Central Church of God
5301 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270
Asia
Central supports ministries and missionaries in the following countries in Asia. Click on the countries below for more information:
China
Thailand
Vietnam
India
Malaysia
AustraliaSince China is largely closed to the Gospel and for security and safety reasons, the information about the ministries and people Central supports must be limited.
Central supports a very dynamic ministry in China, which uses the English teaching platform to reach young professionals, their families as well as impact the educational system of their area. They do this through creative language programs that include cultural presentations of Gospel stories and principles. They are also training up young nationals to be excellent English teachers and disciplers.
Central is involved in supporting the work of a team of five missionaries in Southeast Asia who are striving to evangelize and plant churches among an unreached tribal group - the "Rainbow" people. After centuries of living in secluded, mountainous villages, the Rainbow people's traditional way of life has only recently begun to change. Today, they still actively worship their ancestors and other spirits and live in constant fear of displeasing them. The goal of the church-planting team is to teach them, through the use of Bible storytelling, that the Creator-God is the only true God and that only He deserves man's worship. Last year this team completed the translation of the video, God's Story, in the Rainbow language. This video has proven to be a powerful tool in the evangelization of the Rainbow people, since they have no Bible of their own. In addition, the team will soon complete the recording of the Jesus Film into the Rainbow language.
Since this team resides in a "creative access" country, their visas are obtained by doing development work (building schools and supporting orphans) among the Rainbow people. This platform thus enhances their opportunity to establish credibility and to build long-term relationships with the people they minister to.
Central supports several different ministries that are based in Thailand and reach out not only to the people of Thailand, but also to bordering countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Burma, and China. Information on those ministries follow:
Jeff and Ellen are leading Mekong Ministries, a ministry that is church planting among unreached peoples in the Mekong region. This includes an emphasis on prayer so that they will see large numbers of people brought into the Kingdom of God. Jeff and Ellen lead prayer walking trips, have a Village adoption program and mentor new workers as they join an existing team or engage a new people group and develop a new team. The last 2 years have seen over 200 people from one previously unreached tribe come to Christ with many healings and powerful signs and wonders. Leaders are being trained and they are evangelizing their own people and making disciples with God confirming His word as they preach with signs and wonders following them.
David & Debbi Crist have been ministering in Thailand since 1996. Using an outreach strategy called Community Health Evangelism, they empower whole communities to address their own heart felt needs in improving their lives physically, socially, emotionally, economically, and spiritually. Villagers learn that abundant life in Christ means living in harmony with God, others, oneself, and the environment. The Crist's ministry include training their own national teams and sending them into poor villages. They also equip missionaries and Thai churches who want to use this effective ministry model to bring Christ in all His fullness to poor villages.
Steve & Pat have served in Asia for 24 years in refugee camps and economic development projects among the poorest peoples in Indonesia, Hong Kong and Vietnam. Steve has also served as country director for three Christian international development agencies in north Vietnam. Pat has also taught elementary grades in international schools for many years. They both serve in the senior leadership of the only evangelical church in English in Hanoi for expatriates. The Copples’ three children, Gideon (23), Schuyler (21), and Emily (19) have been raised in Asia, are now students in US universities, and are planning on overseas service.
Their major prayer request is to see ongoing development among the
northern minority peoples in order that their physical and spiritual
needs are better met.
INDIA
Central supports three different ministries in India, one of which is the ministry of Rev. Mohan Ram. Brother Ram directs the School of Revival in Nasik and conducts several sessions each year. The school is dedicated to training up local pastors who can teach and preach in the villages throughout the surrounding area.
Further information on these ministries will be made available at a later date.
Central has been assisting one family that was working in China but have now relocated to Malaysia. They have moved from direct field work with students in Asia to helping with the mobilization and sending of Asian Missionaries.They are currently working with the Kairos course , which is helping build momentum for a missions mobilization movement in SE Asia.
In addition, they are helping develop a process where these mobilized believers can be screened, trained, and sent out with effective long-term support and member care from their sending churches.
While they miss the direct work they previously had with students and families, their heart rests in how strategic the emerging Asian and African churches are in accomplishing God's purpose of a culturally-sensitive presentation of the good news of Jesus to every people group of the world!
"The prayers and financial support of Central have been and are invaluable to the work here in Asia!"
AUSTRALIA
Central supports the ministry of David and Darcy Thiel, who serve the Lord through YWAM in Australia. Darcy, a member of Central Church, trains missionaries in the areas of mother and child health care in order to equip them as midwives. This training program runs 11 months of the year and most recently has taken David and Darcy to Hyderabad, India for the first half of 2007.
David trains missionaries to teach English and both David and Darcy have a heart to help Muslims find Jesus.