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The rapid growth of the church in Asia means that God is giving us thousands of opportunities to provide a congregation of new, first-generation Christians with a church building to call their own.

For Asian Christians, church isn't about stained glass or coffee in the foyer. Teaching and discipleship are essential, especially for new believers who have no Bibles. And for those disowned by their non-Christian relatives, the church is a place of fellowship and family.

"We are sort of castaways," says Vinod, an Indian believer. "But the Lord Jesus is with us, and though we are separated from our family, we have all the believers as our family."

When a pastor plants a church in a previously unreached village, his ultimate desire for his congregation is a permanent home that establishes a community presence, enhances the exposure and witness of the local church, and helps shelter congregations from anti-Christian attack and harsh climate conditions. As long as they can fit inside, the new believers meet in the pastor’s home or a rented facility. In the meantime, they pray and trust God to provide money and land for a church.

Right now, there are hundreds of congregations in Asia waiting for a church building, including some who lost their building during floods or attacks from anti-Christian extremists.

The good news is that it costs only about $11,000 to provide a simple church building where up to 300 people can worship together. These Christians, even though poor, are often willing to provide all the materials and labor they can. The church building, and the "family" it represents, mean that much to them.

A Home for His Flock

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When GFA missionary Chhiring Tamang first received Christ, he was the only Christian in his village. He had no fellowship with believers until he led two friends to Jesus.
At that point, he probably didn't dream that his village would one day need a church building—or that he would be the one to build it.
Chhiring grew up in this area of Nepal. A traveler first shared the Gospel with him during his high school years. After God burdened him to become a missionary, Chhiring chose to bring the Gospel back home, where almost no one was Christian.
Chhiring can relate to people, like this man, who don't know Jesus. "In my village, there was a temple," Chhiring said. "One day, I asked a few of the villagers why they were always going there, but none could give me a satisfying answer." Now, Chhiring shares with villagers the answer he found in Jesus.
God began doing great things through Chhiring's ministry. "Once I met a lady who was lame," Chhiring said. "I shared the Gospel with her and prayed for her healing, and the Lord healed her completely. Praise the Lord!"
Besides working in his own village, Chhiring reaches out in many surrounding areas and to many people groups.
Chhiring's wife, Shakita, helps her husband. They held church services in their home until the new believers simply couldn't fit there anymore.
After years of cramped meetings, like this one, Chhiring's congregation began praying to the Lord for a church building.
Here, Pastor Chhiring stands on the plot of land God provided for his future church building in answer to the Christians' prayers.
God provided money for a two-story church building that will hold 400 people.
"Today, Chhiring's district is known as a Christian district," GFA's correspondent wrote. Chhiring has started an amazing 80 fellowships in his previously unreached area.
As his church nears completion, Chhiring rejoices in what the Lord is doing.
date posted 05/13/08


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