I
the Church of God in
ndonesia
THE many faces OF
care in indonesia
by Donnie Smith
N
ESTLED WITHIN the 17,000 Benevolent care and compassion did through love, compassion, and care.
islands of the vast Indonesian not come to Gereja Bethel Indonesia (the The many faces of care in Indonesia
archipelago are some 68,000 Church of God in Indonesia) as an are fueled by a passion for prayer. Prayer
villages where 240 million attempt to engage in a social gospel with stands central to the revelation of God! It
people live. It is here that the Church of the goal of competing with social agen- was through prayer that devoted men
God has its largest work with more than cies, charitable relief associations, or even and women of God in Indonesia were
2.5 million members in a movement grow- nominal churches. Instead, benevolent forewarned to secure warehouses and
ing through New Testament evangelism. It care and compassion came by direct and begin storing large resources of food only
is a ministry of care and benevolence that divine revelation. As one visits with weeks before the most devastating tsuna-
exemplifies the heart of Christ, who saw pastors across the nation of Indonesia, a mi hit this country, taking more than
the multitudes and had compassion on living witness permeates, testifying of 150,000 lives in December 2004. When
them (Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34). It is a God’s end-time message to reach the disaster struck, the Church of God was
ministry with many faces! heart and soul of the Indonesian people ready because of prayer. Now, that same
spirit of revelation is at work speaking to
the church to love the most vulnerable
THE SMILING PASTOR
souls of all—the poor and needy, the
abandoned and abused, the broken and
Reverend Yorry Tasik is the smiling pastor of the Gereja Bethel Indonesia “Shalom” beaten, and those who have been cast
congregation in Jakarta. Following one year at Evangelism School (forerunner of Bethel away and forgotten by everyone else,
Seminary), a young Yorry refused an opportunity to study overseas, choosing rather to even their own families.
obey his call to start a church in north Jakarta near the seaport. The year was 1965; times The city of Jakarta is a sprawling
were dangerous in Indonesia due to metropolis of more than 20 million peo-
the Communist influence, and a blood- ple, and the population is growing by
bath would occur in Indonesia that staggering proportions. As one travels
year, but this did not hinder the young through the city, it is amazing how slow-
man to open a new congregation with ly the traffic moves, with thousands of
only seven widows as his members at automobiles attempting to navigate the
the worship location on a rice field. streets and what looks like hundreds of
Forty-four years of Pastor Yorry’s faith- thousands of motorcycles that consume
fulness has produced a congregation of every open space. At first glance, it
more than 1,500 today! appears to be a booming and bustling
In 2009, the church’s Bethel School economy, but one must look closer. This
Shalom celebrates 40 years of ministry is a city and country with no visible mid-
with an enrollment of more than 400 students (kindergarten through middle school). dle class. People are either rich or poor!
Pastor Yorry has mentored 40 young men and women now serving in full-time min- It is here that the many faces of care
istry, including two of the four current assistant national overseers for the denomination; seem so evident. Pastor Veronica Backer
namely, his brother-in-law, Pudjo Abenago, and his son-in-law, Japarlin Marbun. Mean- (see article on page 19) stands in her
while, Pastor Yorry’s son, David, leads a growing Indonesian congregation in Pennsylvania, church imbedded in the crowded spaces
with branches in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Ohio. —Tommy Smith of residential squalor and touches the
lives of more than 400 children daily.
14 EVANGEL • JUNE 2009
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