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Welcome to wdbydana.com the website of Dana and Cindy Bratton, missionaries to Thailand with YWAM Thailand. A Life Worth Living "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) Pastor Greg Laurie wrote in his daily devotion for July 31 - Sometimes, people think Christians live the most boring lives imaginable. But nothing could be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that a happy life is a holy life--a life that is lived for God. Jesus not only promised us life beyond the grave, but He certainly promised us a dimension of life on this earth that is worth living when He said, "I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly."
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I was
reflecting the other day on 25 years of ministry. I surrendered to the
gospel ministry in 1983, the same year our youngest son was born. I led a
home Bible study, taught Sunday school, drove the church van and started a
children's church, and began studying for a bachelors degree in religion in
those early years at the First Baptist Church of Woodcrest.. Then the Lord
led to full time ministry in 1989 when I became the director of
Child Evangelism Fellowship of
Greater Riverside and subsequently became a
hospital chaplain.
I pioneered the Caleb Community, the senior adult ministry at
Magnolia Avenue Baptist.
The Lord led us to be a part of several churches - Gavilan Hills Community
Church, a church plant, children's ministry at
Harvest Christian Fellowship,
children's ministry at Faith Bible Church, Sunnymead Baptist Temple where I was
ordained, and Magnolia Avenue Baptist.
The
Lord led me to pursue a seminary degree at Golden Gate and TESOL studies at
BIOLA. Then in Khao Lak Thailand we affiliated with Calvary Chapel Ban Nam
Khem, then in Bangkok with Calvary Baptist where we taught the new believers and
English learners class, and now pastoring
Calvary Chapel at the Bridge. The Lord has blessed during these 25
years, I have a wonderful wife, three great children, two daughter in laws, one
son in law, and two grandsons. I have done ministry in
Mexico, Nairobi Kenya,
Campos Brazil,
New York, and
New Orleans. I went on
study trip with Talbot to Greece and Rome.
We had intense study and application in a
YWAM Crossroads Discipleship Training School in Perth Australia. This
is the abundant life. A YWAM motto sums it up, Cindy and I do what we do
"to know God and to make Him known". My heart is for
evangelism.
Our beautiful house is for
sale. The price was
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Currency data courtesy coinmill.com Time now in Thailand
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| Map of provinces and church density | Map of evangelization | Map of Jesus Film Translation | Map of Bible Translation |
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Thachatchai is a small village on the north end of Phuket island that was hard hit by the tsunami. About two and a half years ago, Calvary Chapel Ban Khem started a church plant there. There are many new homes built by Habitat and the Mercy Ships. The mission church has a core of about 20 people. Mercy Ships raised funding to build a large community center that set vacant for a year. It is a huge two level building with two auditoriums, class rooms. We have a Bible study on Wednesdays across the street from our home. Very few people in our village speak any English at all. The community is very poor many are fishermen, they harvest jelly fish, shrimp, and squid and dry the squid on a large wire screens on the street. Some people work at the Marriot Resort which is just a few miles from us, some work in downtown Phuket about an hour away or in other neighboring villages. Also there is a very large police station and border patrol in our village, and one public school. There are a few small shops in our village and some people have motorcycle carts selling food, ice cream, soda, or snacks. There are about 30 churches in province/island of Phuket with a population of 1.6 million. The statistics overall in Thailand are the country in 95% Buddhist, 4% Moslem and less than 1% Christian, however in the South the percentage of Moslems is much higher. Thai Buddhism is mixed with animism, there is a great fear of spirits here. Many homes and businesses have spirit houses where they place food and drink for the spirits to try to appease them. There is a pretty good networking between the churches in Phuket especially for major events such as Christmas and Easter. |
But there is no large Christian outreach in the South. I am not sure why but is seems that the South has been neglected largely by mission agencies. I think it is because up until the tsunami this region was very resistant to the Gospel. Many of the churches in Phuket and the neighboring province of Phang Nga did not exist prior to the tsunami. Thai Buddhists are very happy and peaceful, outwardly open to the Gospel but inwardly most want to remain Buddhists, it is such a major part of their culture and history. In February of this year we moved to Phuket after studying Thai for six months in Bangkok. I am now the pastor of Calvary Chapel at the Bridge. Sunday morning I preach in English and a translator, translates it into Thai, we are studying through the book of Luke. I also have a short lesson for the children. Monday is my day off, Cindy and I go into Phuket Town about an hour drive and go shopping, eat some American food like Sizzler, and maybe see a movie. Tuesday is my study day. I study and pray and prepare detailed notes of the Bible study and sermon, plus Power Point presentations for Sunday. The detailed notes really help my translator to be prepared. I write out all the scripture text in both Thai and English, using copy and paste from a computer Bible software program. I also make Power Point presentations of our worship music in Thai and English. Most mornings I pick up trash in the street and cut down weeds to help our neighborhood look better. Often during the week children from the neighborhood come to our home, we have Legos for them to play and cartoons for them to watch. Cindy teaches English every afternoon at Thachatchai School. Prayer concerns: Pray for our Thai language study. Pray for our financial support. For U.S. taxes, retirement savings, and our annual return flights home, we need about $500 in additional monthly support. We need the Lord's wisdom in leading and overseeing this ministry. Pray that many more Thai will come to know the Savior. |
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Missions - What compels missionaries to leave home and family and go to the other side of the world? Mark 4:35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side." To go takes us out of our comfort zone, to the unknown, to the risky. There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, (tsunami?) men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world ; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. "Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory."Luke 21:25-27 (NASB) How do long do we have to tell them before Christ returns? "I have but one candle of life
to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a
land flooded with light" -- John Keith Falconer "The gospel is only good news
if it gets there in time" -- Carl F. H. Henry |
"People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives ... and when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted." -- Nate Saint, missionary martyr " For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. เพราะว่าพระเจ้าทรงรักโลกจนได้ทรงประทาน พระบุตรองค์เดียวของพระอง ค์ที่บังเกิดมา เพื่อทุกคนที่เชื่อในพระบุตรนั้นจะไม่พินาศ แต่มีชีวิตนิรันดร์ What man is he that desires
life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil,
and your lips from speaking lies. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and
pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open
unto their cry. มนุษย์คนใดผู้ปรารถนาชีวิตและรักวันคืนทั้งหลาย เพื่อเขาจะได้เห็นของดี จงระวังลิ้นของเจ้าจากความชั่ว และอย่าให้ริมฝีปากพูดเป็นอุบายล่อลวง จงหนีความชั่วและกระทำความดี แสวงหาความสงบสุขและดำเนินตามนั้น พระเนตรของพระเยโฮวาห์เห็นคนชอบธรรม และพระกรรณของพระองค์สดับคำอ้อนวอนของเขา
That if you shall confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has
raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes
unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. คือว่าถ้าท่านจะรับด้วยปากของท่านว่า พระเยซูทรงเป็นองค์พระผู้เป็นเจ้า และจะเชื่อในจิตใจของท่านว่าพระเจ้าได ้ทรงชุบพระองค์ให้เป็นขึ้นมาจากความตาย ท่านจะรอด ด้วยว่าความเชื่อด้วยใจก็นำไปสู่ความชอบธรรม และการยอมรับด้วยปากก็นำไปสู่ความรอด |
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Our son Nathan bought our business, he is now maker of visualized songs for children's ministry and Barney Kinard at www.kidhelper.com distributes our flannel backgrounds now. Offering Folkmanis Puppets, Christian songs for children, games and books. He sells wholesale and retail. Use the songs, and puppets for children's church, AWANA, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Sunday School and other ministries for children. See brattonspecialties.com |
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Write to Nathan for a puppet, or song catalog, or for more information. Bratton Specialties 6517 Avenida Mariposa Riverside, CA 92509 Phone: (951)682-9122 E mail: brattonspecialties@hotmail.com
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Shop for
Visualized Songs
His visualized songs are in kit form. Familiar songs and familiar tunes attractively visualized to enhance your teaching and honor our Lord. Christian songs for children.
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E Mail: danabratton@sbcglobal.net
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