MEDAN - "SPREAD THE WORD"

Just before church leaders decided the names for the mission team going to Pekan Baru, 13 potential brothers and sisters have successfully evangelized 1700 people just within 6 (six) days. All of them brought many guests to church service and many were inspired to study the bible with them.

Through many considerations and advice from the leaders of Medan Church, 7 out of 13 were elected to become mission team members for Pekan Baru. These 7 once again do an awesome evangelism. They have evangelized another 1300 people within 4 days and by that they have brought 20 people to attend Sunday service.

Looking at all this, the Medan Church become more and more encouraged and inspired, they asked, “Why don’t all 60 bible talks that we currently have in the church do things similarly just like the mission team members?” After making this decision together as a whole church, 50 out of 60 bible talks in Medan Church successfully evangelized about 50.000 people only within 12 days (Yes, you’re reading this right, 50.000 people). Because of that, many people are studying the bible, and the church service room named Millennium were overwhelmed with many people. The attendance is just like Nusantara Conference which was held about two months ago in Medan.

Mission team Pekan Baru were sent on 25-26 August 2009. They have found a boarding house for them to stay and also for church service. Keep praying for Mission team Pekan Baru and the Medan Church.

To God be the glory!

Medan - "Bringing family to Christ"

Mr. Ivan Piu Zalukhu and his wife namely Mdm. Upik are very inspiring disciples. In their tight schedule and activities as parents of three children including two niece, taking care of their mother and mother in law plus another three workers who stayed in their house, they still managed to spread the gospel consistently. They also serve as ushers and the church development team.

One of their niece, Yani, had been baptized on May 11th, 2008. Also Cici, another niece had been baptized on September 7th, 2008. Then, one of the workers, Yafe, also got baptized on September 28th, 2008. Not long after that another worker, Nani, got baptized on October 19th, 2008. Last but not least, Mr. Ivan’s mother plus the other worker, Agam, got baptized at the end of 2008.

In total, there were six people in their house that had been brought to Christ. Now, the mother of Mdm. Upik is studying the Bible. Pray that she will also be baptized in the near future.

To God be the glory!

Surabaya - "Turn into a powerful character from God"

Many trials had shaped the life of a sister in Surabaya, Tuty. She was then turned by God into a really powerful character.

In the past, she was hurt, bitter, and traumatic caused by sexual harassment coming from her step father, brother and cousin which all of them are non-Christians. However, after three months studying the Bible back in 1997, she decided to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. She stays faithful even though there were many rejections from her father and family, and later on she chose to leave her family whilst being unemployed.

Today, Tuty has become a strong, fired up, and a fruitful disciple. She is a small group leader in Surabaya. Moreover, she is blessed to be married with a great brother, Ricky, and they both has become an inspiring couple in the Surabaya Church.

To God be the glory, Amen!

Manado - "The Family of Pontolawang"

One by one, the family of Pontolawang becomes disciples of Christ. First, Maikel became a disciple back in Jayapura Church in the middle of 2003. His mother and his brother become disciples not long after that. Mdm Rita, the mother, had to walk alone through a very dark and unfriendly garden for years just to attend the midweek service but nevertheless committed to the Lord despite the hard challenges for her.

Michael's father, Mr Benny also became a disciple back in October 2006. One day, their hours and traditional shop were burned to the ground in just one night…But that never stop them from spreading the Word of Jesus Christ. The mother of Mr Benny, Oma Mintje, studied the bible within that period, and and she became a disciple of Christ too.

Today, one of Maikel’s brother will become a disciple and one other will be restored.

On early 2009, Yanes, the younger brother of Maikel also had been baptized to become a disciple of Christ. His life changed totally, from an unfriendly and addicted to drugs person into a joyful and free from drugs person. Yanes also had brought one friend to church to become a disciple of Christ.

To God be the glory!

Manado - "Mission Teams to Makassar and Manokwari"

This year, the Manado Church had sent 2 mission teams to 2 different cities, Manokwari and Makassar. 8 disciples have been sent to Manokwari on June 26th, 2009. They were ready and full of joy to spread the gospel of Jesus to the place that they have never visited before.

One of them is a steady couple, Steven and Melce. After being assigned to be members of the mission team on June 10th, 2009, they were then got engaged and married on June 24th, 2009 and went for the mission 2 days after. Although they had very little time to prepare everything, they are still full of joy and fired up to spread the Word.

Manado - "Manado Church and Jayapura Church send a mission team"

At the end of June 2009 Jayapura Church and Manado Church have send a mission team to Manokwari – the province of West Papua.

The background of sending the mission was the earthquake which was happened in Manokwari and Sorong on the early of year 2009. Because of that earthquake, a numbers of personnel of HOPE Indonesia are required to give counseling for trauma and training people on how to face or handling disaster in the city of Manokwari for more than 6 (six) months.

Mission team Manokwari is led by Musa and Ida from Jayapura Church. They have 2 (two) children, Catherina and Calvin. Together with them, there are 8 (eight) brothers and sisters from Manado Church who then became the mission team members and also staffs or workers of HOPE Indonesia for Manokwari. They are a married couple Steven & Melce, Randy, Billy, Jean Kaunang, Dince, Devi and Sherly. Plus, a woman named Ibu Kus from Jakarta who helped the mission team to Jayapura for one month in the past.

Bandung - "A child and her teacher saved one soul"

On January, one attractive child of Kids Kingdom of Bandung Church named Carrie (2,5 y/o) together with her teacher, Eva invited a woman named Liana to study the Bible. Within 6 (six) months, Eva and her working partners in Kids Kingdom visited Liana, her family and relatives, spend time with them, pray together, and teach her the Bible consistently. Liana feels the love of God through disciples. Also her family feels the same even they have different religion background. Therefore, they supported Liana to study the bible. Today, Liana had been baptized as a disciple of Christ.