How We Began: The History Of BEM Grace

The early 1980’s witnessed a significant revival in Kuching through the Charismatic Renewal Movement. Many Christians went back to church and found new meaning in their faith. By the turn of the new century and millennia, a generation of believers had come of age. Youth Fellowship members saw friends getting married. Sunday school juniors were now in college while some had graduated and working. During this time some churches grew and matured while others experienced decline.

In September 2001, Crossway, a new Christian Bookstore opened at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kuching. The ensuing months saw many previous church acquaintances meet up once again and started fellowshipping at the bookstore café around the subject of ‘Grace’. Many cassettes carrying sermons and bible teachings by Ps. Joseph Prince of New Creation Church, Singapore had circulated that fired a refreshing understanding of the New Covenant. This quickly became known as ‘The Grace Message’. Many who were no longer attending church or had left ministry came back to regular fellowship. They were awed once again by the love of God. The meaning of the completed work of Jesus on the cross and His grace for every believer profoundly changed the previous mindset and belief system that tried to please God by own efforts.

Before long Alex Choo and Thomas Jacques came to the conclusion that a new church is in the offing to contain this new wine. Their friends John Koe of Frontierworks and Anthony Lau, who attends New Creation Church, also shared this. Lau had met Koe by divine providence through a taxi driver and learnt of Koe’s mission in China. When the thought of meeting up in Kuching came up to evaluate the situation and to test whether a new church was the right thing, there was tremendous agreement all round.

Eventually Jacques obtained permission from SIB Olive Garden to start a Preaching Point at Upper Room, a function hall above Crossway Bookstore (which is no longer operational). By then, Choo was very much charged up spiritually. He had earlier led a Youth Fellowship for 14 years but eventually ran out of joy. The Preaching Point was launched on 30th June 2002 after a Gospel Concert Rally called ‘Hunger D’experience’ where Koe preached and many accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Prior to this, Koe had spoken at Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship meetings paving the way for systematic teaching on the grace of God. Pastors Joshua Lee and Henry Yeo of New Creation Church also came to Kuching and helped prepare potential members and leaders with their seminars and foundation stone classes.

The Preaching Point continued and was commissioned SIB Grace on 7th December 2003 with Thomas Jacques transferred as Elder from SIB Olive Garden to SIB Grace. Alex Choo was inducted as Elder on 18th January 2004 at SIB Grace.

BEM Grace Sunday Service ( 2005)

The spiritual refreshing of learning about the ‘unmerited favour’ poured out at the cross of Jesus Christ caused increase in SIB Grace. It brought people from diverse backgrounds to be able to worship under one roof. A common testimony is the ease in relating to God and to be able to respond to Him through simple faith.

Elder Alex Choo resigned his membership in SIB Grace in October 2013 to commence another ministry.

BEM Grace Service (2016)