Thailand: Assist Village Churches through Small Business Development

The Thai C&MA has planted village house churches as extensions of the Udon Thani City Church in Udon Thani Province, Thailand. Some of these churches are in slum and low-income rural communities. Many are yet unable to support a full-time pastor. This position will bring CAMA’s expertise in small-business/agro-business development to assist and encourage the families that make up these churches towards greater financial sustainability. This could also involve training of young pastors to be bi-vocational. The overall strategy is to create a practical income-generating model that the Thai C&MA can combine with future church-planting activities.

Position Type:

• CAMA worker 
• Agriculture/food security, business development, community wellness/advocacy 
• Partially funded 
• Single or couple

Responsibilities:

• Year one: Learn the Thai language to be able to pass the government exam at a conversational level in reading, writing, speaking, and listening
• Year two: Form close personal relationships with members of the village church plants by visiting them at home, attending services with them, and traveling with them
• Year three: Strategize a new micro- or agro-business model that would create sustainable income for church members and their extended families
• Year four: Form at least one new business in partnership with Thai church members that is profitable
• Each year: Faithfully attend Udon Thani team meetings for fellowship and mutual support, becoming a valuable addition to the overall mission

Required Qualifications:

• A recognized bachelor’s degree
• Completion of Alliance Polity course
• Completion of the World Perspectives Mission Course (minimum of certificate level) or equivalent
• A minimum Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) score of 60
• Prior experience in business or agriculture

Biblical Characteristics:

• Ability to articulate personal conversion and call to gospel ministry
• Demonstrated heart for the poor and marginalized (Micah 6:8)
• Theological Alignment with The Alliance
• Demonstrated flexibility and grace in all aspects of life
• Vibrant spiritual life with consistent practice of spiritual disciplines
• Ability to learn and recover from failure

Timeline for Deployment:

Summer/fall of 2025. Once appointed and fundraising and other qualifications are met, the appointee is required to attend a cross-cultural/language-acquisition program and pre-field orientation prior to deploying.

General Information:

The Kingdom of Thailand is an international tourist destination known for its beaches and nightlife. It is a majority Buddhist country where the Christian witness has been slow and difficult due to the way that Buddhism and animism are entrenched in the culture. The Thai people are calm and tolerant and are very proud of their “Thai-ness.” Many view Christianity as a Western import. Still, people hunger for a way that they can be released from fear of evil spirits. There are still unreached people groups in Thailand, such as the Aheu.

World Factbook – Thailand

Joshua Project – Thailand

Language Expectations:

Language is an essential part of ministry. Those who do not know the language will attend a language study program. The goal will be to speak, read, and write the language at a functional level in order to mentor, teach, and train others.

To reach a conversational level, the candidate will learn Thai through a tutor which will take a minimum of a year.

Health Considerations:

Access to top-quality health care is available in major cities in Thailand. Bangkok is a destination for health tourism, with the top hospital regularly being named the best in Southeast Asia.

Expectations for Spouse:

Spousal roles vary based on the spouse’s gifts, training, and abilities as well as the needs of the team. It is expected that both spouses will be meaningfully involved in meeting ministry objectives depending on the nature of family roles, children, etc.

Children’s Educational Plan and Options:

International Community School (ICS) is a high-quality Christian K–12 school in Udon Thani City. Homeschooling is also a good option with in-country support groups, consultants, and an annual conference.

Compensation Package

The successful applicant(s) will receive a full compensation package with the expectation that, once appointed, efforts will be made to raise a portion of support costs through the applicant’s network of friends, family, local church, or other resources. Information on support costs will be made available upon application. Training and/or coaching in fundraising is available.

Important Clarification

Applicant(s) should be aware that serving in the international world often requires a higher degree of grace and flexibility. For example, overseas teams can be suddenly and unexpectedly impacted by illness, government decisions, financial realities, team changes, or other factors beyond the team’s control. The challenge for applicants is that these factors can sometimes necessitate the sudden redefining of a position, which may take place before, during, or after the application/interview process has begun or is completed.

Whole-Life Health

CAMA Services is the relief and development specialized structure of Alliance Missions. As part of an evangelical denomination, we are committed to biblical holism, which is modeled and reflected through our work. Due to this commitment, part of the required qualifications includes optimal emotional, spiritual, and physical health. These will be assessed during the application process.