March 2010 Newsletter

Sawadee kop! I hope this letter finds you well and growing in faith and in the blessing of God in your life. Nan, Sam, and I are also enjoying a period of growth and blessing in our lives as well, both physically and spiritually. Physically, Sam is growing quickly and it seems that every day he is saying or doing something new. He is non-stop motion and keeps us worn out running behind him; though in some weird way, the weariness comes with a sense of happiness and fulfillment as only children can bring. Spiritually, our church planting work here has challenged Nan and I to grow in both our leadership capabalities and in our dependence upon God to accomplish His work through us.

Earlier this year, John and Sandi Lovorn, an American missionary family living in our city of Korat, began working with us in our church planting efforts here in northeast Thailand. Nan and I first met John and Sandi last year at a local international church service and we eventually became good friends. After learning that we shared a similar vision and goal in ministry, we decided to work together in assisting local churches open churches in new areas and in visiting and encouraging these new churches. John and Sandi have experience in leading small worship groups in homes and will be a great help to us in establishing churches in the villages and districts of rural northeast Thailand.


In February, John Lavorn and I visited one of our new churches in the Thai countryside. The church (pictured here) is in Baan Mai Na Niyom village in a rural district outside Korat. After encountering some initial setbacks, this church of about 15 members has begun growing again and its main leader is being trained to assume full leadership responsibilites of the church in the near future.


As we continue to see the Kingdom of God expand into new areas, Nan and I are always conscious that our work here without your prayer and support. We are grateful and humbled by your faithfulness in giving of your time and resources to partner with us in the vision of bringing the Good News of God's love and forgiveness in Jesus to every village and home in Thailand. May God bless you abundantly as we work for the glory of His Great Name!

With much love,

Chad, Nan, and Sam Cocran

Good Friday

Nan, Sam, and I just returned from a Good Friday service at Church of Blessing of Korat. This church holds Sunday worship services in both English and Thai and attendees of both services came together for the Good Friday service. We ate spaghetti and watched the movie Passion of the Christ. After the movie, I translated for the pastor as he explained the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection. Almost 50 members and visitors attended. The movie Passion of the Christ always moves me every time I see it though I've seen it many times before. It does a great job of making you feel the weight of your sin, especially the scene at the end where Mary is holding the dead body of Jesus in her arms and staring at you as if to say, "How could you do this to my son?" Leaves you with a new determination to never sin or bring dishonor to our Lord Jesus again. Church of Blessing in Korat is led by Pastor Stephen (pictured here), a Korean missionary friend of mine. I'm proud of the great job he has done in building this church. I met Stephen for the first time early last year. He came to me and asked me to advise him in opening a new church here in Korat. I don't usually encourage or involve myself with foreigners attempting to pastor churches in Thailand (nothing against foreigners; I just don't feel that is the role that Thai believers need from us) but I was moved by his sincerity and agreed to help him. A few weeks later, Pastor Stephen told me that a group of Filipino Christians who were teaching English here in town had asked to hold an English service at his church. Though Pastor Stephen's goal was to build a Thai-speaking church, I encouraged him to join with the Filipino believers in the English service and use it as a means of attracting potential Thai church members. What developed from those first worship services with the Filipino believers was Korat's first international Christian worship service. The international service is now regularly attended by believers and non-believers of many different nationalities. This year, Church of Blessing has begun a Thai worship service as well. I'm happy to see how God is greatly blessing the ministry of my friend Pastor Stephen. Even though helping foreigners pastor churches is not my normal modus operandi, I'm proud to have played a small, indirect role in the founding of this great church. It's good to be reminded from time to time that God is bigger than our methods and ideas and is able to do so much more through us when we just sincerely love and desire to help others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. Consider it a lesson learned.

A Sigh of Relief

At the beginning of this year, Nan and I began working with a young Thai pastor (named Yod, pictured here) to plant a model church here in Korat (Nakorn Rachasima). Starting out with no church members but just our family, Pastor Yod's family, and another missionary family, we've spent the past few months praying and planning and praying some more for church members. But week after week, it has just been our 3 families on Sunday morning. Too often, that old saying kept coming back to me, "Too many chiefs and not enough indians." But thank God, in the past 2 weeks, we have had 2 new members join the church! I felt a sigh of relief in actually seeing the church begin to grow. I imagine a farmer feels exactly the same way upon seeing the first tender sprouts pushing through the surface of the earth - a small sense of exhiliration and victory! Though I know there are many more battles ahead, this first baby step is a victory for us and I'm excited about beginning to see God answer our prayers and cause our efforts to bear fruit as we have stepped out in faith. So just remember, though you may feel like you're in a battle right now, "the battle is the Lord's!" Stay faithful, stay the course, and you'll begin to see the tiny sprouts of victory begin to shoot up in your life!