Many Christian leaders now serving in churches and welfare organizations were once associated and played active roles in the ministry of the FGBMF Malaysia. In a sense their time with the FGBMF was an important "discipleship" process. Brother O K Thian was active in the FGBMF in the 1980's and is currently the founder and senior pastor of the Community Chinese Church in Jalan Tenaga, Kuala Lumpur. His interview with the Flame is as follows.

Q. Bro Thian, may I know what led you and how you were involved in the early days of the FGBMF?

Bro O K Thian

A. It was the 'in' thing, especially in Kuala Lumpur. There was the move in the air somehow, stirring up the Christians as though it was a wake up call spiritually. That was the time I was baptized in the Holy Spirit. We were sincere and single-minded. The breakthrough was in the life of holiness and righteousness of the Lord and our single mindedness for the Lord Jesus Christ. It was very free and hence we were all caught up with the movement - simply because Jesus Christ is the answer to our salvation, health and success. I personally felt excited. I am of a Presbyterian background and was caught up with the Spirit. FGBMFI provided the platform, so to speak, especially for the professionals and the educated lay people. I found myself travelling from town to town in Malaysia promoting and witnessing for the Lord Jesus Christ. I was led to go to Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines to promote the vision of the FGBMFI ministry. A group of us went to East Malaysia and Hong Kong to meet the businessmen and expatriates there. The meeting at the YMCA was most memorable as the speaker from Malaysia was so powerful and anointed that he cracked his whole set of dentures into pieces! The FGBMF in Hong Kong received a kick-start from that powerful meeting. The FGBMF Thailand also took off around the same time.

I attended the one week International Leadership training course in New York where the speakers were international leaders and in 1986 I took on the challenge as the Director of Convention when Malaysia hosted the 5th FGBMFI Asian Convention in Kuala Lumpur. I was really on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ then and have been ever since.

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

A. There was something child-like in the spiritual climate then that was pure and effective as the Holiness and Righteousness of Jesus Christ simply drove our simple-minded and pure enthusiasm on and on. Somehow that enthusiasm has lost some of its steam now and I feel that there is a need to re-instil and undergird the vision of the ministry so as to reap the harvests that awaits in the market place today.

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

A. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the life giving push I have experienced. This baptism not only gave me satisfaction in life but has also led me to flow with the move of the Holy Spirit. To me tomorrow is going to be an exciting time in Him. I am expecting a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit to come through the FGBMF ministry.

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

A. To see Christians from various churches and denominations for the first time come together without reservation, work together to share the Good News to our community and at the same time witness to them to receive salvation through the FGBMF - all these made my association with the FGBMF Ministry very satisfying.

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

A. The perception has been that FGBMF has been in 'maintenance' mode and did lose some of its excitement for sometime in the English-speaking constituency. But with two Asian Conventions for the Chinese-speaking people in 2000 and 2001 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a second wave of revival is being ushered in and in order to ride on this crest, the FGBMF ministry will need to examine how its men can constantly be pure and righteous just like King Jesohopat in 2 Chronicles 19:6-10 so that the Holy Spirit can move in a mighty way. The FGBMF Malaysia needs to be in 'revival' gear to take the ministry to greater heights among the business people in the market place for the glory of the Lord.

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

A. To me I see it as a stepping stone from which God had led me and anointed me to move to a higher personal level of ministry for His Kingdom's sake.

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

A. The FGBMF is not the means to the end of your Ministry. It is the process and the leading to a step out and to a cutting edge of lay evangelism, namely your personal fulfillment of the Great Commission among the business community. I would like to remind members of the saying, "Some people dream of making a difference. Others stay awake and do it."