News From Ministry
On this page you can read news about our ministry
Give a Meaningful Gift for Christmas.
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- Written by Tore Johannessen
- Category: News From Ministry
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- Remeber: Like our Facebook page: Good News For the Shan - Ministry, to get more updates and pictures.
- You can also subscribe to our News Page
We have a ministry among a people group from Myanmar called the Shan people, most have no or limited knowledge of Christmas and its message, and they are also poor immigrants in Thailand.
In the month of December we have a grate opportunity to share the Good News and the Christmas message to the Shan people.
We will have a big Christmas party on December the 21st on a land we have rented and have our ministry on in Northern Thailand. We expect around 150 people at our Christmas party.
We will also be giving out gifts to 25 shan children who come to our Saturday and Sunday school plus those we visit weekly and reach out to. In addition, we will give gifts to those who come to our big Christmas party.
At the Christmas party we will also give out sweets, snacks and food for those who will come.
We have a budget of about 1,500USD for Christmas parties and gifts, and we have already received more than half, but we need some more to make this possible. So if you would like to support and give a meaningful gift for Christmas, feel free to join us.
You can use PayPal to donate, or contact us for other ways you can give.
If you want to donate we both have a Thai bank account you can transfer too, or you can use PayPal (please feel free to contact us if you want to give)
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Video from last Christmas (2018)
Eight Shan Got Baptized
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- Written by Tore Johannessen
- Category: News From Ministry
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- Remeber: Like our Facebook page: Good News For the Shan - Ministry, to get more updates and pictures.
- You can also subscribe to our News Page
During October and November we had 8 people who got batized in our ministry.
The first five we baptized them on a Sunday after our Sunday meeting. Those who we baptized were three of those who received Jesus the night I talked about earlier (see this page), including the father and the girl. Plus a friend of one of those who received this evening, who became a Christian a week after. We also had Sei Mong as I will soon tell will about.
We also baptized 3 more in November when a team from Canada visited us.
Pray for those who have received Jesus in the last two month, and especially those eigth who wanted to be baptized!
What makes me most happy is not always those who say they want to be Christians, because I have experienced many who have said it but did not really mean it. What really makes me glad are the ones who believe it, and want to take the full step out as by being baptized.
But this is also just the beginning, for disciple-making and follow-up work is the most challenging part. After 25 years in full-time ministry, and 15 years on the mission field, I can really say that.
In the last month I have also heard of several Shan who once made a choice to become a Christian and even were baptized, and were Christians for several years, but who today have made a choice to return to Buddhism again. This makes me sad. That is why follow-up work is so important, and really pray with us that we must have the resources and wisdom in this! We really want to see fruit that last.
See the video of baptism
Many Shan Receives Jesus
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- Written by Tore Johannessen
- Category: News From Ministry
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- Remeber: Like our Facebook page: Good News For the Shan - Ministry, to get more updates and pictures.
- You can also subscribe to our News Page
Over the past two weeks, a lot has happened here in our ministry Good News for the Shan, including around 13-14 people who have received Jesus, and we are busy following them up. Several of them we have known for a time already, but suddenly there were several who wanted to take the full step out and become Christians.
It started with four people that surprisingly came at a house meeting we had on a Monday night.
We had actually gone to this house meeting to encourage a Christian couple who had just moved to a new place where they had no electricity, far out on the rice field.
When we arrived another family we also know called and said they would like to come to this house meeting too because they wanted to receive Jesus.
After 5-10 minutes they arrived, and one middle-aged man said eagerly that he was very ready to receive Jesus. He had been thinking and waiting for a long time to do so, because he wanted a change in his life.
This is also the father of a 14 year old girl who attends our Saturday and Sunday school, and we have known her f
or about 3 years.
At the same time she also wanted to receive, plus two other young men, one we have known for over 12 years (but we have not seen him for a while).
So the evening was a bit different than we had expected.
We finally got to pray for and encourage the couple we came to visit as well, when it got dark and from a light of a flashlight.
Baptism
We have baptism on Sunday, the 20th of October, we have potentially 13 people that want to be baptized, but sometimes there are some who withdraw, or there may also be others who say they want to be baptized.
There is a girl of about 15-16 years, whom we have known for about three years now who is also thinking about being baptized, if her parents allows it.
P
ray for those who have received Jesus and want to be baptized!
What excites me (and we) the most are not always those who say they want to be Christian (because we have experienced many people who have said they will, but did not really mean it), but those who really mean it and want to take the full step by being baptized.
We have also started gatherings on Sunday mornings. One of the reasons is that we need to follow up and teach more those who are new Christians.
Sunday Gatherings
At our Sunday gatherings we begun with only 4-5 people who met togather, but the last two Sundays there have been over 10 who have come, also new Christians and some youth.
A 15 year old girl who baptized a year ago is very eager to come and wants to grow as a Christian. She also wants to attend a Bible school when the time comes.
Please remember to pray for this:
- Those who have become Christians
- Our Sunday morning gatherings, that more of the new Christians will come to these gatherings. We also follow them up in the evening in our home Churches.
- For our economy.
In our ministry, we are still in grate need of monthly sponsors and partners.
- We are in great need of a ministry car as we have now also started with Sunday meetings.
- We also need a rice cooker (about 150USD) for our Sunday meetings and other gatherings.
- We are also in need of funds for Christmas and Christmas parties we will have.
If you wish to support us, pleas feel free to use PayPal or contact us for information.
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An Entire Family Received Jesus
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- Written by Tore Johannessen
- Category: News From Ministry
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Remeber: Like our Facebook page: Good News For the Shan - Ministry, to get more updates and pictures.
At our monthly meeting we have on our rented land we gathered almost 60 people all together including children. There are actually more and more people coming to these gatherings and we ran out of food this time.
This evening we taught from the Bible and also explained the gospel and had worship.
An entire family of six received Jesus this evening.
I saw a father bring his kids along with him when we asked if anyone would like that Jesus should come into their hearts.
They have one child that is only five months old as well, which we have prayd for several times. This is a family we have known for over a year now, and they have been very interested in Jesus for the past six months.
There were also other young families, some of whom had recently come from Myanmar, who we prayed for and with.
More Than 250 Shan Heard the Good News
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- Written by Tore Johannessen
- Category: News From Ministry
- Hits: 454
Remember: Like our Facebook page: Good News For the Shan - Ministry, to see more pictures, videos and updates. 
We had a successful Christmas celebration here in Northern Thailand, and we reached out to between 200-250 Shan people all together.
We had four parties at four different locations from the 14th to the 22end of December, most people had never heard about the Christmas message before, and many were encouraged.
Watch a video from the Chrismas parties under!
About 150 people came to our Christmas party on December 22end that we had on the land that we rent.
We had programs in the morning for the children and youth and food and program for adults in the evening.
Many prayed the salvation prayer in the end of our big Christmas party.
Our Sunday and Saturday school kids performed a Christmas tradition Shan dance (with the Christmas message) in all the places we were, plus in a Shan church we visited in another city.
Now we have started the New Year with about 10-15 children.
Children's Day
This last Sunday we had Children's Day at our Sunday school. Around 40 children, plus some adults came. It was a fun time with lot of games and we ate lunch together.
Arrangements and special days are always a good opportunity for us to share the Good News.
Please still pray for sponsors/donors to our ministry: Good News for the Shan. We are in need of more funds in this year too, we are especially in need for a car.
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