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Newsletter
November / December 1999
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Of Christ and Caesar
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The Argentine Phenomenon
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Merdeka Prayerwave
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'Basketball Evangelism'
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Caring for Our Missionaries
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Malay Language Workshop
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OA Conference
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Men of Substance, Women of Worth
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Deputy PM praises Christians
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Announcement - Amsterdam 2000
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‘Basketball Evangelism’

THE Sports Ambassadors (SA) basketball team who visited the country last year returned for another round of creative sports evangelism in a three-week outreach from June 16th.

This time included a girls’ team as well, and besides a selection of players from Morrison Academy (Christian International school), there were three college players from the United States.

The team headed by coach Alex Tan held matches and activities in Brunei, Labuan, Kaki Bukit and Kuala Lumpur which were coordinated by NECF.

In almost all of the 27 games in schools, colleges and communities, the SA team was able to share testimony, perform a skit and give a brief gospel presentation during half-time. Tracts were distributed to fans watching the games in places where permission was given. Some 1600 people were exposed to the gospel message.

There was no invitation for salvation as it was not appropriate in the context the team found themselves. However, a number of players and fans were open to informal sharing after the games. One of the games organised by a church was played in the basketball court within the housing estate. The game attracted a crowd of 200 from the neighbourhood. Names were taken down for the church to do follow-up.                 In most places, the strategy was to sow seeds among the unchurched youths who would never have stepped into a church or attend church-related activities. In a number of places, there was a church or Christian fellowship to follow through those who are interested to know more after they have read the tracts.

In Labuan and Brunei, the SA team played at the in-door gym with the town’s best team. It was the first time that the unchurched sector of the community got to hear the gospel, and afforded an opportunity to build relationships and to reflect the community-oriented aspect of the church. In Malaysia where basketball courts is not a facility that is easily available, basketball courts or improvised sports facilities (like car parks) are a good way to serve the community.

The highlight of the outreach was at Kaki Bukit, just 20 minutes south of the border town, Padang Besar. The sports ministry among the youth there was started by a young man named Lim Wai Ming. He was someone who saw that the only way to reach the wayward kids in the town was through sports.

Today Lim has 100 young people attending his Friday night meeting, many of them not believers as yet. For those that have made a commitment, many are serving faithfully. The Praise Centre that Lim is leading is fielding three teams for the competition at the Perlis state competition. The SA team was privileged to be able to encourage the youth in their Christian walk and also to impart basketball skills.

The potential of the sports ministry to reach the unreached was evident in the evangelistic meeting which drew bikers to watch the game on the sidelines from the roadside.

Many of the youths have aspirations to study in college in the cities and eventually settle down there. Lim is not perturbed by the fact that the lives that he has touched will not come back to serve in Kaki Bukit because he sees everything he does as doing unto the Lord.