Dorji Sangay* teaches the men and women of his house church that anyone can make a difference for Christ. Many of the men and women are already making a difference.

By: Caroline Anderson

SOUTH ASIA–Dorji Sangay* used to be a man of anger. Tortured for his faith, exiled from his country, and abused by his grade school teacher, this Bhutanese man is now a church planter and pastor.

“What can one ordinary person do for God?” Sangay asks in a sermon. Sangay challenges his flock using Biblical examples of what ordinary people did for the Lord.

“I would be the most foolish man if I don’t serve God after seeing all this faithfulness all these years, ever since I chose to follow God,” Sangay says. “There is no turning back, not because of my faithfulness, but because of God’s faithfulness.”

Years ago, Sangay accepted the Gospel message in hopes of taking revenge on a grade school teacher who abused him and other students.

“I wanted to kill him at any cost,” Sangay says.

His teacher’s father was one of the most powerful sorcerers in Bhutan at the time. When he heard the creation story, Sangay knew God was more powerful than the sorcerer.

“My motive was not right because I wanted to believe in Christ mainly because I wanted to take revenge,” Sangay says. “I thought, ‘If I believe in Christ, even if this man casts a spell against me, his spell will not work. Now I can kill his son.’”

But God knew his heart. “God gave me the power to really forgive them and to love them. I knew within me, as a human being, that moment was possible.”

Then Sangay began sharing the Gospel with anyone who would listen. Twenty-nine people accepted Truth through his witness.

Because of this, Sangay was imprisoned and tortured. He now lives in another country with his wife and three children. Sangay has also planted churches in his current country and pastors a church of around 20 members.

Wanting to equip new leaders influenced Sangay’s decision to open a six-month discipleship training school. Many Bhutanese and several believers from his home church currently attend.

“Yes, you may have one Moses, but you have multiple leaders to support your hand when you raise your hands up. Otherwise, you know, you get tired,” Sangay says. “You also have a Joshua ready for the next generation.”

Twice a month, Sangay hosts church-planting training to raise up these spiritual “Joshuas.” Sangay teaches strategies for sharing testimonies, delivering the Gospel, and diving deep into the Word.

“I would like to see our churches becoming more and more healthier, which means more and more obedient to the Word of God,” Sangay says. “If the church is healthy, I believe that God will definitely work through that church.”

Through training this next generation, Sangay helps his church and the extended church network in Bhutan to follow the Great Commission.

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*name changed