Joining the Global Chorus of Prayer: Chrisanne Chin, National Director of 24-7 Prayer Malaysia, Shares on Malaysia’s Role in the 24-7 Global Week of Prayer

 

24-7 Prayer is a vibrant, international, interdenominational movement, united by the shared rhythms of prayer and mission. From its humble beginnings in 1999 as one student-led prayer vigil that was replicated rapidly around the world, the movement has taken on the vision of a continuous prayer network that now encompasses more than half the countries of the earth.

Through a period of over 20 years, the movement has spread to thousands of prayer rooms, hundreds of creative resources, and numerous deeply rooted communities, all with the same vision to revitalise the Church and rewire our culture through night-and-day prayer, acts of justice, and missions.

 

 

24-7 Prayer Malaysia has also thrived as a vibrant chapter of the movement in our region, gathering believers from different ethnicities, languages, and denominations to come together in continuous, corporate prayer. Amidst the different cultural nuances and national concerns, the 24-7 Prayer Malaysia chapter presses into intimacy with God on a personal level and praying for the nation with boldness.

This commitment is lived out through prayer rooms, youth mobilization, and engagements with local churches and communities towards building a sustained culture of prayer, mission, and transformation of society.

With its involvement in the Global Week of 24-7 Prayer this 1-7 September, 24-7 Prayer Malaysia is embarking on a bold step into a global chorus of prayer. Malaysian believers will stand shoulder to shoulder with others around the world, seeking God’s presence, unity, and renewal for their communities and the nations. 

 

 

Chrisanne Chin, National Director of 24-7 Prayer Malaysia and Regional Coordinator of 24-7 Prayer Asia, shares about the background and vision of Malaysia’s participation in the 24-7 Prayer movement and the Global Week of Prayer, as well as community engagement initiatives, and the impact and influence on ongoing spiritual rhythms or prayer practices in Malaysia thus far. 

 

Background & Vision

Can you share how 24-7 Prayer Malaysia became involved with the Global Week of 24-7 Prayer and what the main vision is for Malaysia during this year’s global initiative?

My journey with 24-7 Prayer began in 2010, and it’s been incredible to witness how this movement has grown. What initially drew me to 24-7 Prayer was its unique integration of prayer, mission, and justice – three pillars that had shaped my ministry journey through roles with the Council of Churches of Malaysia (Youth Moderator), Alpha Malaysia (Youth & Campus Development Manager), and the Presbyterian Church of Malaysia (Assistant General Secretary). I came to realise that prayer was truly the key that unlocked both effective mission and meaningful justice work.

In May 2018, 24-7 Prayer Malaysia was officially commissioned as the 10th chapter of 24-7 Prayer International – a significant milestone that also came with the responsibility of stewarding the Asia region. This Global Week of Prayer represents something unprecedented – an inaugural global effort with 121 nations signed up and over 1,200 prayer rooms actively participating.

Our vision is deeply rooted in Isaiah 56:7, where God declares His house will be “a house of prayer for all nations.” A prayer movement should lead to a gospel movement – when churches truly become houses of prayer, they naturally become launching pads for mission and transformation. Therefore, for Malaysia, this means seeing our churches rediscover the transformative power of sustained, intentional prayer while serving as a catalyst for prayer movements across Asia. We want Malaysian and Asian churches to truly embody this biblical calling – becoming houses of prayer that welcome and impact all the diverse communities around us, ultimately reaching the unreached with the good news of Jesus Christ.

 

 

What does participating in this event mean for the Malaysian church and spiritual landscape?

This represents a pivotal moment for the Malaysian church. For too long, many of our congregations have been content with routine prayer meetings. The Global Week challenges us to think bigger – to create dedicated spaces where prayer becomes central to church life rather than peripheral.

What excites me is seeing sign-ups from Penang, Kuching and Kluang joining our established prayer rooms. This means churches across Malaysia are catching the vision that prayer rooms aren’t just nice additions – they’re catalysts for spiritual vitality. Churches with active prayer rooms consistently report more vibrancy, deeper community engagement, and a stronger sense of God’s presence in their midst.

 

Local Context & Unique Approach

What specific opportunities and challenges do you anticipate in organising prayer rooms in Malaysia in conjunction with this event? Are virtual or hybrid setups also being considered?

Our greatest opportunity lies in Malaysia’s incredible cultural diversity. Being a multicultural nation gives us tremendous creative freedom in expressing prayer and worship. We incorporate batik designs, tropical flora and fauna, vibrant colours, and multilingual expressions through wall prayers, paintings, and crafts. Our Melaka prayer room, for instance, beautifully reflects Peranakan cultural influences, creatively integrating this unique heritage into the prayer space design.

Drawing from Celtic roots, we understand these spaces as “thin places” –locations where heaven and earth seem closer together, where the sacred becomes more tangible. Each prayer room becomes a unique reflection of our Malaysian identity whilst maintaining this spiritual atmosphere where God’s presence can be more readily encountered.

However, we face a significant challenge: most churches have been conducting prayer meetings virtually since COVID, and many pastors have confided that this shift has been difficult to reverse. Additionally, most churches lack dedicated prayer spaces set apart for sustained prayer. For those considering participation, we’re absolutely open to hybrid approaches – the key is creating an intentional space and time for focused prayer, whether physical or virtual.

 

 

How will Malaysia’s cultural and demographic landscape be reflected in the themes, prayer stations, or devotional content?

Malaysia’s multicultural tapestry is one of our greatest assets in prayer room design. We celebrate this diversity through creative prayer stations that might feature traditional Malaysian art forms, prayers written in multiple languages on walls, and worship expressions that reflect our Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indigenous heritage. Our Melaka prayer room exemplifies this beautifully, incorporating Peranakan cultural elements that speak to Malaysia’s unique historical fusion of cultures.

The beauty of our approach is that anyone can book an hour slot and enter these “thin places” – spaces where the Celtic understanding of heaven and earth drawing closer becomes tangible – whether individually or as a group, to engage with various prayer stations designed to help them connect with God in culturally relevant ways. This isn’t about uniformity; it’s about unity in diversity, perfectly reflecting both Malaysia’s unique position and Isaiah 56:7‘s vision of God’s house being “a house of prayer for all nations.”

 

 

Will 24-7 Malaysia be adapting any of the seven creative prayer activities suggested for the Global Week? Could you describe what we can look forward to in the local context for Malaysia?

Absolutely! We’re particularly excited about adapting “Justice and Prayer” and “Empowered for Mission” to address specific Malaysian contexts. For instance, we’ll be praying for racial harmony, economic justice, religious freedom and the church’s role in national unity. “Praying for New Life” will include intercession for church planting in underreached communities.

Our prayer stations will incorporate local elements – perhaps using traditional Malaysian instruments for worship, creating prayer walks that reflect our tropical environment, or developing devotional content that speaks to the unique challenges and opportunities facing Malaysian Christians today.

 

Community Engagement & Outreach

The Global Week of Prayer is an international initiative that unites believers worldwide. In your view, what role does Malaysia play in this significant movement?

Malaysia occupies a strategic position both geographically and spiritually. Since being commissioned as the 10th chapter of 24-7 Prayer International in May 2018 – along with the mandate to steward Asia – we’ve seen how Malaysia serves as a bridge, connecting established Christian communities in countries like the Philippines with emerging movements in more challenging contexts like Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia, India, Kazakhstan and even China.

Our unique position as a multicultural nation living out Isaiah 56:7 – being “a house of prayer for all nations” – provides a compelling model for the diverse contexts across Asia. The Global Week of Prayer has given us unprecedented opportunities to reach out across Asia and expand our network. Our vision extends beyond this week to establishing Kuala Lumpur as a training hub for 24-7 Prayer in Asia, where we can equip churches throughout the region to become true houses of prayer for their own diverse communities.

We’re developing an internship program that will equip teams not only to establish prayer rooms as “thin places” where God’s presence is tangible, but to be sent out across the region to encourage and resource praying churches. When Malaysian churches demonstrate this vibrant prayer life rooted in multicultural worship, it provides hope and practical models for our neighbours throughout Southeast Asia and beyond.

 

 

In what ways will the Malaysian Christian community take part in this event? Were there denominations, community groups, or mission networks that came on board?

We’re seeing encouraging participation across denominational lines and prayer networks. Churches from Penang to Kuching, including Kluang, are signing up, representing various traditions – Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, and independent congregations. What’s particularly exciting is that this isn’t just a pastor-driven initiative; we’re seeing youth groups, women’s ministries, and marketplace Christians taking ownership of prayer room hosting.

The beauty is in the diversity of participation – some are committing to 24/7 prayer for the full week, others are hosting shorter intensive sessions, and some are creating hybrid virtual-physical experiences to accommodate their unique circumstances.

 

 

In terms of outreach, are there particular regions or groups in Malaysia that you especially hope to mobilise during this global event?

We’re particularly focused on reaching churches that may feel isolated or under-resourced. Rural congregations, urban churches struggling with post-COVID engagement, and younger churches that may not have established prayer traditions yet.

Additionally, we’re reaching out to Christian professionals and students in major cities like Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru who might host workplace or campus prayer rooms. We’re also excited about opportunities to establish prayer spaces in private schools and, particularly in Sarawak, public schools where there’s openness to such initiatives. The vision is to demonstrate that prayer rooms aren’t limited to church buildings – they can emerge wherever believers are committed to creating space for God, whether in educational institutions, workplaces, community centres or even homes!

 

 

How might the tools utilised for the week, such as Lectio 365 and the YouVersion daily devotionals, be made available in Malaysia’s vernacular and local languages to encourage wider engagement?

This is crucial for authentic engagement. We’re working on incorporating Bahasa Malaysia elements and exploring Chinese and Iban translations for key devotional content. The goal isn’t just linguistic accessibility but cultural relevance – ensuring that prayer prompts and devotional themes speak to Malaysian experiences and challenges.

Currently, Lectio 365 and YouVersion devotionals are primarily available in English, though we’re pleased that Lectio 365 is already accessible in Chinese through the Wedevote app. Translating these resources into local languages will take time, but it’s a priority as we recognise the importance of making prayer resources accessible to Malaysia’s diverse linguistic communities. We’re also encouraging prayer room hosts to create supplementary materials that reflect local concerns – prayers for Malaysia’s political landscape, economic challenges, and social harmony.

 

Impact & Reflections

Beyond the week itself, how do you hope the Global Week will influence ongoing spiritual rhythms or prayer practices in Malaysia?

My deepest hope is that this week will be a catalyst rather than a conclusion. But beyond practical outcomes, what excites me most about the Global Week is the opportunity it provides for seven full days of simply worshipping God and adoring Him. As Malachi 1:11 promises, “From the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations” – this week gives us the chance to make His name great through concentrated, loving worship.

Too often, our prayers become shopping lists of requests rather than expressions of intimacy. The Global Week invites us to step away from task-oriented prayer towards something more beautiful – just loving and adoring God because He deserves our concentrated, devoted worship. I want churches to discover that prayer isn’t a task to be completed but a reflection of our love for the Lord. When churches experience the transformation that comes from this kind of sustained, worshipful prayer, they won’t want to return to casual, routine prayer meetings.

I envision churches establishing permanent prayer rooms, developing prayer ministries that operate year-round, and creating prayer cultures where intercession becomes as natural as worship and teaching. This week should be the beginning of a prayer reformation in Malaysian churches.

 

 

In twenty-five years of 24-7 Prayer worldwide, prayer rooms have sparked mission, outreach, and social transformation. Could you share an example or vision of such transformation in Malaysia?

We’re still in the early stages, but the signs are incredibly encouraging. Churches with active prayer rooms (and prayer gardens!) – these “thin places” where God’s presence becomes more tangible – consistently report increased community engagement, more effective outreach, and deeper spiritual vitality. Our prayer room at the Council of Churches of Malaysia Ecumenical Centre has been operating for over 12 years now, and we’ve seen how sustained prayer in these sacred spaces has influenced ecumenical cooperation and social justice initiatives.

 

 

Significantly, we’ve witnessed how sustained prayer has brought peace in the midst of political instability and rising racial and religious tensions – fulfilling 1 Timothy 2:1-6‘s call to pray for all in authority so that we might live peaceful and quiet lives. This peace creates the environment where the gospel can continue to be preached, acknowledging that God remains sovereign and in power despite challenging circumstances.

We’re also seeing encouraging signs of prayer birthing greater boldness in sharing the gospel, particularly with the less reached communities in our nation. There’s a growing burden for the unreached that’s emerging from these prayer rooms – prayer is opening doors for meaningful relationships across all of Malaysia’s diverse communities, including opportunities for authentic spiritual conversations where they previously seemed impossible.

Looking ahead, I envision prayer rooms becoming launching pads for church planting, community development projects, and reconciliation initiatives between Malaysia’s diverse communities. When churches truly become “houses of prayer for all nations” as Isaiah 56:7 envisions, they naturally become centres of transformation that impact every aspect of community life. When churches are seriously praying and hearing stories of revival and community impact, it creates a contagious excitement about what God might do next.

 

 

What are your hopes for and what would you consider a successful outcome for 24-7 Prayer Malaysia at the close of this year’s Global Week?

Success would look like churches deciding that the Global Week was just the beginning. I want to see congregations commit to establishing permanent prayer rooms, pastors recognising prayer as central rather than supplementary to church life, and believers experiencing prayer as encounter rather than obligation.

Practically, we want to put out a God-sized vision: at least one permanent prayer room established in every state across Malaysia following this week – and ultimately, one prayer room in every city. But most importantly, I want to see churches stepping into their divine role as houses of prayer for all nations. I envision a network of prayer room hosts who continue supporting each other throughout the year, creating a movement that transforms the spiritual landscape of our nation.

 

Personal & Organisational Insight

What excites you the most personally about this year’s Global Week of Prayer? Is there a particular story, prayer movement, or community that left an impact or impression during the build-up to this significant event?

As Asia Regional Coordinator since our commissioning in 2018, what absolutely thrills me is witnessing prayer rooms emerging in the most unexpected places across our region. We have prayer rooms that must be kept secret for security reasons, some that operate virtually for safety, and even garages converted into prayer spaces in homes where being overtly Christian requires courage.

The Philippines prayer room particularly amazes me – it’s beautifully spacious and their prayer slots are completely booked! But what moves me most is the creativity born from constraint. In sensitive contexts where Christians are minorities, believers are finding incredibly innovative ways to create sacred space for prayer.

 

 

This Global Week has accelerated our vision to turn Kuala Lumpur into a training hub for Asia. We’re seeing such hunger for prayer across the region that we’re now developing an internship program to send out equipped teams who can establish prayer rooms and encourage praying churches throughout Asia. It demonstrates that nothing can stop the Holy Spirit from moving when people are committed to seeking God.

 

How can people continue supporting 24-7 Prayer Malaysia – both during the Global Week and beyond (e.g., through volunteering, hosting prayer rooms, advocating, or resourcing)?

The most practical way is to commit to hosting or participating in prayer rooms beyond this week. We need churches willing to set aside dedicated space – it doesn’t have to be elaborate, just intentional. We also need prayer room coordinators who can help with setup, resource development, and ongoing encouragement.

For those sensing a call to broader ministry, we’re developing an internship program based in Kuala Lumpur that will serve as our training hub for Asia. This program will equip individuals and teams to be sent out across the region to establish prayer rooms and encourage churches in their prayer journeys.

For individuals, consider becoming prayer room advocates within your congregations. Help pastors understand that prayer rooms aren’t additional burdens but catalysts for everything they’re already trying to accomplish in ministry.

 

 

We’re building a network across Asia through a WhatsApp group connecting leaders and pastors with the heart to operate prayer rooms. Join us in this growing community where we share resources, encouragement, and testimonies of what God is doing through sustained prayer. The vision is simple: a strong, revived, sending church with prayer at the centre – because only God can change the situations facing our nation and neighbours like Myanmar where people are hurting. That transformation begins with churches that take prayer seriously, and extends to sending out trained teams who can multiply this vision across Asia.

Last but not least, I want to encourage every Christian to build their own secret place of prayer as Jesus taught us in Matthew 6 – creatively designing a personal space where they can meet with the Father in secret. This is where it all begins: building up our individual prayer lives, returning to our first love, and following after Him with wholehearted devotion. When believers discover the joy of personal, intimate prayer, they naturally want to see this transformative power extend to their churches and communities.

Ultimately, we believe a prayer movement should lead to a gospel movement. When believers discover the joy of personal, intimate prayer, they naturally want to see this transformative power extend to their churches and communities – and from there, to the unreached. This is the heart of our vision: prayer rooms that become launching pads for gospel advancement, sending churches that plant new churches, and a movement that transforms not just Malaysia but all of Asia through the power of sustained prayer and bold mission.

 

Chrisanne Chin

24-7 Prayer Malaysia
National Director

24-7 Prayer Asia
Regional Coordinator

 

 

For more information, check out the following Relevant Links:

Global Website: 

https://www.24-7prayer.com/weekofprayer/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/247prayermalaysia

https://www.facebook.com/247prayerasia

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/247prayermalaysia/

https://www.instagram.com/247prayerasia/,

https://www.instagram.com/247prayerphilippines/

https://www.instagram.com/247prayerindonesia/

TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@247prayermalaysia

https://www.tiktok.com/@247prayerasia

 

 

Christianity Malaysia extends its thanks to Chrisanne Chin for her openness and generosity in sharing 24-7 Prayer Malaysia’s story as well as her hospitality and help throughout the production of this article. May it encourage and inspire many. Some photos were kindly contributed by Chrisanne and 24-7 Prayer Malaysia. 

 

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