Duc Trong district is located in the center of Lam Dong province (30 km away from Da Lat city) and covers an area of over 90 ha. The total population is about 180,330 people from 27 ethnic groups, accounting for 14% of the provincial population. There are 04 major religions in the district including Buddhism, Caodaism, Protestantism and Catholicism.
Protestantism was introduced into Duc Trong district in 1929. In 2005, the district is home to about 17,000 Protestant followers.
During ten-year implementation of Directive 01/2005/CT-TTg, the district Party Committee and People’s Committee, Vietnam Fatherland Front and relevant agencies have organized 20 religious training courses on dissemination of guidelines and policies of the Party and State on religious affairs and Protestantism for over 2,400 key commune-level officials in the locality. The district has also granted registration of religious activities to 69 out of 74 Protestant meeting groups, recognition of 25 Protestant churches and chapters (belonging to the General Confederation of Evangelical Churches of Vietnam (Southern), the Vietnam Adventist Church, the Vietnam General Baptist Church (Grace Southern)), and created favorable conditions for upgrading and newly building seven Protestant worshipping facilities.
Currently, the district has the largest share of Protestants in the province with four out of five Protestant sects granted the organizational recognition by the State, over 19,000 followers, 14 pastors, six ordained pastors, 18 missionaries and 12 worshipping facilities.
Nguyễn Dũng
