Matt recently visited Isaac to see first-hand how he is building a disciple-making ministry in Bangkok. What is it like to see discipleship happen in Thailand?
Meeting on the Degree programme, Matt Bodinham and Isaac Lasky became fast friends. Upon graduating in 2014, both Matt and Isaac began building disciple-making ministries, spread out across the globe.
Matt went back to his hometown to begin building a youth discipleship charity and Isaac moved to Thailand and began to serve with New Anglican Missionary Society. Here is Matt’s story of his visit.
“This past spring my wife, Amy, and I had the opportunity to go and stay with Isaac and his wife Pat. One of the things that I enjoyed the most about getting to see them, was the opportunities to see what life and ministry look like for them.
“Isaac and Pat live in a Christian Student Centre, and run the local church that focuses on that group. As well as living amongst the students, Pat works at the coffee shop in the centre. So, within hours of landing in Bangkok, we were sat in a cafe being introduced to numerous Thai people that Pat and Isaac work with, and are discipling.
“We learnt that culturally, Thai people don’t really introduce each other, so Isaac filled us in on their names, where they’re from, what they’re studying, other things he knew about them, and most importantly, what they brought to the church. It was clear just from this that Isaac was very intentional at getting every member of the church to invest and help with the running; something that I believe is a key tenant of discipleship and faith.
“On Palm Sunday, Isaac had asked if I would lead the sermon, and I was happy to do it (if not a little nervous at having to speak through a translator). When we got to Sunday morning, I was looking forward to standing up in front of people and sharing the message that I felt that God had given me. The reality was that I was in for a surprise, because by the time we got to the sermon, I was the last one to do something for the service.
“Isaac had invited a twelve-year-old (on the spot) to the welcome and connective parts of the service, and that was just the beginning. Whether it was leading the worship, preparing a meal for everyone afterward, doing
a dramatic re-telling of the Palm Sunday Story, every single person in the room led a part of the service- even Amy, who was asked to do the English half of the reading (again, on the spot)!
“It really made me think of my own church, and what our expectations of the congregation are: do we just ask the same people do jobs, or do we make it the role of the whole church to lead? This, I think, is a really key piece to discipleship that I see Isaac really model well, and it was such a blessing to be able to get to see and be a part of it.”
