Malaysian Christian Memes (Taking church online)


Malaysian Christian Memes 
(Taking church online)





(Latest post on how Malaysian Christian Memes plan to move forward is here.)The things you write about with the time on your hands during MCO. My next blogpost is how not to waste your MCO as a Christian. But for now, let me talk about this public account I started. It is with the assumption those who read this already know of the existence of Malaysian Christian Memes. But if you believe in what this account stands for, share it out. Allow me to break it down into 3 simple sections for this posting. My take on church, a brief history on how it was created, the theological underpinnings of this Instagram platform and what it hopes to achieve.  

My take on church

Church has taken many different meanings. Many different models. There is the Elevation church style. The Village church style Matt Chandler. The Simple Church style by Francis Chan. All having different theological stances on Ecclesiology. You get David Platt who drives the church on missions. You get another who drives to worship. In one-phrase church history is both beautiful and messy. Yet God’s grace is every more sufficient, His faithfulness is ever truer, and that He is the center of the church.


Speaking of being at the center. When Jesus told Peter in Matthew 16:18 saying that on that rock I will build my church, it was a revolutionary statement at its time. Before that Peter proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Living God and Jesus said on that rock (scholars can argue till the cows come home), but on that rock the church will be built; the fact that Jesus is the Messiah living God. Church in Greek translated as ekklesia which meant an assembly or gathering of people. So when Jesus said my ekklesia, he meant to say people gathering in my name.

That is my simple definition folks. One can write a paper on Ecclesiology/church. But just for today, I will define church as people gathering together in the truth that Jesus is the Messiah and the Living God. (P.s. both Messiah and Living God can be a whole new topic on itself which will bring out the richer historical truth of the Kingdom Jesus came to establish)

Brief History

So, the idea here is to create fresh communities of church. It transcends the building. It is a gathering of people in His name. What was the places in Malaysia least touched? The online community? I always believed that Facebook and Instagram were toxic. Wait hold that thought, I still believe it does. But those who choose to remain on them probably have the conviction that they are to be salt and light of the world and that includes the online community.

I was conflicted as I had already deactivated my Facebook and Instagram. Which by the way has been so so so so liberating. Though some friends urged me to consider that I could disciple still with the thousand plus followers. The questions was how do I get a bunch of people to gather together in the truth that Jesus is the Messiah and the Living God rather than gather around me who believe that Jesus is the Messiah and the Living God? You noticed the difference? The latter is not necessarily bad but at least it shifts the focus off of me if I took the former stance. More of Him and less of me.
So in December I started to enter the online scene once more. Not as a person but as an idea. To create a Malaysian Christian community through Instagram with, you’ve guessed it, memes. It has been a humbling experience ever since to be able to have discussions both on church issues and theology as well as the gospel through comments and direct messages. And I am surrendering this whole platform for God. If it survives praise God. If it does not, praise God.

Theological underpinnings

Okay, this is all again based on my definition of church. People gathering together in the truth that Jesus is the Messiah and the Living God. So, what are the common grounds or values that I want to draw people to?
The vision is to have what I have learnt a “new expression of church” Not confined to a building but coming together to grow. So, my tagline on my bio is “Join the Malaysian Christian Community with Laughter.”
And I rally the people through three simple values. That Malaysian Christian Memes is to be:

You can see why mostly only Malaysia Christians would get it
 1.  Gospel Centered – That the good news must be present. That Jesus must be the center of it all. If the pulpit drives the church, it was my hopes that this account would be one of the many propagators of the announcement of His Kingdom.  

2. To laugh as Malaysian/ Christians – There are two things to take note here. Laugh and Malaysians. And we all know all Malaysians love a good laugh. The medium I chose to get Malaysians laughing is through memes. Not only just memes, but contextualized Malaysian memes. There were a lot of other Christian Memes page that were already out there and I did not want to merely replicate them. Hence the importance of contextualization that whoever join this community can freely take ownership of it.
Even Blackpink gets contextualized into theology

3. To share insights. – Finally, as the Gospel is being shared, I would also love to share theological insights regarding few key areas in Malaysia. Mainly surrounding the issue of church and theological differences and boy the young ones are crying out on this area. And If I am able to provide at least a little breather in insight to help them understand this broken body better, then by all means I share them.

What have I discovered? Out of the 32.4 million Malaysians, 9.2% are Christians. Out of the 9.2%, 81.64% are from Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan. I am still finding my footing on the right content but seeing my general reach, it is only the remaining 19% that is easier for me to reach. Not because I do not talk with Sabah, Sarawak but because I am currently one person creating content as a part-timer posting specific memes. I cannot take on all the issues to discuss. (Which is why invite anyone to send to me their content and I share on their behalf. It is after all a community not just me)

Another thing I realized. Maintaining the three-pronged value system is a challenging balance. To be gospel centered, laugh as a Malaysian Christian at the same time-sharing insights is a tough combo to hit. Sometimes I hit the mark other times not really. But I am still learning. I have the support of a few to call me out when I post a wrong meme. When the message is off its mark. And few who vet those memes.



But that is it. That is the goal of Malaysian Christian Memes. This is what it stands for. Pretty timely too considering Malaysia is under MCO. 
(Yes Singaporeans are invited too ha ha)

Galatians 3:28 New International Version (NIV)
28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Writer: Eddryll 
Author's views are his own and does not represent the entire team


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