The need for good theology in Indonesia was unpacked by Dr Dwi Maria Handayani, the Associate Director for Langham Preaching in Asia, as she spoke to New Zealand Christian radio in the winter, and as reported on in March.
It was through being a World Vision sponsored child in a poor Indonesian village that Dwi grew in her faith. Her parents were the first generation in the whole family to be Christians. Dwi is now a graduated Langham Scholar, gaining her PhD in 2017.
Dangerous to share the gospel
Dwi said: ‘The country is free: although we are majority Muslim, our Government is actually secular, so we are free to study theology and embrace the Christian faith. But it will be dangerous if we share the gospel openly because there is opposition to Christianity in some parts of the country.
‘I’m sorry to say that in church sometimes you cannot find any theology. So that’s my concern, we need to bring our faith more visually to the people, not only lock it in the pulpit. Let’s bring our theology on the road. Like when Jesus met people on the road. So, let’s be a preacher on the road not verbally, but from the way we speak, from the way we treat others, from the way we give, the way we forgive people. We live in a very discriminating country, where people are segregated … we as Christians need to break down all those boundaries.’
Biblical foundation
As part of leading the Langham work, more than 6,000 preachers have been trained since 2011. Many of those preachers came to know Christ through the programme they used. ‘That was not our intention, we just want to train pastors’ she said. The training is theological and is about living as a Christian.
Dwi continued: ‘The church is growing in Indonesia. We really need to thank God, but it’s also a challenge for us, how to train these people, how to equip them. The material we use is simple and transferable, because we are aiming at grass-root pastors … they will be able to understand the material. The key is to be clear, faithful, and relevant to the context. We don’t just import things from the West, but we contextualise it, so it can be relevant to the life of our people.
‘The training needs to address local issues … we are living in Indonesia for a purpose. We don’t have money to contribute, we are not politicians who can change policy – but we have the Bible and the pulpit. That is more powerful than any weapon in the world. So we can change our society, we can transform the people with what we have, the word of God.
‘Through this ministry the church is built, and people are equipped. We need more leaders. We also need more books and materials in our own language.
Hold on to biblical values
‘We know the gospel because of the Western people who came and had a passion for Indonesia, for people in other parts of the world to come to Christ. And I feel like it’s sad that Western civilisation is moving away from the gospel. Look at us, we are the fruit of your ministry, from childhood till now. I feel this burden to hold on to the biblical values that you have from the beginning … please hold on to them. That is the key.’
Langham Preaching’s Global Leadership Team, including Dr Dwi Maria, will be meeting in Zimbabwe later in the Spring. Pray for fruitful discussions and for God’s guidance and wisdom as they make decisions about the future.
