Thursday, March 14, 2013

The Growth of a Church

The Growth of a Church


Wednesday service held after school normally has around 174 kids from our school; these are just 1st to 6th grade class that stay to worship, study and play or watch a couple minutes of a movie.   Well since last month since we've made an effort to invite kids outside the school to come and we've been getting between 30 to 60 kids to attend along with our staff and a random parent.  Yesterday in a small effort to make a count we had about 230 kids and 13 adults.

We've asked Ly our bible/English teacher to start a study that would lead up to asking the kids to make a commitment to follow Jesus.  We are about 3 weeks from that happening.  Once that happens we'll start a new believers group on Saturdays towards the evening so more kids can attend when they don't have school.  We'll eventually teach a baptism class and try and take them to the lake to be baptized and have a little party for them.  We are not just evangelizing to the kids but are trying to build a good foundation before they accept Christ.  Past problems we've seen is a focus on how many got saved but not much on discipleship and growth.  

I think once the fun starts and kids make a commitment we're going to see many more children coming.

We've had these kinds of large numbers in the past when teams come through but haven't had the help to keep up with the extra work that this requires.  But now with the school and all the help were getting I think we should be able to keep up and create a future Calvary Chapel in Cambodia.  

We are planning to have a chapel on the future school Campus so we are focusing on raising up our own flock and working with my father in-law on how the two churches will work together once we separate.  This is something that's been important to CCF in working with my Father in-law.

Once we have a good regular group of kids coming and it looks solid we'll make an effort to invite parents to come also.  And we will begin to equip the kids getting saved teaching them music, bible, leadership and try and build students for the future bible college.  Some of this is years away but I have to start planning.  
One of the problems my father in-law's church has had is there is nothing in the village everyone goes to the city and many of them never return.  So the workers and students he had hopes for the future all disappeared.  I know as the school advances so will our community and the likely hood some of our stalk will stick around.   


If you'd like to keep the Wednesday service in prayer over the next couple weeks I know it would be worth it.  
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