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 Charis Christian Centre (CCC) is a growing and community oriented church in Cheras. It facilitates a counseling centre, the Charis-NKF dialysis centre, a home for underprivileged children and diverse ministries. The church ministers to a growing congregation through it’s koinos (cell) ministry structure.
The history of CCC can be traced back to January 1971 when Pastor Dorcas Wong Lai Meng, started a pioneering work in Kampung Cochrane. The work, then named Kampung Cochrane Chapel and began as a small kindergarten conducting children’s story hour sessions and Sunday school classes. Pastor Dorcas persisted in prayer and relentlessly preached God’s Word to illiterate Chinese villagers who were unreceptive and unresponsive to God’s Word. Finally her first converts were students.
Pastor Dorcas pressed on with the ministry and renamed the church Grace Assembly in September 1973 to acknowledge God’s all sufficient grace in the church’s moment of trial. (This was how our church’s name “Charis” – Greek word for grace-originated). In April 1975, Pastor Michael Liau, who was a fresh graduate from Ecclesia Bible College in Shatin, Hong Kong, joined the church as assistant pastor. The church then began a bilingual ministry that ushered in English educated students.
On June 1, 1976, Pastor Dorcas handed the pastorate to Pastor Michael Liau .Shortly after, the church shifted to Bolton Gardens (now called Taman Midah) which was then the largest housing area in Cheras. Under Pastor Michael Liau’s leadership, the church grew and had to move to a larger premise on January 30, 1977. By the end of the year, the church had 45 faithful members.In 1978 by the end of 1978, Grace Assembly had a shift again but this time to a double storey bungalow in No.1 Jalan Midah 9 in Taman Midah. The church had 60 members then. In 1979, Grace Assembly planted another outreach, Alleluia Assembly in Salak South.
On April 6, 1980, to accelerate growth, the church was separated into two different departments – Chinese and English. The English Department remained in Taman Midah while the Chinese Department moved to Hotel Malaya. Grace Assembly planted another three churches, Saving Grace Assembly in Selayang Baru, Shekinah Assembly in Taman Desa and Agape Assembly in Seremban.
On November 1980, Grace Assembly became a sovereign church with 94 registered members and an average Sunday congregation of 150 people. The Chinese Department shifted at the end of the year to Bangunan Pak Peng in Petaling Street.
In 1981, Grace Assembly bought the bungalow in Taman Midah. The Tamil Department was formed in 1982. Both the three departments grew in numbers. On May 3, 1983, Grace Assembly registered itself under a new name, Gereja Grace.
In 1984, Pastor Michael’s wife, Pastor Vicky, and Pastor Lawrence Yap were appointed assistant pastors of the Chinese and English Department respectively. By the end of the year, Gereja Grace had 166 registered members and an average Sunday congregation of 227.
In 1985, the church grew tremendously and the Chinese Department had to move to a bigger premise at Plaza Petaling in Petaling Street. In June, the English Department shifted to a bigger premise in 18A and 18B Jalan Siput Akek in Taman Billion. On July 23, 1985, Gereja Grace changed its name to Gereja Charis to distinguish itself from many other churches also named Gereja Grace or Gereja Assembly. The years 1988 till 1994 saw a great work of God in both churches. The Chinese Department led by Reverend Michael Liau, started old folks homes and other ministries apart from further evangelistic outreach expansions under his new team concept.
Gereja Charis (English) under Rev Lawrence Yap’s leadership started a home, Rumah Sayangan, for underprivileged and abandoned children in April 1989 with only one inmate, an Indian child name Christina.
On August 9, 1992, the church was officially registered under its current name, Charis Christian Centre.CCC started double English services a Chinese service on February 21, 1993, to facilitate further growth. The church office was shifted to a rented house beside Rumah Sayangan in Taman Billion.
By 1995, the church negotiated and purchase a row of five 4-storey shophouses right at the entrance of Taman Billion, Cheras.This was completed by early 1997. By 21 Dec’97, the two halls meant for the English and Chinese services were completed and the first service was held there on that day. On the 4th of February 1998, the church office shifted in occupying 3 parcels up on the second floor. By January 1999, the Youth Hall was ready for use and the entire building was fully utilize. In view of the expansion for Charis NKF Dialysis centre, in the year 2004, we purchase another shoplot next to current building. However we shared the purchase of the 4-storey shoplot with Global Ministry Team.
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