Paul & Gretchen DeNeui

Serving since: September, 1987 Home Church: Redwood City, California Birthdays: Paul - Aug 5; Gretchen - Aug 23 Anniversary: August 14, 1982

e-mail: pgdeneui@loxinfo.co.th

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Both Paul and Gretchen had an early interest in missions. Gretchen lived in Europe and India before her sixth grade year. Paul’s family exposed him to missions from a young age. Both Paul and Gretchen served as short-termers in Mexico. They met in Inter-Varsity in college. After marrying, a friend invited them to Peninsula Covenant, their home church ever since. Their pastor introduced them to Jim Gustafson, a "pig farmer in Thailand." What interested Paul and Gretchen most about the work in Thailand was that it employed a holistic approach to address both physical and spiritual needs and that the role of missionaries was to enable local Thai people to do it.

After studying at North Park and at Fuller Theological Seminary, Paul and Gretchen were called to Thailand at the Covenant Annual Meeting in June 1987. In September the DeNeuis moved to Thailand for two years of Thai language and culture learning in Bangkok. Upon completion of language study they moved to Udon Thani, the location of the Covenant’s work in northeast Thailand (known as Isaan). Two years of training at the pig/fish farm and Center there were foundational in learning Isaan language and culture and learning how to work in a cross-cultural team.

In 1991, the DeNeuis were asked to join a team in the province of Roi Et to establish a new ministry outreach center which became the Lower Isaan Foundation for Enablement (LIFE). During their nine years in Roi Et God used Paul and Gretchen to help establish an integrated fish farm, start Sunday school and youth programs, facilitate adult leadership training, start a handicraft project for women, and a ministry to the HIV positive.

In April 2000 Paul and Gretchen were approached about starting a new ministry focusing specifically on contextualization. Over time the Covenant work in Thailand has established seven different Thai church-enabling organizations each working in its own area and culture (central Thai, northern Thai, and northeastern Thai (Isaan)). None of these are able to respond to the many requests for information from other interested groups and individuals. After much prayer, Paul and Gretchen agreed to this move and decided to select Khon Kaen as their point of operation.

In Thailand, contextualized ministry means allowing Jesus to be reborn as a Thai, not a foreigner. Recognizing the need to make available the resources and experience of the Covenant’s work in Thailand to others, Paul and Gretchen have been given permission for a special two-year study assignment starting in the fall of 2001. Upon return to Thailand in 2003 their plans are to continue to equip and enable Thai and other Christian workers seeking ways to make Jesus real.

Paul and Gretchen graduated from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, (B.S., 1982). Paul received his M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary (1987), and was ordained at the Covenant Annual meeting in 1991. Gretchen earned her M.A.from Fuller (1991), and both Paul and Gretchen studied at North Park Seminary. The DeNeui’s are members of Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City, California.

First – a look back

The DeNeui family has been on a journey for the last few years, a journey of preparation for something new and different. This preparation journey is coming to a close. Along the way we have lived in Pasadena, CA, USA and Chiang Mai, Thailand. We have been involved in a variety of ministries as well, but preparation has been a key part of our lives.

What is this preparation we speak of? It is Paul getting his PhD from Fuller Seminary in the area of “string tying ritual in NE Thailand”. Through taking classes and writing papers, Paul has had to learn to think from a mission perspective, reflecting on our own involvement personally and as a mission in Thailand.

Second – a look at the present

Currently Paul is in the last steps of writing and defending his dissertation paper. This means that in June 05 Paul will be graduating.

Our oldest son, JP, will also be graduating­from High School in Chiang Mai. He is in the process of applying to universities in the US.

The doors to the ministry in Udon Thani, Thailand, with which we were loosely connected while living here in Chiang Mai, have closed for now.

Third – a look to the future

Paul has been invited to the position of Visiting Assistant Professor of World Mission at North Park Seminary, the Evangelical Covenant Church’s seminary in Chicago. This is a rotating professorship of missionaries who teach initially for three years and then return to overseas ministry. Accepting this position has been a culmination of many factors including considering our ministry focus. We will be the second missionaries in this rotation at the seminary starting in the fall of 2005.

Our position and monetary support as missionaries with the Evangelical Covenant Church has not changed­just our country of ministry. We hope and pray that by being at North Park Seminary we can help prepare future leaders to have a mission perspective for ministry wherever they serve.

Fourth – your part in our journey Yes­you too! Many of you who receive this newsletter have supported us financially and in prayer through the years. Some even since the beginning in 1987 when we first came to ThailandJ Truly, we wouldn't be where we are in this journey without you. Thank you very much!!! Please stay with us on this next part of the journey. The quality of church leaders around the world makes such a big difference in being able to reach out to all those who do not know Jesus. We wouldn't have accepted this three year position if we didn't feel that it was strategically important in contributing to this cause.

Blessings!

Paul & Gretchen, JP, Anna, Andrew, & Nettie DeNeui

click pictures to view full-size
DeNeui Family Oct 2000	DeNeui Kids Oct 2000	House Warming in Khon Kaen	Preparing the Flowers for House Warming Party	Dancing at DeNeui's House Warming
Thankful for brothers in Christ	Paul and Gretchen blessed by Rev Tongpan, president of Thailand Covenant Church	Friends, staff and members of Roi Et AIDS House come to visit us in Khon Kaen	Friends from Roi Et Aids House come to worship at our Khon Kaen house	Curious Kids in a Farang Kitchen
Paul Writing in Home Office	Anna, Andrew & Nettie in Thai School Uniforms	Andrew's 7th Birthday, July 2000	Anna Cheers Her School Team on Sports Day	Andrew & Dad at Waterfall in Chayaphum
	Andrew next to our new truck on vacation trip to waterfall	A beautiful view of Isaan