THAILAND – In October 2024, Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church (TCLC) celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special conference spread over three locations: from October 8-9 in Bangkok, from October 10-11 in Phang-Gha, and from October 12-13 in Chiangmai.
The celebrations brought together members from various sister churches across Asia, as well as representatives from partner churches and organizations that were instrumental in founding the church body. President Antonio Reyes of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) was also present for the event, bringing greetings from the International Lutheran Council (ILC). President Reyes is the Asia Region representative on the ILC’s Board of Directors.
Thanks to the devoted mission work that started many decades earlier in different parts of the country, TCLC has become a spiritual home for first-generation Christians, many of whom converted to Christianity from Buddhism. The origins of TCLC are rooted in the mission work of three church bodies: Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) in the northern region of the country; The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in the central region; and Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) in the south. Prior to LCC’s involvement in Thailand, home churches were established by a devoted Lutheran layman, Dr. Herb Gernand, who moved to the south of Thailand for work and desired to bring confessional Lutheranism to the country. Recognizing the need to train men for the ministry, Dr. Gernand reached out to Lutheran Church–Canada for assistance. A formal relationship with LCC was established in 1989, and soon after Rev. Dr. Leonard Harms, Director of International Missions, developed a curriculum and LCC began training pastors and evangelists in this new mission field.
As LCC was assisting with the mission work in the south, WELS started doing mission work in the northern region, training church workers and planting congregations. Although Lutheran Hour Ministries and other organizations were active in the country years earlier, the LCMS itself formally began work in Thailand in 1986, sending missionaries to Bangkok and establishing social-service programs. One of the missionaries sent was the adopted son of Dr. Herb Gernand: Rev. Dr. Pornprom (Ted) NaThalang, who studied at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.
As a convert from the southern region, Rev. NaThalang was able to build upon the work that his father started in that area, and was instrumental in helping to bring the central and south region churches together in one body. As this was happening, WELS began to wind down their mission activity among the Thai in the north, shifting their focus to the various Hill Tribes near the Laos boarder. This led the established mission congregations in the north to reach out to Rev. NaThaland and begin dialogue with the newly united Lutheran congregations in the central and south regions. In 2004, the mission congregations in all three regions united to form Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church, electing Rev. Ted NaThalang to serve as their bishop.
“When I look back at my life, I see how the Lord has worked in planting a Confessional Lutheran church in Thailand,” Bishop NaThalang stated at the anniversary celebration. “In my stepfather, God sent a messenger to bring the Gospel to me and my family and then to our neighbours. And then I along with so many other converts were able to bring the same Gospel message to other people across Thailand, establishing congregations along the way.”
The anniversary celebrations featured many similar reflections from pastors, evangelists, former missionaries, and other members of TCLC, as they visited all three regions during the week-long event.
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With files from The Canadian Lutheran
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