Cambodia Baptist witness in Cambodia is growing at a fast pace. Since the fi rst
A Thriving Church
church was planted in 1995, there are now 304 churches affi liated with the Cambodia Baptist Union (CBU). Church planting is at the heart of the mission of CBU. The union
aims to have at least one church in each of the 1,621 communes by constructing at least fi ve churches and founding fi ve additional house churches each year. Communes comprise fi ve to 13 villages and will have at least one evangelist each. All 24 provinces in the Southeast Asian country will have fi ve trained church planters each. Sixty two new church planters were selected in 2011, and six missionary families were sent to six specially targeted provinces. The current church planting thrust follows on earlier initiatives,
including a previous church planting program between 1995 and 2000, a church building program from 2003-2008, and another church planting program beginning in 2009 which, among other things, commissioned 65 regional pastors as church planters. “CBU has a mission to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to all Cambodian people in its 24 provinces,” the union says. “CBU observes that the opportunity for effective evangelism is a church planting program.” CBU has held extensive training programs for its pastors and church
planters, one of which was attended by Fausto Vasconcelos, Baptist World Alliance Director of the Division of Mission, Evangelism and Theological Refl ection, in July. Some 60 pastors from 17 provinces participated in the meeting. Every Saturday, the Bible Training Center for Pastors holds classes for pastors in Kompong Thom province. Twenty fi ve pastors, church leaders and university students from three provinces are currently enrolled in a discipleship training program to be completed in 13 sessions. The union has undertaken several social ministry initiatives. The
Rural Leadership Training Program ran from 1995-2000; the Orphan Feeding Program ran from 1996-1999; and a special Literacy Program ran from 1997-1999. A rice distribution program to combat spreading hunger, aimed at 1,650 families, is being undertaken. A food for work program for farmers in 10 villages along the Steung Sean River in the northern provinces of Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom has been sponsored by Baptist World Aid. On his July 10-14 Cambodian trip, Vasconcelos preached at the
Phnom Penh Kandal Baptist Church, pastored by CBU President Nhem Nivath, visited fi ve new churches in several rural communities, and shared in a joint meeting between CBU board members and various ministries.
Top: Worshippers at a newly planted village church Left middle: Pastors and leaders attending all day training by the CBU Left bottom: Worship at another village church
Below: BWA METR Director Fausto Vasconcelos and translator speaking at the Phnom Pen Central Baptist Church
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