Christianity in Laos - Protestantism

Protestantism

Approximately 400 Protestant congregations conduct services throughout the country for a community that has grown rapidly in the past decade. Church officials estimate Protestants to number as many as 100,000.

Many Protestants are members of ethnic Mon-Khmer groups, especially the Khmu in the north and the Brou in the central provinces. Numbers of Protestants have also expanded rapidly in the Hmong and Yao communities. In urban areas, Protestantism has many lowland Lao followers. Most Protestants are concentrated in Vientiane Municipality, in the provinces of Vientiane, Sayaboury, Luang Prabang, Xieng Khouang, Bolikhamsai, Savannakhet, Champassak, and Attapeu, as well as in the former Saisomboun Special Zone, but smaller congregations are located throughout the country.

The LFNC officially recognizes only two Protestant groups – the LEC and the Seventh-day Adventist Church – and requires all non-Catholic Christian groups to operate under one of these organizations. Seventh-day Adventists number slightly more than 1,000 country-wide, with congregations in Vientiane Municipality as well as Bokeo, Bolikhamsai, Champassak, Luang Prabang, and Xieng Khouang provinces.

Christian denominations that have some following in the country, but which are not recognized by the Government, include the Methodists, Church of Christ, Assemblies of God, Lutherans, and Baptists. Official membership numbers are not available. (Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), which are considered "Pseudo-Christian" denominations by most mainstream churches, also operate unofficially in Laos.)

All approved Christian religious groups own properties in Vientiane Municipality, although some of their properties are not officially recognized by the Government. In addition, the Protestant LEC maintains properties in the cities of Savannakhet and Pakse. Three informal churches, one for English-speakers, one for Korean-speakers, and one for Chinese-speakers, serve Vientiane's foreign Protestant community.

In 2005, a Protestant church in Savannakhet Province was closed down by the government. Among the Hmong of Laos 20% were Christians in 1998. With around 300 congregations, Protestantism has grown rapidly in the last decade. Members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Laos are mainly Chinese and Meos. In 2006 it had four churches and approximately 900 members.