A Scarred Past in Cambodia

In Cambodia, a church might consist of 10 Christians gathered beneath a sugar palm, its trunk still bearing shrapnel scars from the battles that have been fought around it. Or it might be 40 worshippers who congregate in the house of a Bible trained church planter.

In either case, Cambodian Christians cannot erase the deep scars that have been left by decades of brutal violence.

Years of atrocities and political turmoil have gouged out a spiritual void in the hearts of Cambodians. It is a void that the national religion of Buddhism, with its unattainable path to enlightenment, has failed to fill.
In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Cambodia was left with socialist groups fighting for control. Millions of innocent people were executed, and civil war raged for decades.

Although a democratic government has begun with the help of the UN, the painful scars still remain. And the wounds reopen every time another mine explodes, planted years ago by the warring factions.

The vast majority of Cambodians have looked to Buddhist rites to try to heal their wounds. But Christians in Cambodia know that the peace their country aches for is a peace that only Jesus Christ can impart.
Eager to impart that peace to their fellow countrymen, Cambodian Christians are enthusiastically entering church planter training. And church growth is exploding.
Cambodia is the first Buddhist country in Southeast Asia to show such a mass movement toward accepting the Gospel message. In a country shrouded so long by Buddhism, it is remarkable to see hearts being opened, one by one, to the light of the truth.

The people of Cambodia are on their way to discovering that the only true refuge from turmoil and trouble is found in the saving blood of Jesus. And Bible trained church planters long to shepherd them with an eternal, unshakable comfort.

Cambodian Christians have a vision for their nation and a heart for the whole world. Fire burns in our heart! one pastor says. We long to bring our nation, every community, into His heavenly kingdom.

And God is using them to do just that. As they impact their communities with the love of Jesus, their nation is changing, one soul at a time. The body of Christ is growing, as local gatherings of believers are established in areas where there were no churches before. It is exciting to be a part of what God is doing in Cambodia.

The Lord uses trained Christians here in Cambodia, another pastor explains. It is really a great help to our hungry nation and us. His living Word enables us to be fully fed, and will help us bring our whole nation to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord in the near future. May the Lord bless these people to carry on this good ministry until we reach the whole world for Jesus. Amen!

As more Cambodians are brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ and His Church, please pray for the shepherds who care for this tender new flock. Pray that God would call more Christians to labor in this teeming harvest field, as the indigenous church planting movement spreads throughout the country.