Missions

Bruneians rise in prayer for gospel outreach in nation

Christians in the Islamic state of Brunei are praying for the gospel to reach people in their nation.

Southeast Asia Prayer Council (SEAPC) received word recently that one of the local church house groups in the country is setting aside time every week to pray for the nation, its leaders and its unreached people.

Brunei, with a population of about 400,000 comprising mostly Malays, is an absolute Islamic Sultanate where the sultan is the head of religion in the country. Bruneian culture is predominantly Malay, with heavy influences from Islam, and is seen as more conservative than Malaysia.

Christianity figures in as a minority religion at ten percent of the population.

The intercessory ministry, which coordinates a prayer network spread across Southeast Asia, also highlighted the seeds of the Gospel that have been sown into the culture in spite of its appearances.

According to the November publication of the team on-site, Brunei, a very powerful sultanate in the past, recalls the story of sacrificial sultan.

Haji Muhammad Ali, who reigned as Sultan of Brunei from 1660-61, had a son by the name of Pengiran Muda Bungsu.

Apparently Bungsu killed the son of another of Brunei’s dignatories, Pengiran Bendahara Hakkal Mubin during a fight. Mubin asked for a fair trail, but before the trial could be carried out Bungsu fled.

The story goes that Bungsu’s father, Sultan Haji Muhammad Ali, willingly took the place of his son, was tried, and sentenced to death by hanging at the grass fields.

He was put to death on 6 November 1661, and since then was known as the Revered Sultan who met his end on the grass.

SEAPC highlighted that in the story was a redemptive analogy of a king who gave his life in the place of one who was guilty, and exhorted believers to pray that God might use this part of Brunei’s history as a bridge to help its Malays understand what Jesus has done for mankind.

“We continue to pray that God will, indeed, visit Brunei with a great work of His saving grace,” expressed the Brunei Connection Prayer Network.

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