DUMC Celebrates 45 Years of God’s Faithfulness and Forward Vision
On Pentecost Sunday, a symbolic day marking the birth of the global Church, thousands gathered at the Mega Star Arena to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) – one of Malaysia’s most vibrant and multi-ethnic Christian communities.
However, this was no ordinary anniversary. For DUMC, the morning’s worship, testimonies, and message didn’t just look back on four and a half decades of faithfulness – they pointed boldly toward the future. With the theme “45 Years of God’s Faithfulness”, the celebration brought together thousands from across ages, languages, and ministries for a singular purpose: to remember God’s goodness and to boldly step into the future He has prepared. It marked a spiritual turning point: a call to step forward, with hearts consecrated and eyes fixed on what God will do next.
A Journey of Generations and Nations
From its beginnings in a modest double-storey corner home in Petaling Jaya in 1980 when three men (Dr. Wong Cheng Mung,Pr. Daniel Ho, Dr. Ling Khoon Chin) from Sungei Way-Subang Methodist Church (SSMC) took a bold step of faith to start a new church, DUMC has grown to span generations, languages, cultures, and even beyond our national borders. Today, it’s known not only for contemporary worship and dynamic preaching but also for community outreach, refugee ministry, disaster relief, and global missions.
The anniversary celebration brought together a rich cross-section of Malaysia’s society – young professionals, families, seniors, refugees, children – all united in praise and anticipation. A simultaneous interpretation in Mandarin, and Tamil, Nepali, and Burmese via real-time audio receivers ensured that language was no barrier. In every sense, it was a tapestry gathering of cultures and nations under one roof.
The youths led worship alongside seasoned musicians. A video montage featured reflections from church pioneers on God’s sustaining grace. In a forum interview conducted by Pr Ann Wan Kuan with Dato Dr Daniel Ho and Senior Pastor Chris Kam, the pioneers shared from their hearts what the church meant to them, their hopes for the congregation as a people of God, and the joy in celebrating God’s everlasting faithfulness. Yet amid the joy, one thing was clear: this was not about nostalgia. It was about a baton being passed, a Church preparing to move into the future.
A Timely Word: Courage in Uncharted Territory
Preaching from Joshua 3:3–5, DUMC’s Lead Pastor Ann Wan Kuan delivered a stirring sermon titled “Courage”. In the biblical account, the Israelites stand on the banks of the Jordan River, about to enter a land they had never seen, trusting a God they had long followed. The Israelites have never been there before but the presence of God went ahead of them.
It’s a word that resonates for all of us today. In a time marked by global unrest, political polarisation, and spiritual fatigue, Pastor Ann’s message echoed a truth as old as Scripture: Courage is not about feeling bold – it’s about walking forward in faith, even when the future is unknown.
C.S. Lewis once said, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” Whether you’re a student facing exams, a parent navigating burnout, or a believer wrestling with fear, real courage isn’t the absence of fear – it’s the courage to do the right thing even when there are risks.
“Courage makes every virtue real when it truly counts,” Pr Ann conveyed. “Courage is part of every single Biblical virtue as all these virtues would require courage. Courage turns belief into action. It is what pushes us through. Courage is not merely doing right when it is safe. Rather, it is doing right even when it is risky and costly. It is the strength to move forward despite fear; it is God-confidence. Courage unlocks God’s greater purpose in our lives.”
Three Anchors of Godly Courage
Pastor Ann outlined three foundations that give rise to Spirit-empowered courage:
The Promise of God
Just as Joshua led the Israelites with God’s assurance – “Be strong and courageous… I will be with you” – believers today can anchor themselves in His promises. Pastor Ann reminded the crowd that this isn’t mere optimism. It’s about living in alignment with a God who is still writing history. “God still does amazing things,” he said. “The question is – are we consecrated and ready to follow?” Consecration, he explained, isn’t about rituals, but about availability: hearts surrendered and lives offered wholly as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1).
The Precepts of God
In a world drowning in opinions, Pastor Ann pointed to Scripture as the source of true boldness. “Biblical courage doesn’t begin with a shout,” he said, “but with a whisper from God’s Word.”
Quoting Joshua 1:8, he encouraged the church to be people who not only read but obey Scripture, allowing God’s truth to shape their decisions, relationships, and calling. We’re not called to react to culture. We’re called to be formed by Christ and the Church is called not just to survive but to impact the city.
The Presence of God
Finally, Pr Ann declared perhaps the most comforting truth of all: “The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9).
God is not merely at the destination – He’s in the journey. From battlefields to boardrooms, hospital beds to homes, God goes before His people. “Miracles happen when we step into the flood waters,” Pastor Ann said. “Even in the chaos, He is there.”
For churches navigating post-pandemic realities, political pressures, or cultural hostility, DUMC’s 45th anniversary and Pr Ann’s sermon offered a prophetic reminder: the Church is not called just to survival — it is called to live in the reality of the God-confidence, a brand of courage that is fuelled by our faith and trust in the Almighty and Living God. Referencing Numbers 13, Pastor Ann compared today’s Church to the twelve spies sent into Canaan. Ten saw giants and shrank back. Two – Joshua and Caleb – saw the same giants, but also saw God. “In Christ, we are not grasshoppers,” he declared. “We are more than conquerors.”
John Wesley, who once said “Give me one hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergy or laity; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven upon earth,” serves as a potent inspiration.
Generations in Unity
One of the morning’s most moving moments came when the whole congregation came together in a declaration of a Covenant of Commitment that encompassed every generation of the church. This generational unity reflects DUMC’s deep commitment to being both rooted and forward-looking – preserving spiritual legacy while pioneering new ground. This congregational covenant reflected that it’s a shared – a collective – mission. God’s work is always bigger than one generation.
As the congregation closed in prayer and worship, there was no sense of finality – only expectancy. Pentecost, after all, wasn’t the end of the story. It was the beginning. And so it is with DUMC. In a world marked by fear, fatigue, and fragmentation, DUMC’s celebration carried one unified message: Courage is not found in ourselves. It is found in the presence of God. And as a people of God, we are called to move forward with Him.
This article is an independent initiative and is not connected directly with Damansara Utama Methodist Church. All photos from DUMC’s public Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dumcMY
A full video of the celebration as well as highlights can be found on DUMC’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/@dumcMY)
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