Sunset International Studies Division

CHURCH PLANTING – The Mission to Batam has one umbrella goal covering all the others, and that is church planting. Batam is a gateway for people entering and leaving the country and, because of this, contacts are made with people from all over the country. Not only has a thriving church been planted and nourished in Batam but also twelve (12) more new congregations have been planted as a result of their labors. There are now (2003) six new congregations in Java, two in Sumatra, four in Sulawesi, and a work is in progress for the planting of another congregation in Batam. Members and students who were baptized in Batam have returned to their native villages and preached the gospel to their family and friends. They have called us to come and help, which we are happy to do. The result is that the kingdom of Christ in Indonesia keeps expanding.

HISTORY OF BATAM BIBLE COLLEGE

The Batam Bible College began in 1995 with the creation of an official foundation for the school, called a Yayasan. In 1997 Sunset International Biblical Institute proposed that a branch of SIBI be established in Batam. The proposal was accepted and classes began in June 1997. Then in 2002 the school was accredited by the Indonesian department of Education as a college of theology, and Sunset adopted an affiliate role. As a graduate of Sunset School of Preaching, Winston prepared all of the classes based upon class notes and materials received at Sunset. Since that time just about every course has been revised to meet the needs and demands of this culture. This is a constant process as they teach the entire curriculum of SIBI that consists of 32 courses plus five major practical courses of teaching, preaching, evangelism, church administration, and church development etc. This is done in two terms of six months each for a period of two years. Classes begin at 7:00am and end at 4:00pm. Each course consists of either 45 or 60 classroom hours.

The students must be members of the Lord’s Body and recommended by their local congregation. We ask for the churches to send us older men who have already been serving in the church but we do accept younger men (21+) or new converts if they are from new congregations or as the circumstances warrant.

At this time, because of the space and staff restraints, one term of six months per year is offered. This means that we graduate a class every two years. Once facilities and staff are sufficient we will teach the first and second terms concurrently so as to have a class graduate every year. We also wish to establish a third term for church expansion (missions) and development.

Mission statement: “And the things, which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2. Biblical leadership and preacher training are the primary emphasis. They are preparing men who will be capable of preaching, teaching, proclaiming the gospel, developing and expanding the church into every province of Indonesia. Besides this they stress Romans 12:1-2, “The renewing of the mind.” Character, morals, and ethics are critical matters for servants of the Lord. They must be taught what God intends for their lives as compared to what the world or their present culture says to do.

GRADUATES
Three classes have already graduated. The first graduating class was five men. The second class included ten men and the wife of one of them. The third class consisted of eight men.

Class of 1999:
*Yonathan Suparso – Sragen Central Java. He was baptized in Batam and then sent back to his home in Central Java. He has baptized over 150 souls and established six congregations. He is now working as a leader of the Solo mission team where three congregations in this major city have already been established since October 2002.

*Herry Kristian – Batam / Surabaya, East Java. Brother Herry was baptized in Batam and has a degree in Education. He worked with the church in Surabaya, Batam, and is now part of the mission team in Solo Central Java.
*Bantu S. – Lopi, South Sulawesi. Brother Bantu has planted four congregations since returning to Lopi, two in South Sulawesi and now two in Central Sulawesi.
*Jerry Manawan – Manado North Sulawesi. After returning home and working with the church in Manado, Brother Jerry was asked to move to Jakarta to preach for a new congregation that was planted in this great city.
*Herbin Simanjuntak – Batam. After Brother Herbin graduated the congregation in Batam asked him to be an evangelist for the church here and fully supports him. He has fulfilled all that we asked of him and much more. This brother will be one of the most powerful and influential preachers in Indonesia.

Class of 2001:
*Mendre – East Jakarta, Bali. He joined the team to take the gospel to the island of Bali.
*Halawa Medan, Sumatera – This brother is supporting himself and working with the church in Medan.
*Santo & wife – Have begun a congregation in their home in Bekasi, West Java.
*Jannes Banjarnahor – Brother Jannes worked with the church in Batam as a youth minister and is now an evangelist in Duri, Sumatra where a new church planting is in progress.
*Antoinus Pasribu – Brother Tony is working full-time for the East Jakarta congregation.

Class 2003: All graduates are working full-time for the church. Yosua – Biak, Papua (Irian Jaya); Heriyanto S. – Duri, Sumatera; Purba – Central Java; Petrus – Nias Tulawasa & wife – Nias; Samuel – Lopi South Sulawesi; Ferdinand – Batam;. Radius – Central Java.

SCHOOL SPONSOR – They are still seeking a sponsor for the school. A church who will oversee the school in conjunction with Sunset International Bible Institute.

SCHOOL COST INFORMATION – The major cost is student scholarship, which amounts to $100 per month per student for 24 or 36 months depending on the ability of the student. The 36 month program offers a degree of theology that allows the graduate to work in any college or school in Indonesia.

LAND COST – The land was acquired through the government on a social basis and has a value of $63,000.00 for 2000 square meters. This was the result of setting up the school foundation in 1995 which involved three years of work and considerable financial investment. Land clearing and development has cost an additional $3000.00.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION COST - Architectural plans have cost $3000.00 which has been paid by Winston Bolt. The proposed college facilities of 9500 square feet will cost $175,000 and will meet all government requirements for a college. The building will house forty students plus three married couples and two visiting teachers.

ANTICIPATED OPERATING COSTS – The scholarships of $100 per month for each student cover the anticipated operating cost of the school. Utilities – Utility costs are low as the building has been designed to operate without air conditioning and rain water is trapped to use for laundry and cleaning. Maintenance – The building has been designed to be maintenance free but in truth there is no such thing. The building has 6-month guarantee to clear all the bugs out. However experience alone will determine these expenses. Staff – Teachers at this time are supported outside of the school BUT in time this will change as native teachers work full-time for the school. Additional Staff – These will be added as funding is available (secretary, custodian/guard, etc.)

Student Body Size - Depends on the growth of the church nation wide. This will vary year by year. The more churches that are established the more students we will have. The goal is to have a maximum of 15-20 students per class in the two-year program. We also have plans for a third term to teach church expansion and development (missions program) which would have ten students at any one time. This would be the foundation for training native missionaries from among the graduates of the two-year program.

EXTENTION COURSES - SIBI SATELLITE COURSES
Translated SIBI courses are used in teaching outside of the school. However our goal is to have national teachers teaching the courses from the Indonesian perspective. How to use the SIBI Satellite courses in the context of the local work is the primary objective. At this time we are preparing extension courses for all levels of faith in the church.

WHY IS THE SCHOOL NEEDED?
One advantage of being a permanent long-term missionary is the ability to see the needs of the mission field where one is working and make evaluations. The initial church planting in Indonesia occurred during the 1970’s. In the 1980’s the more mature new converts were sent to attend the Four Seas School in Singapore. They were taught basic church doctrines and how to preach in English, but their biblical comprehension was limited and they were not equipped for church development. Upon their return to Indonesia these students moved into leadership positions but were not capable of maturing the church. This resulted in a number of very small congregations that never grew in number or spiritual development. The culture in Asia teaches and demands one-man leadership. This resulted in these young men being thrust into positions of leadership in the church for which they were not qualified and then protecting their positions and authority instead of developing other leaders to work with them for the growth of the church. Lack of knowledge and worldly leadership has resulted in a decline in the church in Indonesia rather than growth. The exceptions are in the primitive areas of Irian Jaya and Nias. Both of which have had constant missionary presence to support the spread of the gospel and a bible school in Irian Jaya. Isaiah 5:13, “Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, And their multitude is parched with thirst.”

This lack of knowledge can be and already is being remedied for the church in Indonesia. The result of not teaching men to follow biblical precepts is too horrendous to imagine, as it will result in the slow death of the church. We have to take serious the words of Paul in 2 Tim. 2:2, since they truly give us our assignment in the mission field, if the churches that we plant are to grow and prosper. “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” To put it simply we need to develop an educational system that can fulfill this command for generations to come just as we have in America and other places.

In observing the most successful mission fields for the churches of Christ we see two that stand out. One being the United States and the second is the nation of Nigeria in Africa. Both have one thing in common: They have had a biblical education program for preachers and leaders in the church. Without the continual, systematic training of men the leadership in the church will not be developed. Education and training are biblical precepts that cannot be ignored on the mission field if we expect the churches that are established to become mature indigenous churches with the capability of reproducing themselves.

INVITATION - We invite you to be partners with us and share in the blessings of God as you share in this work of the church. As the work has expanded it has eclipsed our financial abilities so please join with us in our efforts in taking the gospel to the fourth largest populated nation on earth.

History of Preacer Training in Batam, Indonesia
	BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP AND PREACHER TRAINING - The goal of establishing a biblical educational system for Indonesia is being realized through an affiliation with Sunset International Bible Institute (SIBI). The goal for the school is to develop biblical leaders and preachers among the present congregations in Indonesia and to develop evangelists (native missionaries) who are capable of planting, developing, and maturing churches throughout this nation of 220,000,000 people.
Thus we ask the local congregations to send us men who have already been serving the church in some capacity, whom they feel have the potential or are already serving in a leadership role. We have now graduated three classes with 70% of the graduates working full-time for the church in various provinces of Indonesia. CHURCH PLANTING – The Mission to Batam has one umbrella goal covering all the others, and that is church planting. Batam is a gateway for people entering and leaving the country and, because of this, contacts are made with people from all over the country. Not only has a thriving church been planted and nourished in Batam but also twelve (12) more new congregations have been planted as a result of their labors. There are now (2003) six new congregations in Java, two in Sumatra, four in Sulawesi, and a work is in progress for the planting of another congregation in Batam. Members and students who were baptized in Batam have returned to their native villages and preached the gospel to their family and friends. They have called us to come and help, which we are happy to do. The result is that the kingdom of Christ in Indonesia keeps expanding. HISTORY OF BATAM BIBLE COLLEGE The Batam Bible College began in 1995 with the creation of an official foundation for the school, called a Yayasan. In 1997 Sunset International Biblical Institute proposed that a branch of SIBI be established in Batam. The proposal was accepted and classes began in June 1997. Then in 2002 the school was accredited by the Indonesian department of Education as a college of theology, and Sunset adopted an affiliate role. As a graduate of Sunset School of Preaching, Winston prepared all of the classes based upon class notes and materials received at Sunset. Since that time just about every course has been revised to meet the needs and demands of this culture. This is a constant process as they teach the entire curriculum of SIBI that consists of 32 courses plus five major practical courses of teaching, preaching, evangelism, church administration, and church development etc. This is done in two terms of six months each for a period of two years. Classes begin at 7:00am and end at 4:00pm. Each course consists of either 45 or 60 classroom hours. The students must be members of the Lord’s Body and recommended by their local congregation. We ask for the churches to send us older men who have already been serving in the church but we do accept younger men (21+) or new converts if they are from new congregations or as the circumstances warrant. At this time, because of the space and staff restraints, one term of six months per year is offered. This means that we graduate a class every two years. Once facilities and staff are sufficient we will teach the first and second terms concurrently so as to have a class graduate every year. We also wish to establish a third term for church expansion (missions) and development. Mission statement: “And the things, which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2. Biblical leadership and preacher training are the primary emphasis. They are preparing men who will be capable of preaching, teaching, proclaiming the gospel, developing and expanding the church into every province of Indonesia. Besides this they stress Romans 12:1-2, “The renewing of the mind.” Character, morals, and ethics are critical matters for servants of the Lord. They must be taught what God intends for their lives as compared to what the world or their present culture says to do. GRADUATES Three classes have already graduated. The first graduating class was five men. The second class included ten men and the wife of one of them. The third class consisted of eight men. Class of 1999: Yonathan Suparso – Sragen Central Java. He was baptized in Batam and then sent back to his home in Central Java. He has baptized over 150 souls and established six congregations. He is now working as a leader of the Solo mission team where three congregations in this major city have already been established since October 2002. Herry Kristian – Batam / Surabaya, East Java. Brother Herry was baptized in Batam and has a degree in Education. He worked with the church in Surabaya, Batam, and is now part of the mission team in Solo Central Java. Bantu S. – Lopi, South Sulawesi. Brother Bantu has planted four congregations since returning to Lopi, two in South Sulawesi and now two in Central Sulawesi. Jerry Manawan – Manado North Sulawesi. After returning home and working with the church in Manado, Brother Jerry was asked to move to Jakarta to preach for a new congregation that was planted in this great city. Herbin Simanjuntak – Batam. After Brother Herbin graduated the congregation in Batam asked him to be an evangelist for the church here and fully supports him. He has fulfilled all that we asked of him and much more. This brother will be one of the most powerful and influential preachers in Indonesia. Class of 2001: Mendre – East Jakarta, Bali. He joined the team to take the gospel to the island of Bali. Halawa Medan, Sumatera – This brother is supporting himself and working with the church in Medan. Santo & wife – Have begun a congregation in their home in Bekasi, West Java. Jannes Banjarnahor – Brother Jannes worked with the church in Batam as a youth minister and is now an evangelist in Duri, Sumatra where a new church planting is in progress. Antoinus Pasribu – Brother Tony is working full-time for the East Jakarta congregation. Class 2003: All graduates are working full-time for the church. Yosua – Biak, Papua (Irian Jaya); Heriyanto S. – Duri, Sumatera; Purba – Central Java; Petrus – Nias Tulawasa & wife – Nias; Samuel – Lopi South Sulawesi; Ferdinand – Batam;. Radius – Central Java. SCHOOL SPONSOR – They are still seeking a sponsor for the school. A church who will oversee the school in conjunction with Sunset International Bible Institute. SCHOOL COST INFORMATION – The major cost is student scholarship, which amounts to $100 per month per student for 24 or 36 months depending on the ability of the student. The 36 month program offers a degree of theology that allows the graduate to work in any college or school in Indonesia. LAND COST – The land was acquired through the government on a social basis and has a value of $63,000.00 for 2000 square meters. This was the result of setting up the school foundation in 1995 which involved three years of work and considerable financial investment. Land clearing and development has cost an additional $3000.00. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION COST - Architectural plans have cost $3000.00 which has been paid by Winston Bolt. The proposed college facilities of 9500 square feet will cost $175,000 and will meet all government requirements for a college. The building will house forty students plus three married couples and two visiting teachers. ANTICIPATED OPERATING COSTS – The scholarships of $100 per month for each student cover the anticipated operating cost of the school. Utilities – Utility costs are low as the building has been designed to operate without air conditioning and rain water is trapped to use for laundry and cleaning. Maintenance – The building has been designed to be maintenance free but in truth there is no such thing. The building has 6-month guarantee to clear all the bugs out. However experience alone will determine these expenses. Staff – Teachers at this time are supported outside of the school BUT in time this will change as native teachers work full-time for the school. Additional Staff – These will be added as funding is available (secretary, custodian/guard, etc.) Student Body Size - Depends on the growth of the church nation wide. This will vary year by year. The more churches that are established the more students we will have. The goal is to have a maximum of 15-20 students per class in the two-year program. We also have plans for a third term to teach church expansion and development (missions program) which would have ten students at any one time. This would be the foundation for training native missionaries from among the graduates of the two-year program. EXTENTION COURSES - SIBI SATELLITE COURSES Translated SIBI courses are used in teaching outside of the school. However our goal is to have national teachers teaching the courses from the Indonesian perspective. How to use the SIBI Satellite courses in the context of the local work is the primary objective. At this time we are preparing extension courses for all levels of faith in the church. WHY IS THE SCHOOL NEEDED? One advantage of being a permanent long-term missionary is the ability to see the needs of the mission field where one is working and make evaluations. The initial church planting in Indonesia occurred during the 1970’s. In the 1980’s the more mature new converts were sent to attend the Four Seas School in Singapore. They were taught basic church doctrines and how to preach in English, but their biblical comprehension was limited and they were not equipped for church development. Upon their return to Indonesia these students moved into leadership positions but were not capable of maturing the church. This resulted in a number of very small congregations that never grew in number or spiritual development. The culture in Asia teaches and demands one-man leadership. This resulted in these young men being thrust into positions of leadership in the church for which they were not qualified and then protecting their positions and authority instead of developing other leaders to work with them for the growth of the church. Lack of knowledge and worldly leadership has resulted in a decline in the church in Indonesia rather than growth. The exceptions are in the primitive areas of Irian Jaya and Nias. Both of which have had constant missionary presence to support the spread of the gospel and a bible school in Irian Jaya. Isaiah 5:13, “Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, And their multitude is parched with thirst.” This lack of knowledge can be and already is being remedied for the church in Indonesia. The result of not teaching men to follow biblical precepts is too horrendous to imagine, as it will result in the slow death of the church. We have to take serious the words of Paul in 2 Tim. 2:2, since they truly give us our assignment in the mission field, if the churches that we plant are to grow and prosper. “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” To put it simply we need to develop an educational system that can fulfill this command for generations to come just as we have in America and other places. In observing the most successful mission fields for the churches of Christ we see two that stand out. One being the United States and the second is the nation of Nigeria in Africa. Both have one thing in common: They have had a biblical education program for preachers and leaders in the church. Without the continual, systematic training of men the leadership in the church will not be developed. Education and training are biblical precepts that cannot be ignored on the mission field if we expect the churches that are established to become mature indigenous churches with the capability of reproducing themselves. INVITATION - We invite you to be partners with us and share in the blessings of God as you share in this work of the church. As the work has expanded it has eclipsed our financial abilities so please join with us in our efforts in taking the gospel to the fourth largest populated nation on earth.
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