How to cite:
Wahyoe Rita Wulandari. (2022). Key Data-Based Church Growth in
Indonesia From Evangelical Perspective and Critical Review of Them.
Journal Eduvest. Vol (2): 646-659
E-ISSN:
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Eduvest(–(Journal(of(Universal(Studies(
Volume(2(Number(4,(April,(2022(
p-(ISSN(2775-3735-(e-ISSN(2775-3727!
KEY DATA-BASED CHURCH GROWTH IN INDONESIA
FROM EVANGELICAL PERSPECTIVE AND CRITICAL
REVIEW OF THEM
ARTICLE!INFO!!!!!!!!ABSTRACT!
Received:
March, 26
th
2022
Revised:
April, 16
th
2022
Approved:
April, 17
th
2022
!
!
!
The datas which is contained in the books of church growth are
mostly non-empirical research, on the other hand only raises
subject of motivational, hope & promises and apologetic
figures. Empirical research approach on the theme or theology
of church growth produces data with factual figures. Bilangan
Research Center (BRC) is an empirical research institute that
provides relevant, valid and current reference data on
Christian spirituality and church growth. Spirituality and
church growth are discussed using a national-level empirical
research database. This paper examines the BRC from an
evangelical perspective and critiques its findings from an
ecumenical perspective.
KEYWORDS!
Great! Commission,! Evangelism,! Discipleship,! Church!
Growth!
!
This! work! is! licensed! under! a! Creative! Commons!
Attribution-ShareAlike!4.0!International!
INTRODUCTION
In 1994, an anthology of church growth was born. There are twelve authors in the
book and four of them are well known in church growth literature (Hufnagel, 2021). The
first two writers, namely Petrus Octavianus and Chris Marantika, we know as pioneers of
church growth in Indonesia (Atasoge, 2018). Meanwhile, the next two authors, namely
Bambang Budijanto and Gideon I. Tanbunaan, have been recognized as pioneers of church
growth based on empirical research data at the national level (Gokok & Atasoge, 2021).
However, in this 1994 book, Bambang and Gideon have not discussed church growth based
on empirical research data. Bambang wrote about "the role of village services in church
growth", while Gideon wrote about "a local cultural approach". Even though they discuss
!
Wahyoe!Rita!Wulandari!!
Key Data-Based Church Growth in Indonesia From Evangelical Perspective and Critical
Review of Them 647
different issues, both of them talk about a cultural approach that is understood as
contextualization and both of them do not base their presentation on data based on empirical
research results. Both, like the other authors in the book, are concerned with what the
church should do in order to grow according to the Bible (Payne, 2020).
Talking about church growth without a database of scientific research results is a
feature of writing in the 1990s until before 2017(Cowen & Shenton, 2017). Even translated
books on church growth do not provide empirical research data. If there is a mention of
numbers in it, those numbers have no reference to the results of empirical research (Baker,
2019). Just mention the numbers. For example, we can see this when Peter Wagner says
that in Latin America, during the twentieth century, there was the most dramatic growth of
the Protestant church: in 1900 there were only about 50,000 congregations, in the 1930s
more than 1 million, in 1950- over 5 million in the 1960s more than 10 million, in the 1970s
more than 20 million and the late 1980s more than 50 and will reach 137 million in 2000.
Growth over 80 years, from 50 thousand to 50 million is not based on scientific research
data (Davies et al., 2020). These are motivational figures, numbers of hope or even numbers
of apologetic towards Catholicism that give the impression of extraordinary Protestant
success (Atasoge, 2020). From the Pew Research Center we get a figure that in 2014, the
population of Latin America was 425 million with a share of Catholics 69% (293.25
million) and Protestants 19% (80.75 million or about 81 million). Peter Wagner's prediction
of 137 million is quite far from 81 million. Apart from that, we can also ask, within the
framework of the ecumenical movement, can it be called "growth" if there is only a
"movement" from Catholicism to Protestantism? Aren't they both “Christians”?
As Christians, we may enjoy exploding motivational numbers(Behrmann, Vicol,
Wang, Grosse, & Jacobsen, 2021). Moreover, it is said that the growth of the church is the
result of the church's evangelism program (Olusegun, 2020).Then, we will be more
motivated to do evangelism. We would love to read church growth books that evangelism
produces. But, is that the fact? Apparently not (Wilson, 2019). Bambang Budijanto, with
his scientific research institute Bilan Research Center (BRC), found data that evangelism
contributed only 1.7% to church growth. This figure is much smaller than biological growth
(having children) which accounts for 23.8% of church growth(Rotering & Bras, 2019). And
surprisingly again, the largest number of church growth is due to moving from another
church, which is 45.7%. Can this be called “growth”? In this paper, we will analyze these
and other questions related to the main findings of the BRC(Pinheiro, Hodges, Gan,
Ferreira, & Andrade, 2022).
The title of this journal "The Key to Church Growth in Indonesia from an
Evangelical Perspective" is partly taken from a book published by BRC, The Key to Church
Growth in Indonesia. However, in the title of the paper there is an addition "from an
Evangelical Perspective.(Vaca, 2019)" Such additions are given so that readers can better
understand the book The Key to Church Growth in Indonesia and the questions raised in
its scientific research. The easiest critique we can give is from its opposite “the evangelical
perspective”, namely the “ecumenical perspective”.
RESEARCH METHOD
This type of research uses a qualitative, literal and contextual hermeneutic
(interpretation) approach from the original Greek textus Receptus (TR) text for the New
Testament. Insights from cultural anthropology are an important part of this research apart
from the biblical text that needs to be studied for spiritual purposes it's not just the literal
meaning.
Eduvest – Journal of Universal Studies
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RESULT AND DISCUSSION
A. Perspektif Evangelikal
Richard Siwu included Petrus Octavianus and Chris Marantika in the evangelical
group.
1
In the context of the 1974 Lausanne congress, Octavianus gave a presentation on
the importance of a biblical basis for seeking cultural identity in Asia. The Bible is seen as
the only theological foundation that has absolute universal truths or "supercultural truths"
that transcend all cultural truths. The Bible can be preached in any situation.
2
Its truths “can
be applied to any culture and to any situation in history”
3
. Here, “contextualization” is
understood more as the actualization, translation or application of Christian faith into
concrete situations. The procedure is “from text to context”. In the context of the 1989
Lausanne II congress, Chris Marantika testified about the growth of the church in
Indonesia.
4
Lausanne II himself was concerned with "the task of proclaiming the full
Gospel to the whole world".
5
And this is a sign of the faithfulness of evangelicals to the
Great Commission. Mission is “church centered” or moving from “the church and every
born-again Christian” to the non-Christian world. It is this person who has been born again
who is mandated to carry out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.
6
The Lausanne movement led by Billy Graham was a continuation of the
evangelical discussions in Berlin in 1966 sponsored by the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association and by the evangelical journal Christianity Today. The Berlin Congress was
themed “One race, One Gospel, One task” and formulated a biblical basis for a Biblical
world evangelization theology and discovered a new method of evangelization. Missions
are pressured on the basis of personal faith that does not depend on church institutions
7
.
If Billy Graham became the pioneer of the worldwide evangelization movement,
then Donald A. McGavran became the pioneer of the church growth movement.
8
McGavran changed the three inappropriate traditional mission approaches, namely the
individualistic approach, the “mission station” approach (founding churches) and
“conquest of culture” (imposing Western culture), into a program of church growth in every
sector of society so that it became a “people's movement”.
9
. There are five biblical reasons
that the church growth program is a “command of God”, namely (1) Matthew 9:37-38, the
world is a mission field to reap souls; (2) Romans 1:5, the task of the church is “to lead all
the nations, that they may believe and obey Him”; (3) Matthew 28:18-19, the church guides
people on a world scale to make disciples of “all peoples and all classes of society
everywhere”; (4) I Corinthians 10:33 - 11:1, win over as many unbelievers as possible; (5)
Mark 14:9, carries out worldwide evangelization (Atasoge & Beding, 2021).
In addition to these five biblical reasons, McGavran gives seven theological steps
1
Richard A.D. Siwu. (1996) Misi dalam Pandangan Ekumenikal dan Evangelikal Asia 1910-1961-
1991. Jakarta: Gunung Mulia. 264-265, 270.
2
Ibid. 265.
3
Ibid. 286.
4
Ibid. 270. Besides Octavianus and Marantika, Stephen Tong's name is also mentioned. He gave a
lecture at the plenary session with a paper entitled “Sin and Loss”.
5
Ibid. 269.
6
Ibid. 304.
7
Ibid. 120-122.
8
Ibid. 126.
9
Or "movement in society". see Bambang dan Handi, Op. Cit. 2.
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Wahyoe!Rita!Wulandari!!
Key Data-Based Church Growth in Indonesia From Evangelical Perspective and Critical
Review of Them 649
for the development of a church growth program, namely: (1) encouragement to
evangelize; (2) multiplying the number of churches among unreached people; (3) make all
nations or layers of society disciples of Jesus; (4) close relationship with people who have
become Christians; (5) financial responsibility and unceasing prayer; (6) accurate
information to local congregations and denominations; (7) the spirit of evangelization in
the laity. So, from these seven steps, we see that there are three main cores of the church
growth program, namely multiplying the number of local congregations, making disciples
of ethnic groups and even all mankind, and seeking the lost.
McGavran founded the Institute of Church Growth in 1961. Then changed its name
to the School of World Mission and then joined the Fuller Theological Seminary in 1965.
Finally, McGavran's church growth movement joined hands with the Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association and the World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF) which is now
known as World Evangelical Alliance (WEA).
10
It is in this worldwide evangelical forum
that the Evangelical Fellowship of Asia (EFA) was founded in 1983. And, in 2008, EFA
changed its name to the Asian Evangelical Alliance (AEA).
11
Currently, Bambang
Budijanto is the general secretary of AEA.
12
Bambang Budijanto, chairman of the BRC board of directors, is one of the authors
of the book The Key to Church Growth in Indonesia. Another writer is Handi Irawan, who
currently serves as chairman of BRC
13
and vice chairman of the STT SAAT Malang
foundation.
14
On March 28 2018, at STT SAAT, a seminar was held by BRC. In this event,
a cooperation agreement was signed between STT SAAT and BRC.
15
Previously, both of
them were also writers in the book Dynamics of Spirituality of the Young Generation of
Indonesian Christians
16
, edited by Bambang and published by BRC.
B. Key to Church Growth in Data-Based Indonesia
Before discussing the data-based book Key to Church Growth in Indonesia, it is
better if we put the thoughts of this book in an empirical approach that examines a problem
with scientific research methodology. Gitowiratmo, in his book Basic Data-Based Pastoral
Ideas,
17
introduces four pastoral models or approaches that we can use to approach church
growth. The four approaches are:
1. Pilot Approach. Aims for plantatio ecclesiae or church planting, which means
forming and developing ecclesiastical communities. The procedure is top-down
with the pattern of a leader-subordinate or teacher-student relationship. At the top
position there is a central figure who teaches (pastor centric) and in the down
position there are students who learn about the doctrine of faith.
10
Or in Indonesian abbreviated as: World Evangelical Fellowship (PED).
11
Dibin Samuel, “Evangelical Fellowship of Asia Renamed”,
https://www.christianpost.com/news/evangelical-fellowship-of-asia-renamed-new-general-
secretary-installed.html (diakses 14/1/2022, 13:55)
12
“Executive Council 2020 – 2024”, https://asiaevangelicals.org/who-we-are/structure/ (diakses
14/1/2022, 13:46).
13
https://bilanganresearch.com/tentang-brc.html (diakses 14/1/2022, 17:30).
14
Bambang dan Handi, op.cit., h. 123. Atau di https://seabs.ac.id/siapa-kami/yayasan/ (diakses
14/1/2022, 14:19).
15
“Seminar Bilangan Research,” https://seabs.ac.id/news/seminar-bilangan-research/ (diakses
14/1/2022, 14:20).
16
Bambang Budijanto, ed. Dinamika Spiritualitas Generasi Muda Kristen Indonesia (Jakarta:
Bilangan Research Center, 2018).
17
St. S. Gitowiratmo. (2017) Gagasan Dasar Pastoral Berbasis Data. Yogyakarta: Kanisius. 38-
46.
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2. The Canonical Applied Approach. Aims to implement canonical provisions. This
canonical contains principles that are universal and do not look at the specifics
(context) of concrete congregational life. The procedure is top-down, where the
top lowers the rules and the down ones do it.
3. Participatory Approach. The church is the fellowship of the faithful with Christ as
its center. The image of the church is not a top-down pyramid, but a circle. The
whole community of faith participates in pastoral work and gets a place according
to their respective gifts, competencies and knowledge. Here, the participatory
approach is interdisciplinary and even interfaith.
4. Empirical Approach. It is cross-disciplinary and prioritizes data that is organized
and measurable. It is called "empirical" because it pays attention to the reality of
the life of the congregation that is experienced and captured (calculated, seen,
analyzed etc.) as "empirical phenomena". The estuary of an empirical approach is
a pastoral work that is contextual, relevant and significant.
The word "contextual" in the empirical approach is closer to the ecumenical
perspective than the evangelical perspective because the ecumenical "departs from the
context”
18
, while the evangelical ones “depart from the text” to apply to context. In the
research methodology, it is explained that the research respondents are Christian church
leaders whose majority have duties, positions, and service responsibilities as church pastors
or pastors. This selection of leaders demonstrates the “pastor centric” nature of the pilot
approach. So, here, from an evangelical perspective, a top-down applied and pilot approach
is mixed with an empirical approach with an emphasis on the importance of relevant and
significant data; or, to use the language of BRC, “relevant, valid and current data”. By
understanding the evangelical spirit and the importance of empirical research that produces
“relevant, valid and up-to-date data”, we can better understand what the book Keys to
Church Growth in Indonesia presents.
In the “Foreword” it is stated that according to its vision, BRC is a service
institution that provides current, valid, and relevant data for churches and ecclesiastical
institutions.
19
The focus on “churches and ecclesiastical institutions” is a church-centered
evangelical mission. This is emphasized many times in its mission statement as found on
its official website,
20
for example, “Assist the church in developing effective church growth
strategies and programs”. BRC hopes that he and the church will faithfully carry out the
mission of the Great Commission. The fourth research of BRC focuses on discipleship and
church involvement in obeying the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus.
21
Church growth
is planned according to the theological vision of the Great Commission.
22
In "Introduction", McGavran's opinion is expressed about the relationship between
church growth and the vision of the Great Commission. McGavran argues that evangelism
is input, that is, lost people must be won to Christ, baptized, and then members of the
church. While the output is church growth. Church growth is influenced by obedience in
carrying out the vision of the Great Commission. At the heart of church growth is successful
evangelism. McGavran conducts church growth research using observational and
18
Ibid., bdk with the pastoral method described in Chapter II. It is a contextual, cross-disciplinary
method of social theology that draws inspiration from Latin American liberation theology. Look,
Siwu. Op. cit. 194. The Latin American theology of liberation voiced by Gustavo Gutierrez is cited
as an example of contextual theology. In Indonesia, we cannot simply apply this liberation theology
because the Indonesian context is more religiously diverse.
19
Bambang and Handi. Op. Cit. ix.
20
https://bilanganresearch.com/tentang-brc.html (diakses 14/1/2022, 21:55).
21
Bambang and Handi. Op. Cit. 125.
22
Bambang and Handi. Op. Cit. 1.
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Key Data-Based Church Growth in Indonesia From Evangelical Perspective and Critical
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investigative methods in which he records which churches are growing and compares them
to those that are not. The combination of research methodology and theological doctrine
makes church growth interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary in order to carry out the Great
Commission to effectively make disciples of all nations. BRC itself combines statistical
research and sociological research because it involves different cultures in Indonesia. In
research, the data and information obtained are very dependent on the question. It is
because of this "depending" nature that it is necessary to first explain the "evangelical
perspective". In the book The Key to Church Growth in Indonesia, the question is out of
evangelical theological doctrine.
23
Evangelical theological doctrine, as described in the section on “evangelical
perspectives” is very much centered on evangelism in the vision of the Great Commission
with the resulting increase in church membership, discipleship and personal faith.
Therefore, in the book Keys to Church Growth in Indonesia, we read survey questions
related to evangelism, discipleship and personal faith. For example, in “respondent
profiles”
24
what was asked was the question of when to be born again or when to make a
decision to follow Jesus, who brought him to Jesus, and had made disciples or not. In
"research instruments”
25
, They were asked about “how do the respondents of God's servants
know Christ”, the growth in the quantity of people in the church, the involvement of the
congregation in the discipleship process, the growth in the quantity of new churches being
started and questions related to vocations, motivations, and challenges faced by God's
servants. Evangelical theological doctrine has little to say about social service. Therefore,
in “research instruments” and in “dynamics of a healthy church in Indonesia”
26
, although
it is written about social service, it has not received sufficient attention in BRC's research
on church growth. BRC finds leadership and strategy factors as the key to church growth
in Indonesia.
27
BRC calculates the growth of the “average number of devotees worshiping every
Sunday at the church”
28
. BRC groups the congregations into three categories, namely the
adult congregation of 25 years and over, the youth congregation of 15-24 years and the
congregation of children 1-14 years. In the context of adult congregations worshiping on
Sundays, BRC grouped church respondents into three size categories, namely: first, small
churches of 1-50 people; second, the church is 51-200 people; and third, a large church of
more than 200 devotees. In the context of congregations of youth and children who worship
on Sundays, BRC groups church respondents into three size categories, namely: small
congregations of 1-50 people, medium congregations of 51-100 people and large
congregations of more than 100 people. This paper focuses more on the adult congregation
and discusses the congregation of youth and children in moderation.
Is the church in Indonesia growing? Nationally, 58% of adult congregations are
growing, while 42% are not growing.
29
Categorically above, the church that grew the most
was the medium church. What is the cause of this growth? There are seven causes, namely:
23
Later, in the next section on the “Criticism” section, we will see that often what is important to
evangelicals is not important to ecumenicals. And what is considered "spirituality" by evangelicals,
is not necessarily considered "spirituality" by ecumenicals, and vice versa.
24
Bambang and Handi. Op. Cit. 9-13.
25
Bambang and Handi. Op. Cit. 7.
26
Bambang and Handi. Op. Cit. 53.
27
Bambang and Handi. Op. Cit. 4.
28
Bambang and Handi. Op. Cit. 15. The BRC does not count the number of people who have been
baptized or registered in the church administration.
29
Bambang and Handi. Op. Cit. 16-18.
Eduvest – Journal of Universal Studies
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1. Moving from another church 45.7%
2. Biological growth (having children) 23.8%
3. Marriage with another religion 11.7%
4. Conversion (moving from another religion) 8.7%
5. Change of residence 2.2%
6. Evangelism 1.7%
7. Others 8.2%
The main cause of adult congregation growth is “moving from another church”
(45.7%). The next cause (46.4%) is related to having a family, namely having children
(“biological growth”) and marrying followers of other religions, and moving places of
residence. “Others” 8.2% and, surprisingly, 1.7% evangelism. According to the BRC, “1.7
percent evangelism” means that only 1.7% of churches in Indonesia are the main cause of
the growth in the number of people who come from evangelism.
30
This is very small
compared to the causes of “moving from another church”, “having a family” and “changing
residence” which all reached 92.1%. So, from the BRC findings above, the current church
growth is not the result of a deliberate effort from an evangelistic program but a natural
growth of moving and family activities.
Does church growth in Indonesia meet the criteria for a healthy church? BRC has
ten criteria for a healthy church, which I grouped
31
as follows:
A. Quantity
1. The number of adult congregations is increasing (growing in quantity)
2. The number of children's congregations is increasing (growing in quantity)
3. The number of youth congregations is increasing (growing in quantity)
4. Planting more than one new church
B. Investment
5. Invest in leadership development
6. Invest in building the next generation
7. Invest in missions and evangelism
C.Quality
8. Spirituality, engage in the discipleship process
9. Involvement, involved in routine service
10. The church has a social service program for the surrounding community
With these criteria, the BRC set three measures: unhealthy (1-4), less healthy (5-6)
and healthy (7-10). The number in brackets is the number of criteria that must be met and
at least one of the quantity and quality is met. The BRC found that churches were 55.6%
unhealthy, 25.8% less healthy and 18.6% healthy. This means that only 18.6% meet the
minimum seven criteria for a healthy church. If this finding is related to the finding of the
natural growth of moving and family activities which totaled 92.1%, then the current
church growth is still in numbers that are far from healthy or unhealthy church growth.
In order for healthy church growth to occur as a result of church program efforts
such as evangelism, BRC describes the keys to church growth in Indonesia which include
leadership and strategy factors:
1. Leadership Factor
• Synod Support
A total of 40.2% of respondents stated that they received little support from the
synod leadership. Around 38.2% of respondents received moderate support while the
30
Bambang and Handi. Op. Cit. 27.
31
Slightly different from the order BRC made.
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Key Data-Based Church Growth in Indonesia From Evangelical Perspective and Critical
Review of Them 653
remaining 21.6% of respondents stated that the synod leadership gave great support. There
were 54.6% of churches that grew from respondents who stated that they received little
support from the synod leadership. In contrast, there were 68.2% of churches that grew
from respondents who stated that they received great support from the synod leadership.
• Calls and Motivation
Around 63.5% of churches that are experiencing growth are churches led by
servants of God who use the percentage level of people who serve God as a measure of
their success. The servant of God who views the involvement of the people in ministry as
a measure of success seems to give priority to investing in equipping, supporting, and
giving space to his congregation to be involved in routine services in the church. These
efforts did make the church grow.
• Servant of God Education
The education level of God's servants is an important variable for church growth.
Consistently, servants of God who received Masters and Doctoral Theology education
showed much better church growth performance than servants of God who completed
Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral education.
Theology, Bachelor of Theology, or those who have only completed education up
to High School (SMA) level. The superior performance of God's servants with Masters and
Doctoral Theology education levels is consistently seen in the growth of adult
congregations (67.7%), youth congregations (67.4%), and children's congregations
(72.1%).
2. as follows:
A. Quantity
1. The number of adult congregations is increasing (growing in quantity)
2. The number of children's congregations is increasing (growing in quantity)
3. The number of youth congregations is increasing (growing in quantity)
4. Planting more than one new church
B. Investment
5. Invest in leadership development
6. Invest in building the next generation
7. Invest in missions and evangelism
C.Quality
8. Spirituality, engage in the discipleship process
9. Involvement, involved in routine service
10. The church has a social service program for the surrounding community
With these criteria, the BRC set three measures: unhealthy (1-4), less healthy (5-
6) and healthy (7-10). The number in brackets is the number of criteria that must be met
and at least one of the quantity and quality is met. The BRC found that churches were
55.6% unhealthy, 25.8% less healthy and 18.6% healthy. This means that only 18.6% meet
the minimum seven criteria for a healthy church. If this finding is related to the finding of
the natural growth of moving and family activities which totaled 92.1%, then the current
church growth is still in numbers that are far from healthy or unhealthy church growth.
In order for healthy church growth to occur as a result of church program efforts
such as evangelism, BRC describes the keys to church growth in Indonesia which include
leadership and strategy factors:
1. Leadership Factor
• Synod Support
A total of 40.2% of respondents stated that they received little support from the
synod leadership. Around 38.2% of respondents received moderate support while the
remaining 21.6% of respondents stated that the synod leadership gave great support. There
Eduvest – Journal of Universal Studies
Volume 2 Number 4, April 2022
654 http://eduvest.greenvest.co.id
were 54.6% of churches that grew from respondents who stated that they received little
support from the synod leadership. In contrast, there were 68.2% of churches that grew
from respondents who stated that they received great support from the synod leadership.
• Calls and Motivation
Around 63.5% of churches that are experiencing growth are churches led by
servants of God who use the percentage level of people who serve God as a measure of
their success. The servant of God who views the involvement of the people in ministry as
a measure of success seems to give priority to investing in equipping, supporting, and
giving space to his congregation to be involved in routine services in the church. These
efforts did make the church grow.
• Servant of God Education
The education level of God's servants is an important variable for church growth.
Consistently, servants of God who received Masters and Doctoral Theology education
showed much better church growth performance than servants of God who completed
Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral education.
Theology, Bachelor of Theology, or those who have only completed education up
to High School (SMA) level. The superior performance of God's servants with Masters and
Doctoral Theology education levels is consistently seen in the growth of adult
congregations (67.7%), youth congregations (67.4%), and children's congregations
(72.1%).
2. Strategy Factor
32
• Discipleship Process and Congregational Participation
38.5% includes “discipling churches” because more than 10% of the congregation
are involved in discipleship. 61.5% does not include “not making disciples” because only
0-10% are involved in discipleship. The “discipling church” grew 67.5%, higher than the
non-discipling church which grew (also) 52.4%. Categorically, medium churches have the
highest growth (74.5%) compared to large and small churches.
• Congregational Engagement Serving
The percentage of parishioners' participation in routine services is 52.7%, of which
more than 10% of the congregations are involved in routine services (we'll call them
“serving congregations”). 47.3% where 0-10% of the congregation are involved in routine
services. “Church serving” grew 65.5% higher than the less engaged congregation (only
grew 50.4%). Categorically, medium churches have the highest growth (72.9%) compared
to large and small churches.
• Investing in the Evangelism Fund
35.9% of churches invest more than 10% of church revenues in mission and
evangelism programs. 64.1% churches invest 0-10% only. Churches that invested more
than 10% experienced 68.5% growth. This is higher than the church that invested 0-10%
which grew only 52.7%. Categorically, medium churches have the highest growth (76%)
compared to large and small churches.
• Investment/Allocation of Funds for Child and Adolescent Services
35.4% of churches invest more than 10% of church revenues in children and youth
ministries. 64.6% churches invest 0-10% only. Churches that invested more than 10%
experienced 68.3% growth. This is higher than the church that invested 0-10% which grew
only 55%. Categorically, medium-sized churches have the highest growth (74.6%)
compared to large and small churches.
32
Compare with 10 criteria for a healthy church. In this strategic factor, 6 criteria for a healthy
church are the key to church growth.
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Key Data-Based Church Growth in Indonesia From Evangelical Perspective and Critical
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• Investment in Leadership Capacity Development
33
48.4% of churches invest more than twice a year in developing leadership capacity.
51.6% church 0-2 times only. Churches that invest more than twice a year experienced
66.3% growth. This is higher than the church that invested 0-2 times which grew only
55.4%. Categorically, medium churches have the highest growth (76.6%) compared to
large and small churches.
• Church Planting
65.8% of churches that started two or more new congregations were recorded as
churches with a much larger number of people than churches with only 0-1 new
congregations. Categorically, medium churches have the highest growth (77%) compared
to large and small churches. 58.7% of large churches that did not start new congregations
did not experience growth in the number of people.
In the strategy factor, there are 6 criteria for a healthy church that are significantly
related to church growth. The other three criteria relate to quantity, while one criterion that
was not researched is social services. “Social services” is only one hidden variable that is
included in the “support of the synod leadership”. It is called “hidden” because it is not
clear how much the synod supports for social services. Again, this emphasizes how from
an evangelical perspective, social service is not receiving adequate attention.
The most striking thing is that the “medium church”, with the number of people
between 51 to 200, becomes the most ideal context or land for church growth. The six
strategy factors show a strong relationship between “medium churches” and the highest
growth.
C. Criticism from the Ecumenical Perspective of the Key Book for Church
Growth in Indonesia
BRC's findings can be said to be extraordinary. Because, apart from covering the
national level throughout Indonesia, BRC's research has provided a breakthrough in the
field of church growth. The growth of the church into a multidisciplinary field that is taken
seriously according to existing scientific research standards. Thus, we get empirical
phenomena in factual figures, not "guessed" numbers, whether motivational, hopeful or
apologetic. Data-driven church growth provides enormous benefits for churches in
Indonesia. However, we have seen that this empirical research is guided by theological
questions from an evangelical perspective, with all its strengths and weaknesses. Here, the
author will give a little criticism from an ecumenical perspective on the Key to Church
Growth in Indonesia.
The orientation of evagelical theology is church-centered. Of the ten criteria for a
healthy church, nine of them are related to the church, while one criterion, namely social
services, only relates to society or the world. In the description of the factors that are key
to church growth, social service is not the key. In the leadership factor, there is “synodal
leadership support” for social services but it is not written explicitly how much this support
is. “Social services” are just hidden factors that are simply lumped together with other
factors. This lack of attention to social services can be overcome if the BRC takes into
account a world-centred ecumenical perspective
34
. The world, society with all its injustices
and sufferings, becomes the context for the growth of the church.
33
In the book Key to Church Growth in Indonesia there are findings about “Investment in
Leadership Capacity Development”, but the author does not include it. In our opinion, this is
important to be included in accordance with the criteria for a healthy church.
34
Siwu. Op. Cit. 84.
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656 http://eduvest.greenvest.co.id
From the context will emerge the most basic methodological questions. Who, from
whose perspective and for whose interests a scientific research is carried out?
35
For the
church or for the people in general? If the interest is only for the church, then the research
will not benefit the people in general and will be suspected of being a form of
Christianization. In Indonesia, people live in various religions, with Islam as the most
widely practiced religion. Social services are nonsense if they do not touch the people who
are Muslim. Since Christians are small in number, it is arrogance to want to change society
with its social services. Christians need to cooperate with Islam. Thus, its social services
have a transformative power.
Cooperation with Islam will raise fundamental theological questions. Is God's truth
as authentic in Islam as it is in Christianity? Answering this question from a Christian
perspective would certainly benefit the Christian position. Except, we answer it with a good
presupposition and in an inter-being pro-existence paradigm. To be religious today is to be
inter-religious.
36
And thankfully, there have been many Christians who have good ideas
and have a pro-existence paradigm in answering this question. Asian theologians, including
contextual-ecumenical Indonesian theologians, assert that God's truth or revelation is
authentically manifest in non-Christian Asian religions. For example, Aloysius Pieris
speaks of the great presence of non-Christian soteriology.
37
Pieris said, “learn the language
of the people. Attend Asian folk ceremonies and rituals; listen to their singing...catch their
myths, you will find that the language they use connects them with the basic truths with
which every religion grapples with” . Only with such an understanding of revelation,
salvation and truth can we live an open church life that welcomes the people or people of
other religions in the church. People of other religions are our brothers and sisters and don't
call them infidels.
38
Such an open church, which is interfaith, cannot be imagined from an evangelical
perspective. From an evangelical perspective, the church is for only one religion, namely
Christianity. From an ecumenical perspective, interfaith church is not a possibility but has
been practiced in the Contextual Basis Community (KBK)
39
or the Humane Base
Community (KBM). Here, all interfaith people sit together, have a dialogue together to deal
with humanitarian problems from the perspective or eyes of who is the victim. The church
in this basic community is indeed more suitable if it is examined with participatory research
where observation and participation takes place
40
. Here, the researcher observes the daily
life of the congregations by being directly involved in the lives of the people being studied.
Such research is certainly different from the BRC research as we have discussed above.
Perhaps up to this point, the reader begins to feel that the main issue for ecumenicalists is
not church growth but building an interfaith contextual church rooted in local culture by
making human issues the main thing. Here, the church is no longer a “foreigner” but a
35
John M. Prior. (1997) Meneliti Jemaat: Pedoman Riset Partisipatoris. Jakarta: Gramedia. 7, 15.
36
J.B. Banawiratma. (2002) 10 Agenda Pastoral Transformatif: Menuju Pemberdayaan Kaum
Miskin dengan Perspektif Adil Gender, HAM, dan Lingkungan Hidup. Yogyakarta: Kanisius. 35.
37
Aloysius Pieris. Berteologi dalam Konteks Asia, Terj. A.M. Hardjana. Yogyakarta: Kanisius,
tanpa tahun. 122.
38
Ebenhaizer I. Nuban Timo. (2017) Meng-Hari-Ini-Kan Injil di Bumi Pancasila: Bergereja dengan
Cita Rasa Indonesia. Jakarta: Gunung Mulia. 235.
39
Banawiratma. Op. Cit. 11-13.
40
John M. Prior. Op. Cit. 21
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Key Data-Based Church Growth in Indonesia From Evangelical Perspective and Critical
Review of Them 657
comrade-in-arms of the local people. What does it mean if the church growth rate increases
while our friends of other faiths remain in poverty, injustice and oppression?
41
Perhaps one thing that worries evangelicals is how do evangelism, the Great
Commission and discipleship stand? Evangelism is not converting people from other
religions to Christianity but generating the “content of the Bible” or the liberating power
of salvation from other religions
42
so that there is a common vision towards full humanity.
Evangelism aims to convert people, not from other religions to Christianity, but from a
selfish attitude of disbelieving others to an attitude of love and respect for people of other
religions. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 is not understood separately from
the entire Gospel of Matthew.
43
The Sermon on the Mount, a summary of the Torah (law
of love) and the Last Judgment are the contents of what discipleship is. Thus, making
disciples is not Christianizing, but witnessing God's love as the Lord Jesus declared. Social
service is not an evangelistic tool, but the essence of evangelism itself, where we as
disciples of Jesus practice the love He taught that “everything you did for one of the least
of these my brethren, you did it for me” ( Matthew 25:40).
Does being a disciple mean one has to be a member of the church? Or, can a person
be a disciple, but remain in his own religion? The answer is, it can. Mahatma Gandhi is a
disciple of Jesus who consistently carries out the values of the Sermon on the Mount but
still adheres to Hinduism.
44
With this last answer, the research needed for an interfaith
contextual church will be very different from the research conducted by BRC. From
different theology or ecclesiology, a research will be guided by different questions which
ultimately produce different empirical data.
CONCLUSION
The main problems of Christianity in Asia, including in Indonesia, are viewed
differently from an evangelical and ecumenical perspective. The evangelicals see the
problem as a small number of Christians, while the ecumenicals see that Christians are not
rooted in Asian soil. Because it is "little", the solution evangelicals seek is to multiply;
while the "not rooted" solutions are sought by ecumenicals to take root. Church growth is
the main issue for evangelicals, while building an interfaith contextual church or
Contextual Basis Community (KBK) is the main issue for ecumenicals. What is interesting
is that both of them, in 2017, saw the importance of empirical data from scientific research
results as a starting point for building the church they dreamed of. The evangelicals publish
the book Key to Church Growth in Indonesia, while the ecumenical ones publish the book
Basic Data-Based Pastoral Ideas.
Church growth requires empirical data, as well as contextual church building.
However, what the BRC does as a representative of evangelicals is more complete and
nationally-level than that of ecumenical which only provides local case examples and the
importance of empirical data in pastoral care, including contextual church building.
Therefore, this paper prefers what is produced by BRC as study material. The critique from
41
We can also ask, “what is the meaning of church growth if what happens is a transfer from another
church?” The ambition of "growth" makes us not understand what "transfer from another church"
is. Physically-locally, it looks like "growth". But, theologically and the church as “catholic”, it
doesn't grow anything.
42
Pieris uses the term “Christian apocalypse of the non-Christian experience of freedom”, see
Aloysius Pieris.
43
E.G. Singgih. (2000) Berteologi dalam Konteks: Pemikiran-Pemikiran Mengenai
Kontekstualisasi Teologi di Indonesia. Jakarta: BPK Gunung Mulia; Yogyakarta: Kanisius. 93.
44
Ebenhaizer. Op. Cit. 243.
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Volume 2 Number 4, April 2022
658 http://eduvest.greenvest.co.id
an ecumenical perspective on BRC's findings aims to further develop the empirical data
research conducted by BRC so that it is beneficial for church growth or contextual church
development. Of course, ecumenicals also have much to learn from the achievements of
the BRC as a representative evangelical research institute.
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