PMI Missionaries
Natee & Bee Tanchanpongs
Ministry Area: Thailand
Responsibilities: Campus ministry
E-mail Address: natee4covenant@gmail.com
Natee returned to Thailand after completing his M.Div. in 2000. He joined a cooperative effort with the MTW church-planting team in Bangkok. The team's strategy involves direct church planting, university ministry, and community development/mercy ministry. To find out more about this church planting effort in Bangkok, visit the team's website at www.mtwthailand.org.
After their marriage in May 2002, Natee and Bee moved to Chicago so that Natee could begin the Ph.D. program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Systematic Theology. Following the birth of their daughter Maisie in April and the completion of his doctoral work in May 2007, Natee is back in Thailand teaching at the Bangkok Bible College and Seminary and rejoining the MTW church planting team. He sees this as a great opportunity to lay a well-grounded biblical foundation for the Thai church.
Latest Report: (updated 8/22/2011)
Dear Partners in the Ministry,
It has been almost three months since we have been back from the US. We are glad to have spent time with many of you, but also sad that we had to miss the rest. Initially we had thought that 8 weeks were enough for a visit, but we were wrong. Unfortunately, it would have been tough to extend our trip any longer. Even so, our visit was a great blessing for the whole family. We thank you for your partnership with us.
Since we were back our lives have been pretty hectic. I had to head up to Chiang Mai to speak at a conference on holistic ministry and integral mission, then had to rush back to get ready for the new school year at the seminary. A month into the semester, the school had its annual graduation ceremony. In addition to the regular festivities this year the seminary is celebrating its 40th anniversary. A week after the entire student body, the faculty and staff headed out for a 4 day retreat which took us past the middle of July.
As many of you know, I have taken on a new position as the academic dean. I am still trying to feel my way around and could use your prayers especially during this transition time. I hope to spend a year observing and learning the new job and will not plan any major curriculum changes except for our Theological Education Extension Program (TEE). Just like everyone else, BBS has been affected by the electronic age with its rapid changes. In the past we were in the reactionary mode. At the start of the program, the seminary had quickly put some materials together, sent them out and call it our TEE. We continue to develop and improve this program, but it remains dated both in form and content. Furthermore, the quality of this program continues to lag further and further behind our resident programs. We know we must look for remedies and one of the things we are planning to do involves "virtual classroom" concept which utilizes some of the video conferencing technologies available on the internet. So far, with our limited resource, our initial investigations look really good. We plan to test run the new virtual classroom TEE program in our three evening classes next semester. If things go according to plan, it could allow us to potentially reach and educate hundreds if not thousands more students per year. It is probably a prayer worth requesting of you.
New City Fellowship church seems to be in some sort of a transition period. Our original plan was to transition out of my interim pastoral role at the church to allow a graduating seminary student who has been on staff with us to take over. However since we have been back there has been disunity in the church at the level we have yet experience. Moreover, there was a missionary on the MTW team leaving the field and the rest of the missionaries happen to all be Stateside for various reasons. And recently a few of our church staff are talking about leaving the church to move elsewhere. Sure there are new people coming into the congregation, but it seems that just as many have also stopped coming. Please pray for our church to power through this difficult period.
I have finally finished the second Isaiah study for a Bible study series. Praise God. It is difficult to find time to do even a 12 study booklet like this. I have now been asked to be a part of Thai Study Bible project. I will be doing study notes on the book of Isaiah. In addition, a colleague from Singapore Bible College has asked me to contribute a short article on the Thai Church and her role in the society. This is due at the end of the year. Lastly (for now) I will be teaching a Doctoral of Ministry class in March on "Church and Society." This would be my first time teaching at this level. Please pray for the preparation and wisdom.
On family business, Meno is in school (nursery) and liking it. Maisie has moved to a Christian international school (International Community School – ICS). She wants daddy to speak to her in English now. With both our kids in school, Bee is now able to take a class at the seminary. She loves it. Also as you may already know, we have two additional members in our family. Jack (boy) and Lookmee (girl) are 10 and 7 respectively. They are nephew and niece of Pat (the incoming pastor). The children's father (Pat's older brother) has been put in prison for dealing drugs. He escaped the capital punishment, but has been sentence to 50 years (which in the Thai justice system, he might be out in 15 years). We decided to take them it because it was probably the right thing to do, considering that Pat, who was planning to care for them, is a single guy living on a Thai pastor's salary. We did not go into this totally oblivious to the potential problems. However, so far it has been better than we had anticipated. For one thing, all four kids got along really well. Maisie and Meno have taken Jack and Lookmee as if they were their own siblings. Amazing! In fact they totally enjoy having more kids around the house. There have been many adjustments that all parties have had to more or less make. Nevertheless, by God's grace, we are all making them well. I think the highlight of our day is the evening family devotion when I get to read and teach Bible stories to the children. In many ways these two kids have made the whole family more disciplined in our walks with the Lord. It was strange though, one day we had a 4 and a 2 year old and the next days we have had to quickly learn how to parent a 10 and a 7 year old also. Jack is a relatively bright kid, but he often needs prodding to do his school work. Lookmee, however, may have some emotional and learning disability problems. We are not sure exactly what to do with her yet. Please pray for wisdom and strength in our parenting.
Miscellaneous additional prayer items: Please pray for the current flooding situation in Thailand. It has not become an annual phenomenon. The local climate has been changing, but no one has a long term solution to remedy this problem. Also, praise God with us that the recent national election has not produced major violence. However, please pray that the new government would have the interests of the country (and not of their own) in mind.
Blessings,
Natee, Bee, Maisie, Meno, Jack & Lookmee
Presbyterian Mission International
12330 Conway Road
St. Louis, Missouri 63141
Telephone: (314) 434-4044
Fax: (314) 434-4819
