Dear Friends,
Janice and I send you greetings from Jakarta. What do you say when you live and minister in the sprawling metropolis of Jakarta? I didn't think the traffic could get worse, but this is a mess? I wonder where we are at, I've never seen this before? Are we lost? I wish we could see something, but the smog sure is bad today. Hey, it only took us two hours to go 15 kilometers! Those are common comments that have come out of my mouth over the past couple of months.  We always have some culture shock when we return from furlough, but this time it sure seems worse. Perhaps it was because you folks spoiled us too much while we were in the States. Or maybe it is just that Jakarta is growing so quickly that there has been that much change in just eight months. Whatever, we have struggled with the many changes we are facing in living and ministering here in Jakarta.

The problem of increasing religious intolerance is a problem for all of our churches here in Jakarta. Local communities throughout the Jakarta metroplex continue to enact shariah law in their communities. The police and local officials calmly stand by as fanatic Islamic elements attack churches. By God's grace none of our churches have been physically attacked, but several have been forced to alter the way they are ministering in their communities. It is important that you pray for our churches here in Jakarta. Also, pray that our believers will courageously proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in the communities where they live.

Although facing difficulties, our churches here in Jakarta are continuing to reach out to folks in their communities. Over the past couple of months we have spent time with Pastor Raso and his folks in the Cileduk church, Pastor Yohanes and the folks in the Cijantung church, Pastor Munjait and the folks in the Pelumpang church, and of course Pastor Pri and the folks at the Cipulir church. Last Sunday, we were with Pastor Yusuf and the folks at the Cibubur church -- the church is growing. The Cileduk and Cijantung churches are also growing, but the other churches are struggling. Pray for these works and these good folks.

In June, I spent two weeks in Nias. Pastor Markus from the First Independent Baptist Church here in Jakarta later met me in Nias. The first weekend I spent visiting the Gunung Sitoli church and the Bothalakha church in Northern Nias.  The church in Gunung Sitoli is doing really well. The little church in Bothalakha has grown. I was there for the first service in their new building. While I was in the States, I sent them one million rupiah ($110) each month to help them with their building. But, what really thrilled me was the way several of the men have grown spiritually over the past few months. After being with the Bothalakha church on Sunday morning, I traveled to central Nias to be with the Hilidohona church. Pastor Yarro from the Gunung Sitoli church visits this church about once a month, the rest of the time one of the men in the church preaches. I have been sending this church one million rupiah ($110) a month to help them with their building also. Their church building is nice, but their spiritual growth is nothing like the growth in the Bothalakha church. The church is diligent in evangelization as seen in the 6 people that were baptized while I was there. They have a good group of Sunday school children, but it seems to me that the adults in the church are not growing as they should.

The following week I met Pastor Markus at the airport, and we traveled to South Nias to have a two day fellowship meeting with the Nias pastors. We all gathered at a beach side

resort in Ligundri. The meeting went well. We were able to spend time counseling and encouraging the pastors.  Some of the men that have drifted out of ministry attended the meeting and we encouraged them to recommit their lives to serving the Lord. Pastor Formil attended some of the meeting and I spent several hours talking with him and encouraging him to allow God to heal his marriage.  Remember to pray for Formil and his wife Christina. I
would also encourage you to especially remember the pastors who are faithfully ministering on Nias island.

After the fellowship meeting, I returned to Hilidohono to encourage the men in the church there while Pastor Markus visited another church in South Nias. On the following Friday morning, Pastor Markus met me in Hilidohono where we preached to the students at the main Junior High School. We followed that service with a service at a Technical High School which was about an hour away. Many of the students at each school indicated their desire to
receive the Lord Jesus Christ personally. After the services in the two schools, I traveled with Pastor Arohati to his work in Hilifelago, South Nias, while Pastor Markus traveled to minister in the churches in North Nias.

Upon arriving at Pastor Arohati's village, we immediately set off on a three hour hike to Hilimondregeraya village. Over the years, I have often tried to help the church in Hilimondregeraya. People wise the church was quite large--over thirty families, but I had always struggled with Ama Muti, the main man in the church. He had a strong influence in the village, and I had often wondered if he was really born again although I could never shake him concerning his personal salvation. He had been totally domineering in the church and often drove new believers from the church. Finally, in frustration, I had quit visiting the church. However, when the people heard that I would be in Nias they asked Pastor Arohati, to please bring me to visit the church. While trekking to the village, Pastor Arohati realized that I had not heard that Ama Muti had passed away. He told me he had sent me a text message, but I obviously did not received it. As we continued trekking Pastor Arohati told me his experiences in trying to help the church in Hilimondregeraya. Like me, he had wondered about Ama Muti. However, as he worked with Ama Muti, he saw that he loved the Lord, but too often ran the church in a carnal manner. He said that when Ama Muti fell sick, he gave a strong testimony of his total faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, refusing all offers of black magic, and requesting a simple burial that would give testimony to his complete faith in the finished work of Christ. My eyes filled with tears as I listened to Pastor Arohati tell of Ama Muti's home going. I had judged the man wrongfully.

Pastor Arohati continued by telling me that the work had basically fallen apart when Ama Muti passed away. Only eight families remained in the church, and these were the families we would visit.

On arriving in Hilimondregeraya, we went to the house of Ama Ayu, one of the men in the church. I had stayed in this man's home before, so I was glad to find that he was still faithful to the church. That evening, the church gathered in Ama Ayu's home. I preached and then spent the next three hours talking with the men in the church. We agreed to meet the following morning in their church building that had been heavily damaged in the earthquake several years before. The next morning Pastor Arohati and I spent the morning visiting, witnessing to lost folks, and trying to encourage the believers that remain in the church. At noon, we met with the men in their church building. Folks, I was touched by the faith of these men. The church finances disappeared when Ama Muti died. A major portion of the folks went to other churches, but these men wanted to be Bible Baptists. They had started a new building fund and they explained to me their plan to fix the building up so it can again be used. We prayed for God's wisdom and strength to do the job right. Yeah, they got me, I'm giving them one million ($110) a month to help with their church building.

That afternoon we trekked back to Arohati's village, Hilifalego for a Saturday evening service. Pastor Arohati can best be described as a straight arrow. His testimony of how God saved him and brought him to the Bible school in Jakarta is amazing.  He was a serious student from the very first, and about the middle of his time in Bible School he decided God had called him to go and start Ama Ayu (center – white shirt) Pastor Arohati (right) with one of the young couples he has won to the Lord.  The Church in Botolakha churches in Papua (Irian Jaya). With his normal single mindfulness he prepared himself to minister in Papua. Right after graduation from Bible school, he returned to Nias to settle some long standing affairs in his village. God touched his heart that he needed to build an Independent Baptist church in his village before he could go to Papua. For a couple of days, Pastor Arohati battled God. There were eight Protestant churches in his village, and his father was a prominent leader in one of the largest churches. If he stayed and started an Independent Baptist Church, there would be lots of trouble. During this time an elderly gentleman whose son had been saved in one of our churches in Sumatra, sought Pastor Arohati out seeking to know the same Saviour his son had found. Pastor Arohati is still there and he has a good work. Not lots of people, but good young families that he has won to the Lord and that he is faithfully disciplining in the Lord.

Early on the church in Hilifalego bought a small piece of land and erected a temporary structure where they could meet. They now have a nice piece of land and are slowly constructing a building. During the last rainy season the temporary structure was rendered

 unusable and the church has been meeting for the last four months in Pastor Arohati's father's house while they continue to work on their own building. This of course leads to lots of problems. The evening we returned from Hilimondregeraya, we had an evening service on Saturday night. Pastor Arohati's father decided to lead the service, and immediately interjected some strange Biblical interpretations into the service while we were singing. I preached a straight salvation message, and then for the next four hours I was inundated with some of the strangest so called Bible teaching I have ever run into. Fortunately for me, Pastor Arohati was interpreting into the Nias language and continually clued me into what they were driving at. By the time the folks finally went home, I was exhausted and I had lost my voice.

I dreaded the morning service, but to my relief all the strange doctrine people went to their own churches and we had a wonderful service with Pastor Arohati's folks in attendance. After the service, we had a time of fellowship.  I, of course as an honored person, got the head of a cooked pig for my special portion. Yes, I do want to help the church in Hilifalego get a tin roof on their church. Nine hundred dollars would get the roof on and allow the church to move in and start using the building.  On Sunday afternoon, I returned to Gunung Sitoli and met up with Pastor Markus. On Monday, Pastor Yarro, Ama Luther, Pastor Markus and myself met with a prominent Gunung Sitoli businessman. Over the past few months, Ama Luther has been witnessing to this man. He graciously invited us to meet with him at his place of business. After we were all seated in his office, I had the opportunity to take the Scriptures and gently lead this man to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was amazed that God's salvation was free, and he only needed to receive His grace. Afterwards, this man offered us the use of his business establishment to start a church. Pray that our main church in Gunung Sitoli will be able to use this open door.

Folks, the whole Nias ministry weighs on me continually. When I made the trip to Nias, I wanted to be open to leaving Jakarta and moving there to minister full time. However, after the trip, I am pretty sure that really isn't a good option for me right now. The language barrier grates on my nerves. Why the folks don't take up the Indonesian language is beyond me? Physically speaking, it would be a huge move, and it would be quite permanent -- it would be difficult to back up. Moreover, while we were in Nias, Pastor Markus picked up 20 students for the Bible school in Jakarta and he is depending on me to help train the students. So, pray with me for the Nias churches.

Back in Jakarta, I finally got busy getting ready for the start of a new semester in the Bible School. We have a big crop of new students. Pastor Markus now has about 30 students at the Mampang campus and Pastor Tambunan has about the same amount at the Palmerah campus. Also, I finally got busy and set up the computer labs. It came out quite nice.

Just when I seemed to be getting my act together here in Jakarta, I came down with a nasty flu bug. It is still hanging around over a month later. I have been able to start my classes, and make my services, but physically it has beat me down. Janice douses me with lots of vitamins, traditional medicines and statements about needing to get my rest. Every week, I have been thinking that I was getting better, only to crash down again. Finally, on Wednesday evening, the 11th of August, I didn't attend the Wednesday night service at Cipulir.  Janice attended and I think there was some kind of collusion about what I needed. The following day, Pastor Pri showed up and anointed me with oil. This was the real James five program where you get a full body massage with a whole bottle of tawon oil. He started at my feet and finished at my head.  Afterwards, he prayed for me and asked God to heal me. The massage was wonderful, the aroma of the oil interesting, but the love of this little church toward Janice and me – heavenly. I'm still not one hundred percent, but I am feeling better. I do appreciate your prayers for our health here. Janice is fine, except that she still has a sore wrist from her fall while we were in the States.

I know this letter is long, but there is one other thing I need you folks to pray with us about. About a month ago our landlord called and informed us that he needs to sell the house. Technically, we still have a contract until September 2011, but the landlord's wife has cancer and they have run up huge medical bills. He has put the house on the market, but we have no idea if, or when, it will sell. Nor do we know if we will be able to stay in the house until our contract runs out, or if the remaining time on our contract will be refunded and we will be asked to move. Limbo! Do we find a new contract now, or wait and see what happens? Pray the Lord will give us some direction on this matter.

For your faithful prayers and financial support we are truly thankful.

 In Christ,

Editor's Note: Click any picture for a closer look and use your browser's back button to return.