Update of World Partners Thailand Meetings

The World Partners meetings in Chiang Mai, Thailand, have concluded and all the attendees have returned to their respective countries and ministries of making disciples who make disciples.The meetings were attended by national church presidents and national church mission directors from fifteen countries during the World Partners International meeting. Then, fourteen Regional Strategy Coordinators who make up the World Partners Global Leadership Network met. Finally, the Asia staff of World Partners gathered in Thailand. All of these meetings allowed the staff to hear reports of movements and how disciples are being made in their local and surrounding areas. It also allowed time for prayer for each individual and their ministry.During the meetings we learned that ninety-six disciple making teams have been planted across the country. As of two years ago there were seventy teams. World Partners now has a presence in 131 countries, which increased from the previous 128.Reports about ministry were made by everyone attending. One issue that kept being brought up was that some of our staff minister in dangerous areas. This is due to local governments having laws against teaching others about Christ in the open, but our staff continue to do so in private. Our staff sees how the oppression of being able to tell others about Christ is actually a catalyst for disciples being made.Many areas where Christianity is not allowed are actually flourishing. A Regional Staff Coordinator told a story about a people group who didn’t have any Christians among them, so he began praying for them and discipling them. Now this group is growing in its number of Christians and they are making disciples.Anti-conversion laws were enforced in one area of a country, but God’s work could not be stopped and now 35% of the people in this area have become Christians and the anti-conversion law was removed.These are only a few of the stories brought to the meetings in Thailand by World Partners staff who are making and multiplying disciples. The next meetings for these groups will be held in three years. We look forward to seeing what transformations God has in store for the years ahead.Photo: World Partners directors Dave Mann, Tami Swymeler, and Rick Dugan being prayed for at the meeting.