GDOP 2012: Call to unity for the Malaysian church
| |
 NECF Secretary-General Rev Chan Theam Lai opening the GDOP event
 Pastors answering the altar call |
|
THE Global Day of Prayer (GDOP) on 27 May 2012 coincided with Pentecost Sunday. Malaysian Christians were called to transformation - and for this change to begin with themselves first and in their churches.
"Judgement begins in the house of the God. Before God judges nations, He will judge the Church first. How can a righteous God judge the nations if he does not judge his people first?" said Rev Andy Chi, Executive Secretary of the NECF Prayer Commission, when delivering the message at the main GDOP event in SIB KL in Petaling Jaya.
Pastors and members of different churches present were asked to repent of the sins that kept churches in disunity: quarrelling, self-righteousness, pride, gossip. Many pastors came forward in an impromptu altar call and knelt in tearful prayer as people in the congregation prayed for repentance and forgiveness. Leaders and members alike were urged to make peace with those whom they had hurt or whom they were hurt by.
Unity among churches and Christians is crucial if the Malaysian Church is to have spiritual authority in praying for and leading the nation's healing and transformation. "We want the Lord to heal our land of all its wickedness and dysfunctions, but we ourselves are not broken enough. As a Malaysian Church we are not united enough in prayer," said Pastor Dr Lew Lee Choo, SIB KL's Deputy Senior Pastor.
The focus of GDOP 2012 was on praying for change in accordance with God's character as our Restorer, Redeemer, Rebuilder and Rewarder. Numerous GDOP gatherings were held in various churches across Malaysia for the week of 21-27 May.
|
