Introduction
Malaysia Bible Seminary (MBS) is an evangelical, interdenominational seminary dedicated to the preparation of men and women to serve God and His Church. We seek to fulfil our commitment through biblical and theological education, ministerial and professional development, and personal and spiritual formation. MBS strives for excellence in the service of Jesus Christ, under the authority of the Holy Scriptures, the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, to the Glory of God the Father.
History
As the Malaysian Church grew following the seeds planted by the early missionaries before and after the country’s Independence in 1957, awareness about the need for theological training also grew. Church leaders sought to meet this need by setting up a Bible college for the purpose of training Malaysians for ministry.
MBS came about through the evolution and consolidation of various ministries at the time. In 1976, a Bible school under the name Pusat Latihan Kristian Melaka (PLKM) was started in Malacca with just two students. PLKM had succeeded another teaching ministry then known as the Selangor Evening Bible School. The Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) was instrumental in establishing PLKM and the founding dean was Rev Peter Warner, then an OMF missionary to Malaysia.
At the same time, there was also the Chinese-language Malaysian Christian Training Centre (MCTC), another training ministry also sponsored by the OMF. MCTC’s students were absorbed into the new
Malaysia Bible Seminary (Chinese language) that had been started by the Selangor Chinese Co-workers Fellowship.
In 1978, PLKM and the Chinese-language MBS merged to become the bi-lingual Malaysia Bible Seminary that we have today. The seminary has two departments, English and Chinese, under the governance of one Council and one administration. Each language constituency is recognised as different and as such, each department is autonomous in its educational philosophy and approach so as to serve its respective constituencies effectively.
In 1979, the MBS English Department moved from Malacca to the Overseas Union Garden in Kuala Lumpur. It moved again to the Luther House in Petaling Jaya in 1984. It was finally able to purchase its own campus building in a block of shop lots in Klang, where it moved to in 1988. In 2010, MBS was blessed with the means to purchase and move to a beautiful 10-acre retreat centre in Kuang, Selangor with spacious grounds amidst a green and rural setting as a permanent campus.
Mission
- To cultivate able workers for pastoral, missionary and other Christian work in local and international churches, thereby promoting the evangelical movement and the establishment of Christian churches.
- To further the extension of the kingdom of God in all places.
Goals
- To train knowledgeable, spiritually mature, and effective workers for Christian ministry and mission through solid theological education and spiritual training.
- To empower MBS lecturers and staff to provide challenging and sustainable opportunities for education and ministry.
- To provide a wholesome study and living environment.
- To provide holistic academic and ministry resources for theological education with a special emphasis on Asian social and religious studies.
- To work in partnership with churches to promote theological education for all believers.
