Cultivating
the Soil While Sowing the Seed
Our evangelistic efforts are still consistent and
empowered by prayer, and in fact we are adding an additional time specifically
for our church to get the Gospel out into our city of Ta Khmau. As I was
passing out Gospel tracts in a nearby area two weeks ago with Pastor Proh, I
felt led to encourage him with these words: “We’re sowing seeds. And I believe
we will see fruit if we remain faithful.” Although there is a strong
nationalistic and, frankly, anti-Christian sentiment in the areas that God has
called us to reach, I do believe that God is working in people's hearts, and that He will use our efforts to see people saved, baptized, and growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
A brief update on some of the people you have been
praying for:
Srey Neat: Ever since her mother
returned from a distant province to live with her again, her reception to us
has been much different, and she has stopped coming to church. Please pray that
God will soften her heart.
Keang: This man in his 50’s we met
a few months ago still receives us cordially, but since finishing the salvation
study he has shown little interest in the Gospel. He is preoccupied right now
in building a new house, so we hope that when the house is finished we will
have more opportunities to speak of Christ with him.
Srey Noich: This teenage girl who was
reached through the children’s ministry we started last year is growing
wonderfully in the Lord, and intends to start attending our Sunday evening
service next week.
La: La is now 16 years old and
has been attending our church for one year now. While there are still some
“rough edges”, his life has been wonderfully changed by the Gospel, and is
continuing to be changed by the preached Word.
Reksmey: Thank God that Pastor Tho’s
5-year-old girl is doing better, and has not yet needed another blood
transfusion since the one she received in March. Please continue to pray for
her.
God’s
Strengthening of Our Church
In
our first year at Freedom Baptist Church of Ta Khmau, we have seen the church
go through some difficult changes. First was the departure of the Shull family,
the precious missionaries who started this work with Pastor Proh seven years
ago. After their return to the States there were a handful of people in the
church who stopped coming and have yet to return. Then on March 17 of this year
one of our dear, faithful members, Dalin, a mother of three in her mid-30’s,
passed away of a rare blood disease. To make matters even more difficult her
husband, who had claimed to be saved and had attended the church for several
years, made no effort to have any type of a Christian funeral, and in fact
participated in the Buddhist ceremonies. (Our church did have a God-honoring
memorial service for Dalin, which was a great source of encouragement for our church
family). All of these situations seem like reasons for the church to be
discouraged and weakened- but that is not the case. Those who
have remained faithful through this past year have shown signs of definite
spiritual growth, and have sensed God’s strengthening hand at work in their
lives.
I
have not only seen our people’s faith strengthened, but I have seen the leadership of Pastor Proh continue to grow as well.
After weeks of prayer, observation, and seeking counsel from veteran
missionaries, I, with the agreement of Pastor Proh, have decided to turn the church over to him near the end of this term,
sometime in early 2016. Our church here in Ta Khmau, along with several
other churches here in Cambodia, will support him, and I will help him with the
cost of renting a building until they purchase their own land and build their
own building. The Lord willing, upon our return in 2017, we will by God’s grace
and through His strength plant a new church. The remainder of this term will be
spent working with Pastor Proh and Pastor Tho in building up Freedom Baptist
Church and preparing the church for the eventual transition of leadership.
Thank
you for your love for our family,
Chad
Phillips
