Local Gospel for the World
The Star, Thursday September 27 2001

Twenty years after writing the song Every Time I Pray, Malaysian songwriter Wah Lok recently release his debut album of the same name. The album consists of 12 songs, 11 of which are written by him.

The title song Every Time I Pray was jointly written with his fellow Pastor Voon Yuen Who in 1981 when his home church Full Gospel Tabernacle in Petaling Jaya was started with just 30 members.

The early years of the church were difficult years. Most of the members, even the leaders, were in their 20s. They had to sit on the floor during the first few meetings as they could not afford to buy chairs. Every Time I Pray is a cry to God to build His church and a reflection of their faith, according to the composers. Today, the church has grown to 700 members.

Every Time I Pray is one of the few Malaysian Christian songs that have gone international. This song has been widely used for worship in Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and Singapore but few people know that it originates from Malaysia. There are at least five recordings of the Mandarin version of the song in Taiwan, Hong Kong and the United States.

The album consists of several other songs like Approved in Every Way, Flow Holy Spirit and How I Love to Worship. Those who have used these songs for worship have found their lives transformed.

Ng has brought together a team of very talented Christian musicians to produce this album. Timothy Lee from Praise City Church arranged the songs and produced the album. One of Malaysia's top lead guitarists, Jordan Rivers, plays lead guitars in several songs. Aris Siew, one of Malaysia's leading worship leaders sings lead vocals in Approved in Every Way. Jazz singer Maria Esther Rebano sings lead vocals in Flow Holy Spirit and How I Love to Worship You.

The CD is now available nationwide at most Christian bookshops.

Ng has also created a website where you can download the songs for free of charge and hear them in MP3 format. The website has generated significant interest, recording 19,000 hits in five months. The lyrics of all the songs together with the chords and teaching materials on worship and prayer written by Ng are also available free from www.tabernaclemusic.net.

Every Time I Pray is truly a Malaysian Christian album with Malaysian songs, Malaysian musicians and Malaysian Singers.