Page 14 - Ries Family Info Magazine

Our great vision
commission

Before we ever arrive in Thailand, we want to lay out a clear strategy for our ministry. We want to be
good stewards of the finances invested by churches into our ministry and good stewards of our lives.
Our lives are but a vapor and we want to live every moment making an impact for the Kingdom of
God.

Learning the language and culture

We will start off our first term on the field by taking the time to enroll in full-time language school.
This is an essential step in missions work. How can we communicate the Good News of Christ and
disciple people in the truths of the scriptures if we cannot communicate with them clearly? Thai is a
tonal language, and has five tones. Learning a new script also presents a challenge, but most learners
find it easier than they expect. Also, word order in Thai is similar to English. Basic grammar poses
fewer problems than more familiar European languages because there are no verb or noun endings.
There is a range of pronouns for expressing different levels of respect and familiarity. Some nouns
and verbs have formal and informal variants. It has 44 consonant letters and 15 vowel symbols that
combine into at least 28 vowel forms.

reaching the lost

Ultimately, the purpose for missionary work is the fulfillment of the Great Commission to go and
teach all nations, baptize them, and teach them all things. Though providing food, medical care or
meeting any other need is a good thing, they are purposeless if not paired with the priority of sharing
salvation through Christ alone with a lost person. Our strategy is to personally witness to people and
help those people develop a passion to reach their own with the gospel.

planting churches

After we’ve learned the language and culture and begun seeing souls saved and discipled, we will
establish a local indigenous church. The church is indeed the pillar and ground of the truth. It is
through local churches around the globe that God is at work in communities and lives. It’s in the
context of local churches where true ministry is accomplished. We’ll seek to establish local churches
that multiply themselves through church planting throughout Thailand.

Training men for the ministry

At the heart of all biblical missions work is the training of men to serve Christ in gospel ministry.
Our aim will be to employ Jesus’ model of “withness” to train men to do all the things which they
have seen and heard through our ministry. We will spend time with these men in formal Biblical
education and hands on mentorship and involvement in the ministry to ensure that they are fully
capable to handle the Word of God and shepherd His people in the context of the local church.
When the time comes, these men will lead the churches that we help plant.