The Adventist church in Malaysia officially launched the Sidewalk Evangelism (SWE) initiative on Friday, 28 February, in the Exhibition Hall of the Council of Churches Malaysia, Petaling Jaya. This two-day event aimed at equipping attendees with practical evangelism strategies aimed at reaching people in urban areas through personal engagement. SWE is built on four foundational steps: Pray, Mingle, Invite, and Study—a method that can be applied anywhere to spread the Gospel effectively.
The event, which was hosted by the Petaling Jaya English Church, attracted the General Conference, the Southern Asia-Pacific Division, Sabah, Sarawak, leaders from the Peninsular Malaysia Mission, and guests from Indonesia, among other attendees from the local churches.
The Friday evening session started with praise and worship, setting a spiritual tone for the evening. Director of Sabbath School and Personal Ministries, Pr. Segundino Asoy presented a message on Disciple-Making Strategies using the relational approach as practiced in our Sabbath school classes. He highlighted, “You cannot share Christ if you have not experienced Christ.” He further underlined how this relational approach takes place in Sabbath school classes while providing practical ideas for building spiritual communities through small group ministries.
Sharing a two-part discourse covering the “Hows and Whys of Evangelism,” Pr. RJ Gamboa, General Conference Coordinator of Sidewalk Evangelism, blessed the attendees on Sabbath morning. In his message, he included success stories of the ministry in addition to some strategies one may use. Since the ministry is a “gateway to reach people,” he pointed out its relevance, while emphasising, “The goal is the soul.”
As the worship hour concluded, a dedication prayer was offered to officially launch the Sidewalk Evangelism initiative in Malaysia. Key church leaders of the Malaysia Union Mission, President Pr. Abel Bana, Executive Secretary Pr. Nelson Bendah, and other church leaders, including Pr. RJ Gamboa and Pr. Segundino Asoy participated in this important dedication. During the ceremony, tracts were arranged in the design of the Petronas Twin Towers symbolising the initiative’s focus on outreach. The leaders dedicated these tracts to the Lord and invoked the Holy Spirit to guide the distribution efforts. The worship service concluded with the congregation singing “People Need the Lord,” reaffirming the mission’s purpose.
In a significant demonstration of hands-on evangelism, participants engaged with the community by distributing tracts, effectively implementing the principles acquired during recent seminars. This outreach initiative represented the practical inception of the Sidewalk Evangelism movement in Malaysia. Therefore, on Saturday afternoon, participants took to the streets, giving out tracts and literature. Upon their return, they shared testimonies highlighting the courage they obtained from their faith and the guidance they received, which led them to the individuals they encountered.
The Sidewalk Evangelism Initiative was a spiritually enriching and impactful event that equipped attendees with the knowledge and motivation to engage in urban evangelism. The blend of worship, practical seminars, and hands-on outreach underscored the importance of relational ministry in sharing the Gospel. Madam Rozelene Gulon shared in her closing remarks, “It is our hope that the participants and leaders are inspired and motivated to share what they have learned with their churches and congregations.” Moving forward, the success of this initiative will be measured by the continued engagement of local churches in implementing Sidewalk Evangelism principles in their communities.
Below is the highlights video for the Sidewalk Evangelism & Global TMI Training 2025:
Reported by Hazel Wanda Ginajil-Gara, MAUM Communication Department
21, March 2025, Friday.