Historical Timeline
The Roman Catholic Church has been working to establish churches in Thailand since the 16th century. Their work emphasized educational institutions and hospitals. Protestant work in Thailand began in the 19th century and took years before they baptized their first Thai convert to Christianity. Their mission work did not see any notable growth until a Presbyterian missionary moved to the north and started a mission to the Lao people in the villages. Between 1970-2000 there was a surge of mission efforts in Thailand, especially to the hill tribes in the north where most of the Christians are found today (0.7% of Thailand's population). Often Christian missionary groups would teach, baptize, and then leave without training nationals to take over. Many groups reverted to pagan beliefs or are starving for someone to minister to them and train them.
In a continuing effort to carry out the command of Christ to spread the gospel message, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) entered the arena in 1991. WELS had already begun mission work in other areas of Asia including Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Indonesia. What follows below is a timeline and short history of the developments which led to WELS Thailand mission efforts from that point to the present.
1986-1988: Outreach efforts to the Hmong people living in St. Paul, MN, U.S.A. result in new Hmong Christians beginning to share their new faith in Christ with friends and relatives back in Thailand.
1988: The Southeast Asian Mission Conference under the WELS Board for World Missions met in Denpasar, Indonesia to analyze mission outreach possibilities in Southeast Asia. Thailand scored very high in the analysis.
1991: A team of three Southeast Asian missionaries (Gary Schroeder of Hong Kong, Bruce Ahlers of Indonesia, and Robert Meister of Taiwan) carried out a ten day mini-exploration of Thailand. The subsequent report reflected the need and possibilities for beginning mission outreach in Thailand.
1993: While continuing his studies for Hmong ministry in the St. Paul, Minnesota area, Ger Yang visited relatives and friends in Thailand and Laos, including those at Village 9 in northwestern Thailand. Hundreds gathered in the Hmong villages where Ger Yang was teaching the Bible.
Robert Meister and John Hartwig accepted calls to a two-year exploration of Thailand. Their recommendation was to begin work in the Chiang Mai area with a focus on reaching the ethnic Thai population.
1994: The Southeast Asian Committee under the WELS Board for World Missions approved a short term exploratory visitation by Ger Yang to determine whether his Hmong contacts could be helpful to the exploratory efforts of Meister and Hartwig.
1995: Robert Meister accepted the permanent call to serve as a missionary to Thailand. (John Hartwig accepted a call to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary). The plan called for the missionaries to work in the Thai language with young people, businessmen, and HIV sufferers in the Chiang Mai area as the first phase of outreach in Thailand.
Work was also begun to coordinate outreach efforts of the Hmong mission trips from the St. Paul, MN area that were actively seeking to reach the Hmong peoples settled in the Tak Province.
In December, on his third mission trip to Thailand, Ger Yang died at Village 9.
1996: Robert Meister began monthly visits to Village 9 to assess continuing ministry needs and work with the people Ger Yang had reached.
English Bible classes were offered in Chiang Mai at a rented facility. Bible classes and Institute-level studies began with two men in the Nong Khai area of northeastern Thailand. The "It Is Finished Bible Institute" was established in Chiang Mai.
1997: Two WELS Kingdom workers arrived in Chiang Mai to assist with mission efforts.
T.C. began his ministry studies in St. Paul, Minnesota through the Pastoral Studies Institute. He also began family visits to Thailand where he shared the gospel with relatives and friends in the Nong Khai area.
Paul Workentine arrived as a full-time missionary to serve with Robert Meister. He returned to the U.S. in 1999.
2001: Jud Krohn accepted the call to serve as a missionary with Robert Meister.
2002: WELS Hmong missionaries from the U.S. visited new locations in Thailand where Hmong Christians in America had family and friends.
2004: The Lor family from Kansas City, Missouri, USA, visited their former congregation near Chiang Kham where their father, Xao Lor, had formerly served as pastor before moving to the U.S. and becoming WELS. The congregation had a building, but no pastor. After a time of detailed doctrinal study, the congregation expressed its desire to establish fellowship with the WELS.
Because of the interest and involvement of a number of U.S. based mission minded participants in serving the Thailand field, the WELS Synodical Council established the Joint Mission Council to oversee and administrate the policies and actions for further ministry efforts.
The Joint Mission Council determined that a two track system (one under the Board for World Missions and one under the Board for Home Missions) would be in order to avoid difficulties in policy and procedure. A future goal would be to converge the two tracks.
2005: T.C. graduated from the Pastoral Studies Institute of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and was assigned by the Joint Mission Council to northeastern Thailand. He was installed and began work under the new two track system serving the Thai Issan people.
The new church building at Village 9 was dedicated.
Two additional Hmong mission trips to Thailand were conducted to focus on the congregation in Ban Mai Rungthawee which had expressed the desire to join WELS fellowship and to increase mission efforts in Red Dirt Village.
Chiang Rai was chosen as a natural center for Hmong ministry in northern Thailand.
The Joint Mission Council appointed the U.S. based Hmong/Lao Committee to be the immediate supervisory body for the second track of ministry in Thailand.
2006: The Joint Mission Council called D.L. from Kansas City to serve in Chiang Rai as a mission developer for the Hmong congregation near Chiang Kham and to begin training Hmong men for ministry.
Eight men enrolled in the Pastoral Studies Institute program at Chiang Rai.
2008: Niran Temsagoon graduated from his studies under Missionaries Meister and Krohn at Chiang Mai and was installed into the pastoral ministry where he began work to establish a Thai congregation in the city.
The mission in Red Dirt Village constructed its chapel.
2008-2009: The economic crisis hit. Funding for world missions was cut and nine world missionaries were defunded and recalled. Missionaries Meister and Krohn were among those affected by the cutbacks and the Bible Institute at Chiang Mai was closed.
2009: A daughter congregation of the mission in Ban Mai Rungthawee was started as a house church in Ban Lai Village.
2010: The Joint Mission Council created the Thailand/Laos Oversight Committee to oversee and administrate all Thailand mission fields jointly. The two track system was removed and Kenneth Pasch was called to serve as the Field Coordinator for all WELS Thailand mission efforts.
Seven men graduated from the Pastoral Studies Institute program at Chiang Rai and were ordained into the ministry and installed into waiting mission congregations.
2011: The first national pastoral conference was held in Chiang Rai involving all national pastors, evangelists, and seminary students from both former mission tracks. Discussions began on unification of our mission efforts and the future establishment of a national church body.
Evangelist and third year seminary student, Samorn, died in Nong Khai from cardiac arrest. The village church suffered some minor setbacks as superstition and rumor of curses upon Samorn and the church are circulated within the village.
Construction began on a church in Ban Mai Rungthawee and a new chapel was dedicated in Ban Lai.
2012: The seminary was moved to a new location in Chiang Rai.
2013: Five students graduated from the Seminary Pastoral Studies Institute in Chiang Rai.
A new sanctuary was constructed and dedicated in Ban Houymakhat near Nong Khai. The church was funded through the 125th Anniversary offerings of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Onalaska, Wisconsin.
2014: Five students graduated from the Seminary Pastoral Studies Institute in Chiang Rai. All were assigned to new exploratory missions.
2015-2016: New construction projects were carried out and completed in four locations: A new chapel and mini-house was built in the village of Haui Han; a new chapel was constructed in the village of Ban Lai; a new mini-house and worship center was constructed in the village of Doi Tevada and a new fellowship hall was built in the village of Ban Houymakhat.
2016: Government approval was granted and a license was issued for the new Thailand Evangelical Lutheran Synod Foundation.
A note of thanks for services rendered in the past that have led to WELS present and future mission efforts...
We give thanks to the Lord for the dedicated men and women whose faithful service in the past has helped to establish our WELS mission endeavors in Thailand - former missionaries Robert Meister, John Hartwig, Paul Workentine, and Jud Krohn; former WELS Kingdom Workers - Jim and Nancy Huwe, Heidi Loesher, Liz Meister, Tim Meister, Mical Schaefer, Caleb Cordes, Jim and Jan Hewitt, Katie Lehman, Anne Press and Eric Duwe; the many former members of the WELS mission boards, their sub-committees, and the Hmong/Lao Committee; the late Pastor Loren Steele+ and Ger Yang+ along with the many men and women of the U.S. Hmong community who took an active role to share their Christian faith with friends and relatives in Thailand. Through the efforts of these people along with the prayers and support of the WELS constituency, the Lord has opened many doors for the proclamation of the Gospel. We pray that the Lord will continue to bless the future of our missions just as he has in the past.
In a continuing effort to carry out the command of Christ to spread the gospel message, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) entered the arena in 1991. WELS had already begun mission work in other areas of Asia including Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Indonesia. What follows below is a timeline and short history of the developments which led to WELS Thailand mission efforts from that point to the present.
1986-1988: Outreach efforts to the Hmong people living in St. Paul, MN, U.S.A. result in new Hmong Christians beginning to share their new faith in Christ with friends and relatives back in Thailand.
1988: The Southeast Asian Mission Conference under the WELS Board for World Missions met in Denpasar, Indonesia to analyze mission outreach possibilities in Southeast Asia. Thailand scored very high in the analysis.
1991: A team of three Southeast Asian missionaries (Gary Schroeder of Hong Kong, Bruce Ahlers of Indonesia, and Robert Meister of Taiwan) carried out a ten day mini-exploration of Thailand. The subsequent report reflected the need and possibilities for beginning mission outreach in Thailand.
1993: While continuing his studies for Hmong ministry in the St. Paul, Minnesota area, Ger Yang visited relatives and friends in Thailand and Laos, including those at Village 9 in northwestern Thailand. Hundreds gathered in the Hmong villages where Ger Yang was teaching the Bible.
Robert Meister and John Hartwig accepted calls to a two-year exploration of Thailand. Their recommendation was to begin work in the Chiang Mai area with a focus on reaching the ethnic Thai population.
1994: The Southeast Asian Committee under the WELS Board for World Missions approved a short term exploratory visitation by Ger Yang to determine whether his Hmong contacts could be helpful to the exploratory efforts of Meister and Hartwig.
1995: Robert Meister accepted the permanent call to serve as a missionary to Thailand. (John Hartwig accepted a call to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary). The plan called for the missionaries to work in the Thai language with young people, businessmen, and HIV sufferers in the Chiang Mai area as the first phase of outreach in Thailand.
Work was also begun to coordinate outreach efforts of the Hmong mission trips from the St. Paul, MN area that were actively seeking to reach the Hmong peoples settled in the Tak Province.
In December, on his third mission trip to Thailand, Ger Yang died at Village 9.
1996: Robert Meister began monthly visits to Village 9 to assess continuing ministry needs and work with the people Ger Yang had reached.
English Bible classes were offered in Chiang Mai at a rented facility. Bible classes and Institute-level studies began with two men in the Nong Khai area of northeastern Thailand. The "It Is Finished Bible Institute" was established in Chiang Mai.
1997: Two WELS Kingdom workers arrived in Chiang Mai to assist with mission efforts.
T.C. began his ministry studies in St. Paul, Minnesota through the Pastoral Studies Institute. He also began family visits to Thailand where he shared the gospel with relatives and friends in the Nong Khai area.
Paul Workentine arrived as a full-time missionary to serve with Robert Meister. He returned to the U.S. in 1999.
2001: Jud Krohn accepted the call to serve as a missionary with Robert Meister.
2002: WELS Hmong missionaries from the U.S. visited new locations in Thailand where Hmong Christians in America had family and friends.
2004: The Lor family from Kansas City, Missouri, USA, visited their former congregation near Chiang Kham where their father, Xao Lor, had formerly served as pastor before moving to the U.S. and becoming WELS. The congregation had a building, but no pastor. After a time of detailed doctrinal study, the congregation expressed its desire to establish fellowship with the WELS.
Because of the interest and involvement of a number of U.S. based mission minded participants in serving the Thailand field, the WELS Synodical Council established the Joint Mission Council to oversee and administrate the policies and actions for further ministry efforts.
The Joint Mission Council determined that a two track system (one under the Board for World Missions and one under the Board for Home Missions) would be in order to avoid difficulties in policy and procedure. A future goal would be to converge the two tracks.
2005: T.C. graduated from the Pastoral Studies Institute of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and was assigned by the Joint Mission Council to northeastern Thailand. He was installed and began work under the new two track system serving the Thai Issan people.
The new church building at Village 9 was dedicated.
Two additional Hmong mission trips to Thailand were conducted to focus on the congregation in Ban Mai Rungthawee which had expressed the desire to join WELS fellowship and to increase mission efforts in Red Dirt Village.
Chiang Rai was chosen as a natural center for Hmong ministry in northern Thailand.
The Joint Mission Council appointed the U.S. based Hmong/Lao Committee to be the immediate supervisory body for the second track of ministry in Thailand.
2006: The Joint Mission Council called D.L. from Kansas City to serve in Chiang Rai as a mission developer for the Hmong congregation near Chiang Kham and to begin training Hmong men for ministry.
Eight men enrolled in the Pastoral Studies Institute program at Chiang Rai.
2008: Niran Temsagoon graduated from his studies under Missionaries Meister and Krohn at Chiang Mai and was installed into the pastoral ministry where he began work to establish a Thai congregation in the city.
The mission in Red Dirt Village constructed its chapel.
2008-2009: The economic crisis hit. Funding for world missions was cut and nine world missionaries were defunded and recalled. Missionaries Meister and Krohn were among those affected by the cutbacks and the Bible Institute at Chiang Mai was closed.
2009: A daughter congregation of the mission in Ban Mai Rungthawee was started as a house church in Ban Lai Village.
2010: The Joint Mission Council created the Thailand/Laos Oversight Committee to oversee and administrate all Thailand mission fields jointly. The two track system was removed and Kenneth Pasch was called to serve as the Field Coordinator for all WELS Thailand mission efforts.
Seven men graduated from the Pastoral Studies Institute program at Chiang Rai and were ordained into the ministry and installed into waiting mission congregations.
2011: The first national pastoral conference was held in Chiang Rai involving all national pastors, evangelists, and seminary students from both former mission tracks. Discussions began on unification of our mission efforts and the future establishment of a national church body.
Evangelist and third year seminary student, Samorn, died in Nong Khai from cardiac arrest. The village church suffered some minor setbacks as superstition and rumor of curses upon Samorn and the church are circulated within the village.
Construction began on a church in Ban Mai Rungthawee and a new chapel was dedicated in Ban Lai.
2012: The seminary was moved to a new location in Chiang Rai.
2013: Five students graduated from the Seminary Pastoral Studies Institute in Chiang Rai.
A new sanctuary was constructed and dedicated in Ban Houymakhat near Nong Khai. The church was funded through the 125th Anniversary offerings of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Onalaska, Wisconsin.
2014: Five students graduated from the Seminary Pastoral Studies Institute in Chiang Rai. All were assigned to new exploratory missions.
2015-2016: New construction projects were carried out and completed in four locations: A new chapel and mini-house was built in the village of Haui Han; a new chapel was constructed in the village of Ban Lai; a new mini-house and worship center was constructed in the village of Doi Tevada and a new fellowship hall was built in the village of Ban Houymakhat.
2016: Government approval was granted and a license was issued for the new Thailand Evangelical Lutheran Synod Foundation.
A note of thanks for services rendered in the past that have led to WELS present and future mission efforts...
We give thanks to the Lord for the dedicated men and women whose faithful service in the past has helped to establish our WELS mission endeavors in Thailand - former missionaries Robert Meister, John Hartwig, Paul Workentine, and Jud Krohn; former WELS Kingdom Workers - Jim and Nancy Huwe, Heidi Loesher, Liz Meister, Tim Meister, Mical Schaefer, Caleb Cordes, Jim and Jan Hewitt, Katie Lehman, Anne Press and Eric Duwe; the many former members of the WELS mission boards, their sub-committees, and the Hmong/Lao Committee; the late Pastor Loren Steele+ and Ger Yang+ along with the many men and women of the U.S. Hmong community who took an active role to share their Christian faith with friends and relatives in Thailand. Through the efforts of these people along with the prayers and support of the WELS constituency, the Lord has opened many doors for the proclamation of the Gospel. We pray that the Lord will continue to bless the future of our missions just as he has in the past.