HISTORY OF CHURCH OF PRAISE

Church of Praise (abbreviated COP by some of its members) is a Christian community of believers which is distinguished by its emphasis on being a God-loving, Christ-centered and Spirit-filled local church. As of January 2011, it has two daughter churches – Faith Community Assembly (Taman Setia Indah) and Church of Praise (Chinese) and it is now in the process of planting another church in Cambodia. The church grew out of a few families meeting in Taman Perling and was formally accepted as a member of the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship of Malaysia in 1990. Much of the theology of Church of Praise corresponds to Pentecostal teachings such as the doctrine of the Trinity, the Bible as divinely inspired and the infallible authoritative rule of faith and conduct, the emphasis that all Christians are entitled to and should seek the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the conviction that the baptism in the Holy Spirit empowers the believer for Christian life and service, the present day use of spiritual gifts and the belief in divine healing. The church places a strong emphasis on the fulfillment of the Great Commission and is known for its emphasis on missions, raising godly families, vibrant worship, creative arts and community service. The church is governed by a team comprising the Senior Pastor and three Ministry Supervisors, with the financial matters and ministries administered by a full-time staff, administrative team members, ministry coordinators and small group leaders. It currently has a combined membership of about 700 people and it has a missionary presence in the migrant workers community in Johor Bahru, particularly to the Vietnamese, the Filipinos, the Nepalis and the Myanmars. As part of its community service project, the church operates the Praise Family Enrichment Centre in Jaya Jusco Bukit Indah, providing free counseling services.