Over the years, FGBMF Malaysia has often been the fellowship place of Christian leaders. Many are now serving as pastors, elders, deacons and other leadership positions. One such leader is Dr Tan Yee Beng (the former Seremban Chapter President and now serving as an Elder of White Fields Assembly, Seremban) whom the FLAME interviewed recently.

Q: Dr Tan, may I know what led you and how you were involved in the early days of FGBMF? 

A: I think it was back in 1982 when we started off. I had just been renewed in the Lord and baptized in the Holy Spirit and was very much touched by the reality of God as well as the genuine love and zeal shown at FGBMF banquets in K.L. We were greatly encouraged by FGB stalwarts like Dr Peter Tong, Bro Ang Chui Lai, Col Khong Kim Kong, Bro Lee Gee Koon to start a chapter in Seremban in order to reach out with the full Gospel of Jesus.

Their faith and enthusiasm were too infectious and so we too stepped forth in faith to proclaim the Good News, with fear and trembling, yet confident that God would provide. We started off by having regular meetings in my home and later inaugurating the Seremban FGB Centre where we held our Friday evening meetings, besides our weekly prayer meetings. This Centre was of course modelled along the lines of the Abundant Life Centre in K.L. Our dinner meetings were also exciting events, with many being brought into the Kingdom. The Lord really blessed the Fellowship by His presence and His power and many of those saved during this period are now still active in ministry, both as 'overtime' as well as full time workers.

Q: Can you compare the spiritual climate then and now? 

A: I can only speak for myself. In the early days we were so ignorant, so unschooled in the ways of the Spirit, yet so full of fire and zeal, so hungry for 'lost' souls. Perhaps that is why the Lord was pleased to pour out His Spirit in such wonderful ways.

Q: Would you say you have attained utmost satisfaction when filled with the Holy Spirit? 

A: I do not think "utmost satisfaction" is the right phrase to describe my feelings. Rather it has led me to want more and more of Him - more of His holiness in my life, more of His word, more intimacy with Him and yet a greater sense of inadequacy in serving Him. Additionally, when I see Him honouring prayers for healing and when I see His guiding hand upon my life I am even more humbled by His grace and faithfulness.

Q: You certainly have fond memories of FGBMF Malaysia. Would you kindly share them with us? 

A: Gladly! There was certainly a tremendous air of excitement and expectancy within FGBMF in Seremban twenty years ago. We were always looking forward to our Friday evening meetings and each week the Lord did not fail to provide His servants to teach and minister in the power of His Spirit. Those who attended were always hungry for more of God and many were saved with evidence of changed lives. Other Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit and experienced a fresh dimension in their walk with God.

Even after almost twenty years I can still vividly remember some of the dinner meetings we organized. The speakers were men of God from all over the world and their testimonies and ministry touched many lives - people like the high ranking General from NATO, the former American astronaut, Uncle Chew Kam Pok, Dr Hong Sit, Dr Kriengsak, Dr Ronnie Teoh, Justice Tan from Singapore, Bro Khoo Oon Thiam, etc. But the one meeting that stands out most in my memory was when Dato (now Tan Sri) Khoo Kay Peng gave his testimony on how the Lord saved him and blessed him - we had a capacity attendance that evening and the anointing so great that the response to the altar call by the "Thundering Prophet" was overwhelming! We still talk about that meeting today!

There is another aspect of the early days that I want to mention. We started small and were very thin on the ground yet we had great vision; the early brothers included Tan Hock Chye, Timothy Poi and Michael Tham. God, in His own special way, sent in the additional reinforcements we needed from outside Seremban - people like Dr Tai Yong (KL), Chin Teng Lum (Siliau) and Patrick Yeoh (Ipoh). Uncle Khoo Peck Wan, though he was a member of the Malacca Chapter, was also a regular visitor and brought much joy to the meetings. The friendship as well as the fellowship we shared with each other as well as with others like Dr Peter Tong and Bro Ang Chui Lai was so precious indeed!

Q: What are your views on FGBMF's progress over the recent years? 

A: I must confess that I have not been keeping in close touch with recent developments concerning the FGBMF. However I am glad to hear that numerous chapters have been planted in various office and business complexes with lunch-time meetings - I am sure this is the God-given end-time strategy to reach out to those in the market place. The planting of new Chinese and Tamil speaking chapters is also very exciting.

Our country has been greatly blessed through the ministry of FGBMF and many who had their early beginnings in the Fellowship are now serving in various churches. It is wonderful to hear that we are now reaching out to neighbouring countries like China, Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Q: What is it that you miss most on leaving FGBMF to serve in the church? 

A: Certainly the fellowship and the excitement of the dinner meetings and seeing so many people swept into the Kingdom and filled with the Holy Spirit. Of course, many of those active in the Seremban Chapter are also members of White Fields, so I do not often get the chance to skip these outreach meetings!

Q: Lastly, what would be your passing words to the current FGBMF members? 

A: I just want to thank the Lord for Dr Abraham (Peter) Tong, the Founding as well as National President. It was largely through his love and his persistent encouragement that I was renewed in the Spirit and became involved in the precious ministry of FGBMF. Certainly his vision and anointed leadership in the Fellowship has been a catalyst for the charismatic renewal in Malaysia and for the touching of and raising up of so many lives, especially among the professionals and the business community.

I pray that the Lord will not only give Abraham and his Sarah many more years of active and fruitful ministry but will also raise up more faithful men who are prepared to boldly stand up with him, that the full Gospel of Jesus will continue be fully declared in the marketplace and elsewhere in this country and in the surrounding nations.