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Boon Mark Gittisarn (; ; September 1, 1898 – May 20, 1987) was a 20th-century Thai Protestant pastor and preacher who was influential in introducing
Pentecostalism Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...
to Thailand.


Biography


Birth and Early Education

Boon Mark Gittisarn was born on September 1, 1898, in
Ratchaburi Ratchaburi (, ) or Rajburi, Rat Buri) is a town ('' thesaban mueang'') in western Thailand, capital of Ratchaburi Province. Ratchaburi town covers the entire ''tambon'' Na Mueang (หน้าเมือง) of Mueang Ratchaburi District. As o ...
province in Thailand. In 1921, he completed his secondary education at
Bangkok Christian College Bangkok Christian College (abbreviated as BCC; ) is a private boys' school in the financial district of Si Lom, Bangkok. The school has a longstanding reputation as one of the most prestigious and highly selective schools in Thailand. Bangkok Chri ...
, where he had made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ.


Evangelistic Work

Upon completion of his studies, Boon Mark was employed by the American Presbyterian Mission in Siam as an evangelist in
Phitsanulok Phitsanulok (, ) is a city municipality in northern Thailand and the capital of Phitsanulok province. It had a city population of 60,827 and an urban population of approximately 200,000 in 2024, making it Thailand's 19th-most populous city p ...
province. In 1930, Boon Mark graduated from McGilvary College of Divinity, which is now a college of
Payap University Payap University (; ), established in 1974, is a private and non-profit institution founded by the Foundation of the Church of Christ in Thailand. Payap University is a liberal arts and pre-professional school offering a doctoral degree in peac ...
in
Chiang Mai Chiang Mai, sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the List of municipalities in Thailand#Largest cities by urban population, second largest city in Thailan ...
. In 1933, he moved to Bangkok and continued working as an evangelist of the American Presbyterian Mission. In April 1934, at the first General Assembly of the newly formed Church of Christ in Thailand CT Boon Mark was elected as assistant secretary. In August 1934, he was ordained to the pastorate of Second Church in Bangkok. In 1938 and 1939, BoonMark served as translator for Chinese evangelist
John Sung John Sung Shang Chieh ( zh, t=宋尙節, 27 September 1901 – 18 August 1944) also John Sung, was a renowned Chinese Christian evangelist who played an instrumental role in the revival movement among the Chinese in mainland China, Taiwan, and ...
and became an outspoken supporter of Sung. The Church of Christ in Thailand elected Boon Mark as general secretary in 1938, a position which he held until after World War II. During the war, the Japanese occupation forces prohibited public Christian worship services, and confiscated Christian church buildings, schools, and hospital. Boon Mark traveled widely throughout Thailand at this time, encouraging members of the CCT to endure the difficulties that they were facing.


Advocacy for Pentecostalism

In 1948, Boon Mark withdrew from the Church of Christ in Thailand because he did not agree with the CCT's decision to join the
World Council of Churches The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a worldwide Christian inter-church organization founded in 1948 to work for the cause of ecumenism. Its full members today include the Assyrian Church of the East, most jurisdictions of the Eastern Orthodo ...
. He objected to liberal theology and ecumenism which Boon Mark viewed as a compromise of Biblical Christianity. After his departure from the CCT, Boon Mark became associated with Pentecostal missionaries from Finland and became an early advocate for Pentecostalism in Thailand. Boon Mark played an important role in the 1956 Bangkok crusade meetings of American Pentecostal healing evangelist T.L. Osborn, for whom he translated during the meetings. Boon Mark later associated himself with the
United Pentecostal Church The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) is a Oneness Pentecostal denomination headquartered in Weldon Spring, Missouri. The United Pentecostal Church International was formed in 1945 by a merger of the former Pentecostal Church, Inc. ...
(UPC), a group whom he met on a visit to the United States. From the UPC church denomination, Boon Mark learned of the "Jesus Only" teaching, which maintains that Christians should be baptized only in the name of Jesus, not in the name of God the Father or the Holy Spirit. When Boon Mark brought the "Jesus Only" teaching back to Thailand and began teaching it in Thai Pentecostal churches, some people agreed with him, while others did not. The division caused a split within the Pentecostal churches in Thailand. The United Pentecostal Church initially experienced rapid growth in Thailand, but then experienced rapid decline after Boon Mark withdrew from the group in the late 1960s.


Founding of Thailand's first independent church

In 1957, Boon Mark founded Bangkok Church, the first independent church in Thailand. He also founded the Association of Independent Churches in Thailand, of which he served as general secretary.


Death

Boon Mark Gittisarn died on May 20, 1987.


References

* Nantachai Mejuhon, ed., "175 Years of Protestantism in Thailand (1828–2003), (175 ปี พันธกิจคริสต์ศาสนาโปรเตสแตนต์ในประเทศไทย (1828–2003)", Bangkok, Thailand: Thailand Protestant Churches Co-ordinating Committee, 2004. * "Boon Mark Gittisarn" in ''A Dictionary of Asian Christianity'', ed. Scott Sunquist, Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 2001, pgs. 89–90. * Boon Mark Gittisarn
"Modernism Takes Its Toll of Mission Work,"
Christian Beacon Press, Collingswood, New Jersey, 1950. Accessed 13 February 2014. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gittisarn, Boon Mark Boon Mark Gittisarn 1898 births 1987 deaths Boon Mark Gittisarn Boon Mark Gittisarn