Khmer Evangelical Church

President: Rev. Chamroeun Ruom

 [email protected]

STATISTICS (2021)

In 1923 the C&MA started work in Cambodia. Two missionary families where sent from the Indochina Field, from Vietnam: The family of Arthur Hammond, and the family of David Ellison. Rev. Hammond translated the Bible into Khmer, a translation that is still widely used today. Rev. Ellison started a Bible School.

From 1923 until 1970 there was slow growth, amid opposition from the French colonial administration, the Japanese occupation during WWII, and the Khmer national liberation movement. From 1970 to 1975 there was a revival among the refugees in Phnom Penh who had fled from the Khmer Rouge. This revival was sparked by an evangelistic crusade led by Stanley Mooneyham; thousands believed. The number of churches in Phnom Penh went from 2 to more than 30.

From 1975 to 1979 the country was plunged into the darkness of the Khmer Rouge period, and the small church was almost completely destroyed. The few believers who remained by the end of this period continued to meet for worship secretly for the next decade. Young Soth was accused of being CIA during this time.

In 1993 marked the rebirth of the C&MA national church in Cambodia with the organization of the Khmer Evangelical Church (KEC) with 15 churches. The KEC missions program to minority groups within the country started in 1996, and they currently have two couples working among three minority groups. The total percentage of Protestant Christians in Cambodia is less than 1%.