The Adventist Church in Malaysia (MAUM) officially launched the Sidewalk Evangelism (SWE) initiative on February 28, 2025, at the Exhibition Hall of the Council of Churches Malaysia in Petaling Jaya. This two-day event aimed to equip attendees with practical evangelism strategies designed to reach 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 effectively share the Gospel.
This evangelistic movement marks Malaysia’s united response to the Global Total Member Involvement (Global TMI) initiative of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It also serves as the nation’s preparation for the Southern Asia-Pacific Division’s year-long evangelistic campaign, Harvest 2025, which seeks to engage all members in reaching the unreached within the 10/40 Window.
Hosted by the Petaling Jaya English Church, the event drew the participation of leaders from the General Conference, the Southern Asia-Pacific Division, Sabah, Sarawak, the Peninsular Malaysia Mission, and visiting guests from Indonesia, along with members from local churches.
The Friday evening session opened with praise and worship, setting a spiritual tone for the weekend. Segundino Asoy, director of Sabbath School and Personal Ministries, presented a message on disciple-making strategies using a relational approach rooted in Sabbath School classes.
“You cannot share Christ if you have not experienced Christ,” he said, emphasizing how small group ministries can foster meaningful spiritual communities.
On Sabbath morning, RJ Gamboa, General Conference coordinator of Sidewalk Evangelism, shared a two-part message titled “The Hows and Whys of Evangelism,” recounting stories of transformation and offering practical tools for outreach. He reminded the congregation that the sidewalk approach is a “gateway to reach people,” and declared, “The goal is the soul.”
As the worship service concluded, a dedication prayer officially launched the Sidewalk Evangelism initiative in Malaysia. Key leaders of the Malaysia Union Mission, including President Abel Bana and Executive Secretary Nelson Bendah.
During the ceremony, tracts arranged in the shape of the Petronas Twin Towers symbolized the focus on reaching urban populations. Leaders prayed over the materials and asked for the Holy Spirit’s guidance as they embarked on this mission. The congregation closed the worship by singing “People Need the Lord,” reaffirming the call to service.
Participants also distributed tracts and engaged with individuals throughout the community. The outreach represented the practical implementation of SWE principles, with participants later sharing testimonies about the divine appointments they experienced while interacting with the public.
The Sidewalk Evangelism initiative proved to be a spiritually enriching and action-oriented event that not only trained but also inspired believers to embrace personal evangelism.
Rozelene Gulon, Family Ministries and Sabbath School and Personal Ministries director at the Malaysia Union Mission, concluded the program by encouraging participants to bring what they had learned back to their local churches.
“It is our hope that the participants and leaders are inspired and motivated to share what they have learned with their churches and congregations,” she said.
As Malaysia aligns with global mission efforts and prepares for Harvest 2025, Sidewalk Evangelism stands as a powerful example of what happens when members unite in prayer, engage with their communities, and let Christ’s love be known—one sidewalk at a time.
The original article was published on the Malaysia Adventist Union Mission news site.
