Our two-tiered church structure is designed for both intimate connection and regional strength.

1. Village House Churches: The Foundation

• Purpose: To serve as the initial gathering place for new believers within a village.

• Focus: Fostering deep personal relationships and spiritual growth in a small group setting, modeled after the early church.

2. District Churches: The Central Hub

• Formation: Established once multiple village churches are thriving in a district.

• Function:

  • Provide a central location for larger, communal worship services.

  • Offer stability and advanced resources for in-depth discipleship.

  • Serve as a base for launching further Gospel expansion.

  • Host important ceremonies like weddings and funerals.

The AFT's outreach is designed to resonate with the Thai worldview. Acknowledging that Thai identity is intertwined with Buddhism, karma, and suffering, their method is culturally direct:

• They build relationships, they don't push religion.

• They share stories of personal transformation, explaining how prayer to Jesus helped them overcome real-life problems.

• They present Jesus as the answer to suffering and the one who overcomes karma.

This approach focuses on offering a personal relationship with Jesus in a way that directly addresses the deepest questions of the Thai people.

The Association of Free Churches in Thailand (AFT) has achieved notable success through a strategic, indigenous, and Spirit-led methodology that emphasizes deep discipleship and community building.  Here's a summary of why the AFT is successful:

• Indigenous and Culturally Sensitive Approach:
  • The AFT's methods were developed by Thai leaders making them culturally authentic and Thai-led.
  • They invite people to a personal relationship with Jesus, rather than presenting a religion foreign to them, this method resonates with Thais who already have their own beliefs and are not looking for a new religion.
  • They understand Thailand's "shame/fear" culture and the concept of "karma," carefully sharing the Gospel to avoid offense by addressing personal sin first. Instead, they present Jesus as the "one true God" and the solution to life's problems and karma.
  • They specifically use the name "Jesus" because Thais recognize many gods, distinguishing Him as the true  God who can bring salvation to them.
• Proactive "Go" Strategy:
  • AFT church planters actively "go" to villages in teams for evangelism, rather than waiting for people to come to them, fulfilling Jesus' command to make disciples.
  • They conduct "prayer walks" down every street and lane, believing that "persons of peace" are waiting to hear the Good News.
  • They adapt to challenges, for example: they turned the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity by distributing masks and sanitizers while sharing the Gospel, which opened doors for conversations and demonstrated love and care to them.
• Village House Churches as Spiritually Safe and Comfortable Environments for "Newborns":
  • AFT emphasizes forming house churches in familiar home environments instead of sending new believers to an unfamiliar church building.
  • This approach addresses potential family opposition and provides a "spiritually safe and comfortable 'home' environment" where new believers, akin to "babies" in Christ, can grow without immediate pressure to abandon cultural practices.
  • In these settings, they can "grow up" and develop a "Christian vocabulary and understanding" at their own pace, with the Holy Spirit guiding their transformation.
• Data-Driven Discipleship and Strategic Planning:
  • The use of the  KapTrack software is crucial for meticulously recording new believers' data, tracking their spiritual growth, and ensuring no one is "lost" or forgotten.
  • "Real-time" data and dashboards provide transparency, encourage church planters, and facilitate effective management and visualization of the Gospel's expansion.
• Comprehensive and Ongoing Discipleship:
  • The AFT focuses on making disciples, not just converts, recognizing that spiritual growth is a continuous process.
  • New believers receive immediate and consistent weekly follow-up (often 26 weeks) with structured lessons that gradually advance their understanding, from "milk" to "meat".
  • As village churches grow, district churches are established as hubs for deeper discipleship, communal worship, and further Gospel expansion.
  • A tiered leadership training system (Levels 1, 2, 3) develops village and district church leaders, ensuring continuity and growth.
• Spirit-Led and Passionate Volunteer Workforce:
  • The movement is explicitly guided by the Holy Spirit in every decision, with witnesses attesting to God's presence and transformative power.
  • Thousands of passionate volunteer church planters are committed to reaching their fellow Thais, driven by the urgency that people are dying without hearing about Jesus.
• Focus on Personal Testimony and Jesus:
  • Church planters share compelling personal testimonies (life before, how they believed, life after Jesus) integrated with scripture, which deeply resonates with Thai listeners.
  • Those who respond are led in a prayer of salvation, often communally, fostering a sense of belonging.
  • New believers are immediately encouraged to pray to Jesus for their current problems, and answered prayers often lead to miracles, strengthening their new faith.
  • The turning point is not intellectual, but spiritual: it's that moment in prayer when the Holy Spirit connects with their spirit, making Jesus a personal reality. Before this encounter, Christianity is easily dismissed as another religion, but afterward, their hearts are open to truly hearing the full Gospel message of the Kingdom of God for the first time.
• Clear and Unified Vision:
  • The AFT operates with a clear, unified vision: "Form a house church in every village. Establish a district church in every district. In all 77 provinces of Thailand". Everyone within the organization supports and works tirelessly toward this goal.

By downloading and reading this document "The Vision of the Association of Free Churches in Thailand" you'll gain a deep understanding of the AFT’s vision, rich history, remarkable progress, and strategic methodology. Dive into this document to explore how the AFT is shaping its mission and making an impact.