Our History
introduction:
We are David and Reagan Ta. Between the years of 2014-2018, we had the honor of partnering with the Lord in His work of church planting in Thailand. As we began their our as a new married couple living in the USA, we wanted to continue being a part of the work God is doing, both in the States and overseas.
A church planting snapshot of one of our partners (The Henrys) in the South of Thailand.
the need:
From our experiences in Thailand, relationships with other missionaries, and partnerships with churches in the U.S., we both saw some distinct needs in the area of world missions and the local American church:
Matthew 9:37-38 tell us, “...’The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” We need more workers in the mission field in order to reap this plentiful harvest of souls waiting to enter the Kingdom of God.
Oftentimes, once a missionary is sent out by a church, a gap develops in communication or understanding about what is happening in the missionary’s life and/or ministry. This hinders the church from providing the amount of emotional and spiritual support the missionary needs.
Christ followers may possess a desire to live missionally where they are, but many don’t have the practical know-how. They need discipleship and training that is relevant and effective for their lives as professionals, neighbors, family members, and community members.
As we sensed that God was placing those burdens on our hearts, He opened a door for us to step into a role that addressed them through serving at Trinity Presbyterian Church of Orange County.
location:
Orange County, CA has a population of 3.19 million. Despite the population growth over the years, the number of Christians has declined. California has entered a post-Christian era, characterized by “a lack of Christian identity, belief and practice” and an embrace of secularism. This is where we live and work. The future of what happens in OC will influence the rest of the U.S.
vision and values:
Trinity Presbyterian Church of Orange County (Trinity) has a robust, Gospel-centered vision and set of values. The atmosphere of the church is warm, friendly, and tight-knit, and Christians are given compelling and truthful teaching every Sunday. The church’s inreach is strong; the outreach into the surrounding community and nations, however, has been lacking. Our desire is to come alongside the staff and members of Trinity and partner with them in bringing Gospel renewal outside the four walls of the church building.
[see detailed descriptions of Trinity’s values on their website: https://www.trinitypresoc.org/values]
goals:
The goals are:
To have more workers sent out to expand God’s kingdom on the mission field
To have a relationship between the church and the missionary in which the church is aware of, regularly praying for, and supporting the felt needs of the missionary and their ministry
To have fellow believers partnering with the Lord on their home turf, sharing the Gospel and living compassionately to meet needs in their spheres of influence
Take your next steps on mission with Jesus.
Since we have started this ministry, we’ve relied on a small group of friends and family to fund all of our operating expenses. Year after after year, our partners have stood with us through thick and thin, making our work possible. They believe—like we do—that the Gospel of Jesus Christ truly changes everything. Whether it is giving, going, or praying with us through our newsletters, let’s live on mission together.
