Vision Fellowship Church Mae Phrao

Mae Phrao, Lampang

Location

Located along the side of Highway 1, the Mae Phrao church is conveniently located centrally amongst our network of churches. Initially planted by Tia Saenwinchai, it is the oldest Khmu church in Thailand. Mae Phrao is a small village of about 80 houses.

The Mae Phrao church has great opportunity to minister to their community and across northern Thailand. Many of the church's elders and deacons are regularly travelling for outreach or to support young church plants. Mae Phrao often becomes the gathering location for leader workshops and retreats because of it's centrality to the other churches and their elder's heart to serve other churches.

Senior Pastor- Chaloerm Saenwinchai

Chaloerm was born in northern Thailand in a small village along the Mekhong river called Huay Khoi. As a young boy he watched his dad Tia evangelize as the first Khmu believer in Thailand. In adulthood Chaloerm has followed the path of his father, evangelizing and planting churches across northern Thailand.

Chaloerm's unique posture in leadership, ministry, and missiology has catalyzed a movement of empowerment, boldness and passion in serving God that is refreshing and uncommon. He is often found in a van filled with others heading off to evangelize and coach/encourage emerging leaders. Chaloerm sees God's intentionality in leading him through life to prepare him for each new role and ministry God entrusts to him.

Chaloerm loves hunting, motorbiking, and spending time with his family.

Youth/Young Adults/Worship Pastor- Uan Boonsaweang

Uan was born in Mae Phrao. After graduating high school she moved to Chiang Mai along with her friend Ae to find work. After years of working she found herself compelled towards bible school. Completing her bachelors degree at Lanna Bible School she stepped into pastoring back in the church she grew up in.

Uan is a gifted worship leader and teacher. She is the key teacher of bible school courses in the village for elders and leaders wanting to study the bible.

The "Church"

History

Context

Although Mae Phrao started as a Khmu church, it has now grown into a multiethnic congregation. With ethnic Thai, Mhong, Kharen, Khmu all coming together to worship in unity.

Many leaders of the church are away on weekends planting churches themselves, or coaching and encouraging young congregations. Mae Phrao is truly a missional church.

Many of the people are farmers or labourers, finding their means in manual labour. The church is extremely generous, sacrificial and radical in how it responds to God's calling.

Pastor Tia started evangelizing in Mae Phrao when he moved his family here in the late 1980's. After many years of persecution and faithfulness to the gospel, the church slowly started to grow and bear fruit. Around 2005 Tia's son, Chaloerm, started coming back to Mae Phrao on the weekends to help with the worship services.

Eventually Chaloerm stepped into pastoring the church and has continued to shepherd and care for the congregation since.

In 2023 Tia Saenwinchai was ordained as a pastor at the age of 91 after planting 2 churches and evangelizing in every village that now has a church.

Worship Services

Mae Phrao worships together on Sunday morning. Being multiethnic, worship songs are sung in multiple languages, testimonies are translated and everyone enjoys a rich tapestry of diversity.

Being a missional church, many of the elders share the responsibility of preaching as pastors and elders can be spread across northern Thailand on the weekends doing outreach and holding worship services in new communities.

Children will be in and out of the service, and it will feel like a large family of many generations and cultures!

Mae Phrao is a small village of roughly 60 houses, and so ministry exists in the village and beyond. Most of the village are believers, and therefore their evangelism has spread into neighbouring villages and communities.

Within the church and in other communities they minister in, there has been many miraculous healings. From serious illnesses like cancer and paralysis to regular illnesses of fevers and the like. Many of the believers are quick to pray in faith, doing their part in prayer and waiting on God to do His part.