Theological Reflections

Volume 1, Issue 2 – March 2025

Which Gospel Are We Preaching? Clarifying the True Gospel Amidst Neo-charismatic and Apostolic Confusion in Thailand

Date: 28 March 2025

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

In recent years, Thailand has witnessed the rapid spread of Neo-charismatic and Apostolic movements across its Christian landscape. With emotionally charged worship, bold prophetic declarations, and promises of supernatural breakthrough and personal destiny, these movements have drawn in many Thai Christians, particularly younger believers who are longing for vibrant spiritual experiences. However, beneath the surface of this charismatic renewal, a critical question must be asked: Which gospel is being preached? And more importantly, is it the gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in the New Testament and faithfully recovered during the Protestant Reformation?

As evangelical and Protestant believers grounded in the authority of Scripture, we must be unequivocal in affirming that there is only one true gospel. It is the gospel revealed in the pages of the New Testament, proclaimed by the original Apostles, and recovered with clarity during the Reformation. This gospel has been faithfully preserved and proclaimed by the global evangelical church through the centuries. At its core, the gospel—the euangelion or “Good News”—is that God, in His love and mercy, sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins, rise from the dead, and reign as Lord, so that all who repent and believe in Him might receive forgiveness, be reconciled to God, and become new creations. This gospel is centered on the person and work of Christ alone, received by grace alone through faith alone, grounded in Scripture alone, and lived for the glory of God alone.

The rise of these Neo-charismatic and Apostolic teachings and practices in Thailand is not homegrown. They have largely been imported from outside the country, primarily directly or indirectly from the United States of America, particularly through international ministries that promote apostolic networks, prophetic training, and power-based theology. Thai churches and leaders, often eager for revival and growth, have embraced these teachings through conferences, livestreams, books, and ministry connections. Moreover, a number of Thai pastors and emerging leaders have been directly trained by international Neo-charismatic and Apostolic ministries, adopting both their theology and methods. Now, these same Thai leaders have begun to spread this version of the gospel across the country, reshaping the spiritual landscape of Thai Christianity with a message that is dramatically different from the historic gospel of Christ.

In contrast, many Neo-charismatic and Apostolic ministries in Thailand today are preaching a radically altered message that, though it uses Christian language, proclaims something fundamentally different from the biblical gospel. The message promoted in these circles often shifts the focus away from Christ’s atoning work toward the believer’s own destiny, power, and anointing. It promises the immediate arrival of the Kingdom through wealth, health, healing, and dominion. It emphasizes spiritual impartation, prophetic encounters, and miracles as if these were the core of salvation. And increasingly, it places spiritual authority in the hands of self-proclaimed evangelists, apostles and prophets who claim to speak new revelations from God—revelations often elevated above the clear teaching of Scripture.

This shift is not merely about emphasis; it is about substance. In many places, what is being proclaimed is no longer the gospel of Christ crucified and risen, but a gospel of personal empowerment. The Holy Spirit is invoked, but not to convict of sin or to glorify Christ—as Jesus said the Spirit would do (John 16:14)—but to deliver breakthrough, to activate spiritual gifts, or to provide prophetic guidance. This excessive focus on the Spirit’s manifestations, disconnected from the redemptive work of Christ, creates a distorted picture of the Christian life. The gospel becomes about experiencing power rather than submitting to the Cross. The Seoul Statement of the 4th Lausanne Congress, September 2024, cautions us: “These compromises are either consequences of, or causes for, the church moving away from biblical authority by distorting the Scriptures to satisfy mere worldly desires. The twin pillars of faithful belief and practice (orthodoxy and orthopraxy) erode as the church takes its eyes away from Christ and the cross.

Worship becomes about mystical encounters rather than adoration of the risen Savior. And faith becomes about declaring and manifesting one's destiny rather than trusting in Christ alone for salvation and transformation.

Equally alarming is the growing trend of elevating certain preachers to quasi-divine status. Within some Neo-charismatic and Apostolic networks, apostles and prophets are viewed as direct mouthpieces of God—possessing exclusive access to divine revelation, claiming heavenly visitations, or walking in the “mantles” of Elijah, Paul, or even Jesus. These leaders are often treated as spiritually superior and untouchable, and questioning them is seen as an act of disobedience. In practice, their words often override Scripture, and their presence is considered essential for accessing God’s power. This environment creates a dangerous dependency on the leader, undermining the priesthood of all believers and opening the door to spiritual manipulation. What begins as honor for spiritual leadership often devolves into a cult of personality, where loyalty to the leader eclipses obedience to Christ.

What the Thai church needs today is not another spiritual trend or apostolic movement. We need a bold return to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must preach the message of the Cross, not the gospel of charisma. We must call people to repentance and faith, not just to spiritual breakthrough. We must proclaim Christ as the center of our salvation, not prophets and apostles. We must teach that the Holy Spirit leads us into holiness and Christlikeness, not just into ecstatic encounters. And we must recover the authority of Scripture above all self-proclaimed revelations.

In light of this, I urge pastors, leaders, and all disciples of Christ in Thailand to carefully examine the message being preached in their churches. Are we exalting Jesus Christ above all else? Are we making disciples of Him—or of our spiritual leaders? Are we depending on the clear teaching of the Bible, or chasing new words and strange fire? Let us not forget the apostle Paul’s sobering warning: “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9). The true gospel remains unchanged. It is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe. It is sufficient. It is Christ-centered. It is Spirit-empowered, yes—but Spirit-empowered to produce holiness, endurance, mission, and joy in Christ. Let us teach it, defend it, and live it—faithfully, courageously, and with unwavering commitment to the glory of God alone.

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

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