Sunset International Studies Division

Winston is a graduate of Sunset School of Preaching and Sunset School of Missions.

The Madigan Avenue church of Christ in Morgantown, West Virginia, has sponsored Winston since 1984. His first mission work was in Malawi Africa with WBS in 1986. He was forced to return because of pneumonia. After recovery he became a missionary to Indonesia in July of 1987.

He worked in Irian Jaya (1987-88) but moved to Java after many serious bouts with malaria. After working in Java and Sulawesi for three years, 1989-1991, the Lord opened a door for Winston to begin a church planting on Batam Island. The church of Christ at Pasir Panjang in Singapore offered to help support the work in Batam. Winston accepted the challenge and moved there in 1992. The goals, based on solid research and personal observation, were to develop an indigenous church that could be a role model for others and to establish a biblical education system for the Indonesian church.

There were many challenges along the way but the goals of founding indigenous churches and establishing a biblical education system have already become a reality. The new goal now is to plant the church in every one of the thirty provinces (states) and all major cities in Indonesia. The foundation has been laid firmly on God’s Word with Jesus Christ being the corner stone. The theme is "Return to Jesus through His Word" with the emphasis being put on Jesus as the model, teacher, and authority in all things. The church in Batam has a current membership of over one hundred with expansion to more than double that amount possible, upon the completion of the proposed new church building to accommodate the growth. They have selected a leadership group of eight men who are being trained to become elders and deacons as they qualify for these positions in the not too distant future. The church has selected from among themselves two men to be evangelist for the church, whom they fully support. Both have graduated from the Sunset International Bible Institute, Batam Branch School. They were excellent students, and now are accomplished preachers and teachers.

BATAM IS A GATEWAY TO INDONESIA - Batam has become a magnet for many from all over Indonesia because of the industrial and tourism industries that are flourishing here. Many people are coming to Batam to find work and then later return to their home villages. This is a cultural pattern in Indonesia. In fact, Batam is the most visited location in all of Indonesia. It is through this somewhat transient nature of the population that we hope to spread the gospel to all parts of this nation and the rest of Southeast Asia. Since the establishment of the church in Batam, there have been between 250-300 souls baptized into Christ plus over 200 from all over Indonesia with over 10% of them coming from the Islamic faith. In spite of the transient movement, a core of stable and permanent members has been established in Batam who are the heart of the church.

Meet Winston and Lusi Bolt
	Winston Bolt was born January 9, 1944. In 1996 he married Lusi Sumolang, who is a citizen of Indonesia. After finishing high school, Winston attended Miami Dade College where he studied mechanical engineering. He worked for a time as a salesman and design engineer for Central Air Conditioning in Miami, Florida. He was baptized in 1982 at the Westwood Lake church of Christ in Miami Florida.
Winston is a graduate of Sunset School of Preaching and Sunset School of Missions. The Madigan Avenue church of Christ in Morgantown, West Virginia, has sponsored Winston since 1984. His first mission work was in Malawi Africa with WBS in 1986. He was forced to return because of pneumonia. After recovery he became a missionary to Indonesia in July of 1987. He worked in Irian Jaya (1987-88) but moved to Java after many serious bouts with malaria. After working in Java and Sulawesi for three years, 1989-1991, the Lord opened a door for Winston to begin a church planting on Batam Island. The church of Christ at Pasir Panjang in Singapore offered to help support the work in Batam. Winston accepted the challenge and moved there in 1992. The goals, based on solid research and personal observation, were to develop an indigenous church that could be a role model for others and to establish a biblical education system for the Indonesian church. There were many challenges along the way but the goals of founding indigenous churches and establishing a biblical education system have already become a reality. The new goal now is to plant the church in every one of the thirty provinces (states) and all major cities in Indonesia. The foundation has been laid firmly on God’s Word with Jesus Christ being the corner stone. The theme is "Return to Jesus through His Word" with the emphasis being put on Jesus as the model, teacher, and authority in all things. The church in Batam has a current membership of over one hundred with expansion to more than double that amount possible, upon the completion of the proposed new church building to accommodate the growth. They have selected a leadership group of eight men who are being trained to become elders and deacons as they qualify for these positions in the not too distant future. The church has selected from among themselves two men to be evangelist for the church, whom they fully support. Both have graduated from the Sunset International Bible Institute, Batam Branch School. They were excellent students, and now are accomplished preachers and teachers. BATAM IS A GATEWAY TO INDONESIA - Batam has become a magnet for many from all over Indonesia because of the industrial and tourism industries that are flourishing here. Many people are coming to Batam to find work and then later return to their home villages. This is a cultural pattern in Indonesia. In fact, Batam is the most visited location in all of Indonesia. It is through this somewhat transient nature of the population that we hope to spread the gospel to all parts of this nation and the rest of Southeast Asia. Since the establishment of the church in Batam, there have been between 250-300 souls baptized into Christ plus over 200 from all over Indonesia with over 10% of them coming from the Islamic faith. In spite of the transient movement, a core of stable and permanent members has been established in Batam who are the heart of the church.