A legacy of faith in Vietnam

Thong* is a softspoken Vietnamese pastor from the Bahnar tribe in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. When he became a believer, he knew he had to serve God and his community. More than 40 years after his conversion, Pastor Thong now shepherds a church of 50 members and oversees six other church groups that have more than 800 members in total. Through a family discipleship programme supported by OD through its local partners, Pastor Thong is strengthening the church by discipling families for Christ.

“They told me to study Communism,” Thong recalls, his voice steady, as if the weight of that moment never quite left him.

“But I chose Christ.”

It was 1980 in a remote Bahnar village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, the grip of Communism was at its peak in the country. At the time, public expressions of the Christian faith were unwelcome and seen as dangerous. Thong, then a young man who had just put his faith in Jesus, was told by the local authorities to sign a paper denouncing his faith. He shares, “I refused. So, they put me in jail for five days without food.” When caught for the second time, he admits, “I signed it, but I still went to church in secret.” And when found again for the third time, somehow the shift of religious policies spared him from prison. “I only paid the fine, I was even allowed to believe in Jesus, but I was not allowed to evangelize.”

Despite the restrictions in sharing the Gospel, Thong continued to commit his life to Jesus, trusting and obeying wherever He led him.

From Persecution to Purpose
Today, Thong, 65, is no longer a secret believer. He’s a pastor and a leader of six church groups with nearly 800 members across his province. But the cost of following Christ hasn’t disappeared, it has simply changed form. “Before, they used violence,” he explained. “Now, they use the benefits. If you follow Christ openly, you lose access to government social benefits such as free school tuition for your children. Back then, we had nothing, so we had nothing to lose. Now, people are afraid of losing what little they have.”

But Thong isn’t easily swayed. What Communism couldn’t extinguish more than 40 years ago, current pressures and challenges still fail to silence. In fact, his resolve has only deepened and it’s impacting generations after him. In 2018, Thong, together with his son Vinh*, attended the training of trainers (TOT) for a family discipleship programme supported by Open Doors through its local partners. Thong witnessed how the training helped his ministry and more so, his family. “I began gathering my five children, four of whom now have families of their own, for monthly Bible study, and intentional prayer and fellowship. They live in separate villages, but distance didn’t stop them. “This was something new for us,” he says. “We are becoming one family in Christ again.”

And Thong believes that the impact he is seeing in his family, shouldn’t stop in his household. “I was just a participant at first,” he shares. “The next time, I was already training others.”

The programme is meant to strengthen Christian families from rural and tribal churches in Vietnam. The programme pack includes sermons, Sunday School teachings, family devotion materials, and a programme for a 4-day Family Camp. Ideally, a local church goes through it for three to four months, with all the activities of the church focusing on “Christian Family” as the theme.

“I’ve learned that when Christ is at the centre of our lives and families, others can see God through us. A strong, Christ-centred family is built on humility, selflessness, and love – just like Jesus taught. Without Him, true harmony is hard to find, because everyone wants to lead. But with Him, we learn to serve,” Thong shares.

Through the programme, Thong realised that strong churches begin with strong families. He learned that when Christ is truly the centre of the home, transformation spreads – from parents to children, from believers to communities.

Since the TOT, Thong has helped lead the programme and discipleship sessions in several churches across three provinces. Families that once lived in disharmony have begun to change – not instantly, but steadily. “It began with a shift in mindset, then there were changes in behaviour. Before, there was no respect among family members,” Thong says. “But slowly, hearts softened. Children started going to church and got involved in its ministries. Couples helped each other with chores. People began living their faith at home, not just in church.”

Vinh: A Son, A Partner in Ministry
Vinh, Thong’s 39-year-old son, joined him in this journey. A father of two and a small group leader, Vinh said, “The programme helped our family understand each other more, not just emotionally, but spiritually. We learned how to serve not just in our homes, but in our church and community.”

He saw it in the families at his church too. What was once just a habit – attending church on Sundays – has become a lifestyle. Now, families contribute to church events not out of obligation, but with joy and ownership. “Some bring vegetables, others their time. But everyone brings something,” says Vinh. “It’s no longer just about receiving, but also giving.”

He adds, “The programme is integrated in the discipleship of our members. After the families have gone through it, I have seen that they understand God’s Word more deeply especially in teaching their children. They are now more dedicated in joining church activities compared to those who didn’t join. You don’t only see it by their words, but also by their actions.”

Vinh also highlights the family camp, a culminating activity after the families at church finish the curriculum. “I really liked the family camp – it brought us closer as families. It gave us time to connect, share and truly understand each other. It wasn’t just about fun activities, but it deepened our bond and strengthened our faith as families.”

The Next Generation for Christ
Pastor Thong and his family belong to the Bahnar ethnic minority of Vietnam. The Bahnar are historically known as ‘people in the mountain’. They are traditionally animists and believe in a multitude of yangs – gods or spirits that are associated with nature including mountains, rock, earth and forests. They believe that the deity couple Bok Kei Dei and Ya Kuh Keh created the Earth and are responsible for taking care of their creations. And those who turn their backs on this belief experience persecution from the local authorities or their communities.

But despite those challenges, Thong sees the next generation in his community and in his tribe persevering in their faith in Jesus, thanks to your support.

“I thank God for this opportunity. I thank God for your support to us. For helping us strengthen our church and families by intentionally equipping the parents and children through the family discipleship programme. Thank you for being part of our spiritual journey,” Thong shares.

And Thong emphasises the importance of parents’ role in nurturing and leading the children and youth in a Christ-like manner. “If parents take their role seriously,” Thong said, “children will follow. If we don’t teach them now, the world will. If the parents are busy, the children won’t bother going to church. But if the parents intentionally lead, the children also follow. The role of the parents is very crucial in the spiritual growth of their children.”

To further equip the families in his church, Thong desires to see four things come into fruition, “I want to teach literacy so that believers can read the Bible for themselves. I want to train families how to share the Gospel boldly and courageously. I want to train at least one member in each household to facilitate and carry on the family discipleship programme. And lastly, I want to start Sunday school classes for children to build up their spiritual foundation.”

And this is also his invitation for you to pray with him and his church. He invites you to be an encouragement, a support and a witness of how God will continue to strengthen the families and the next generation of Vietnam.

Please pray for

• Pastor Thong and Vinh as they disciple families and lead house churches among the Bahnar communities. Pray that the Lord grants the desires of their hearts and may He find favour in their prayers.
• Bahnar Christian families to grow strong in Christ, despite pressures to compromise their faith.
• More parents and next generation workers to rise as disciple-makers in their homes and communities.

*Names changed for security reasons.