Planting Seeds Through Stories

One Wednesday, we went to an ice cream shop with the goal of building a relationship and sharing the good news of Jesus. We spent an hour talking, laughing, sharing stories, eating ice cream, and enjoying each other’s company. Then, with our goal in mind, we transitioned into an evangelism picture game that our supervisors taught us.

The game consisted of approximately 40 pictures that captured everyday moments or experiences in life. We laid out the pictures on the table and first asked the question, “What picture tells a story of your childhood?” Everyone would choose a photo from the pile and take turns explaining their answer. The process would repeat with a few more questions, finishing with “What photo tells a story about your view of who God is?” This opened up opportunities to share testimonies and explain the gospel.

And that’s exactly what we did!

The five girls were engaged in the game as we took turns sharing stories about our lives. When it came to the last question, we shared how Jesus changed our lives and how we find true happiness in Him. I also shared 3 Circles to expound on what it means to turn from sin and accept Jesus as our Lord. 

Though no one responded to the gospel, seeds was planted!

It was hard to not walk away discouraged, but we were reminded that the Spirit of God is the one who transforms hearts. We get to joyfully participate in the ministry God has given us by proclaiming the gospel, trusting that He will complete the work of making His name known among all nations. 

Please pray for the girls we spent time with. Pray they will remember the spiritual things we talked about & want to know more.

-Asia Creative Team

Thailand

Leading Questions

Recently, our team walked through campuses and malls conducting surveys with students. The purpose of the survey was to identify where young Thai people found happiness and to pose questions that made them think deeper about their spiritual lives. We used the questions to transition into where we found true happiness– the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus!

Split into two groups, we went out and asked students if they’d be willing to talk. We were able to complete 13 surveys and shared the gospel with four people! Julia shared the gospel with one girl who wanted to follow up and hear more. Not only that, she invited four friends to join!

Please pray for this girl who wants to learn more. Pray for us to connect her with others who can continue to meet with her.

-Mariah
Asia Creative Media

Bold and Gentle in the Land of Smiles

The Asian Pacific Rim Creative Team arrived in Thailand on May 23 after a couple of long travel days - a time of preparation and prayer. We were immediately welcomed to the Land of Smiles with, like it says, many smiles. During time of adjustment to the culture, context, and language, our team has leaned into prayer and guidance from the Lord.

The language barrier is a major challenge when seeking opportunities to share the gospel.  But, the Lord has opened doors to building relationships and forming connections, so we have been learning the significance of encouraging local believers. The local church has been an incredible testament to this, as our team and the Thai students have enjoyed spending time together. With this, we have been challenged by one another. Our team has experienced the power of bold and gentle gospel presentations from the patience of the Thai believers. In addition, we have been told that we could be a potential encouragement to them through that boldness.

While at dinner one evening, our team was talking about the simplicity of asking for prayer requests, and how that could lead into an opportunity to share the gospel.  As we shared stories about praying for our waiters and waitresses back home, we had concluded that we were going to do the same right where the Lord had placed us. When it was time to pay for our meal, Taylor went to the front counter and began a conversation with the owner, asking, “Do you have any prayer requests?” His immediate answer was a joyful, “Are you all Christians?” to which we responded, “We are!” We made connections that only could have been divinely orchestrated by the Lord, including hearing his testimony of accepting Christ after students from one of our team member’s universities shared the gospel with him in 1992 in Thailand. This was yet another reminder to us that encouragement to Thai believers is impactful, and may be the exact purpose for why the Lord has led each of us here.

As we continue to go about our days, we are reminded of the Lord’s character - His overwhelming grace, constant faithfulness, and abundant love. Our purpose is to serve the Lord, boldly and gently, giving glory to the only One worthy of all praise.

-Julia

Asia Creative Team