A Singaporean business man from the Presbyterian Church provided fund for the musical instruments, P/A system, decor, chairs, including the stage. The vision from day one was to train and mobilize tentmakers for market place ministry. Therefore the church was a gathering of and for Tentmakers (but not exclusively) whose primary mission was Marketplace Ministry, empowering nationals to reach out their own. Our original vision is as follows:
"To be an English speaking fellowship/church/congregation where believers will be converted, nurtured, challenged, and mobilized as tentmakers for marketplace ministry through their work/vocation, and/or through ministries initiated by the church."
Convinced that the church must go on, Pastors Kevin and Greg decided to relaunch the church and invited others to join the core group. Bernie and Nan Dykhouse from the US and pastor Vandy from Cambodia joined the planning sessions. Part of the game plan was to change The Tent to Phnom Penh Church (PPC) and start an interdenominational church, not associated with any denomination. They had thought of using Church of Phnom Penh but the abbreviation would be CPP, the abbreviation for the Cambodian People's Party. Not wanting to create issues with the Cambodia's political ruling party, it was decided that PPC would be the name to use.
When the launching service was drawing near, Ygeirne Molitas, a gifted worship leader from the Philippines got a teaching job at Hope International School. She joined the team and became PPC's worship leader.
On Father's Day 2013, Phnom Penh Church (PPC) was launched by this small core group of tentmakers from Cambodia, Singapore, South Africa, the Philippines, the US. After 6 months, however, although there were several people visited the church, from Germany, Malaysia, and others, they have not returned and the church has not grown nor attracted new ones.
As the year 2013 draws to a close, about five people from the core group including Pastor Lowe and his family are leaving Phnom Penh, and there was a suggestion not to continue the church in 2014. Pastor Greg, however, firmly believed that the church should continue and that he would continue to preach until there are no more people, even to the extent of preaching only to empty chairs.
As the year 2013 draws to a close, about five people from the core group including Pastor Lowe and his family are leaving Phnom Penh, and there was a suggestion not to continue the church in 2014. Pastor Greg, however, firmly believed that the church should continue and that he would continue to preach until there are no more people, even to the extent of preaching only to empty chairs.
On the first Sunday of January 2014, less than 10 people attended the church with some new faces from the Cordillera Region, Philippines. Since then, the church began to grow slowly attracting mainly Filipinos and Cambodians. The highest attendance recorded was 45 excluding children. The current people that attend come from the Philippines, Cambodia, Korea, and the US.
In order to help fulfill the Great Commission, pastor Greg began a series of workshop in May 2014, using the Purpose Driven Church paradigm. As of this writing, the planning session is still ongoing. The purpose statement of the church will be posted on this site soon.
The church try to balance the Five Purposes of the Church found in the New Testament--Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry, and Evangelism.
