I asked Louise, who serves our Southeast Asia region, if she could frame her stories of starting multiplying discipleship movements through the Strategy Map, so we could all have a picture of what it’s really like on the ground. I edited out most of the other names as I didn’t ask them all for permission, but of course there were lots of other people involved in these stories.

You’ll notice in the first one it starts with stage 1, but in then she joins a group that’s already in stage 4, then one that’s already in stage 7, and then finally she starts in another country back in stage 1.

Story 1: From North America to Thailand

1. Mobilizing

Multiply mobilizes six North American workers with oodles of children. Team 2000 receives classroom training in Fresno, CA (June to August 2000). Together, they drive/fly across the USA and Canada visiting churches (until their van is stolen in Winnipeg.) They fundraise, share vision and raise up prayer support. Once they passed this test, Multiply was confident that they could survive anything!

2. Connecting
Team 2000 is trained by OMF in Thailand using their field-tested language and culture acquisition approach. The strict Thai teachers made a lot of students break down and cry with their relentless corrections and anxiety-ridden testing. Most of us despaired that we would never speak Thai. But like the army, “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger;” We slowly improved. It was also good to have a place to connect with missionaries from all over the world. Prayer, laughter and connecting with our team and local Thais helped us cope with the intense anxiety and frequent bouts of loneliness that we all felt; especially when two of our teammates were stricken with dengue fever and one child broke her leg. We were completely dependent on translators to help us do the simplest things. We often wondered whether we spoke too much English because we had a big team. In year two, we moved to another province. Before our move, we took several scouting trips, prayed hard, and met with local pastors. We asked them all the same question: “If you could plant a church anywhere in this province, where would it be?” They all said, “Close to the University. This city has no evangelical church.” Filled with expectation, we moved to Bang Saen, Chonburi province (2002) and started connecting with two small churches in the neighbouring city. We were in language school full time (extension) for at least 3 more years. Even with a large team to support us, we felt intense loneliness and often doubted our calling and ability to learn the Thai language. Learning of our discouragement, the OMF field director came to visit us. We all cried and poured out our hearts to him. He exhorted us not to quit and said “this too shall pass.”

3. Witnessing
The connections we made with Thai believers helped us witness to our Buddhist friends and neighbors about Jesus Christ’s saving power. We began to try every type of witnessing approach conceivable: One-on-one friendships, reaching out to children in the slums, adult English teaching, university outreaches with the help of teams from North American, children’s English camps, outdoor concerts that include large amounts of fireworks and many community “fiestas.” I began to teach the Bible (with the help of a Thai friend) to a semi-retired rice porridge seller who had an enormous debt. When Aunty Neet believed in Jesus and experienced the miracle of her debt being forgiven, I knew at that moment that the pain and sacrifice of moving our family to Thailand was worth it all! We started developing partnerships with Power To Change and their Thai evangelists. They were also doing outreach on the university campus.

4. Gathering
After 3 years, (2004) we were able to gather a small group of Buddhist seekers who all believed in Jesus “50%”(Thais like to count in percentages). We taught them the Bible weekly. As a team, we decided to rent a small 3 story townhouse for outreach. University students and neighbors started gathering to worship Jesus. The church began to grow. We celebrated our first baptism with tears of joy! We strategically decided to gather at 4pm on Sunday and have supper together after the worship service so that University students could attend the meetings. At that time (2004-2006) we didn’t fully understand how the “Attractional Church Planting Model” hindered the multiplication of making disciples. In our 2nd term, we rented a large expensive 3-story building on the main street and hired 2-3 Thai evangelists/pastors. We knew that the cost of rent was more money than the church could sustain on its own but we believed that the “visibility” of being on the main road was worth raising funds for. We also had lots of North American churches partnering with us and teams coming every year to serve. During this season we grew as more Buddhists came to know Christ and joined our fellowship. I spent most of my time going into poor communities, starting kids clubs, and inviting the children to Sunday school. Packed into a hot sweaty room at the top of the building, our Sunday school grew to over 50 children.

5. Equipping
In 2006, Team 2000 spent most of their time working with their Thai staff to equip new Thai Christians to be strong disciples of Jesus. We brought them “on mission” with us and equipped them to lead. This was a great place to practice my Thai and train Thai believers to be leaders. With the help of Thai pastors, discipleship went deeper. There was unity in our team but looking back, working with six foreigners with strong opinions and vision must have been extremely challenging for our Thai team! By God’s grace we regularly celebrated baptisms at the beach and many university students came to know the Lord.

6. Growing
At this stage, we were constantly innovating. We could see that our western model of “church” had many weaknesses. We recognized that people liked to “visit” but not a lot of people were becoming mature disciples. We wondered how to “shut the back door.” In 2008 The Life Centre Church really started to grow. Thais began taking more leadership, and a new group of believers came to Christ in Angsila, a neighbouring city.

7. Multiplying
I started travelling with our housekeeper and a team from her church to another province. This witness & partnership resulted in a miracle of multiplication of disciples. 70 Buddhist people with HIV put their faith in Jesus Christ. Many house churches were started in the neighbouring province of Chachoengsao (0.03% Christian). We drove 2 hours there and back one time a week, then twice a week in order to follow up with the new believers. It was an exciting time because our team was going in many different directions, multiplying disciples. We had never navigated growth like this before. We wrote the mission, called other missions, looked for coaches, apostolic leaders from other countries who could advise us how to proceed but we found no one. Our growth resulted in conflict and confusion among our team. Multiply helped us access a counsellor who was skilled at working with teams. We were indebted to this man for his strategic wisdom and the important lessons we all learned. The outcome of these meetings resulted in new assignments and roles for Team 2000.

8. Partnering
ICOMB leaders came regularly to visit our Thai leaders and churches. They shared the vision for establishing a Thai MB conference. ICOMB helped our Thai pastors understand the next steps required to become a healthy conference. Annabaptist theology and history were translated into Thai. Sometimes our Thai leaders were discouraged and confused by all the requirements. They wanted to be part of the MB family but they couldn’t understand why they were not ready. Multiply workers worked hard to bridge cultural differences and to clarify that the time needed for the Thai church to grow in maturity and financial independence didn’t mean that they were second class citizens in the MB family. More Multiply global workers entered the field, were trained by Thai leaders and together, started to create and enjoy new partnerships with national leaders. Together, they started new disciple-making communities in northern, northeast and central Thailand.

Story 2: Working with Pastor Naat

In 2009, Multiply recognizes that a new group of disciples has been birthed in Chachoengsao and releases us to move to there, following Naat and her family. The Thai church that started the discipleship movement has no time or resources to grow the new believers so they humbly and generously give the leadership to Naat and bless her to go work with us in Chachoengsao. We move to Chachoengsao at stage 4.

4. Gathering
God gives the new believers a plot of land on Buddhist temple ground in the centre of the village. They start gathering weekly. Everyone in the community is invited to pray at the gazebo on Wednesday nights. I remember overhearing one new disciple ask another disciple this question: “What day do you think is the most important day for Christians, Sunday worship or Wednesday prayer? “Oh, Wednesday prayer,” they answered confidently. I just smiled and nodded.

5. Equipping
The new disciples initiated most of the witnessing. When they got stuck, they came and got Naat to explain from the Bible and to set people free from demonic oppression. The spiritual battle was intense for the whole team! New global workers were mobilized and trained. The new missionaries were happy to meet their new Thai family yet they also felt deeply frustrated because they couldn’t keep up with the plans being made. Multiply workers are equipped as they run alongside Naat, watching, learning, asking questions ranging from Thai Buddhism, language, demons, deliverance and how to make disciples. We prayed like she prayed, preached like she preached. At the same time, we worked hard as a team to give Naat all the resources she needed. Sometimes that meant we helped her enroll part time in Bible school, other times we coached her on how to be a servant leader and apologize when she had lost her temper. Other times we took care of her children, scrubbed the toilet, made the curry and learned to preach in Thai. The hot sweaty slum became our discipleship classroom. It was there we saw a woman healed of stage 4 liver cancer and a witch doctor throw away all his idols. We learned how to empower Naat as a leader, and how to serve our Thai team by running alongside with love and encouragement.

6. Growing
Growth happened in a controlled chaos. A man came and shot off his gun in front of our worship gathering and yelled, “stop singing!” Drug dealers hated us, tried to steal from us, often successfully! Neighbors spread lies that I was going to steal their children. The local police knew us by name because we came weekly to report attempted murder, rape, drug dealing and theft.

7. Multiplying
Missionaries didn’t have a seat at the decision making table. As foreigners, we weren’t the leaders, Naat was. For the missionary this is a lonely, extremely humbling season yet they can thank God that they don’t have to start from scratch. They have a safe place to belong and grow in their language, as long as they don’t get too discouraged or offended by “only” being a learner of the culture.

8. Partnering
A Burmese speaking, Thai speaking, woman hears the Good News and believes in Jesus. She gives us a “Macedonian Call”; Help me bring the Good News to my people!” We start witnessing in the factories. Burmese migrant workers start coming into our Thai church. Tension builds. The new Thai disciples despise the new Burmese disciples. Suddenly we are asking God, “How can we teach these people groups to love one another and overcome centuries of prejudice, hatred and war?” The accusation, “Which Burmese person stole my flip flop?!” gradually dies out when the locals realize that the dogs have been stealing the shoes. The love of God starts to change old mindsets and the new believers start to share with one another.

9. Extending
We recently had a night that was very special to us. A night that we have been praying into existence in Thailand for the last 14 years. A dream come true. We celebrated the pastoral licensing of 11 Myanmar pastors and the registration of 7 Myanmar churches (with 10 more new Myanmar church plants emerging) under the Thailand MB Church Association. This means that our Myanmar churches are now registered legally according to the government of Thailand. But may I say, this day was far more than the signing of a legal document. It was a historic and prophetic day for the church in Thailand! One of our Thai elders confessed and asked for forgiveness on behalf of the Thai church. He said, “We have not loved and protected our Myanmar brothers and sisters from discrimination, abuse, oppression and the many injustices they have suffered as migrant workers working in Thailand.” His humility as a Thai board member, and his teaching to all the pastors and interns that we are one body in Christ Jesus; that we must love and care for the “foreigners and the oppressed” in our country was revolutionary and unprecedented in the teaching of our Thai church culture. Our Thai pastors have committed themselves before God and their Myanmar brothers and sisters, to protect and serve one another for the expansion of God’s Kingdom.

Story 3: Burmese Discipleship Movement

7. Multiplying
In 2009, through a friend of a friend, we meet a Burmese man who had recently graduated from discipleship school. He says “Yes, I will come help you. But only one day a week.” Migrant workers start coming to Christ every week as we bring him into the local factories and share the Gospel. I lie awake at night praying, “God save all the new babies! Asking, “how can new Christians grow with only being discipled one night a week?” With two new discipleship movements growing- one, Thai and one, Burmese, the Holy Spirit chaos is beautifully challenging; witnessing to drunks, addicts, murderers, sorcerers, the handicapped, the sick and rescuing Burmese people from trafficking rings, and helping Naat and Isaiah as they lead these people to Jesus, becomes our everyday life.

8. Partnering
We quickly realize that Naat and this Burmese man need help training their new leaders so we start a leadership training program. Some of these leaders are duds. We slowly get better at discerning sincerity, passion and gifting. We recognize a shift in our ministry. Now we are not just focused on developing two national leaders, we are multiplying a big team of leaders who are starting their own groups. Our new churches and young disciples are deeply strengthened through partnering with the Rhema discipleship school and the Myanmar Christian Assembly church in Bangkok. Foundations in studying the scripture and making disciples were taught to the all.

9. Extending
Within the first two years, the Burmese disciples have spread into five different regions. I wish I could say we planned it, but we didn’t. The Holy Spirit did. Every time we were excited about a new strong believer, they would announce to us, “sorry I must move to another factory.” Initially I was sad and thought our investment was lost. But then they started calling us, asking us to come to another city and lead a cell group in their factory. They invited their friends, and another church was born. By 2014 our Burmese leaders are interceding for their families and villages in Myanmar that still have no Gospel witness. They begin to pray and plan for the day they can extend the Kingdom of God into Myanmar. They start taking vision and evangelistic outreach trips into Myanmar. I approach our leaders in Multiply and ask for the Multiply board’s permission to enter a new country based on the vision and calling of our Myanmar leaders.

Story 4: Myanmar

Multiply says yes to another country and we move to Myanmar.

1. Mobilizing
2017: Two Burmese pastors, a few migrant workers now trained in evangelism, and four Multiply resource workers enter Myanmar with no business visa. (God miraculously provides the visa they have been seeking for the last three years.)

2. Connecting
The Burmese man is encouraged to start a business by his resource team in order to create a more self-sustainable model of church planting in a very poor and underdeveloped country. Myanmar is just coming out of 50 years of military rule. We hear people say, “you don’t know how long the door will be open here.” Four Multiply resource workers attend language school and attempt to learn a difficult tonal language.

3. Witnessing
The two Burmese pastors begin to form a leadership/evangelistic team. The Multiply workers are connecting with these young leaders in friendship, monthly team building and frequent visits to their locations, assisting them in their witness to new people groups.

4. Gathering
The team is gathering people into their new church planting locations.

5. Equipping
During this same time, one Burmese leader is constantly bringing new business opportunities to the team. He attempts many agricultural pilot projects because he understands that there is not enough mission money in the world to reach every unreached state in Myanmar. He also understands that his people and the country he has been away from for the last 25 years is in desperate need of economic help.

6. Growing
The Burmese leader is learning new skills in business and makes some mistakes. He gets extorted and threatened by the police and government officials. He is filled with anxiety about going to jail. The intense pressure causes him to completely abandon his young team of church planters. In 2020 he is running back and forth to government offices, appearing before tribunals consumes one full year. Finally he is exonerated and free to dream again but COVID 19 is raging through the country. February 1, 2021 a military Coup occurs. The foreign resource team, after a year of being locked down due to Covid is now forced to leave the country not knowing if they will ever be allowed to return. The coffee company has successfully exported coffee two times and a new cashew business is ready to export for the first time. Suddenly everything around his business grinds to a halt, waiting for deliverance from the Junta. Forced by the military to stay on the coffee mountain, he turns his apostolic energy and focus back to preaching the Gospel, building a new training centre, a new team of disciple makers, and planting new churches- not by himself but through multiplying his team of young evangelists.

7. Multiplying
He is travelling and witnessing to new completely unreached Buddhist people groups who are hostile to the Gospel. The ground is much harder than Thailand. The persecution from Buddhist leaders is violent, relentless and very costly for our new believers. One day he meets new believers, who ask him to help him sell their coffee. He starts a coffee trading business. A man on a short-term team from Canada offers to buy the coffee. Lighthouse coffee company is started.

8. Partnering
After one year in language and culture training a young Canadian couple moves to Thailand to work in the Disciple Making movement. The team of Burmese and Multiply workers are learning the skills of mutual submission and creating a movement. Meanwhile the Burmese Disciple making movement in Thailand continues to grow new leaders and multiply new house churches. Even though we are two countries, they stay connected through social media and zoom meetings, partnering with our house churches in Myanmar, encouraging the churches, travelling back and forth. When the coup happened, they asked their disciples in Thailand to give generously, out of their poverty, to people suffering in Myanmar.

9. Extending
Thai church planting is extending into new regions. Burmese migrant worker church planting and disciple making is extending in Thailand. In Myanmar, similar to Laos, the recent military coup d’état has closed the door to all Multiply workers. Multiply workers were only able to live in Myanmar for 3 years. But because the core of the Myanmar church planting team were mature disciples before they moved to Myanmar, they are now able to mobilize new leaders, witness, gather and equip new believers and a large team of young interns on their own. The Multiply team now communicates, partners and multiplies disciples with the Myanmar church planting team from Thailand.