HISTORY

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HISTORY


The establishment of Grace Communion International (GCI) in Klang is closely tied to the history of the denomination in Malaysia. The first members in Malaysia and Singapore came into contact with the GCI in the 1960s mainly through the Plain Truth magazine then published by the church headquarters in California, USA. Church representatives from the regional office in Australia would visit Plain Truth readers who expressed interest in Christianity, and counsel or baptize them. These visits, usually a few times a year, continued through to the early 1980s, as membership gradually increased. Thus began the church in Malaysia and Singapore with small groups of people who had committed their lives to Jesus Christ.
In 1986 Yong Chin Gee became the first local pastor until his retirement in 2005. Wong Mein Kong, who had been assistant pastor since 1995, succeeded him as pastor. He is assisted by three other elders in the Klang church. In the early years members met in rented function rooms of hotels in Kuala Lumpur. In 1992 the church relocated to leased premises in Taman Selatan, Klang. In 2008 the church moved to a shoplot that it had bought, located in Mutiara Point, JalanMeru, Klang.
In 1999 GCI Malaysia became a corporate member of the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship, Malaysia. In 2002 the Klang church started publication of the Plain Truth as a local magazine of Christian understanding. The magazine is distributed free of charge to subscribers in Malaysia and Singapore as an evangelistic ministry.
The church has a congregation in Kulai, Johor and another in Singapore. There are several small house groups of members located around the country. One of the annual highlights of the church celebration is the Festival, usually held in October, that provides an opportunity for our members in Malaysia and Singapore to gather for spiritual instruction, fellowship and recreation.
In 2011 the former Malaysian WCG changed its name to Grace Communion International to reflect the new name of the denomination.Since being named Grace Communion International the Church has embarked on a journey of greater understanding of the Word of God especially on the truth of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that is, the Triune God. The church has also embarked on a renewed mission to bring the gospel to a spiritually hungry world by improving on our publication ‘The Plain Truth’ magazine which is now in its 18th year of publication locally.
In December 2018 Pastor Wong Mein Kong was promoted as the Regional Director of South-East Asia. In the same year Elder DevarajRamoo was ordained as the new pastor of the Church in Klang. In the same year also the President of the Church in the United States, Joseph TKach Jr. retired and was replaced by the new President Greg Williams. Since his inception as President, the church has focused on the concept of Healthy Church whereby living a Christ- centred life and being a beacon of hope to the community around us has become the focus of the Church. The Church also functions on the principal of ‘Team- based Pastor led’ whereby the Church functions on the venues of Love, Hope and Faith. The Love venue focuses on mission and outreach works within the community by building relationships. The Hope venue is presented through our weekly Sunday worship with inclusive gathering and inspirational worship. The Faith venue is presented through small groups, weekly Bible Study sessions and discipleship classes. The Church members are encouraged to participate in community programs where they function as good examples in their community.
In October 2020, the church embarked on its first Asian Worship Celebration where three days of worship were conducted online via Zoom. Members and guests from various Asian countries participated in the worship celebration which consisted of sermons, Video presentations, Pastoral care session, Young Adult programs, Women’s Ministry, and fellowship among the members from various countries. The church is reaching out to the communities throughout Asia to bring the gospel to a world of uncertainties, suffering and hopelessness. The church is continually bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth and the life to a world in need of hope.