We invite you to pray for the people of Cambodia—for just five minutes a day, for five days, for FIVE STRATEGIC AREAS. Your prayers will open doors in powerful ways, encourage believers, release strongholds and bring great glory to God.
Some parts of Cambodia’s history are perhaps better known than others but through it all God has been at work. In the twelfth century Cambodia’s priest-kings built the famous temples at Angkor. The twentieth was marked by the Khmer Rouge regime’s purges (1975-1979), in which nearly two million Cambodians lost their lives. The effects of this are still being felt in Cambodia’s mental health and culture. Today although one of the world’s poorer nations Cambodia is a place of hope. Strong economic growth means the capital city of Phnom Penh is unrecognizable from even 10 years ago and the country’s infrastructure is being improved.
The majority religion is a variety of Buddhism, mixed with elements from Animism and Hinduism. The early Cambodian church almost disappeared in the 1970s, but in the last 15 years has seen considerable growth. In fact, of the country’s 197 districts there is now only one district left without a church. Much remains to be done, however. Over 11,000 villages have no church and only 1.16 per cent of the population is Christian. Also in the last five years church growth has slowed and some older churches have closed. Please pray with us for a continued and growing vibrant Christian witness in Cambodia.
Day One – An Open Door
Cambodia is strongly Buddhist. The country’s motto is ‘nation, religion, king’. The wats (temples) and their monks provide the center of Cambodian community, as formal Buddhist ceremonies are a part of every event in family and national life. Despite these strong traditions, for the last few decades freedom of religion has been guaranteed and there are many opportunities for Christian workers to serve.
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Lord, we give thanks for the freedom of religion in Cambodia in the last few decades and for open doors to serve. We ask that both would continue long into the future that your church in Cambodia may be built up.
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Lord, please help Cambodians who have heard the gospel and are counting the cost of following you to discover that you are more valuable than anything they may have to give up.
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Lord, we pray for wisdom for new Christians in the way they work out how their faith fits with their family. We ask that their witness might bring whole families to know you.
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Lord, we pray that established Christians and churches would persevere in serving you. Help them see and take creative opportunities to serve and love their neighbors.
Day Two – Church Leaders
The OMF team works alongside local church leaders and other partners, including in initiatives such as Mission Kampuchea 2021, a Khmer-led prayer movement aiming to see a community of believers in every Cambodian village by 2021. OMF work particularly closely with one of the local church associations, the Fellowship of Cambodia Churches (FCC), which was started by OMF workers but is now overseen by Cambodian church leaders. OMF continues to provide support and training for FCC.
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Lord, you desire all Christians to grow in Christlikeness. We pray this for church leaders in Cambodia and that they would model a life laid down for Christ to their congregations. We ask they would be wise, godly and humble shepherds, following the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).
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Lord, we ask that Cambodian church leaders would grow in their understanding of your word. Give them faithfulness and gentleness as they apply the truth of your word to their hearers.
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Lord, we pray leaders’ faith in you will keep on growing, grasping your faithfulness and following you wholeheartedly. We ask you would grant them a vision for mission within Cambodia and to the nations.
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Lord, we ask you would help OMF’s partnership in ministry with FCC and other partners to grow and mature.
Day Three – Sound Doctrine
There are many different religious groups in Cambodia. Sadly, some of these lead followers of Jesus away from sound doctrine into things that are not in line with God’s word. Cambodian believers need discernment as they weigh different claims and teachings from a variety of groups.
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Lord, we ask that you would give Cambodian believers a passion for your word, that they can know you better and do the things that please you more and more (1 Thessalonians 4:1).
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Lord, would you give a discerning spirit to your people. Help them as they weigh up competing claims and teachings. May they be able to test them and hold fast to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
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Lord, we pray for church leaders shepherding their congregations to be able to train them in reading God’s word and studying it for themselves.
Day Four – Missionaries
The 80 or so OMF workers in Cambodia partner with local churches and other organisations in a variety of ministries such as church planting, health care, counselling, education and training. They need prayer to support them in their work and also for new workers to serve. There are particular needs for new workers to work among minority peoples, rural church planters, professionals, mental health professionals and educators.
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Lord, we pray for missionaries’ individual relationships with you. We ask that they would be willing to be changed and moulded by your Holy Spirit into increasing Christlikeness. Please would you enable them to serve out of the overflow of their love for you.
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Lord, we pray for missionaries’ relationships with those they share the gospel with. We pray that you would give them the desire to understand them and listen to them more than they desire to be understood. We ask for love and boldness as they share the Good News.
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Lord, please bring new workers to Cambodia, especially those called and willing to bring the gospel to minority peoples. We pray too for Christians with professional skills that are valuable in Cambodia to consider bringing their profession here.
Day Five – Spiritual Breakthrough
While there are 197 districts in Cambodia and only one without a church, growth in existing churches and church planting is declining. Also some older churches have closed in recent years. Between 2012 and 2017 Mission Kampuchea 2021 found that over 600 churches closed and surviving churches’ membership had fallen on average. Please pray with us for continued church growth in Cambodia.
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Lord, thank you that though local Christians and missionaries may plant and water, you are the one who makes the seeds of the gospel grow (1 Corinthians 3:6). We ask that the seeds planted and watered over many years may bear fruit.
Lord, we pray that your church in Cambodia would continue to grow and multiply in the coming years.
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Lord, we ask for Cambodian Christians’ relationships with you to deepen and grow so that every area of their lives is changed. (2 Peter 3: 17-18)
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Lord, many older churches may struggle with declining membership. Please reinvigorate these fellowships and remind them of your call to them to know you and make you known.
Next Steps
Is God drawing you to more focused prayer or involvement with the people of Cambodia? Consider additional ways to nurture God’s love among these people:
PRAY. Join a growing team of intercessors focused on Cambodia. For more information about praying for the country, visit omf.org/east-asia/cambodia/.
PARTNER. Mobilizing your community to join God’s work in Cambodia is a vital ministry. Will you encourage others to pray and serve?
GO. We’re praying for new workers in a number of areas in Cambodia – could you be one of them? There are opportunities to share the gospel with minority peoples, which involves learning Khmer and then the peoples’ main language. We’re also looking for people to serve in unreached rural areas and among people neglected by society at large, including the urban poor and people with mental health issues. For more information visit opportunities.omf.org.
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