Southeast Asia Grace Conference
May 2-5, 2012
Bali, Indonesia

• 4^th most populous nation in the world
• Most populous Muslim nation in the world
  
• Archipelago spans 3000 miles east to west, same as continental USA
  
• Relatively peaceful despite periods of strife over communism, democracy & Christian-Muslim conflict

Ministry Trip to Indonesia

When we arrived in Medan on Dec. 9, we were met by several pastors as well as our guide on this new journey, Bro. Panjaitan and his wife Shirley. We got lunch and then were off on a 5.5 hour drive up to the largest lake in Indonesia – Toba Lake.

That night as people arrived, those there sang for several hours, then a devotional from me on unity; all was a real blessing. Then it was off to bed by midnight or so. Being so high in the mountains, it was very cold for SEA but refreshing for us. I spoke several times on Sat. and then once on Sunday. The subject matter was unity. This retreat involved people from Medan and some of the hill people. Several churches were represented and the desire was to bring them under the ministry of Gereja Alkitab Anugerah (TCM – Indonesia).

From the lake we drove another 5 plus hours to where Pst. Panjaitan grew up and met his sister and another pastor who is one of his relatives. I was able to pray for him and his ministry, then we left for another 5 hour drive thru very heavy rain, on narrow mountain roads, in the dark, until we reached the home of Dr. Sinaga, a new contact given by the pastor we had just met. This doctor is a wonderful Christian man and was very helpful for me, as I became sick that afternoon.

Here in Siantar, Pst. Panjaitan is praying for land on which to build a school. After looking at the land, we drove on into Medan and stayed with the doctor’s son, Michael, who is also a doctor. Pst. Panjaitan took us to another building owned by his brother also, to see if that would be a possible location for a school or church. There is a clear desire to get a Bible school established in the north area of Sumatra.

We flew down to Jakarta on Thursday evening and stayed with Lexie and Laura Gerung and their daughter, which was a real blessing. Friday night we were invited to go to a Bible study they have thru Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), where 5 couples and several singles meet weekly. After a delicious meal, Lexie asked if I would speak on Christmas and by the way, he said, “Danni is here for the first time and she is a Muslim.” After a quick prayer, I taught from Gen. 1:1 and John 1:1, leading into the Romans Road. After I was done I asked if there were any questions and Danni had several, which I answered. Then I asked her if she would like to receive Christ as her Savior and Lord. She said, “Yes, God has been leading me and drawing me to Himself. I want to receive Him now.” So we went thru some verses and she acknowledged that she believed what these verses taught and was saved. For almost ¾ of an hour she bubbled over with joy in telling the group all that God had been doing to draw her to Himself. What a thrill to see God work in this specific way.

Saturday afternoon we moved our things to Pst. Panjaitan’s church where we would stay for the duration of our time and Judy spoke at a women’s meeting and I spoke at a youth meeting. The next day was Sunday and I shared again on Unity and the need to forgive others to keep out of Satan’s trap. Then early Monday morning we headed back to PJ to get ready to leave the next day for Chiang Mai.

Churches

   Seventy-four Grace churches are now established in Indonesia from Nias Island in the west to Jayapura, Papua in the east. These churches are joined together through a registered, national organization: Gereja Alkitab Anugerah (Grace Bible Church). The larger and more established churches are located in the cities of Manado in Sulawesi (Celebes), Jakarta and Surabaya in Java, and Balikpapan in Kalimantan (Borneo). Since 1979 when GAA became officially recognized, 17 provinces of Indonesia have opened and plans are always underway to expand into new areas.\

Leadership

The Director of GAA churches in Indonesia is Pastor Mangaranap Panjaitan elected March 5, 2011. Dr. Frans Tamarol, the first director, now resides in USA. Pastor Ruddy Akay, GAA Director 2000-2008 was a manager of an international corporation for many years but resigned to serve full-time and now pastors a Jakarta congregation. Pastor Marthen Kambey was director from 2008-2011.

Anderson Seminary Manado (STTAM)

   The first Bible training schools are now joined together as STTAM and focused in Lembean, near Manado, A large donation of land is being developed with additional classroom and dormitories under construction. Pastor Audy Ngantung has been named Director of STTAM and he works with a full roster of teachers. The seminary presents a curriculum of three years with an added period for internship training for dedicated men and women who plan to further the evangelism and church planting outreach.

Prayer Needs

• Peace in Indonesia and courage to continue advancing the ministry
• Students, present and future, in training at Lembean seminary
• Follow up for new areas and provinces
• Wise leadership for Director Marthen Kambey and those working with him
  Bible teaching literature being translated into Bahasa Indonesia
• Open opportunity for a teacher from abroad to help in developing the seminary
• Southeast Asia Grace Conference planned for 2012 on the island of Bali

TCM History

   Missionaries Vernon & Darlene Anderson left the Philippines in 1973 to begin a new ministry for TCM in Indonesia. They were quickly contacted by Freddy Siwi, medical student at Sam Ratulangi University in Manado. Siwi led a group of college students who had recently been saved via the gospel ship, M.V. Logos, and they were hungry for sound, Bible-based teaching. These students constantly shared their faith with others who then joined the fellowship under the teaching of the Andersons. Because of the boldness of this band of committed youth, they were persecuted by both religious and civil leaders. In 1975 the group organized as YIA (Grace Gospel Foundation).
   In July 1979 the Andersons were forced to leave the country, but they left behind a core of competent leaders able to continue the work and guide the group to further expansion and development. As these college students finished their schooling, they found employment throughout Indonesia and their enthusiasm for evangelism and the truth of God's Word followed them. In this same year TCM sent Mario Indino, a Filipino pastor, back to Manado where he married Ella, one of the active YIA members, and they worked with Pastor Kambey and others to start a Bible institute to prepare pastors to fill the openings for leaders in the upcoming congregations. Indinos were forced to leave in 1983.
   Thus strong, maturing Indonesian believers were once again left to carry on the ministry. Thanks to able leadership by Dr. Frans Tamarol and others, as well as newly-trained grads of the Bible Institute, the work flourished, utilizing literature and regular Bible study materials published in the official language, Bahasa Indonesia. The Bible Institute and GAA office were transferred to Jakarta in 1987 to the rented house of Dr. Tamarol.
   In 1986 Luz Gaddi, Bible Woman from the Philippines, entered Indonesia as a tentmaker missionary, teaching English Literature in universities in Surabaya and Jakarta. During open time she taught Sunday School seminars and classes for the Bible School. Luz assisted as proofreader for the Translation Committee on projects of Dispensational Theology and Bible Truth, by Chas. Baker and other recently published doctrinal books in Bahasa Indonesia.
   Joel and Darcy Molina also joined the Jakarta teaching ministry in 1991, but they were forced to leave in 1993 because of visa problems.

Recent Updates  

In 2009 GAA celebrated their 30th Anniversary with visitors from Philippines, Malaysia and Executive Director Ben Anderson from USA. During that ceremony in Jakarta, Johan Pandelaki, Head of the Translation Committee, presented the completed Dispensational Theology.
   In May 2010 Ben & Joyce Anderson along with leaders from TCM Philippines attended RAKERNAS II in Balikpapan. Eighty pastors joined this planning workshop. Joyce was asked to cut the ribbon on a beautiful new church building in Tarakan, East Kalimantan, one of the first places reached by the original teams who went out for evangelism in Manado.

2012 SouthEast Asia Grace Conference

   TCM will hold the Southeast Asia Grace Conference in May 2012 on the island of Bali, well known for its Hindu-Bali culture and international tourism.

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©2011 Things to Come Mission, Inc.