Journal of Thai Protestant Theology

Volume 1, Issue 1 – April 2025

Power That Leads to the Cross, and the Cross That Leads to Life: A Strategy for Evangelizing and Discipling Thai Buddhists into the Evangelical Faith

Author: Dr. Chansamone Saiyasak (Professor of Religious Studies and Missiology), Theological Commissions & Religious Liberty Commissions of Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand & Asia Evangelical Alliance (a WEA-Regional Alliance) | Author’s Profile

Date: 22 April 2025

Abstract:This article proposes a biblically grounded, theologically rich strategy for evangelizing and discipling Thai Buddhists, centered on the Cross and Resurrection of Christ. It argues that while supernatural encounters may open spiritual doors, true transformation occurs through cruciform discipleship rooted in grace. Drawing insights from John Stott, Michael Green, Lesslie Newbigin, and other evangelical scholars, the study highlights how the Gospel fulfills Thai spiritual longings, liberating believers from karmic cycles into new life in Christ.

Introduction

Thailand remains one of the least-reached nations in the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Despite vibrant missionary efforts over the past two centuries, less than 1% of the population identify as Christian, and the vast majority continue to follow Theravāda Buddhism—a worldview deeply rooted in concepts such as karma, rebirth, suffering (dukkha), and the pursuit of liberation (nibbāna). For many Thai Buddhists, religion is not so much a matter of belief as it is a way of life, a moral rhythm shaped by social harmony, merit-making, and fear of unseen spiritual powers. Into this spiritual landscape, the Christian message must enter not as a foreign alternative, but as the fulfillment of a long-cherished longing.

This article presents a comprehensive strategy for evangelizing and discipling Thai Buddhists into the Evangelical Christian faith, rooted in the Cross of Christ. Drawing deeply from the theology of John Stott—the late Anglican theologian, evangelical statesman, and author of The Cross of Christ—alongside key insights from prominent Evangelical scholars such as Lesslie Newbigin, Michael Green, D. A. Carson, Timothy Tennent, Christopher Wright, Roland Allen, Tim Keller, and N. T. Wright, the strategy addresses both the power encounters that open the door and the cruciform discipleship that sustains genuine transformation. Scriptural grounding and contextual sensitivity are woven throughout, showing how the Gospel speaks directly to the Thai longing for release from karma and suffering—not through merit, but through grace.

At the heart of this strategy is the conviction that while miracles may attract, it is the Cross that transforms. The aim is not simply to win converts, but to form disciples who live crucified and risen lives—rooted in grace, empowered by the Spirit, and bearing witness in a culture ready for redemption.

Theology and Context

The task of evangelizing Thai Buddhists is not merely one of translation or cultural adaptation—it is a profoundly theological and pastoral challenge that requires a deep understanding of both the Gospel of the Cross and the worldview of Theravāda Buddhism/Folk Buddhism. Thai people live within a religious framework shaped by karma, rebirth, and the pursuit of liberation from suffering. For many, religion is not about doctrine, but about merit, fear of spirits, and the hope of escaping dukkha (suffering). The Evangelical faith, with its message of substitutionary atonement, grace, and resurrection life, offers a radically different—but deeply resonant—hope.

At the center of this strategy is John Stott’s theology of the Cross, which provides not only a soteriological framework but a model for discipleship. Stott, who helped craft the Lausanne Covenant and became one of the defining voices of global Evangelicalism, wrote: “The essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man” (Stott, 2006, p. 160). This is grounded in passages such as Isaiah 53:4–6 and 2 Corinthians 5:21.

In contrast to Buddhism’s emphasis on self-effort and karmic debt, the Cross declares that God Himself bears our burden. The Gospel is not about earning release, but receiving grace: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8, NIV).

Yet we must begin where people are. As Lesslie Newbigin, a British missionary bishop and pioneering missiologist who served in South India, wisely observed: “True evangelism begins by listening—not only to the Bible, but also to the culture” (Newbigin, 1989, p. 4). His contextual theology reinforces that effective Gospel witness in Thailand must begin not with confrontation, but with points of cultural and spiritual resonance.

Christopher J. H. Wright, Old Testament scholar and Director of the Langham Partnership (founded by Stott), affirms this principle when he asserts that mission must show how the Gospel fulfills the “deepest longings already present in the culture” (Wright, 2006, p. 384). Paul’s address in Acts 17, where he acknowledges Athenian religiosity before proclaiming the risen Christ, models such an approach.

Supernatural Openings, Cross-Centered Discipleship

This is where supernatural encounter can serve as a compelling entry point—not as the foundation of faith, but as the doorway to Jesus. Michael Green, Anglican priest, evangelist, and professor of evangelism at Regent College and Oxford’s Wycliffe Hall, emphasizes in Evangelism in the Early Church that “power encounters are necessary in many parts of the world to break spiritual bondage” (Green, 2004, p. 259). In Thailand—where fear of phi (spirits) and karmic retribution is real—miraculous healings or prophetic words can display the authority of Christ, much like in Mark 1:34 or Luke 11:20.

But Green also warns that signs alone cannot sustain faith. This is why Stott’s Cross-centered theology must follow such encounters. Timothy C. Tennent, President of Asbury Theological Seminary and a global missiologist, affirms that substitutionary atonement “deeply resonates in karma-bound cultures because it speaks of one who willingly bears the full weight of our karmic debt and ends the cycle” (Tennent, 2007, p. 149). The Cross breaks not just the moral debt but the spiritual cycle that holds millions in fear.

Yet the Gospel must also be lived out in community. Green insightfully states, “People are not argued into the kingdom; they are loved in” (Green, 2004, p. 261). This reflects the communal and relational style of early church witness in Acts 2:42–47. Testimony, meals, and group storytelling (such as Discovery Bible Study) are powerful tools for evangelism in Thai culture.

The Cruciform Path of Discipleship

But the journey cannot stop at conversion. John Stott reminds us that true discipleship involves renunciation: “Self-denial is… actually denying or disowning ourselves, renouncing our supposed right to go our own way” (Stott, 2006, p. 307). This call is mirrored in Luke 9:23. The Thai Buddhist seeker must be formed not merely into a religious participant, but a cross-shaped follower—one who embraces sacrificial love over merit-making.

Long-term discipleship must also be rooted in local soil. Roland Allen, early 20th-century Anglican missionary and ecclesiological theorist, in his classic Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours? argued that indigenous, Spirit-led churches—self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating—are more effective than imported Western forms. Worship in Thai language, cultural music, and local leadership embodies the Gospel more meaningfully than foreign rituals.

Justification and Grace: A New Operating System

To sustain growth, Thai believers must be taught that salvation is not earned by good works or merit. D. A. Carson, one of the foremost Reformed theologians and New Testament scholars, together with Tim Keller, pastor-apologist and author of Hope in Times of Fear, emphasizes that justification by faith must remain central to discipleship and worship. “Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God…” (Romans 5:1).

In shaping this grace-centered identity, John Piper, pastor-theologian and founder of Desiring God Ministries, offers a needed reminder: “Salvation is by grace alone. But grace never leaves a person alone” (Piper, 2003, p. 85). The Christian life is not freedom from effort, but freedom from condemnation—lived with joy in the Spirit.

Conclusion

In a nation where spiritual striving defines life and karma binds the soul, the message of the Cross is not a Western intrusion—it is liberation in its most personal and eternal form. Evangelism among Thai Buddhists must move beyond simplistic formulas and cultural mimicry. It must be deeply biblical, contextually wise, and theologically rich—anchored in the suffering love of Christ and the power of His resurrection.

While miracles and supernatural experiences may open hearts, it is the Crucified and Risen Savior who transforms them. N. T. Wright, preeminent New Testament scholar and author of The Resurrection of the Son of God, reminds us that the bodily resurrection is not only historically defensible but theologically necessary—it confirms the work of the Cross and launches the new creation. As Stott affirms, “The Cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled” (Stott, 2006, p. 336). The Thai soul, burdened by karmic weight and existential impermanence, will find in the Cross and Resurrection not another religion—but the very doorway into grace, peace, and eternal life with God.

References

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