Jesus and His Church in Asian Perspective (Dan, Thailand)

Dan, a former lawyer and cross-cultural worker in Northern Thailand, shares the transformative journey of rethinking church, discipleship, and mission through an Asian lens. Drawing on his experience among Buddhist, animist, and shame/honour cultures, he explores what it means to follow Jesus in a context where religion is often about being “a good person,” spirits are feared and bargained with, and community is deeply shaped by hierarchy and family ties.

In this honest and practical talk, Dan outlines four core distinctives shaping their church life: gospel-centred teaching that confronts religiosity, Spirit-empowered mission that speaks to animist worldviews, church as true family rather than institution, and a missional culture that resists passive, Sunday-only faith.

This is a talk about deconstruction and discovery, and about planting churches that make sense to the people who live there, not just the ones who sent you.