Cambodian Church Planting You don't have to go to Cambodia to minister to Cambodians. They are in your own backyard!

A non-homogeneous race, Cambodians (originally known as Khmers) are a mixture of the country’s natives and Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indonesian ethnics. Cambodians are distinct from other Asian groups, both physically and linguistically. The Khmer language, uniquely atonal in nature, differs from Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Lao. Most Cambodians immigrating to North America came from the working class—farmers, laborers, merchants, craftsmen, and small business owners. Some were soldiers from the last democratic government. The educated and the elite were nearly destroyed due to the persecution of the Communist Khmer Rouge during its reign of terror in 1975 to 1978.  Since 1975 and the end of the Vietnam War, many Cambodians have immigrated to North America. Starting with a few thousand in the mid-1970s, they now number almost half a million. They add their arts, crafts, and cultural traits to the hundreds of others who make up the mosaic of North America. Many of the generation that was born or raised in North America are college-educated and hold positions of leadership and responsibility in their own communities, as well as in mainstream society. Southern Baptists are challenged to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with Cambodians and plant churches in their communities.   

Cambodians in North America: In Brief

During the Vietnam War, almost 1 million Cambodians escaped to neighboring countries. They were well-received and helped by international refugee organizations and missionaries. Southern Baptists played a large part in this massive humanitarian program. As a result, several thousand refugees were converted to Christianity in the camps scattered across the Southeast Asian subcontinent. 

RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND

The majority of Cambodians are Buddhists of the Theravada sect (Orthodox conservatives). A large number of the Chinese descent practice Confucianism, Taoism, animism, or ancestor worship. However, as a result of prolonged contact with different evangelical denominational churches, a small percentage has embraced the Christian faith.

POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

Most new immigrants live in sunny climates, such as the West Coast. Long Beach/ Stockton/Modesto/ the Bay area, California; Lowell/Boston, Mass.; Seattle, Washington; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.; Atlanta, Georgia; and Toronto/Quebec, Ottawa, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada have large concentrations of Cambodians. 

MINISTRY GROWTH 

Since 1975, many Southern Baptist churches have sponsored Cambodian refugees to whom they ministered, socially and spiritually. By 1980, six Cambodian churches existed in North America. Today, there are about 100 such congregations in North America. In 1985, these congregations organized into the Cambodian Southern Baptist Fellowship. 

CHURCH PLANTING CHALLENGES

Southern Baptists have a great challenge to reach and minister to Cambodians with the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can be part of this outreach through: prayer, sacrificial giving, and direct involvement in missions work among Cambodians.