Dear Lorraine
The AFT is committed to fulfilling the Great Commission in Thailand by making disciples—not just converts—through the model Jesus gave us in the Gospels.
Our strategy unfolds in three key initiatives:
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Going Wide (Reach) We begin by reaching every village with the Gospel, planting new churches to establish a spiritual foundation across the region.
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Going Deep (Root) Once churches are established, we invest in training sustainable local leaders who can shepherd their communities and carry the mission forward.
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Going Strong (Reproduce) Chosen by the Holy Spirit, experienced church planters are equipped to expand the work into new provinces. We develop them into district church leaders and senior church planters who can reproduce the movement and lead its growth across the nation.
In previous emails, I have shared how our "Going Wide" initiative has brought the Gospel to thousands of unreached villages across Thailand. Today, I want to show you what happens next—what truly makes this mission endure: "Going Deep."
Once the initial outreach in a region is complete, our work doesn’t end—it multiplies. We entrust the mission to local village churches and leaders who first encountered Jesus through the Going Wide effort in their area. These leaders are then equipped to continue the work within their own provinces, transforming outreach into a sustainable, locally-led movement of discipleship.
This is how the Great Commission becomes generational—rooted in communities, led by locals, and empowered by the Spirit.
Where the "Going Wide" initiative planted seeds of faith in the provinces of Phichit, Phetchabun, and Nakorn Sawan, the "Going Deep" initiative is now cultivating the harvest. Local disciple-makers are carrying the work forward. Their passionate efforts during this phase have resulted in 16,499 more people responding to the Gospel and the birth of 493 more village churches in these provinces. This momentum translates to an average of seven more people responding to the Gospel each day and one new village church formed every four days.
The "Going Strong" initiative is used to support the incredible growth of the AFT and focused on continuing the developing the next generation of senior leaders. To that end, we will be training over 600 established disciple-makers and district church planters next month at our new Training Center in Chon Daen. I will provide a more detailed update on this exciting development next month.
Want to see the blueprint behind the movement? Our new website offers a comprehensive look at the AFT's mission from every angle. Dive into our discipleship strategy, analyze our latest data, and learn about the history, leadership, and beliefs that guide us. Go behind the scenes at: http://aft-thailand.org
Blessings,
Dwight & Mary Kay Martin
Email: dmartin@estar.ws
WhatsApp: +66892639332
