The last two months of September and October 2023 have been a remarkable and memorable time for Christians in East Malaysia.
On September 7th, 2023, more than 20,000 Christians from the interior of Sarawak, some traveling up to 12 hours via road or river, attended the Malam Pentekosta event in Jubilee Padang, Kuching, despite the pouring rain. Many braved the rain out of great hunger for God’s outpouring of His Spirit and to hear His word from Pr Philip Mantofa from Indonesia. The following night, more than 32,000 attended the event, bringing the total to more than 50,000 people.
Hundreds of those who attended received salvation, and thousands more rededicated their lives to Jesus Christ. Besides being able to hear the word of God, many people were ministered to in the rain and tents. Hundreds were healed of all kinds of illnesses, while those who were demon-possessed were delivered and set free.
Concurrently with the Malam Pentekosta, a Pastors & Leaders Conference was held in the same city at Blessed Church, Kuching, on the 6th-9th of September 2023. About 1000 pastors came together in unity from throughout Malaysia – Sarawak, Sabah, and Semenanjung. With the theme of ‘Urapan Baru‘ many pastors were charged up with anointing and the call of the Great Commission as well as unity when they returned home to their churches in the interior.
Conference speakers Pr John Mulinde from Uganda and Pr Philip Mantofa emphasised the need and urgency of taking up Jesus’s command to preach the gospel and make disciples while it is still day. Pr Philip Mantofa also spoke on the need for unity of the churches. As the Body of Christ, we are one family with one Lord, one Spirit, one baptism, one faith, and one God. Jesus Christ desires for Christians to be united. Where there is unity, God will command His blessing.
These events are powerful and encouraging testimonials that God is pouring out His presence and doing a mighty thing in East Malaysia. Many of us, even in Semenanjung, still remember the remarkable Bario Revival that took place in Bario, Sarawak, which is strategically located near the borders of Kalimantan and Sabah, in 1973.
The Impact of the Bario Revival
The impact of that revival was such that it birthed many prominent leaders, both in the community and spiritually. There was a deep, contagious, and widespread desire to pray and seek and worship God. It produced a self-governing and self-financing church structure and leadership in the SIB and a heart for evangelism and church planting. Ultimately, the Bario Revival would also birth a remarkable church growth and empowerment unto servanthood in the Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB). Despite the ebb and flow of the waves, three more outpourings would come in 1975, 1979, and 1984, each with a different thrust.
God had poured out His Spirit on the people of East Malaysia during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and what we have seen in recent months indicates that the Spirit of God is once again mightily at work. Earlier this month, on 5th-7th October 2023, more than 4,000 people met up at the Miri Indoor Stadium to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Bario Revival. Numerous prominent leaders spoke at the conference including Pr Philip Lyn, Pr Daniel Ho, Pr Chew Weng Chee, and even Pr Yang Tuck Yoong Singapore.
Named the Tribal Gathering, it was a gathering of unity among the various tribes, and the people who attended were blessed and reminded of what God had done in the past and to pray for God to bring revival once again in the near future. It is time to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the children and the hearts of the children back to the Fathers (Malachi 4:6).
The Tribal Gathering was a time of renewal, refreshing, and rededication of all who had come with a high anticipation that God would send revival over our nation once again. It was also a time of commemoration and thanksgiving to God as well as reconciliation of the old and young generations. One of the highlights was the reconciliation between the West Malaysia non-native churches and the native churches of East Malaysia.
Pr Chew, senior pastor of SIB KL, conveyed in his newsletter, ‘God is moving in our nation. I feel that a new awakening has arisen in the hearts and minds of the East Malaysian church. What is more important is what to do after these momentous events. We need to seize the occasion and work while it is still day. It is not a time to let our guard down but to arise and work even more.’
There is currently a great spiritual hunger for God’s word and presence in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak, and there is much work to be done and many resources needed. While SIB is spearheading a movement that will bring revival to our land, this is not their journey to walk alone. As the Malaysian Church, we have a collective responsibility. Let us come together with them in prayer and support. What happens in East Malaysia is not meant to be isolated to East Malaysia alone. It has profound and encouraging significance for us as the Malaysian Church, no matter where we are.
Report of events as outlined in SIB KL’s recent Sabah and Sarawak News newsletter.
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May god bless all the churches in east Malaysia for thier evangelical spirit in order that gods hand will rest on all the tribes that it will be known that east Malaysia will be known as where gods Holy Spirit resides in its people I can speak read and write Malay as I previously lived in Penang