Highway of life is a methodof learning about God’s program in the Bible. Through this lesson we may
know how God deal out with His people. Therefore we may know our position in God's program where we live in the Dispensation of Grace of God.
Grace Bible Church of Makassar has started to learn again this lesson in Sunday School since two months ago, so that the member may refresh their knowledge and the new believers in the church may understand about rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Apostle Paul said,
"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee". ( I Tim.4:16)
Brother Aris Tandi, A fresh Graduate student from Anderson Bible school is
ready to go to mission field next week in Pomalaa, Sout East Sulawesi.He has been with us in Makassar for almost two months to have
preparation such as: a short training as a pioneering worker, Evangelism tools, and other things taht he need for his daily needs. Yesterday Our Young People had prayer meeting for Brother Aris
Tandi and the ministry in Pomalaa. We pray so that He mayproclaim the gospel in Pomalaa, and many people
may come to the Lord to accept Jesus as their personal Savior
Praise The Lord for His Grace and all the blessing in my ministry and my education. God has blessed me taht I could finished my second Masteral
degree. Last 2006 I graduated from Evangelical Theological Seminary in
Yogyakarta for Master of Theology major
inMissilogy, and last september 15,
2012 by God’s Grace I graduated from Jaffray School of Theology in Makassar for
Master of Christian Education. I really thank to the Lord for giving me this
opportunity and He enabled me to accomplish this program. I believethat through my academic education, God challenge me to do more in the
ministry.I hope that it will happen in
my ministry. I hope everything those are in me are useful in the ministry.
Because everything is only for God’s glory.
Praise The Lord for Ten days in Anderson Bible
School. we had a wonderful fellowship with the faculties and the Bible
Students.There Subjects such as Homiletics, Church Management &
Administration and Systematic Theology-2 were presented. I was blessed
to see the dedication of the students.Lets pray for the so that the may
survive and be the coming Servant of God in the future.
Please pray for the Post Graduate class, We thank to Lord that The Goverment has given permit to Anderson Bible School to open Post Graduate Class Mater of Theology. The Director plans to open three class in different places such as Manado, Bitung and Makassar. Let's Pray for this program.
Preach
the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine.( II Timothy 4:2)
There are a
lot of ways that God have prepared for us how to reach and win the lost people
because we believe that ministry is not Man’s project but this is God’s
project. Through the knowledge and wisdom that God have given, we can use it to
grasp all the opportunities to preach the Gospel to the Lost.
Therefore, we are in Makassar
try to grasp that opportunities. We have committed that in every vacation day
we will have outreach ministry in the Beach. as a short Information that
Makassar is known as a Seaside City, so we don’t need to spend much money to
held outreach ministry in Makassar. Such us last August during Independence Day
of Indonesia we had an opened air evangelism. There are about 70-80 people
joined us in this meeting. Firstly we expected only 40-50 join with us but
Amazingly, the small group of Children that my wife established before also
joined with us, They came with their parents. And the might hear the Gospel of
God. The title of my sermon is “The Real Freedom” quoted from John 8:36 : “If
the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
The other kind of outreach
ministry that we have done is Radio Ministry, the only one Christian Radio in
Makassar (Christy Radio) gives us free a schedule once in two months to have on
air service. This Radio reaches not only Makassar but also some regions
surround Makassar. We hope through this ministry Gospel might be heard until the
rural place surrounds Makassar. Many kinds of people will hear and hopefully
they may accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior
This coming
December and January 2011, we will have two events in Makassar. First,
In December we will have Crusade we plan to invite 200-300 people in this
Crusade. As a congregations we have commited that we will gives all our ability
for this crusade.and everything for God’s glory, to make known that Jesus is
the only way to heaven.Second, In January there will be Teaching
Children Effectively ( TCE) I. This Program is to train men and women to be a
teacher for Children. There will be 15-20 men and women will be trained in this
training. We are encouraged to have this training because Children ministry is
also as a way we have approachment to other people, “Teach the Children, win
their Parents”. Our goal through this training that we will establish 5-8
small groups of children in Makassar. Let’s support this Training in prayer and
if possible in financial. We need about $300 for materials, meals,
accomodations, etc.
Therefore my Brethren, we
believe that God’s work is in the first step of our step, One thing why we
can’t experience how God work in our ministry because we hesitate to step, we
only keep in thinking and thinking but we never put it in action. So Let’s
fulfill what God command to us “ Preach The Word.....” Let’s join in
every part of His ministry.
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.( I Timothy 4:12)
First of All we would to thank to Our Lord Jesus Christ for His blessings for us in this ministry. That We could be able to continue the ministry that God has entrusted for us. And also We would to thank for those who has prayed for us that We had passed the first three months of our ministry in Makassar.
Gradually we have learned the culture, where Makassar is known in Indonesia as Cultural Tourism which is called Toraja Culture espesially The ceremony of The burial of the Dead. And also we try to reorganize our ministry because the effect of the latest problem, Church of Makassar has no Youth Service, Children ministry and only Two bible studies that are active. Therefore by the Grace of God now we already have Youth Service in Three areas such as in BELIBIS (North of Makassar), Dirgantara (Central of Makassar) and Sudiang (South of Makassar). We call our Youth Ministry as Grace Youth Community (GYC) in Bahasa: Komunitas Pemuda Anugerah Kristus (KOMPAK). KOMPAK in bahasa means UNITED.
On July 16-17 ago we would able to gather the these three groups to have a fellowship in the beach of Tanjung Bayang, About 35 young people attended and Praise The Lord that when I challenged them to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. They responed it and receive Jesus Christ as Their personal Saviour. And two of them commit themselves to be A servant of God. Now they are prepared in the church and next Month will go to our Bible School STT Anderson in Manado.
Children Ministry also already has a small group. My wife Yokhe commit herself to be a teacher for a children now She has 13 children and among them there are 8 children that are not our member. We should pray for this small group so that through this ministry other children will join and may know Jesus as their Savior.
Above all these things We may see how wonderful God’s work for those who commit themselves in the ministry. My vision that Church of Makassar has Faithfulness, Avaibility, Innovative,Teachable, And Heart (FAITH) in Ministry is still going on.
I would to thank for God’s Work that our Church building is getting better.through the support of some fellow believers now we already have tiles floor and no plywood wall anymore. We still pray for the roof and the door.We have desire if this Building has a complete Wall, roof and door, we will open Kindergarten school because This is also one of ways to share Gospel to others.
Another ministry that we have in Makassar is that we have Prison Ministry, Every Thursday GRACE message proclaims among the prisoners and every Meeting I challenge them to accept Jesus Christ as their Personal Savior.
Finally brethren in Christ we still need your support in prayer and be part of our ministry in Makassar.Though it’s Moslem city but we can see How wonderful God’s work in it. I believe that “ We never see the wonderful God’s Work if we never have part in the ministry.” God Bless US
“ I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful, Putting me into the ministry.”(I Tim.1:12)
All glory and honor be unto our Lord Jesus Christ for His wonderful Grace in our life and ministry. On April 10, 2010 my wife and I arrived in Hasanuddin International Airport of Makassar. We came to this place not for visitation but to do God’s Calling for us. After serving The Lord in Grace Bible of Jakarta for 3 years, We were challenged by the missions to go outside Jakarta. First I hesitate to accept their challenge because my wife has job in Jakarta. But through prayer and meditating the Word of God, She decided to resigned from her job and join with me in ministry wherever God send. Missions suggested 3 places such are Bali Island, Makassar, and Batam Island. Through some considerations the missions decided to send us to Makassar because Makassar needs Pastor that can refresh their knowledge in Grace’s Teaching, wherefore as we have known that Makassar Church had been split because some of members had left our Church because they have problem in Proper Theology especially about the Name of God.
Now, The ministry must goes on, we should continue to be blessing to others. Though now we only have about 15 families but it will not stop us to serve The Lord. It is our Duty and also as a challenge for us to use all our best ability to develop our ministry in Makassar. We live in a house and in front of the house there is temporary building where we use for worship service. Though the building has old plywood wall, no floor and the climate of Makassar is hot, but Members enjoy their worship service to God. We are so blessed for their faithfulness in our Ministry.It encourages us to be strong and standfirm in this ministry.
In this ministry My Vision is : CHURCH of FAITH, where my goal for Makassar Church is that member might be :
- F aithful
- A vailable
- I nnovative in ministry
- T eachable
- H eart
Therefore my beloved please put us as a part of your prayer. Because It’s not Marpaung Family’s project but God’s project and also part of our ministry in Grace Missions. As Grace believers and let all together we stand and say as what Paul said in Acts 20:24, “ But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy , and the ministry , which I have received of The Lord Jesus to testify the Gospel of the Grace of God.”
Finally my beloved , we would to thank for your attention and pray for our ministry.