The Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand (Thai: สหกิจคริสเตียนแห่งประเทศไทย) is a national evangelical alliance, and a member of the World Evangelical Alliance. It is a group of over 3,000 evangelical churches, and various parachurch organizations, and foundations, and is one of five Christian groups legally recognized by the Thai government. The headquarters is in Bangkok, Thailand.
สหกิจคริสเตียนแห่งประเทศไทย | |
 | |
| Founded | 1969 |
|---|---|
| Type | Evangelical organization |
| Headquarters | Bangkok |
Region | Thailand |
| Affiliations | World Evangelical Alliance |
| Website | eft |
History edit
Following World War II, many evangelical missionary groups began missionary work in Thailand. [1] These varied evangelical groups worked independently from both the CCT and each other, but in the mid-1950s a number of them decided that inter-denominational and inter-organizational co-operation and fellowship was needed. This desire on the part of both evangelical missionaries and Thai Christian leaders led to the formation of the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand (EFT). The EFT was formally recognized as a legal entity on June 19, 1969, and its first moderator was Rev. Suk Phongnoi.[2][3]
21st century edit
As of 2023, it had 3,090 member local churches.[4]
In the same year, the president is Prof. Dr. Teera Jenpiriyaprayoon.[5]
Affiliations edit
The EFT is a member and active participant in the Thailand Protestant Churches Coordinating Committee, whose goal is to promote evangelism and discipleship among Protestant churches in Thailand. [6]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Alex Smith, Siamese Gold, A History of Church Growth in Thailand: An Interpretive Analysis 1816-1982 (Bangkok: Kanok Bannasan (OMF Publishers Thailand),1982) 222, 226.
- ^ "History of the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand". Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ^ Tay Mui Lan, "Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand," in Dictionary of Asian Christianity, ed. Scott Sunquist (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2001), 276-277.
- ^ "EFT website, retrieved 2023-08-08". Archived from the original on 2023-08-22. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ "EFT website, retrieved 2023-08-08". Archived from the original on 2023-08-22. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
- ^ "About Us". Thailand Protestant Churches Coordinating Committee. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved December 31, 2013.