At the beginning of November, a team of five Churches of Christ leaders from Australia, travelled to Indonesia to meet with our partners the Christian Church Theological School of Indonesia (CCTSI) and Asia Pacific Christian Mission International School (API).  

It was a wonderful experience highlighting the importance of being holistic in mission.

The students from CCTSI and API are trained on integral mission by learning theology and how to sustain themselves in ministry with service in their community. Each weekend students are sent to join various ministries that are meeting local needs. We witnessed some of this service. 

From hiking up the mountains and visiting a small farm, observing a preschool, to an iced tea shop on a busy street-side, we learned how initiatives like education and small business can be used to sustain church planting initiatives. 

In one village, we visited a preschool education ministry that provides a safe place for vulnerable children to learn. We observed beautiful preschool teachers interacting with their students and saw the benefits of offering good quality education in a remote, rural setting.  

Meeting the needs of the community also helps local church leaders build relationships. We were greeted by the chief and his wife at their village. This highlights the hard work, time, effort and goodwill our partners have established in the community.  

Many people in the communities we visited work as rice field farmers, plantation workers, and traders. Our partner, Gideon, from (API), said that local churches have provided training in iron welding or even to create fishponds. Others are engaged in cooking skills and learning to make and sell chips. 

These skills lead to business opportunities and open doors to build relationships and share God’s love while churches are planted. They can also help to support the church and its members as they grow. 

We were encouraged by the way the students and graduates live out Christ’s call and follow His example. They are loving on their neighbours in such powerful ways. They are beacons of light in so many different areas, and they are participating in God’s mission through word and deed.  

It was a pleasure to be able to spend time with our partners and to visit many different church plants and see their hard work in action. 

Carly Cassidy, 
National Church Relationships Manager 

If you would be interested in joining a Partner Visit, please get in touch with carly@gmp.org.au