Johnny and Ann McClean
‘Land of the Free’
Thailand means ‘Land of the Free’ but with social inequality, corruption and people trafficking hiding behind the famous Thai smile, many people feel trapped.
Bangkok is a cosmopolitan city where nations live side by side. Tolerance, diversity and a materialistic worldview are the norm. The church is growing but still only 0.7% of 70 million Thai people are believers. Prosperity gospel, personality cults and “evangutainment” are common. There is an urgent need for the Word of God to be taught and the gospel clearly proclaimed.
Merging different worlds to serve in Bangkok
We both first came to Thailand, separately, on short term mission trips in the 1990s. We returned long-term to Thailand with a vision and calling to serve the Thai people and met when Ann was in Language School.
In 2011, we joined New City Fellowship Church (NCFC), in an urban deprived area close to our home in Bangkok. At the same time, our children started attending an international school. In 2015, Johnny was also invited to get involved in training preachers with Langham Preaching. Over the last ten years these very different worlds have merged to become the focus of our lives and ministry in Bangkok.
Since 2024, Johnny has served as the East Asia Coordinator for Langham Preaching. This involves helping to organise and facilitate preaching seminars, preaching clubs and leadership training across S.E. Asia. He also serves as an elder alongside Pastor Pramot in our local Thai church.
Ann is a full-time teacher at International Community School (ICS), a local Christian school, where she has many opportunities to shape her students’ lives both academically and spiritually. She also leads the church Sunday School alongside Pastor Pramote’s wife, Lhing.
Enjoying life as a family in Thailand
We have three children. Matt and Beth have both graduated from university and are based in the UK. Josh is currently studying in Liverpool, UK.
Our family are competitive at board games, love reading, half the family love cheering for Wales and the other half for Ireland in rugby! We love hosting visitors, and having fun whilst enjoying a good meal together.
Our sending church is Borras Park Church in Wrexham, North Wales.
