Every year, young aspiring Christian leaders gather for the four-day KVBC NextGen Conference. This year, it was held in Port Dickson, drawing over 120 young Malaysians eager to deepen their understanding of God’s Word. Brian King, Chairman of KVBC NextGen, explains what brings them together.
“NextGen’s motto is ‘Train to Teach.’ We are convinced that the Word of God is critical to the spiritual growth of individuals and churches as a whole,” says Brian.
He points to verses like 1 Peter 1:22 and James 1:21 to highlight the transformative power of Scripture—how God uses it to grow us toward salvation.
“As such, we must learn to correctly handle the word of truth so that we might be able to encounter the voice of our Saviour, Jesus,” he explains.
At NextGen, this conviction takes practical form. “Train to Teach” isn’t just about personal growth; it’s about equipping others, too.
“Our hope is to play a part in raising up a generation who can do precisely that. We also hope NextGen will be a place of encouragement, especially for those from smaller, under-resourced churches, as they gather with others who are of the same mind and heart,” Brian shares.
Humble Beginnings
In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Klang Valley Bible Conference (KVBC) (now KVBC Equip) began thinking more seriously about how it could help resource the Malaysian church beyond just its annual conference.
Conversations with church leaders revealed a recurring question: How can we better equip young adults?
“KVBC noticed that while there were many Christian conferences in Malaysia targeting youth and young adults, few were focused on helping them handle and teach Scripture well,” Brian says.
In response, KVBC Equip Ministry Director Tan Kay Hoe and young adult leader Cheong Siu Fai began brainstorming. Their search led them to KCC NextGen in Australia, an organisation with similar goals. While their search was ongoing, a member of the KCC committee was looking for an opportunity to serve churches in Malaysia.
In God’s perfect timing, these two parties were connected, and KVBC NextGen was set into motion. KCC played an integral role in the founding of KVBC NextGen, sponsoring the first groups of strand leaders to attend KCC NextGen in Australia. KCC also sent some of their own to lead at the newly founded Malaysian NextGen.
“By faith and with KCC NextGen’s support, KVBC launched our version in 2014, with Siu Fai as chair. The very first NextGen was held at STM with about 15 participants. We’ve grown since then!” recalls Brian.
By 2019, attendance had swelled to 200, with a waiting list.
God, in His kindness, more or less kept doubling the number of attendees every year until 2019. Although COVID slowed things down, the physical conferences resumed in 2023.
Since then, they’ve welcomed around 100–120 delegates each year, representing 40–60 churches from across Malaysia.
Building Bible Handling Skills
With a clear purpose at its core, NextGen is designed as a training conference, and that focus is evident in its structure. At the heart of the experience are the strand groups, where delegates spend most of their time engaged in Scripture.
“We go through a curriculum that systematically trains people in Bible-handling skills,” Brian explains.
The approach isn’t just academic, it’s hands-on. Fong Chui Yeng, who joined after hearing about NextGen through her church, shares:
“It’s about unpacking a Bible passage, not just for our understanding, but to help others understand as well.”
By the end of the week, every participant is expected to write and present a Bible study based on what they’ve learned—an exercise that combines personal growth with practical ministry skills.
“Currently, we have three strands. The idea is that each person progresses to the next level year by year,” Brian says.
- Strand 1: A New Testament passage
- Strand 2: An Old Testament passage
- Strand 3: A biblical theme traced across Scripture
Beyond the strand groups, another defining feature of the conference is its approach to preaching. Unlike typical camps with a single speaker, NextGen invites two – one for the morning and one for the evening, each focusing on a different book of the Bible. This dual approach allows delegates to see how different styles and perspectives can faithfully communicate the same unchanging Word.
This year’s Old Testament speaker was Ivan Chow, senior pastor at Bethesda Church Bukit Arang in Singapore. A father of eight and a passionate jazz enthusiast, Ivan brought a thoughtful depth to his sessions on Isaiah, which he described as:
“A Tale of Two Cities – the transformation from a faithless to a faithful Jerusalem encourages us to see how we fit into God’s big picture, as we too are transformed, from sinners to saved through Christ,” he shares.
In contrast, Pastor Greg Ginn, originally from the U.S. and now serving as lead pastor at the International Church of Mont Kiara, guided delegates through Ephesians with fervour and reflection.
“Ephesians is about grace for life. God’s redemptive plan from eternity past to eternity future is a demonstration of His grace. This grace impacts our daily lives and all our relationships,” Greg emphasised, urging delegates to ask whether they truly experience that grace in their own lives.
Finding Fellowship and Fuel for Ministry at NextGen
From the moment you arrive at NextGen, the sense of purpose is palpable, not just among organisers, but delegates too.
Introductions during strand group sessions go beyond name and church affiliation. Delegates are asked what ministry they serve in, whether it’s youth ministry, a university fellowship, or simply managing Sunday service AV. Everyone comes with a heart to serve God, and NextGen offers the tools to grow that heart.
Ivan Lim, a 2nd-year medical student who serves regularly at his church, said he loved “getting to know similarly minded people” and that he was “encouraged by their many backgrounds.” Doing Strand 2 this year, Ivan felt NextGen had given him the tools and courage to pass on his newfound Old Testament knowledge to the people in his youth group.
Beyond biblical knowledge, delegates leave NextGen with something equally valuable: a sense of community.
Samantha Lee, a dentistry student from IMU, attended on a friend’s recommendation.
“My favourite part was seeing people from so many churches and backgrounds coming together to get closer to God. It reminded me of Philippians 1:27, when Paul talks about standing firm in one spirit. I saw that at NextGen. We’re all striving for the same gospel. We all want the same thing,” she said.
As the four days drew to a close, delegates packed their bags and looked ahead.
Ernest Kok, a newly graduated medical student and Strand 2 participant, summed it up: “NextGen is life-changing! People will definitely benefit from learning how to teach and handle the Bible.”
Another participant, Chui Yeng, agreed, “If you want to grow in your knowledge and love for God and His Word, then come to NextGen with an open and humble heart. It will enlighten you!”
SAVE THE DATE! NextGen 2026 will be held from 16th to 19th September. For more information, visit this link.
