Langham Preaching in Asia

Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand
Associate Director Paul Windsor has continued to sustain contact with many Asian countries, and reports on local level one seminars commencing in the key province of Punjab in Pakistan.  One has been held in Gjranwala and another is planned for Faisalbad.  As local events develop, plans are underway to gather everyone for a larger training seminar next year.  This month Paul has also visited Malaysia, where discussion is underway concerning the best plans for developing preaching training in the future, and then Thailand.

In Chiangmai Paul was involved in a ‘coaching session’ for eight preachers who have been involved in the previous LP work, and are now training other preachers.  They met for 48 hours, and the programme had three elements: preaching from Paul and a fellow trainer (followed by a ‘look-over-the shoulder’ commentary); some further training for the team of eight; the chance for each of the participants to preach a sermon and benefit from evaluation.  Paul reports: ‘Local missionaries tell me that the tribal people are diffident, lacking confidence. We had a session hearing from each person and the common theme was that Langham Preaching had given them confidence with their own preaching.  Now we must see them grow in confidence in training others. I urged them to have a disciple-making mentality, asking God to lay on their hearts and minds the names of three to six people in whom they could invest what they have learnt.’

Paul reported on some highlights of the work with the pastors:

•    Somphet is now Chairman of the Association of Hmong churches – 30 churches and 40 fellowships. Developing preachers is high on his agenda. LP facilitators David and Rosemary Harley have been involved in training seminars with the Hmong at Somphet’s initiative. He says that “my wife is now impressed with my preaching. I preach for a shorter time, but with more substance”.

•    Tarawat laps it all up and seems a young man of real ability – and fluent in English. He has a website for the Hmong diaspora (including in China) and uploads resources from the Langham training. Three Chinese Hmong have been impacted by the seminars with the Harleys.

•    Barnabas was new to the group. He has oversight of 20 evangelists and is keen to pass on Langham training at their monthly training event.

•    Jo Dee works with the Pwo Karen people and is responsible for nine churches. The Harleys did a Level One training seminar with him in March 2010 with about 40 in attendance.

•    Somkiet has a couple of fellow workers in whom he is depositing the Langham principles.

•    Jareonporn commenced as a missionary in 2007 and has seen five preaching centers open up. He is working consistently with a group of three preachers.

•    David is preaching three times a week … and beginning to work with three others.

•    Charley has responsibility for four churches and is investing into five preachers in these churches

Paul is due to visit this small team for the next coaching session, due in February 2011.  Meanwhile, plans are well underway for the launch of a new LP programme in Cambodia, following Paul’s line-up visit, and also in North East India and Sri Lanka.

Paul visited  Langham Scholar A.K. Lama, who will help to launch the LP initiative in North East India. Jonathan is in Indonesia this week for further discussions concerning a possible launch of a new training programme for the churches.  And Paul is also in touch with colleagues about a further initiative to serve a variety of denominations in Myanmar.  Asia is now the new frontier for LP work, as many new countries express warm enthusiasm to launch preaching movements.