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What is a Church*?
A church is three or more Christian believers meeting together on a regular basis to worship God and is not a cell group of a larger church body.
*only Protestant churches
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How we count Christians?
Of course God is the final judge. For our purposes we count Christians as anyone who is a member of a church. No matter if it is a large city church or a small house church.
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Note: You are receiving this email because of your love and interest for the country of Thailand. The purpose of this email is to provide you with information to know how to pray specifically for this nation and to help you make informed ministry plans. We encourage you to share this email with members of your church, your small group, your social media network and among your Christian friends so they too can pray.
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Dear Co-laborer in Christ,
We have exciting news to share with you in this issue of Prayer for Thailand Update. Starting today, October 21, 2013, we have installed a new church database and mapping system called Harvest. A major new feature of this system is that the maps are updated every day! The Church Location Map is updated as soon church data has been entered. The Christian Presence Map is updated daily. If new data has been entered on that day, the Percent Christian map will reflect the new information. These new maps can be viewed at http://estar.ws .
We have also opened the Church Location Map
so everyone can view this map and see information about a church. You no longer have to request a login id. Not as much information is shown as before, but enough to know where churches are located. Starting next year we will be offering memberships to organizations that need detailed information about the churches.
Another exciting new tool we are announcing but not ready to release is an Android application which allows Christians from all over Thailand to assist in collecting church information. This app has users take a picture of a church using their smartphone or tablet (with the GPS receiver on.) Next, they input information about the church. Finally, the picture and church data is sent via email to the eSTAR Foundation so the church database can be updated. With hundreds of Christians around the nation helping with this effort everyone will benefit because the data will be more accurate and current. Next year the Harvest web-application will be updated so the pictures that have been taken will be shown on the Church Location Map.
Both the Harvest church database and Android app (in the future we will create an iPhone app) are revolutionary tools for the national church and for the mission’s world. There is no other country in the world where you can get Christian statistics as current as the day you look at it.
Finally, an update on the news about the Church in Thailand. Since the last time the maps were updated (Feb 2013) over 500 churches have been added to the database. As of October 17, 2013, Thailand has 5,013 churches. Praise the Lord! However, if you look on-line at the maps today this number may have already changed.
If you have any questions about the new Harvest system or the Android app, please contact us.
May God richly bless you as you Glorify Him in all that you do.
Dwight Martin
Research Coordinator
Thailand Evangelism & Church Growth Committee
PS. If you are a church leader in another country or region and want to use Harvest for your area please contact me at dm@globalrize.org . You can find more information about Harvest at http://globalrize.org
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