Dear Friends,
This week, please intercede with us for Dr. Eva Wong Suk Kyun in Malaysia.
Straddling the South China Sea, Malaysia consists of West and East Malaysia, also known as Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. Due to its strategic location, Malaysia has long served as an economic and cultural gateway in Southeast Asia. A diverse nation, Malaysia is home to 33 million people of Malay (57%), Chinese (23%), indigenous (12%), and Indian (7%) descent who practice Sunni Islam (64%), Buddhism (19%), Christianity (9%), Hinduism (6%), and other religions (1%). In Malaysia, the constitution grants freedom of religion and conscience, but Islam remains the state religion. Ethnic Malays are prohibited by law from converting to other faiths, only Muslims may proselytize, and non-Muslims may not marry Muslims or gain custody of Muslim children.
Eva serves as Director of the Malaysia Pentecostal Research Centre (MPRC), Editor of the Malaysian Pentecostal Journal, and Lecturer at Bible College of Malaysia (BCM), a partner of the Vital Sustainability Initiative. Established in 1960 as the national seminary of the Assemblies of God of Malaysia, BCM has equipped over 1,000 graduates and now offers courses, at certificate to doctoral levels, in three languages.
Eva earned her PhD in Theology at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (UK), with scholarship support from Leader Studies. Her dissertation focused on the development of Malaysian Pentecostalism in view of Joel’s prophecy, tracing over six decades of theology and practice in the Assemblies of God of Malaysia. An ordained Assemblies of God minister, Eva serves on the Executive Committee of the Asia Pentecostal Society. She also co-leads Scholar Leaders’ Women’s Peer Leader Forum. Eva and her husband, Philip Chong, have two teenagers, Clarissa and Trevor.
Eva shares the following message:
Dear Scholar Leaders Prayer Community,
Warmest greetings from Malaysia! Thank you very much for your faithful prayers all these years. I am truly grateful for your prayer support and humbly request your continued prayers.
Pray for Pentecostal Scholarship at Bible College of Malaysia
I serve as Director of the Malaysia Pentecostal Research Centre (MPRC), Editor of the Malaysian Pentecostal Journal (MPJ), and Lecturer at Bible College of Malaysia (BCM). I organise the annual Pentecostal Conference and publish the annual journal. I thank God for the successful inaugural Pentecostal Conference, “Towards a Holistic Pentecostal Spirituality,” in July. I also thank God for the launch of the inaugural issue of the MPJ on “Pentecostal Ecclesiology and Missions.”
Please pray for God’s providence for the MPRC to have an impactful ministry in advancing Pentecostal scholarship in Malaysia and beyond. Please pray for next year’s Pentecostal Conference (19-20 September 2024) and the MPJ’s second issue, both on “Pentecostal Leadership.”
Please pray for Bible College of Malaysia in its growth and development, particularly with the Vital Sustainability Initiative’s Strategic Plans for the next five years. The school’s current needs include raising funds for a new building project and recruiting new faculty and staff.
Pray for the Church in Malaysia
Kindly uphold the Malaysian Church in prayer as we face various post-pandemic challenges in getting all our members to gather physically again, especially in urban settings. The Church is also facing many current issues in society involving secularism, human rights, sexuality and gender, etc.
BCM, in collaboration with other theological seminaries and Christian denominations, will be organizing relevant conferences and symposiums to first raise awareness within the Church before engaging in interfaith efforts. Please pray for Christians to continue in nation-building and faithful witness.
Pray for Good Governance in Malaysia
Please pray for continued peace and political stability in Malaysia as the new unity government, led by the new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, serves the nation and the people with “good governance, sustainable development and racial harmony in the country” under the slogan, “Malaysia Madani“ (“Civil Malaysia”).
Pray for the Asia Pentecostal Society
I am serving on the Executive Committee of the Asia Pentecostal Society (APS), and we are organizing an academic conference at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary in Baguio, Philippines, from 29 January to 2 February 2024. Please pray for increased APS membership and participation so that more Pentecostal scholars can engage in theological conversations and contribute to the advancement of Pentecostal scholarship in Asia and beyond.
Pray for the Women’s Peer Leader Forum
I am presently co-leading the Scholar Leaders Women’s Peer Leader Forum. Please pray for the women theological educators and leaders from different parts of the globe to grow in friendship, fellowship, ministry leadership, and collaboration in impactful and meaningful projects together. Pray for wisdom and strength amid opportunities and challenges as we serve God faithfully in our respective contexts.
Pray for My Family
Please pray for my family. My husband, Philip Chong, is a senior auditor in a corporate organization. My daughter, Clarissa, is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in education, while my son, Trevor, is preparing for his IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) finals next year. Please pray for God’s leading, guidance, wisdom, and providence.
Thank you. May God bless you all!
Eva Wong Suk Kyun