Indonesia Update

Wrapping up the work…

In September we made our 9th trip to Kupang, Indonesia.  This trip was the last of 8 training modules prepared. As we were making preparations to travel, there were mixed emotions.  After all, this was one of the first locations that we started from scratch, and now we were planning to matriculate these ministry leaders. 

These ministry leaders are from a regional area called Soe, a mountainous area from the more coastal area of Kupang.  I remember the first time we made our way to Soe in 2015.   After a long two days of travel, we landed in Kupang and met our contact person, Hartono.  What a joy to get to know him, his wife, and family over the last 4 years.  The work they are completing in Kupang at House of Hope and the Christian school is incredible. 

As we began to discuss with him that the goal of Catalyst is to train up a generation of godly men to lead the church and catch a vision for church planting, he was on board.  In fact, he suggested that we visit the Soe region as he had contacts there.  These men in this rural area have little access to education, resources, or even everyday things.  They are faced with a slightly more Muslim context than the rest of Timor Island, but God is working in this region.  They shared with us the challenges and joys of ministry there, and I knew immediately that I wanted to help equip these men. 

As God would have it, we started later that year with Module 1, and in September we completed Module 8.  Along the way we got to know these men and have seen them grow in the love and knowledge of God’s Word.  The testimonies of how they have been multiplying the training are indescribable.  For example, after the first training Arbetnah began to teach his church about church planting and then began to start new discipleship groups in an attempt to see new churches.  Now, seven modules later, he has over 100 disciples with 6 training groups and is trusting the Lord to see them birth into new churches.  As an organization we could not ask for more. 

This is one of many similar testimonies.  The spread of Catalyst’s training is like wildfire in Soe.  We could not be more excited about the future there.  We are planning to transition our main focus area to Central Borneo under the leadership of our Regional Coordinator, Iksan Lasmanto.  In Central Borneo exists the opportunity to train in a more urban setting and then send those men into the more rural areas.  The goal is to begin training in this new site in 2019 while maintaining a close connection with the men in Soe.  Who knows, maybe we can get back out there once a year and visit, encourage, and continue to equip.  In the New Testament, Paul seems to always make a roundabout with the leaders he trained. 

I leave you with this reminder from a Soe pastor who completed all 8 trainings and is multiplying the work, “I never completed junior high.”