I
the Church of God in
ndonesia
Tommy and Poppi with their prestigious vices of Bethany International Church,
Networking Award in recognition of their Singapore (a ministry of Gereja Bethel
service to this initiative.
The Smith family: Tommy,
Indonesia), through our visits with
When a massive tsunami brought Andrew, Peter, Poppi numerous congregations and church
devastation and destruction of life to leaders in Indonesia, it was obvious that
Indonesia in 2004, Tommy Smith became entire week. The poor in this area of Jakar- the Smiths have the confidence of the
the point man between Operation Com- ta earn about a dollar a day. These chil- Gereja Bethel Indonesia people.
passion from the Church of God in the dren are from the poorest of the poor, On their recent trip to Cleveland, Ten-
United States and the Foundation of Love whose families scrounge from the scraps nessee, the Smiths shared dinner with this
and Care from Gereja Bethel Indonesia. thrown away by the “dollar-a-day” poor. writer and other friends. When asked how
Says Smith, “In the tsunami’s aftermath, I The Poppi’s Kitchen food program is he was enjoying his time back in America,
worked with Operation Compassion’s funded through donations to Tommy Tommy Smith responded that he was
David Lorency, the master of networking, and Poppi Smith at a weekly cost of more enjoying himself, but he was “ready to go
in bringing together Jews, Muslims, than $250 (U.S.). Whenever donations home.” Although it is Poppi’s homeland,
Catholics, and Pentecostals to provide are inadequate to provide the food, the it can truthfully be said that Tommy and
emergency relief.” During that time, liter- Smiths provide it anyway, financing it Poppi are both at home in Indonesia. The
ally tons of clothing, food items, and from their own pockets. This type of min- Smiths have two fantastic sons: Andrew,
medical supplies were distributed. istry is at the heart of their call. who is a law student at Mercer University
Many Indonesians will never inten- It was this author’s privilege to recent- School of Law in Macon, Georgia; and
tionally attend a local church because of ly be hosted by Tommy and Poppi in Sin- Peter, a 16-year-old junior at International
their religious affiliations, but through gapore and Indonesia (Tommy was my School in Jakarta.
Tommy’s regular weekly TV program, interpreter as I preached; a task he has Tommy and Poppi Smith’s ministry is
Indonesia Under an Open Heaven, the life- skillfully performed for scores of ministers supported by donations through Church
changing gospel of Christ is reaching including Raymond F. Culpepper, Paul L. of God World Missions. For more informa-
them. With more than 100 episodes Walker, G. Dennis McGuire, and others). tion on Indonesia, email atommysmith@
already aired from the city of Menado, From our first Sunday in the massive ser- centrin.net.id.
Tommy has plans in 2009 to expand this
ministry to radio stations on the islands
of Timor and Java.
CHAMPION OF EDUCATION
This ministry is a partnership. Once
each week, Poppi Smith rises around 3
Pastor Andreas Soerjadi served as the second national overseer of Indonesia, follow-
a.m. to prepare a special meal for the stu-
ing after the venerable Ho L. Senduk, one of the masterminds of the amalgamation
dents of Love of Emmanuel School and between the Church of God and Gereja Bethel Indonesia. Pastor Soerjadi strongly sup-
Orphanage. She cooks monk bean soup, ported the amalgamation, believing that the educational institu-
chicken strips with rice, or a traditional tions of the Church of God, including Lee University, the Theo-
Chinese-Indonesian porridge (made of logical Seminary, and Bethel Seminary in Indonesia, would help
rice, eggs, and soy sauce), puts it into large improve the quality of ministry for Gereja Bethel Indonesia.
thermal containers, and with assistance Reared by Protestant parents, Soerjadi was one of 10 children,
from Tommy and one of her sisters, trans- whose father passed away when he was 5. During his childhood,
ports it across town from her home to the Soerjadi’s mother became ill and was about to die because there
school in time for their 8 a.m. Friday was no money for medicine. Someone asked a Pentecostal pas-
chapel service. Approximately 400 chil- tor to come and pray for her, and she was instantly healed and
dren participate in this service, which started attending church with her young children. At age 16,
begins with fervent praise and worship Andreas became a Sunday school teacher.
accompanied by an accomplished band of Over the years, Pastor Soerjadi has planted five congregations, and has assisted at least
students. Following chapel, the children 25 students to come to Cleveland, Tennessee, to either Lee University or the Theological
indulge themselves by feasting from Seminary. He rejoices that those 25 students have produced thousands of workers for the
Poppi’s Kitchen. For some, this is the only kingdom of God. Pastor Soerjadi currently teaches at Bethel Seminary, and his present
real meal they will have that day. For oth- congregation has 250 members, with plans for a new three-story building under way.
ers, it is the best meal they will have the
12 EVANGEL • JUNE 2009
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