(continued from part 2)

~ Clear sight of the rare jewels in forsaken wells ✨

Something I’m reminded of by one of their speakers recently is the wealth of old writings preserved for us by our forefathers. I remember God did use those writings to turn me back to Him years ago, and how much I’ve gained through them. But I’ve not read as much in the last few years, so it’s good to be reminded of their importance and value. So available, yet untouched by many of us.

In seeking to be relevant, we turn to contemporary writers (which is not wrong). At the same time, old writers whose work have stood the test of time also widens our horizon exactly because it’s written in a different context. Also, I’ve learnt that John Calvin didn’t use illustrations in his preachings (hence context-proof in any age), and being an obsessive writer, many of his sermons, conversations, discussions and arguments are well-documented. The speaker said, ‘his work together with those of Jonathan Edwards and the likes, they will fill up our storeroom such that we’ll have no time for anything else!’ 📦📦📦

I thought that’s so true. There is no lack of good stuffs around for us to fill our days with. Yet the way we consume our time nowadays is we fill it with so much junks that we have no time for anything that builds us up.

So it’s refreshing to see people who are digging deep into the ancient well full of rare jewels the modern world don’t even bother glancing at.

Sometimes they have a one-off session on certain topics. The one I attended in this trip was ‘Appreciation of Hymns’. We’re reminded from the get-go that words are more important than music, but music has the power to touch the affection directly.

In that session, we learn about the melody structure, verses arrangement, flow from stanza to stanza, the tone choice, etc of hymns (which I think is very beneficial). We may have naive feelings in that we’re touched by the music / tunes without understanding. However, our affections will intensify and experience deepened if we have understanding. As the speaker said, just like if you can cook, you appreciate the food a lot more as you know the ingredients! 🍲

We went through a few hymns. E.g., the first one was ‘Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise’.

🖊 Some points of learning from it:

• It opens worship with praise of God’s attributes (fitting as worship is a response to God’s gracious invitation)
• It starts with common grace, general revelation
• Moves on to knowledge of the true God
• Brings to Christ in the end

Here’s the hymn (which I now appreciate more 😀) –

📜 Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise 📜

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all life thou givest—to both great and small;
In all life thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but nought changeth thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
But of all Thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart
Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart.

All laud we would render; O help us to see
’Tis only the splendour of light hideth Thee,
And so let Thy glory, Almighty, impart,
Through Christ in His story, Thy Christ to the heart.

That’s an example of a good structure. While there’re good reasons for different kinds of songs to be written, unfortunately many today are too general in the idea of God and with no Christ. Also, when we re-adapt old hymns for today, modify and edit out some verses, I find that we are unwittingly taking away what’s beautiful in it 🙁 (such as this one above, the one we now sing normally leave out the Christ part).

Need to be said, it happens that the minister in this church is a musician too, so that’s a blessing to this church he could then nurture their appreciation that will deepen their affection for God in worship. Not all will be, but I am thankful we have such people in our (universal) churches.

~ 🩺 Basic signs of a healthy church 🛐💟

Each place has a different context and need, and so I notice while visiting even just different cities within Indonesia. In any case, I think the prayer life and evangelistic spirit is a good measure of the health of the church.

I visited a Methodist church in Medan which is quite different in flavour and structure than the Reformed church in Jakarta. What’s really encouraging to me is the fact that it’s a Chinese service and congregation of all ages. I wouldn’t guess such a congregation in MEDAN with e.g., confession of your sins (while kneeling down) as part of the liturgy, quite traditional and some may find it a bit ritualistic, to exist let alone last and grow. However, it seems they do, and they have good attendance both in prayer and evangelism initiatives. Those are very good signs to me.

In the previous post I mentioned that before the (GRII) church starts each service, those who arrive early will spend some time praying together. It seems they methodically pray for the different ethnic groups in Indonesia (there’re more than 1.3k such groups). I also remember I’ve been to one where they regularly have a prayer session where everyone knelt before God as they intercede for His kingdom come. They’re nurturing the right posture of hearts before God and have got the basics right.

Another encouraging thing is the way they serve the needs of the local communities. For example, it’s evident in their church planting in the area where I live. It’s a Chinese service church because they know that region is heavily populated by the Chinese – like my own family.

Last point on this, while they are now well establised and resourceful, they started small and needy too at some point. Yet a healthy church is one (wherever you are) that will organically grow like they do now i.e., covering more and more grounds in the society they live in as their impact is felt by the communities they serve. They started with little resources, and God provides as they cried out to Him, so they –

• 🌱☘🍀 have grown in church plantings across Indonesia, and overseas 🗺
• 📖 started a bible college STTII to train up gospel workers
• opened a book store called Momentum promoting good Christian literature 📚
  • which I really appreciate as they translate some Puritan works to Indonesian, making such works available for the locals. Hard to come by otherwise.
• started a reformed bulletin Pillar 📰 to educate and inform the young
  • I think they’ve just recently launched a new online site
• widened their reach by digital media called Reformed 21 tv 📺
  • runs talks, seminars, interviews, etc for 24 hr
• invested in educating the public on music and arts (built a concert hall Aula Simfonia Jakarta 🎶 and an art gallery Galeria Sophilia 🖼)
  • so people will learn to distinguish and appreciate good art vs say, a toilet bowl with floating poo 💩 or a carefully selected random rock 🪨 being called art 🙄.
• 🏥 opened up a clinic Klinik Pratama Samaritan to serve the medical needs of the public at subsidised rates
• investing in the next generation opening schools 🏫 as Sekolah Kristen Calvin (Jakarta) and Sekolah Kristen Logos (Surabaya)
• 👨‍🎓 investing in the young people through the Calvin Institute of Technology
  • first intake in 2023 I think
• Mercy ministry Aksi Kasih 🤲
  • seems to be launched during Covid-19
• etc..

They take seriously the cultural mandate and so don’t stay enclosed within their walls. And how do they expand so successfully while remaining distinctly Christian and not secular over the years? Firstly on their knees, praying, seeking and relying on God (and continuing to do so). And I think their leaders know the name GRII itself may not last the next 100 years, but what they’re building is God’s kingdom that will last to eternity. Just like how kingdoms, institutions, and other entities rise and fall throughout history, but the fruits of seeds sown by past reformers continue on to this day.

(continue to part 4)

P.S. Heads up, I suspect I actually need more than four posts on this, still more good things to say 😅