Cambodia Presbyterian Seminary

Dear COAH,

I visited Cambodia Presbyterian Seminary

As expected, Cambodia is very hot. It's only 8 am on a Friday morning and the humidex soars to 37 degrees. Even a short walk leaves me panting and thinking that it's hard to breathe. Oh, it's so hot. I see people riding motorcycles with their faces covered with towels. I feel sorry for them, battling the heat to get to work. At 9:00 a.m., Cambodian pastors have gathered at the OMF Mission Center to hear my lecture on The Missional Church. Some had traveled from the provinces since 4:00 a.m.  Each and every one of them is eager to learn about the missional church. I was impressed by their acute attentiveness during the three-hour lecture.
   
In the afternoon, I visited the Cambodian Presbyterian Seminary (aka. ‘KAMJANGSHIN’). It started in 2003 when missionaries from seven Korean Presbyterian denominations joined forces to build a unified Presbyterian seminary in Cambodia. Missionaries from seven Korean denominations - Reformed, Korean, Gosin, Alternative, Unified, Joint, and Hapshin – all desired to build one, truly unified Presbyterian seminary in Cambodia. By God's grace, it went well. In 2016, they built a beautiful campus on a 2.5-acre land. Currently, about 200 students study to be in ministry. Among many things, they are learning to pray fervently and to pray at dawn --- all under the influence of Korean missionaries. There is a prayer tower at the entrance of the school, where intercessory prayers are held regularly for the seminary and the country.

I was very impressed to see what God is doing in the Cambodian Presbyterian Seminary. The campus was very clean, and I believe God is pleased with the unity of the missionaries. I also believe He is pleased with the missionaries' desire to pass on a single Presbyterian denomination to the Cambodian people. Of the 200,000 Protestants in Cambodia, 12,000 are Presbyterians. Most of them have come to faith in Jesus through the evangelistic work of Korean missionaries. Some of them are now in preparation for ministry!  May God's grace abound upon this seminary as it takes on the huge and critical responsibility.

Blessings,
Pastor Minho Song