him for all the answers through His Word.

Will stop here for the time being.

Next sharing coming soon.

Till then, God Bless!

Blessings,

Rev. Steve Peter H S Kok

HAPPY EASTER DAY