The Creflo Dollar Ministries Asia-Pacific office comprises five team members working with individuals and partner organizations in their region. Founded in 1997, the Asia-Pacific office was the first international office of CDM. This independent office covers a vast region, including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, and the Pacific Islands of Fiji and Tonga. As an extension of Creflo Dollar Ministries, the team works on CDM office projects and initiatives but mainly focuses on building and growing relationships with friends and partners in the region. The Asia-Pacific team is tasked with maintaining partner outreach, sending monthly newsletters and birthday calls, and gathering and following up on prayer requests. We recently spoke with Luther Marais, Director of CDM Asia-Pacific, for more information.

Luther’s Story

Luther Marais is originally from South Africa. He is the son of a pastor and first saw Creflo Dollar in person at the age of nine. From a young age, he was constantly surrounded by the ministry, watching his parents attend Bible school and be involved in their local church. He attended school for advanced business management, a background which enhances his ability to run the business and administration side of the Asia-Pacific office. After college, Luther worked in church leadership in South Africa and relocated to Queensland, Australia to accept his current role.

  CDM Asia-Pacific is excited about the daily broadcast in Australia. This program provides original Creflo Dollar Ministries content, is free for anyone with a television, and reaches individuals in homes, prisons, detention centers, and youth centers. It is the main source of prayer and product requests. Locally, the team holds annual community outreach programs such as a Back-to-School drive, Winter Homeless Mission outreach, and Christmas Toy Drive. They have also been able to mobilize volunteers and partners to respond to community disasters, such as gathering essential items to distribute during the wildfires of 2019 and helping to clean out homes following flooding in the same year.

   Outside of Australia, CDM Asia-Pacific relies on a network of non-profit organizations to extend its reach. CDM Asia-Pacific has long partnered with Effective Aide, an organization that plants schools and supports teachers in developing countries such as Burma and Thailand. They help rescue women and children from human trafficking by supporting Destiny Rescue. The organization also provides the rescued individuals with counseling, education, and other tools they need to be independent. A recent partnership they’ve added supports an orphanage in Bali, Indonesia. A long-term partner of CDM felt called to move to Indonesia and serves as an ambassador on the ground to ensure the success and impact of the orphanage.

   One big focus going forward is translating ministry resources. The task of translating messages, newsletters, and other correspondence into the various languages within such a large area is great, and Luther credits the partners of CDM with helping to spread the Good News of the gospel in their native tongue. CDM Asia-Pacific utilizes social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook to create and share original content specific to its regions.

COVID-19 Response

   The Asia-Pacific office was not directly impacted by stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic but created a remote-work plan for continuity. The team saw an increase in prayer requests, donations, and product requests during this time. Luther explained that, “People really reached out to us in that time of fear and panic. They really anchored their trust, their hope, and their faith in the message of grace, which was very good to see. It was good to be able to be there for them.” The team sent mini books, free CDs, and email blasts for encouragement to their partners and friends in the region. Locally, they also held a food drive, providing grocery gift cards, essential items, and food boxes for families in the area. From that drive, they gained new partners who remain actively involved in the CDM community in Queensland. 

Rewarding Work

   Luther is particularly grateful for the heart of “continuous love” that his team has; he sees that they are genuinely concerned about their community beyond specific outreach events. One of the CDM Asia-Pacific staff members connected with a young runaway living in a park during their 2021 Winter Homeless Mission. During the event, the team prayed with the teen, but she and her family went a step further. They took it upon themselves to mentor and build a solid relationship with him, and eventually, he began attending church with them.

   In 2017, Luther met a couple whose daughter had braid cancer at their Christmas toy drive, and he was able to minister to their family. Thankfully, their daughter survived and is doing well, and Luther and his wife remain friends of the family. The reception of the Good News and the message of grace is growing in places such as Indonesia and extends throughout the region. It is the work of the CDM Asia-Pacific team, their partners, and partner organizations that brings this gospel message to local communities. Through prayer, impactful messages, outreach events, and “continuous love,” CDM Asia-Pacific is sharing God’s message of grace and hope.

  Creflo Dollar Ministries operates worldwide, with local volunteers leading grass-roots projects and initiatives to encourage others and help meet their physical and spiritual needs. The ministry team at CDM Asia-Pacific makes a difference by spreading the message of Understanding Grace and Empowering Change. Thank you, CDM Asia-Pacific. Let’s continue winning souls to Christ!