THEOLOGICAL COMMITMENT

The GKPB is a church with a strong faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, looking to the Bible as God’s word to humankind, and the Holy Spirit as God’s presence in our lives to guide and direct.

As members of the body of Christ responding to Christ’s call to “go and teach all nations,” the English -speaking congregations in Bali exist in order to:

- Experience faith in Christ in the midst of diverse cultural backgrounds;

- Build bridges of partnership in Bali and worldwide;

- Promote unity in the family of God; and

- Serve the tourists and other expatriates in Bali as well as English speaking Indonesians.

History of the English Speaking Congregations of the Bali Church (GKPB)

1972 – 1980
The seed of the English speaking congregations of the Bali Church started by the English worship services at the Bali Beach Hotel (now called the Grand Bali Beach) in Sanur, conducted by Rev. Dr. I Wayan Mastra, who was then Bishop of the Bali Church. The Bali Beach Hotel is a government owned hotel build by the grant from the Japanese government as a form of “retribution” from the time of their colonial rule. There were not many Christian denominations, and the GKPB was contacted as it represents the Bali ethnic church in Bali.

In 1980
The service at the Bali Beach Hotel was handed over by the hotel management to Rev. Roger Lewis a missionary of CM&A which was affiliated with the Gereja Kemah Injil.

1981 – 1988
English worship service at the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel in Nusa Dua, conducted by Rev. Dr. I Wayan Mastra. The service was stopped during his retirement in 1989 -1992.

1984-2000
The general assembly of GKPB in 1984, the Bali Church generated its vision statement to be light and blessings to the nations. This vision is still used until today. In order to do that, the synod assembly planned a program to minister the English speaking people in Bali, for expatriates and tourists who visit Bali. To prepare this ministry, Rev. I Wayan Sudira was commissioned to study counseling in Australia with the sponsor of the Uniting Church of Australia.

1990
Rev. I Wayan Sudira came back from Australia and was assigned as pastor for the Indonesian speaking congregation at GKPB “Philadelphia” and was commissioned to start the English speaking worship service there with the support of the Uniting Church of Australia.

1992
The first church service was conducted by Rev. Douglas McKenzie from the Uniting Church of Australia. Rev. Wayan Sudira Husada (past Bishop of the GKPB) was the pastor of the host Philadelphia congregation at that time. The Indonesian congregation appointed Mrs. Kade Gunaraksawati Mastra to become elder for the English Speaking Congregation.

1993-2001
Rev. W.L. Armstrong from the Methodist Church in U.S.A. who was a long time missionary in Medan came to attend the English worship service in Legian several times. Later he offered his service to coordinate the recruitment of Volunteer in Missions pastors to minister the English worship congregation in Legian. He came periodically to Bali to minister the English Worship Service in Legian. He was the one who help set up the establishment within the Dhyana Pura hotel premises and also raised funds from his church and acquaintances to buy a car for the VIM’s transportation.

July 1993 Rev. Made Priana was assigned as chaplain of the Dhyana Pura Hotel.

He led the outreach and mission of the Dhyana Pura Hotel, a division of the hotel. While he was in charge of this division and later as Secretary of Department of Training of the Bali Church, he was assigned to oversee and coordinate the English speaking congregations in Philadelphia with pastors from abroad.

1993 During the ministration of Yoop Ave as Minister of Tourism, the government granted plot of land in equal sizes in Nusa Dua for the purpose of building worship house for the five main religions in Indonesia to display the policy of religious tolerance between Hindu, Moslem, Buddha, Catholic and Christian faiths. This was in keeping with the philosophy of “Pancasila”, and has brought religious tolerance in relation of all religions in Indonesia, which is Islam, Hindus, Buddhism, Christianity and Catholicism. The Bali Church was chosen to represent the Protestant Christians in Bali because it is an indigenous ethnic church which was renowned for its contextualized theology in using the local Balinese arts and architectures. The English speaking congregation was started in January 1999 with four in attendance. It was first ministered by Rev. Dr. Wendell Karsen, a missionary of the Reformed Church of America.

2003-2004
When Rev. W.L. Armstrong had health problem because of old age and couldn’t continue his ministry as coordinator, the coordinator was handed over to Rev. Tom Aiken. Together with his wife, Luanne, they helped make the establishments more comfortable for the VIMs and put more details in the passing out communication between the coming and outgoing VIMs.

Rev. Made Priana was head of the spiritual formation department.

2004-2016
When Rev. Tom Aiken retired, the coordinator was handed over to Rev. Lyle Predmore.

2011 As God has given growth to both International congregations, it became evident that the ministry needed additional assistance. A GKPB pastor, Rev. Kade Mastra, was assigned to work with the two congregations alongside the two VIM pastors. The presence of a pastor serving for a longer period of time gives more continuity to the ministry as well as making better use of the talents of the VIMs. It will also strengthen the relationship with the 77 sister congregations of the GKPB.

Adopted November 2013 in consultation with General Secretary Rev. Nengah Suama, the GKPB liaison Pastors Rev. Agustinus, Rev Budiarsa and Church Councils of KICC and BDIC.