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BIBLE INSTITUTE
THAILAND By Jonathan Ballou
Almost every missionary presentation would
include some form of these three primary
goals of a missionary—win souls, train leaders,
and plant churches. Given that the history and
current state of independent Baptist churches
is different in every country of the world,
the actual methods of accomplishing these
goals will naturally look quite unique. Here in
Thailand, where less than one percent of people
know Christ, there is not a day that passes that
I do not ask some form of this question: “How
can we win more souls, train more leaders,
and strengthen or plant more churches?” Early
on, I began seeking answers from missionaries
who have faithfully labored here before me.

The commonly shared view has been that the
greatest challenge is the development of strong
leaders. After spending our time in language school
partnering with established ministries, the time
came for our family to start a church. God led
in that process in many ways, not the least of
than & Alisa B
Jona allo
u &
F which was providing a national young man to
begin with us as an intern. Just a couple of years
out of high school, the young man had grown
up in a great ministry where he was given a
solid Biblical foundation and worldview. I
witnessed the call of God on his life and found
his partnership a great blessing.

am ily
Instantly, we became the perfect case study
to depict the reality facing many churches on
the mission field. We had a young man crucial
to weekly ministry who needed theological
training beyond what I could personally offer
him. There was no centralized Bible college that
fit the need of the moment. Even if there had
been, our church would have greatly missed
him if he moved away for college. Therefore,
I began to look around for collaboration with
other churches. A veteran missionary provided
the avenue I was looking for. His church,
less than an hour’s drive from ours, had an
established Bible school. As a retired Air Force
Master Sergeant with an earned theological
doctorate and many years on the mission field,
his leadership makes him uniquely capable.

He graciously allowed our intern to join the
courses he was offering and opened the door
for me to teach as well. We were immediately
blessed to step into a collaborative effort with
this veteran missionary.

The goal of the Bible institute is to provide
high quality theological training and make it
available to members who remain faithful in
their local churches. The courses must also fit
the demanding work schedules common in
Thailand. Providing a mixture of in-person and
online learning makes the most sense, given
the factors of schedule and distance, along with
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