Israel message reaches Cambodia

The Christians for Israel 4th Asia Pacific Training and Leadership Conference was held in Hotel Somnang Loar, Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 20th to 22nd April 2017.

Cambodia is among the top 10 countries in the world with the fastest church growth rates. Christians make up 3% of the pre-dominantly Buddhist population of 15 million people. The Body of Christ in Cambodia, drawn from a wide spectrum of denominations meet every year for national prayer on 1st July and heads of denominations meet regularly for fellowship. With such unity in the Body of Christ, the message of Israel can potentially be the game changer for the Cambodian church if it is embraced wholeheartedly by the local pastors and leaders.

Wilson Ng, Regional Coordinator (Southeast Asia) organised this conference with the invaluable help of the local co-ordinator, Pastor Ramu Balakrishnan, a church planter from the Assemblies of God.

Local pastors made up the majority of the conference participants - about 80 from various denominations and backgrounds. Pastor Conrado Lumahan came with 11 delegates from the Philippines.

A team of youths led in lively praise and worship each morning. The full-day sessions began at 8.30 am and ended at 5 pm. Each session was an hour long with translation by an indefatigable and cheerful Chinese Cambodian, VA Tong, who had no formal education but began to understand and speak English after he received the Holy Spirit.

The conference participants seemed spellbound by the messages, not having been taught about Israel before. The bits and pieces of what they once knew about Israel finally fitted into a biblical framework. Whenever powerpoint slides were used, handphones would pop up all over the hall to snap images of the slides. It was heartening that Khmer pastors, both young and old, asked earnestly for the slides to be made available to them after the conference.

Reverend Willem Glashouwer helmed the teaching with nine messages from "Why Israel", "Why Jerusalem", "Why End Times" and "Covenants and Kingdoms". He also taught on Replacement Theology and presented the 12 Articles of Faith about Israel. Pastor Conrado Lumahan sounded passionate cries to stand with Israel with his "Twelve reasons to stand with the Twelve tribes". Kuen Yoon took us on a historical journey of the miraculous rebirth of Israel in 1948 and fulfilment of biblical prophecies related to the re-gathering of the Jewish diaspora with maps and photos. Siew Fong shared on Israel's miraculous survival of the 1948, 1967 and 1973 wars which showed God's hand in preserving Israel from her enemies' attempts to annihilate the nation.

Among the 11 delegates under Pastor Lumahan from the Philippines were superintendents and deputies overseeing hundreds of Assemblies of God churches in Mindanao. Two of them gave inspiring testimonies of how God began to bless their congregations after they started to bless Israel. Since they started to organise regular prayer meetings for Israel and began giving to Israel, their congregations saw unprecedented church growth as well as astounding financial breakthroughs.

The final session on the last day of the conference was aptly on "What should the Church do about Israel at this time in history?" Siew Fong challenged conferees to educate other believers about Israel, and to comfort the Jewish people through actions and prayer. She then led in intercession for Israel which began with repentance for the past atrocities committed by the church against the Jewish people. Brother VA Tong led in this repentance prayer on his knees. For the next 12 prayer points presented, the atmosphere in the meeting hall was charged up by the heart-felt intercession of conference participants, and six Khmer pastors and Pastor Lumahan who represented the Body in prayer.

Wilson Ng's very fitting concluding word for the conference was for us all to focus on being obedient and faithful rather than to be results-oriented.

The message of Israel was new to most of the churches so for the seed to germinate it was crucial to take follow-up actions: Pastor Meng Aun-Hour, Director of the United Pastors Fellowship would see to the translation of "Why Israel" to Khmer and local representatives for Christians for Israel in Cambodia would be sought.

Chan Siew Fong - Regional Trainer
Christians for Israel
Singapore

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