Tribal Gathering 2024 heralded a new song for Malaysia as thousands of believers gathered to pray, worship and intercede for revival in the nation.
On the first night of TG2024, event pastor Rachel Bulan honoured her late uncle, Datuk Seri Joseph Balan Seling, a well-known politician whose “heart was always geared towards Christ and His Church.”
Three of his many letters were chosen by his children to be inserted in a BEM Anniversary Booklet, and by divine arrangement, these letters aligned with the three themes of Tribal Gathering 2024.
This year’s themes revolve around honouring the past, calling the next generation to arise and catalysing West Malaysia and surrounding nations for revival.
Letter #1: Remembering the Missionaries
In the 1920s, three students of the Melbourne Bible Institute prayed and felt the Lord wanted them to go to Borneo. Hudson Southwell, Frank Davidson and Carey Tolley arrived on Sarawak’s shores in 1928 and established the Borneo Evangelical Mission (BEM).
According to Balan’s letter, the Rajah Brooke was not too enthusiastic about the missionaries’ hopes, believing their efforts to share the Gospel with the Lun Bawang tribe would be futile.
“The Rajah did not know the three young missionaries had the gospel power that changes and saves life in them, which the political power and administrative laws did not have,” the letter read.
Years later, the Rajah was so surprised by the great change amongst the Lun Bawangs that he allowed the new pioneer missionaries to enter the Fifth Division (most interior parts of Sarawak).
Pr Rachel, who visited the Penans in Kapit recently, recounted the tangible presence of God in the village. It was a tough journey that opened her eyes to the sacrifice paid by the early missionaries.
“There is no place too far that the Lord will not reach, for He loves His children,” the co-lead pastor of Cornerstone Community Church Borneo said.
This letter reflected the emphasis of the first night: honouring the forefathers, prayer warriors and those who have paid the price for the salvation of the land and carried the embers of revival from generation to generation.
Letter #2: Before I Forget
In the second letter chosen by Balan Seling’s children, the grandfather penned a letter to his grandchildren from his family lodge in Bario.
“On the wings of prayers, Grandpa and Grandma have carried you before the throne of grace, that you continue this journey towards the same destiny and destination in God.
He has led us this far and I pray that God may grant you the strength and courage to obey when you hear His voice saying: This is the way, walk ye in it.”
This letter aligned with the second night’s theme: Next Generation, Arise! That night, Pr Michael and Tabitha Lam of LifeGen Church along with Pr Jonathan Chandra of Calvary City Church anchored the session, declaring words of life over the next generation.
“God responds to your hunger for Him. He will put a new heart, a new spirit in you. We have been sprinkled with the precious blood of Jesus Christ,” said Pr Michael.
Pr Tabitha said God is bringing reconciliation to families and breaking generational curses of divorce, mental health issues, sexual immorality, spirit of poverty over the youths present.
“You will bring hope, unity and life back to your family; you will see transformation in your family, in Jesus’ name!” she declared.
Event pastor Sabrina Low said the Lord is marking a burning generation, raising young people to be speakers of truth and mouthpieces for Him as evangelists, missionaries and teachers of the Word.
She proclaimed Isaiah 61 over the crowd, saying, “The Lord has anointed you to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent you to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Letter #3: From the East to the West
On 12 January 1999, Balan Seling wrote this letter to his missionary friends.
He recounted attending a pre-Christmas dinner organised by SIBKL during this trip when he discovered that there were nine BEM churches in West Malaysia.
The politician and Christian leader was heartened to note that many of the active leaders in these churches were in influential positions in government and the marketplace and that they were children and grandchildren of pastors and elders from rural BEM/SIB churches in Sabah and Sarawak.
“I told them… that God had a purpose to place them in such high positions in their professions. They are the salt and light of the world,” he said.
Balan Seling asked for prayers, that BEM/SIB will always remain in the hands of wise, spiritual leaders and not in the hands of wise, worldly leaders who are not spiritual.
In 2026, BEM is going to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
In a faith declaration, Pr Rachel said, “Out of intercession and prayer, I’m going to declare: East Malaysia, you are God’s redemptive plan for Malaysia. The Lord has put East and West Malaysia together because He has a divine plan… Malaysia, you shall be saved!”
Pr Rachel, who is of the Kelabit tribe, said this cannot happen, however, until the firstborn of the land rises to their true destiny.
“Anak sulung, arise! You’re not poor, you’re not weak. Your voice matters. You have authority, take authority of your voice, of your land. Now is the time to take your place and hear the voice of the Lord call your name. You are loved, seen and heard. Jesus loves you,” she said with emotion.
The Harp and Bowl session (prayer and worship) on the final day saw a reunion of Sabah and Sarawak as the family of Christ, with prophetic words echoing the crucial role of East Malaysia in bringing revival to Peninsular Malaysia.
The closing night rally also saw a coming-together of representatives from Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia in unity of heart and mind. Walking alongside one another in divine friendship, these next-generation pastors and leaders have fixed their eyes on revival, “unto a harvest” across Southeast Asia.
Taking the truth of the gospel into the interiors and beyond
Over the three days, thousands of believers gathered to decree a unity between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore churches, praying for a mighty wave of fresh revival to sweep throughout the region.
This is the 23rd year of Tribal Gathering, formerly known as Persatuan Kelabit, Saban dan Berawan (PKSB), a yearly event set up in 2001 to commemorate the revival that happened in Bario and Ba’kelalan.
In 2017, the elders passed this yearly event to the next generation, who renamed it Tribal Gathering to better reflect the heart of God for every tribe in Malaysia to experience revival.
In September, Tribal Gathering Youth was held for 800 youths who gathered in Miri, converging from smaller towns and villages in Sarawak.
God moved powerfully, shared Pr Sabrina, and gave the team a new strategy.
From 2025, Tribal Gathering will be steered to the next generation in a move away from stadium events and into the interiors of Sarawak.
“It won’t be fancy [anymore], it’ll be stripped down. But we’re going to preach the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re going to baptise them in the Holy Spirit and fire. Young people, you are right in the harvest field. That’s the harvest,” she said.
Tribal Gathering is a collaboration between Cornerstone Borneo churches, together with the Persatuan Kelabit, Saban dan Berawan (PKSB) and the Nehemiah Prayer Ministry which has representatives from various BEM/SIB churches.
