The Heartbeat of Haggai: Ending Gospel Poverty
By Elaine Lee
“Are we beating with the same heartbeat as God when it comes to ending gospel poverty?” asked President Ritchie Tay as he stood before a crowd. The room fell silent as his words sunk deep into the hearts of everyone. “Everyone should have the opportunity to hear the gospel and make an informed decision. It’s not just knowing about God but knowing God personally”, he said with a passion that stirred the spirits of many of the participants. It was the first day of the Haggai Pastors Conference that was being conducted at the Grand Lexis Hotel, Port Dickson. Executive Director Pastor David Low shared, “This is the first Pastors Conference held by Haggai Malaysia to end gospel poverty, and 49 participants from 38 churches across the country have come together to attend this conference.” With a burning desire to end gospel poverty in Malaysia, the distance was not a deterrent as some participants travelled the distance from Penang, Kedah, Johor, Terengganu and even Sarawak.
In the past, Haggai was a Christian organisation that worked primarily with corporate Christian leaders. Today, the trajectory goals have not changed but rather enhanced to work more effectively with the local churches to end gospel poverty. We are called to make disciples, and the church plays a vital role in discipling new believers. On August 22nd, 2022, Haggai Malaysia held a dinner for more than 200 Pastors and church leaders from 91 churches in the Klang Valley, where they shared their vision and mission to end gospel poverty in Malaysia. The response was so encouraging that the pastors’ conference was planned out in just a short span of time with many notable speakers onboard.
While explaining the objective of the conference to work alongside the local churches strategically, Haggai Malaysia President Ritchie Tay explains, “We know that all the churches are trying to end gospel poverty in their own way, and we want to find a way to synergise through building and equipping one another. It is not about promoting Haggai but rather about bringing together all the pastors, where we will also hear from them on how we can end gospel poverty in a very intentional way. They are already representing and demonstrating the gospel. So how can we equip and inspire them to be even more effective? We have to work with the churches’ leaders so that we will help equip and train them, and then they go back to their church in various ministries. In time, they will extend and multiply by equipping other leaders.”
Founded in 1969 by Dr John Edmund Haggai, Haggai International holds steadfast to its vision that every nation is to be redeemed and transformed through the gospel of Jesus Christ. In their pursuit to end gospel poverty, Haggai works alongside vehicles that will help transport the gospel of Jesus Christ to all parts of the world. Partnership and collaboration with Churches and Christian organisations is the new direction that Haggai Malaysia is moving into, and venues for their seminars vary from seminaries, event halls, hotels and churches. President Ritchie shared, “Haggai is a platform that has equipped leaders for the last 53 years in 189 countries, and you will find Haggai leaders serving all around the world in almost all major para organisations such as World Vision and Operation Mobilisation. Haggai helps to see from a larger perspective as we see leaders from all over the world. Very seldom do we get the opportunity to see participants from all walks of life, from clergy to professionals to workplace ministry and missionaries. They are leaders that serve as the salt and light of the places God has strategically placed them.”
In Mathematics, there are two types of progression which are linear and exponential. Linear progression is where one plus one equals two, whereas exponential progression is five times five equals twenty-five. Haggai Ministry is looking for exponential growth in ending gospel poverty. Haggai’s South East Asia representative Reverend Lim Siew Ling, shared, “Every one of the graduates is given the challenge to impact 100 other more people because if each one of them does that, there will be exponential growth.” The 4-day Pastors Conference saw dynamic speakers such as Bishop Datuk Ng Moon Hing, Pastor Dato’ Daniel Ho, Pastor Kenneth Chin, Miss Jenny Ooi, Pastor Ramachandran, Mr Wong Koon Tatt and Mr Alex Choong sharing both the Word of God and their life experiences. President Ritchie shared, “Haggai is not a place where we give you a sermon but rather a place where we bring forth our personal experiences. The ethos of Haggai is not about one person being a leader but rather about how we duplicate leaders. After all, how much can one person do? We adopt a top-down approach with a catalytic movement. It is a place where iron sharpens iron.”.
Speaker and alumni Pastor Ramachandran attended his first Haggai conference in May 2006, which resulted in a profound transformation of his heart towards evangelism. In Oct 2006, he embarked on a God-given vision to reach the rural areas, especially those who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. For Pastor Ramachandran, discipleship is a 100 percent commitment to the Lord, and he has risked his life for the sake of the gospel several times. It is no wonder that with his commitment and burning zeal, together with a group of like-minded partners, more than 8,000 churches/cells have been established, with 185 church buildings built since then. He said, “Anyone that takes up the journey will get discouraged at some point but know that it is God who sustains us. He is always with us in every part of the journey, and we should always rely on Him and the Holy Spirit instead of our strength and abilities.”
As a young Christian, DUMC Founding Senior Pastor Dato’ Daniel Ho could never bring himself to share the gospel. He said, “I could talk about all kinds of stuff except God. I could never open my mouth once about Jesus.” What brought about the change in his heart towards evangelism was Acts 1:8 (NIV) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” As conviction set in, he slowly started to learn to create opportunities to share the gospel in an intentional manner. Even when things seemed to move at the speed of a glacier, he continued to press on. He shared, “We don’t give in; we don’t give up. God can turn people around. He is always waiting patiently for people.”
Resident coordinator Pastor Daniel Yaw shared, “We can go through one conference after another and fill our heads and yet what is more important is the filling of the heart. God spoke to me during my first conference, and I was challenged to rethink my philosophy of the ministry, returning to the roots of evangelism. I started organising and mobilising evangelism through open homes during the Christmas season. My dad came to accept the Lord in one of the homes. I had been praying for my dad for many years, and the beautiful experience of seeing him saved has inspired me to do what I do today.”
Participant Pastor Stanley Yeoh from Bukit Mertajam Baptist Church, Penang, said, “I have learnt so much including how equally important informal and formal evangelism is. This year the Haggai team held a seminar in our church, and every speaker had a different and unique testimony that encouraged all of us. It impacted us so much that we will have another Haggai seminar next year.” Pastor Magdalene from Borneo Evangelical Church, Sarawak, shared, “I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to attend this conference as what I have learnt is very close to my heart. Back home in Sarawak, it is not that we don’t see the urgency to evangelise but rather that we don’t know how to start and are fearful. I realise we must learn to be obedient and willing to step ahead and do what God asks us to do. Our church leadership also realises that our mission and vision are very much alike and align with Haggai. We are excited to work alongside them. There are plans to invite Haggai to Sarawak for a pilot project where the seminar will be conducted in both English and Bahasa Malaysia.”
Studies have shown that the most effective method of evangelism (78%) is via relationships. It is through our daily personal interaction and relationship with others that we win them over to the Kingdom of Light. We should never underestimate the power of a seed; as Bishop Datuk Ng Moon Hing shared, “Evangelism is like a tree where we are the planters, and every seed has the potential to be a life-giver. Over time, a single seed can produce a whole plantation.”
My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, let us take heed of the Great Commission “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” People need the name above all names, Jesus, to be a living reality in their lives. We do not need to be cut from the theological cloth before evangelising. Yes, it can be scary, and we tend to think that we are ill-equipped to do the work and that someone else is more qualified than us to carry out the task. But as resident coordinator Shavee wisely said, “If we never take the first step, we will never move forward.”
As I participated in the conference, I was transported back 30 years to when God spoke to me on a balcony in the stillness of the night. I was having my devotion during a YWAM youth camp and was looking out at sea. As I gazed towards the horizon, the Lord spoke to me, “Do you see all those flickering lights out there? Those lights represent those out there who don’t know my name.” I felt God’s yearning to be reunited with His children who were in places of brokenness, despair and hopelessness. I knew then as I know today that God longs for His children to know Him and be known by Him. But yet, “How then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” Romans 10:14 (NIV)
Today, will you be part of the workers sent to the field to harvest souls for God’s Kingdom?
For inquiries about working in partnership with Haggai Malaysia, please contact Pastor David Low @ +6012-774 1345 or email them at seminars@haggai.my /davidlow@haggai.my
About Elaine Lee
Born, bred, and still residing in Penang, Elaine loves reading, dogs, and taking walks on the beach. Elaine believes every life experience should be an effective agent of change to make us better people on Earth.
