In 2019, Brandon Ho asked God: “What more can I do for You, Lord?”

The former TV host and content creator from Malaysia felt the Lord reply: “Use your gifts and talents for Me. Speak for Me.”

At that moment, it clicked for Brandon. “Why aren’t I using my gift of speaking to share the love and light of Jesus Christ with the masses?” he wondered.

With a fire to change that, he started a video podcast (or vodcast) in 2020 with a team of volunteers and his wife, Phoebe Heng. Let’s Get Real would be the first Christian vodcast in Malaysia.

In 2019, Brandon felt God challenge him to “speak for Me” with the skills he had.

In the last five years, it has produced close to 40 episodes with 420,000 combined views.

Through hosting guests from diverse backgrounds, including actors, politicians, pastors, educators, musicians, and entrepreneurs, Brandon hopes that the sharing of testimonies and stories of faith in the media landscape will testify to many that God is real.

Meeting God in the pit of despair

At 31, Brandon shot to fame a decade ago as one of the hosts of 8TV Quickie, a variety talk show that aired on Malaysian national television.

His sharp wit, boyish charm, and relatable humour quickly captivated young Malaysians, leading to a flourishing career in entertainment and media.

To outsiders, it may have seemed that Brandon had the best of life handed to him on a silver platter, but nothing could be further from the truth.

He grew up in extreme poverty and worked various odd jobs during his teenage years, from hanging banners on street lamps to washing dishes.

“There were literally dark days when our power supply would be cut off because we couldn’t keep up with the bills. I remember tossing and turning, unable to sleep because of the sweltering heat,” he recalled.

But it was through these challenges that Brandon found his faith in God.

While his parents had brought him up in the Christian faith, he admitted that “Jesus was really more of my parents’ God than mine”.

However, when he was 18, he went through a break-up and difficulties in his studies, on top of his family’s persistent financial issues.

“One night, the Holy Spirit nudged me – not the first time – to come back to God, and somehow, I relented to the still, small Voice,” he recalled.

Getting on his knees, he uttered: “I’m sorry, God.” It was all he could say.

Instantly, he felt the love of God fill his room. The Lord said: “Brandon, I love you”.  It wasn’t an audible voice, but an unmistakable presence and message.

“That was the night my parents’ God became mine. That same night, I told God that whatever I do in the future, it will be for Him and His Kingdom,” he said.

A call to act in faith

When Brandon first conceived the idea for Let’s Get Real, he had no equipment, no studio and no team.

For several months, the idea lingered until Phoebe jolted him out of his procrastination and urged him to act in faith.

“I went to Jin aka Jinnyboy (my boss and an established Malaysian influencer) and told him of my desire to start a Christian podcast show. He’s not a Christian, but he graciously let us use the studio and equipment without cost for our first season,” Brandon shared.

Brandon prays with Malaysia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Hannah Yeoh in December 2023.

Slowly but surely, Let’s Get Real began to take shape as volunteers-turned-friends rallied around Brandon and Phoebe to help kickstart the show.

It was also a matter of divine timing that the first episode launched in June 2020, just as the pandemic led to a nationwide lockdown in Malaysia.

“Essentially,” Brandon said with a laugh, “God gave us a captive audience.”

Every number is a soul

Going online is one of the best ways to share stories, especially to the Gen Z, Brandon believes.

A year after the show launched, the team realised they needed to manage the increasing engagement and create a space for viewers seeking community and meaningful conversation.

LGR’s very first community event: The team invited Discord members to join them for Christmas and a live recording.

“Every number and every view represents an actual soul. How do we reach out and connect?” he pondered.

As the social platform Discord was gaining traction, they decided to start a server in 2021.

This platform has become invaluable for Let’s Get Real, funnelling listeners into an encouraging community of over 750 believers and providing a space for people to submit prayer requests, faith questions or needs.

Giving what they have received

Like all start-ups, their journey has not been without its challenges.

In the digital space, it is easy to measure success by the number of views or engagements. When an episode underperforms, it can be demoralising.

For Brandon, the key has been perseverance. This resolve applies not just to him but to the entire team.

Phoebe, who plays a crucial role in prayer and team welfare, shared that before each new season, the couple gathers the team to pray and seek guidance from the Lord together.

“My heart is always for the team first, to have breakthroughs in their own spiritual life even before getting the reach or numbers. If our team is not well-fed spiritually, we cannot truly bring any impact,” she said.

Brandon and Phoebe (seated, far right) with the Let’s Get Real team comprised of volunteers from different churches.

By prioritising their own walk with God before their work with others, the team has seen spiritual fruit.

They have received hundreds of messages from believers and seekers alike, all looking for answers to their questions about God and Christianity.

“That’s our desire: For every person to know God personally. My first prayer and hope is for God to reveal His faithfulness to them,” Brandon said.

Since the inception of the vodcast, the team has received many testimonies of people from different backgrounds, nations and faiths on how an episode has impacted their lives.

For example, someone shared that, after listening to one of the episodes, he finally began his theological education after pushing aside his full-time calling for 13 years.

Another Chinese pastor shared how she had woken up after a nightmare about the spiritual realm. Opening YouTube to worship God, she came across a Let’s Get Real episode featuring a Mandarin song, “No Longer the Same” by Malaysian band GA611BOL.

“The song talks about how life is not the same when Jesus is by our side. She instantly felt at ease after that song,” said Brandon.

“We don’t take these stories lightly, we treasure them in our hearts. They encourage and motivate us to keep going.”

Dreaming big

Their fifth season has just concluded. Last year, Brandon felt led to wrap up with a personal reflection on how far God has brought Let’s Get Real.

What had started as a borrowed space has now evolved into its own studio, complete with equipment and a dedicated set.

“I truly believe 2024 was our breakthrough year. It feels almost like a farmer who planted a seed a long time ago, and now the fruit is starting to come forth,” he said, adding that the team is dreaming big for this year.

Singaporean actor Gurmit Singh shares his testimony and faith journey as a father, husband, son and brother.

Interestingly, 70% of their income so far have come from individuals rather than major donors, with the remaining 30% coming from churches.

“God has been so, so real. It just proves this: Let’s Get Real does not belong to Brandon Ho. It’s not a Brandon Ho ministry, it’s a people ministry,” the show’s host said without missing a beat.

The team now aims to explore regional markets and transition from a volunteer-run initiative to a full-fledged Christian organisation. “I really want to be able to pay my team,” Brandon said.

Brandon and Worshiper Club’s Eric Kee at the launch of limited edition tees in collaboration with the Malaysian apparel brand.

Looking ahead, Brandon and Phoebe may not know exactly what the future holds, but they trust that God will continue to use Let’s Get Real for His glory.

“Wherever He calls us to go, we will go,” he said. “Our prayer is simply for God to shine brighter.”

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