About CBSM

CHRISTIAN BRETHREN SECRETARIAT MALAYSIA
– ONE LORD, ONE MISSION, ONE HEART –

History

The proposal for a Brethren Secretariat was made at the Assembly Leaders’ Conference held in July 1996 in HCC, Cameron Highlands. It drew all-round support. A Pro-tem Committee consisting of seven elders, namely, David Boler, Daniel Jevaraj, Yap Kok Keong, Wong San Tosh, Choo Chee Choy, Ong Hock Chye  and Ong Cheng Leng was set up to pursue this matter. Christopher Leong was nominated as its secretary. The mandate of the Protem Committee was to deliberate on the details – the rationale, aims, and functions of the Secretariat that is to be set up. The Pro-tem Committee, with David Boler as the chairman, convened its first meeting on 2nd November 1996 to begin its task. The Brethren Leaders’ Conference held in Ipoh in July 1998 formally agreed to the setting up of the Secretariat with the Pro-tem Committee forming the 1st Committee of the Christian Brethren Secretariat of Malaysia.

A paper entitled ‘CBSM – a Proposal for Greater Effectiveness’ was circulated among the assemblies on 24th Jan 2007. This proposal paper was formally accepted as A Working Charter for CBSM at ALC 2007.

A Declaration of Trust was adopted on 11th June 2011 and the committee members were designated as trustees of CBSM.

The current CBSM Office, located at Unit 697-2-2 of Desa Kiara Condominium, was donated to CBSM by a Christian brother in 2011. The property has since been placed under CBMPTB.

Vision

Biblically functioning assemblies, large and small, growing dynamically throughout Malaysia, working and learning together in love and unity; encouraging one another in sharing the gospel and planting new assemblies for the honour and glory of their Lord, Jesus Christ.

Mission   

  1. To encourage and co-ordinate combined activities so that Assemblies can work and grow together in unity
  2. To be a net-working centre for the dissemination of timely and useful information both local and from overseas, for the purpose of prayer and co-operative action
  3. To assist in the strengthening of the Assembly witness by making resources available locally and from overseas.

Strategies/Activities

  1. To collect and disseminate relevant information and news items among assemblies
  2. To maintain a comprehensive list of all Assemblies in the country
  3. To circulate information about special projects and programmes planned and carried out by the Assemblies
  4. To compile resource materials developed by different Assemblies
  5. To co-ordinate with various Brethren Agencies in coming up with a Master Calendar of all major Brethren events in the country
  6. To prepare a list of towns in which Assembly witness can be set up where none exists at present.
  7. To prepare and circulate a Pan-Malaysian Assembly newsletter
  8. To inform Assemblies of the availability of visiting preachers/teachers and plan, if so requested, the itinerary
  9. To organize conferences, seminars and plan the programmes of speakers especially invited by the Assembly Leaders’ Conference
  10. To help disseminate information of recognized Brethren Agencies if requested
  11. To maintain contact with Brethren Agencies like ‘Echoes of Service’ and similar brethren bodies around the world for mutual support and prayer
  12. To receive and circulate information regarding Government regulations, restrictions, requirements, etc. that affect our Assemblies
  13. To explore the setting up of a reconciliatory panel
  14. To conduct research on the life and ministries of the Assemblies
  15. To set up a Brethren Archive

Management

CBSM is guided by its Trust Deed and Working Charter. The management is in the hands of a Board of Trustees consisting of serving elders selected or elected as representatives from various States or regions. The chairman is elected from among the trustees by the elders present at the AGM held during the Elders’ Session at the ALC.

The Board of Trustees is accountable to the ALC. At the ALC, reports, paper and key proposals are presented and decisions taken for follow- through by the Trustees.