Update

Immersing Youth in God’s Word

The Cambodia Lutheran Church held its first-ever national youth camp to help young Lutherans get to know each other and grow in God’s Word.

Story by Brianna Dehn | Photography by J.P. Cima | Fall 2025

In October 2024, some 110 young people came together in Kep, Cambodia, to dive deep into God’s Word during the Cambodia Lutheran Church’s (CLC) first-ever national youth camp.

Each morning, the participants studied the Book of Ephesians to learn about who they are in Christ. In the afternoon, they played games and joined in other activities centered around the Bible lesson. Each evening wrapped up with a debriefing session, where they talked about the day and processed what they had learned.

Throughout the four-day event, the young people grew in their faith while also discovering a larger community of believers.

“We really wanted Lutheran youth to get a sense of ‘Hey, there are actually other Lutheran youth out there,’” said the Rev. Dr. J.P. Cima, a missionary with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) who serves as a mentor and theological educator to the pastors and leadership of the CLC. “Most [of the youth] exist in very tight-knit rural communities. They don’t have many opportunities to break out … to give them a vision of other congregations, … [so this] is quite valuable.”

The CLC’s demographics roughly match those of the country. Youth are the majority in Cambodia, where 65.3% of the population is under the age of 30. Many of the CLC’s adult members are unable to make it to church regularly due to their work schedules, but they still send their children to church. The church then works through the children of Cambodia to spread the Gospel.

“Discipleship is a key issue facing the Cambodia Lutheran Church and all Christian churches,” said Cima. “Many people hear about Jesus, maybe even come to faith, but then aren’t effectively shepherded in the faith. They’re at risk of falling away or never really growing beyond a very basic understanding. … Continuing to feed people God’s Word in compelling ways is hugely important. The main goal of this youth event was to get people engaged in the Bible.”

Brookfield Lutheran Church in Brookfield, Wis., a longtime supporter of the Cima family, sent a team to assist with games and activities during the camp. The team also provided funds for each participant to receive a Bible in their native language, Khmer.

“As a congregation, we have supported J.P. and Aimee Cima for over 18 years,” said Mary Stafford-Nunez, a member at the church and a volunteer at the camp. “It was an honor to be able to participate in the first [youth camp in Cambodia]. We were impressed by the depth of the teaching of the pastors and teachers, as well as the attentiveness of the youth. … We feel very blessed by the Cima family’s commitment to serving on behalf of the LCMS in Cambodia.”

This camp was offered free of charge to the youth thanks to support from the LCMS, the Garuna Foundation and Lutheran Church—Canada.

“The win isn’t just the event itself,” said Cima. “It’s also the [CLC] running the event and the capacity they showed in pulling it off so well. … It builds confidence in the Cambodia church leaders to say, ‘We can do this.’”

Learn More

Read more about the Cambodia Lutheran Church

Meet the Rev. Dr. J.P. Cima

Brianna Dehn

Former staff writer with LCMS Communications.