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An ACCTS staff member recently ministered to military Christians in six Southeast Asian nations, visiting military Christian fellowship (MCF) leaders and members. Military Christians from Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand had not been able to participate in Global Interaction 2014, so he provided them an after action report. In each nation, he encouraged the MCFs in their ministry, and distributed digital Bibles. Excerpts from his trip report follow. 
Singapore
The Singapore Military Christian Fellowship (MCF) has had several leadership changes in the last few years and is rebuilding. Although there are no restrictions on religious freedom in this extremely diverse nation, the government is sensitive about evangelism on military bases. Churches do minister to those eligible for national service, and the MCF is working to help them understand the need for military fellowship while serving. The MCF has begun linking conscripts with their fathers for prayer and support while serving. 25 English digital Bibles from ACCTS' partner, Faith Comes by Hearing (FCBH), were distributed, and more will be provided as they become available.
Malaysia
The situation for Christians in the Malaysian armed forces has changed, because the percentage of ethnicities in the armed forces has changed. The Malay people, are primarily Muslim, and comprise 65% of the population, but 95% of the military. Although this demographic has created some limitations on military Christian ministry, the MCF and a local church have a dynamic fellowship at one navy base. They plan to provide FCBH digital Bibles in Bahasa (a Malay language) to military personnel, and ACCTS is working with FCBH to get them to Malaysia this year. (20 English digital Bibles were distributed.) The Malaysia MCF was also linked up with Alpha for Forces, which has military ministry through several local churches.
Thailand
The Thai MPCF (Military & Police Christian Fellowship) has been meeting with local pastors and churches to explore how the churches can collaborate with them in military and police ministry. Being a Christian in Thailand doesn't hinder a military career as it does in some Asian nations, and it is encouraging that several high-ranking officers are believers. The large size of this nation makes fellowship a challenge, but there are vibrant monthly gatherings in three cities - Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Bangkok. 30 Thai language digital Bibles were distributed to those fellowship groups.
Laos and Myanmar
In Laos and Myanmar, the ACCTS staffer was one of the instructors in a program for military Christians sponsored by ACCTS' South Korean ministry partner, Mission Support Organization (MSO) each year. These "Cornelius Fellowship Discipleship Training" courses have been ongoing for many years, and MSO has done tremendous work in discipling military Christians in both nations. The participants in both courses were enthusiastic - taking notes, asking questions, and engaging in lively discussions.
The ACCTS member taught the lessons on Inductive Bible Study, Conversational Prayer, and Personal Testimony. He reports that Asian Christians are very receptive to these courses, because these discipleship methods aren't commonly used: "Christians in Asian nations often live in societies that encourage people to learn at the feet of scholars, . . . rather than studying and learning for themselves. The Inductive Bible Study method helps them study individually and in small groups. Conversational Prayer then helps them hear the heart of each person in the group, thereby bonding brothers and sisters together. They really enjoyed studying God's Word and praying to unite them in fellowship."
Asian culture includes much oral history - stories and truths are passed down through story-telling, so digital Bibles are extremely popular: "When I passed out the digital Bibles, during the breaks participants were listening to their Bibles with smiles on their faces." ACCTS is working diligently with Asian MCF leaders and FCBH to provide more digital Bibles: "FCBH has been phenomenal in supporting my trips to Central Asia and Southeast Asia. They have shipped the Bible sticks in the translations I need for each country." 30 digital Bibles in Lao and 30 in Burmese were given to the MCF's in Laos and Burma, and additional Bibles in different dialects are planned for future trips to facilitate sharing the Gospel.
Vietnam
A pastor in Hoi Chi Minh City had attended December's Global Interaction 2014, and the ACCTS staffer prayed with him as they discussed how he might form a Vietnamese MCF under his church's umbrella of ministry (a necessity in Vietnam). The pastor is drafting a charter for the group with ACCTS' help, and is now working through the bureaucratic process to get approval. 15 Vietnamese digital Bibles were distributed to active-duty and retired military.
Praise God for the military Christians in these Southeast Asia nations, who are faithfully living for Christ and sharing Him with others. Praise Him as well for our partnership with FCBH, which helps us get Bibles to thousands of military Christians around the globe. Give thanks for our partner MSO, who have so tirelessly and sacrificially ministered to the MCF's in Asia.
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