3 Steps to Avoid the Spiritual Danger of Doing Good

As a Christian activist, I meet people in need all the time. At the end of the day, the hardest part is after listening and solving people’s problems, I have no energy left to solve my own. Many times, coming home means instantly shutting down--unable to care for those closest to me. 

The scary part is that I am often unaware of how fast my lamp was burning. Most times, my lamp is already huffed out and burnet out when I realize that I actually need a fresh infilling. My giving became a drudgery, not a delight. The call of doing good, simply becomes a burden, devoid of love.

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It was a Sunday. I was expected to be at Church to welcome a friend coming for the first time. The moment I saw Husi, I grinned widely. His coming was long-awaited; He came to church after meeting me at my NGO’s healthcare day. 

Post church, as soon as we sat down for coffee, Husi poured the weight of his WHOLE world to me. His eyes glistened passionately as he shared. I knew how important it was for him, but in my tiredness, I treated him as another "social consultation session”. Poor guy! His biggest smile was met by my blank stares and snappy words. I ended the meeting abruptly, lying I had to be elsewhere. I was in no rush, but I just didn’t have the energy to listen to him nor to sympathize with him. 

My friend Andrew, observing what was going on, though he didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. I knew I was being unkind. That night, I was apologetic. “Why was I so snappy?” I talked as if God was in the passenger seat. In my justification, I reasoned, “Isn’t Sundays supposed to be a time when you let ME rest!?” I complained to God for what was my lack of discipline of Sabbath rest.

Then, the Holy Spirit brought to mind what happened last Thursday at my Bible Study. I received a text from a colleague. It read “Can you help me? Someone has been abused.” Instantly I left the Bible Study and all I remembered was that I was so heartbroken. Not realizing that because of that my tank was leaking. No wonder my tank was so empty on Sunday.

It wasn’t the lashing out that was the sin. The lashing out only gave way to what was happening inside of me. This was the danger of doing good...

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You see, we can do good works on autopilot mode. It is easy to separate the act of loving with loving itself. It’s easy to make work our idol---weaning our dependency from God. Our activism may blind us from our own need of the Gospel-- either we turn to our own strength to replace the need for the Savior, or we begin to be unfaithful in our stewardship. Giving might be a mask of serving God, when actually it is a means of self-glorification.  

But Samuel reminds us,

“What is more pleasing to the LORD:? Your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. - 1 Samuel 15:22

More than our hands, God desires our hearts. Doing JUST good is a good gift, but a terrible God. If we’re not careful, we can be the Pharisees Jesus spoke to in Matthew 23:26,

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”

Gleaning lessons from Jesus’s words, here are 3 ways to avoid the spiritual danger of doing good:

1. Abide in the Vine

Just like the branch cannot bear fruit without being connected to the vine (John 15:4-6), We cannot witness what we do not have.  Jesus said “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you...I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in Him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”  Jesus’ compassion is from the beginning, the means, and the end because He rested through abiding in the Father.

2. Rest in His Sovereignty

Understanding the Creator-Creature distinction helps put perspective on the limitations of being humans. Unlike how the world encourages endless hustling, a character of a Christian activist is to be restful! We CAN work restfully. “Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:1–2). 

John Piper says, “The spiritual leader knows that ultimately the productivity of his labors rests in God and that God can do more while he is asleep than he could do while awake without God”. He knows what Jesus said to his busy disciples, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). He is not so addicted to work that he is unable to rest. He is a good steward of his life and health. He maximizes the totality of his labor by measuring the possible strains under which he can work without diminishing his efficiency of unduly shortening his life.

3. Commune with His People

The writer of Hebrews encouraged us (10:24-26), “And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  Encourage, meaning to give courage, is the duty and delight of a community. As fellow redeemed sinners in the body of Christ, we are free to be vulnerable and be built up to grow towards the Head Christ Jesus Himself. 

So we pray,

Father in Heaven, lover of the broken and hurting, keep us abiding in You.  Thank you for creating me with a high purpose in my life. Move our hearts to consider how we might share Your love tangibly with so many around the world. Give us the power and wisdom to love, as we draw upon the deep well of Your compassion. Enable us to trust in Your Sovereignty over the good works you have given us to do. Jesus be so central that we realize the work comes from you, by you, and for you alone. 

May justice roll down like a river and righteousness like a never-failing stream, 
Tamara Wu

Tamara Wu writes and speaks on self-love, social justice, and theology. Currently, her work immerses her deep in the startup world; she runs Simona APAC Women Founders accelerator program, a non-profit called Second Chance Initiative, and an ethical fashion social enterprise called Liberty Society. When off work, she thrives on catch-ups over coffees, AM breakfasts after a HIIT workout, or a sunny day at the beach. 

Complexities Living in a Digital Generation

It is more complicated to live as a Christian in this generation. The life stages and challenges we face as humans are the same but the context has changed.

This generation is bombarded with so much information. Gen Z and Millenials will mature (in terms of knowledge) a lot faster than Baby Boomers, due to the rapid advancing of technology and the amount of information that is readily available.

There is a shift away from the importance of understanding who you are and spiritual maturity; there a shift towards accomplishments, financial independence, individualism and finding purpose within yourself (your personal passions). The Bible teaches us that purpose is found when we look outwards (upwards towards our Creator) and realize that we are part of something bigger; we are created to do more than satisfying our personal ambitions. Millennials are very experiential, self-aware and in-tune with their feelings. This is a good thing, however there is a tendency for millennials to be driven by their emotions; thus, causing them to float from company to company to find a place that will “keep them happy”. This heart attitude will influence their commitments to ministry, marriages, friendships, goals and other aspects of life.

Surveys comparing Millenials and Gen Z (from Barna)

Millenials and Gen Z have a rapid absorption rate towards knowledge, and it has created skepticism toward authority and structure. They are taught to speak up and develop their own thoughts, which raises more questions toward just ‘accepting faith’. This makes it challenging to build up resilient disciples of Christ within the young emerging generation. A position of authority is no longer good enough to “make them listen”; they value realness and authenticity in a leader in order to follow respect and follow after an authority figure.

Millennials want to belong before they believe. Millenials are experiential and want to be engaged, accepted and involved. They want to take an active role in experiencing how faith can play out into their everyday life (work, social life, ministry).

As spiritual leaders, we need to develop cultural discernment in how God is moving and shaping this generation of young adults. We need to stop complaining about what is wrong about this generation (entitled, flakey, emotional), instead let us figure out how to empower, support and build up this generation to navigate through this digital culture.

Grace Liu is our Jakarta City Director and has a heart for building community and empowering the next generation of leaders.

Familiar and Unfamiliar Territory

I was part of the second Resource Global Chicago Cohort (2017-2018). And recently, I had the opportunity to participate as a speaker in one of the workshops at the LEAD conference in Jakarta. The vision for the LEAD Conference is creating better companies, lead to better cities, and ultimately a better world. This was an initiative that the Jakarta Cohort Alumni had proposed to help their own employees in Jakarta.

Therefore, I had the privilege to talk about how to improve finance processes with technology. Preparing for the presentation was challenging because I realized that although I identify myself as an Indonesian, I have never worked in Indonesia and have limited knowledge about what the marketplace in Jakarta is like. 

Fast forward to the day of my workshop. My presentation went smoothly, but I quickly became aware that the business environment in Indonesia is so different. My audience consisted of mainly mid-management workers and below. And not till after my workshop did I realize that most of them only really used Microsoft Excel as their main technology tool and even some others who worked in family owned businesses still just used paper documentation. 

Although my main goal of participating in the conference was to give back to the people in Indonesia, I felt like I was the one who gained valuable perspectives. I started to understand what work life is like outside of the United States and learned about the roadblocks that are preventing businesses in Indonesia from advancing, ranging from financial to cultural reasons. Last but not least, I gained an appreciation for the values that we so often take for granted in the States, whether that be values of equality, fair pay or even general business ethics. 

In contrast, during the conference, I was also able to meet some of my amazing peer presenters who were working for corporations in Indonesia. These were young leaders (all from previous Jakarta cohorts) who were just a couple of years older than me, but many were leading billion dollar companies and affecting the lives of thousands of employees. I am amazed at the things that God is doing through these young leaders, and amazed to see their heart for the city of Jakarta. They were a real life example of Jeremiah 29:7 where God asked us to seek the prosperity of the city where we are sent exile, for its welfare will determine our welfare. Not to mention their incredible humility, courage and faith while taking up such challenging roles in a difficult business environment and climate. 

I am coming back to the US with an encouraged and excited heart; knowing that God has given me the strength to make a change that God has given my peers in Indonesia. My battlefield and challenges here may look different, but my heart for the people of the city where I live in remains the same. I am blessed to have been able to participate in the LEAD conference, my physical body is exhausted but my heart is so full!

Michelle Tan was part of our Chicago Cohort in 2017-2018. She is originally from Indonesia, but currently resides in Chicago with her husband Sean. She currently works for an consulting firm specifically in the finance and accounting area.

100% Jesus, 0% Me - Interview with Abraham Viktor

During Tommy Lee’s last visit to Jakarta, in January 2019, he was able to meet with several Resource Global (RG) cohort alumni, including Bram. The two caught up after connect group, and shared the latest updates across Bram’s life (both professionally and personally) since his time with RG.  

Bram grew up in Jakarta, and received his accounting degree from University of Indonesia (UI). He always had an enterprising spirit so before his final year in school, he attempted to launch his first startup with a few friends: a Kaya jam company. They had a great formula, but struggled to find the right factory for production. Eventually, he had to make the difficult decision to move on. The experience would be the first of a couple of “professional failures,” through which Bram learned much about the world, faith, himself, and God.

After graduating, Bram found himself on his second startup - this time in the construction industry working on lightweight building blocks. However, after much time, and significant monetary investment, a series of unfortunate events lead to the closure of that startup too. This second failure was much harder on Bram. He found himself low on cash, and felt like the weak link in a group of friends who had gone into banking or consulting, were rising the ranks, and making good money.

Looking back, he recalls how this devastation was partially influenced by his own family’s financial crisis when he was younger. That experience had taught him to be driven by monetary gain in his own decisions. Desirous of more stability, he took a step back and decided to pursue work in investment banking and consulting. He went first for an internship with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), before eventually moving into investment banking. He remembers fondly that first paycheck, and the feeling of security it came with. However, he also remembers the disappointment he felt shortly into his tenure as he began to feel restless, thinking: What am I doing here?

Throughout his early career struggles, Bram recalls feeling God convicting him to rely not on his own desires and ego, rather on God’s plan and design. He also recalls how he always pushed those convictions aside, deceived by his own pride. However, the more restless he felt at work, the more he reflected on his failed startups, and the more he found himself turning to God.

In an act of faith, Bram asked God to purify his heart. In reconciling his desires to those of God’s for him, he found renewed clarity. Suddenly, he felt God impressing upon him that he should be working in financial inclusion. He took a leap of faith, and left his cushy investment banking job. That very day, he stepped into creating his next venture: Taralite.

Through much faith and hard work, Taralite is now a key mover for financial inclusion in Indonesia, providing micro loans and and micro funding to underserved people. They also lease their algorithm to banks for more efficient processing and greater financial inclusion across the country. Most recently, Taralite has been acquired by OVO - a large mobile payments player in Indonesia. Bram sees the move as synergic, allowing the team to work with mentors with more experience, as well as expanding Taralite’s own market share and impact on Indonesia as a whole.

Around the time Bram was working on Taralite, building it up into what it is today, he had experienced several other milestones as well. These milestones informed many of his decisions, and continue to shape his career and faith journey today.

First, he got married - to a woman he says is greater than his equal. “She humbles me,” he says - describing how his pride and self-righteousness often causes him to lack grace, whereas her own deep desire and honor for truth make her the opposite: humble, kind, gentle.

Second, he participated in Resource Global’s first cohort - an opportunity he credits for giving him clear and encouraging mentorship. The Christian guidance and focus on bringing the gospel into the business sphere helped him in many a decision, especially in the Taralite’s early days.

Third, he had a clear epiphany about finances. Whereas his upbringing and “the Old Bram” led him to focus on simply gaining wealth, the Bram of today who remains stayed on the Lord realized that money is a blessing from God. This blessing, he believes, is one that must be shared, and enjoyed. Ultimately, he says “my life and even my finances don’t belong to me. [They] all belong to God alone.”

And last of all, via redemption through, and trust in, Christ, Bram has received 2 priceless gifts from his turbulent professional experiences to date: humility, and trust in God’s sovereignty. Humility because, whilst he continues to struggle with pride, he remembers that he has never succeeded when he has insisted on doing things by his own strength. And trust in God’s sovereignty, because when he looks back at the last few years (his career trajectory, his marriage, his time with Resource Global, and his failures), he sees how God’s providence was upon him through it all.

“When I failed the second time, it felt like the lowest point in my life, it felt like I’d never get close to where my friends were. But somehow God just cared for me, equipped me, strengthened me. And it’s all God’s work. When I look back, it was 0% Bram, and 100% Jesus.”

Lemonilo: Adventures Beyond Expectations

On the afternoon of January 22, 2019, Tommy Lee paid a visit to past cohort member - Johannes Ardiant, at the Lemonilo headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia. Surrounded by the cheerful green and yellow murals, and beautiful paintings by local artists, the two sat down to catch up on faith, friendship, business, and responding to God’s call.

Lemonilo - the brainchild of Johannes and Shinta Nurfauzia, is a healthy home staples brand. Their hero product is healthy additive-free instant noodles in a country where instant noodles are King. This is, after all, the place that brought the world Indomie, and boasts street food dishes like InTerNet - a mixture of instant noodles, telor (egg), and cornet (corned beef). However, analogous to Johannes’ own eclectic background and professional journey, Lemonilo wasn’t always about food. In fact, its journey (from healthcare to health food), which closely mirrors Johannes’ (from engineering to politics to business and more), is a reminder that God’s call often leads to adventures beyond our own expectations.

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Johannes was born and raised in Jakarta, but studied in Singapore for university at the National University of Singapore (NUS). From an early age, he had a passion for politics, but somehow ended up in degree programs related to Computer Science. The decision had been made in response to pressures from family and the market that demanded for more engineers. After university, he took on a PhD program again related to Computer Science, but found it lonely, and knew deep down he was meant for something else. After his struggle through the program, he worked at International Business Machines (IBM) for a time, before finally admitting to his own political passions and aspirations. After IBM, he took on more finance and consulting roles across entities such as Tusk Advisory and the Indonesia Infrastructure Finance, until which point he found an opportunity to go back to school.

From 2013-2015, he took his passion for politics with him to Harvard University, and studied a Masters in Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Governance. However, upon returning to Indonesia, instead of doors opening in politics, he saw doors opening in other areas to help the public as a private citizen. With his friend, Shinta, he started Konsula then - a healthcare tech startup that sought to connect Indonesians with doctors. Public health was a cause that he felt the Lord impressing upon his heart, even as he wished for inroads into policy. It then occurred to him, perhaps serving the public from this private sphere, was actually an inroad. After over a year of building the company, he felt a strong call from the Lord to think of an area he could help that was more organic to the Indonesian people. Something that they needed everyday, but weren’t even thinking about. This is where the idea for a health food startup came.

The statistics were clear: in 2015 alone, Indonesians consumed 13.2 billion instant noodle packets. That is 55 packets per person, per year, as a general average (counting even infants). The logical conclusion was that Indonesian adults ate instant noodles multiple times a week, despite what most in the developed world might consider common knowledge of how unhealthy instant noodles are because of the preservatives used. In late 2015, reports were surfacing of people developing cancer linked to their frequent consumption of instant noodles. Considering Indonesians’ dependence on the staple food, Johannes saw an opportunity there to provide a healthy alternative. With that seed planted, Konsula slowly grew into Lemonilo.

Since then, Lemonilo has launched a second instant noodle flavor (now with both mee goreng [fried noodles], and curry noodle soup), and is well along the path to launching healthy cooking oils, and other pantry must-haves. Johannes has found himself in a leadership position yet again in an area that was not his initial expectation: health products, instead of politics. However, he’s clear that, while it may not have been what he expected, he is learning that “God is teaching [him] the hard way” that doors will open and close according to God’s will.

As a leader in this new area in his life, Johannes says “the hardest thing is the draining work, the meetings,” but it is all worth it when rewarded with the blessing of mentoring others and sharing one’s values (something he feels he lacked as a young professional). He also credits Resource Global with a lot of the strength and confidence he has pursuing his work with a Christian perspective. For his cohort, their retreat exposed him to Silicon Valley’s challenges for people of faith - the money, idolatry, relativism, and more. He considers this an important component of his maturity today as a Christian business leader. On top of all this, to cope with the pressures of his work, Johannes says he leans on the personal mentorship he received from Resource Global with Ken Baugh (Saddleback Church), as well as time in the Word. “Being rooted in the Word, focusing on one passage per week, meditating on it…[also,] instead of just spending one prayer a day, taking short breaks throughout the day to converse with God,” these are the things he leans on most when times get rough. For him, now, he no longer mourns for his own dreams (such as a political career). Rather, he feels confident that God will open and close the right doors, at the right times, and his job is to faithfully heed the Lord’s direction.

The Five Giants of Jakarta

Below is an interview with Suparno Adijato who is the Chair of our Jakarta Board and Tommy Lee, our President.

CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?

I am an Indonesian, who has been living in Jakarta for thirty years. We have a family plantation and mining business. My wife and I are educators for preschoolers to adults. But my passion is in ministry, building up and discipling young adults so they can contribute to their cities.

WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE FOR THE CITY OF JAKARTA?

The number one word that comes to mind when I think of Jakarta is vibrant. Jakarta is full of life, even traffic jams represent the city’s vibrance. Jakarta, with a population of 30 million people, is the second biggest megalopolitan in the world, just short of Tokyo. Another word for Jakarta is improving. Indonesia used to be at the bottom of Transparency International. In 1998, we had one of the worst economic crisis, along with a change of government. But amidst the skepticism by many people, things are improving in the country. Many people thought Indonesia would go down the drain, but people have been praying for the country. There is a national prayer network that has millions of people covering Indonesia with prayers.

YOU MENTIONED THERE ARE FIVE GIANTS (PROBLEMS) IN THE CITY OF JAKARTA, WHAT IS THE FIRST PROBLEM?

Corruption is a big problem. It breeds inefficiency. By being inefficient, you get more money. Corruption also breeds uncertainties and risks. Foreign investors will not invest if the risk is too high due to corruption. With corruption, people can be bought. There is no security when you don’t know who you can trust. People don’t need to have integrity where there is corruption. So I believe that if our society can overcome corruption, then we would be on the right path.

WHAT IS THE SECOND GIANT?

The second giant is inequality. Not only are there minorities in terms of race and religion, Indonesia has one of the greatest unequal distributions of wealth amongst its people. There are three classes of people:

• the few, who have a lot of wealth,

• the small amount, which is considered is middle class,

• and then the class majority of Indonesians fall into, those who are near poverty.

WHAT IS THE THIRD GIANT?

The third giant is vulnerability. A society works well if the law works to protect the people. The law is not perfect, but so is the implementation of the law in Indonesia. There are inefficiencies in the way the law is drafted. Due to that fact, a lot of times people feel that the law is against them. As a result, the people are wary and do not know who they can trust. There should be some form of social justice.

WHAT IS THE FOURTH GIANT?

The fourth giant is poverty. Unemployment is a huge issue. The government has made improvements, but there is still a lot of unemployed people. For example, people who work on a farm work for about six months and only about five hours a day. So if they get sick, there is no money. People here run into a lot of problems because of debt.

WHAT IS THE FIFTH FINAL GIANT?

The final giant is hopelessness. There is an overarching sense of hopelessness and oppression. But Jesus has come to help those that are oppressed; God has given us hope through Jesus and hope for the future. There is hope. I believe our society can and will continue to improve going forward.

ANY LAST THOUGHTS?

The Bible talks about David being the giant slayer. In our lives, we have Davids, but also men and women who can be Davids and support Davids. God can use everybody. Although we may not be a David, we can still help to bring back the kingdom. All of us can do something to slay giants.

Interview with Pak Nur Hadi: An Unconventional Educator’s Journey

By Felicia Hanitio

Teachers are some of the most influential yet under-appreciated leaders in our society. Consider this. In what other profession do all fresh graduates instantly have the responsibility of managing 30 human beings on a daily basis? And managing not just their performance, but also their social-emotional wellbeing, behavioral interactions and parental expectations? For better or for worse, teachers - especially those we interface with during the foundational years of our lives - play a crucial role in the shaping of our identities, belief systems, and perspectives of the world around us.

The entranceway to SD1 Bulungkulon in Bulung Kulon village, Kudus district, Central Java province.

On a sweltering Monday morning in November, I venture with several colleagues to the outskirts of Kudus toward Bulung Kulon village to seek some fresh insights from a good friend, Pak Nur Hadi, about the role teachers might play in building interfaith and intercultural understanding and tolerance in Indonesia. As we admire the quiet countryside surroundings from the car windows, we almost miss the turn into the SD1 Bulungkulon school compound—three cream-painted, burgundy-shingled buildings peeking out in a U-shape formation amidst emerald-gold rice fields. We enter the school grounds, pass by a jumble of haphazardly parked motorcycles spilling over from a tiny bicycle parking lot, and head toward Pak Nur’s classroom, one door over from the principal’s office. The door is slightly open, and Pak Nur’s musical voice greets us before we spot him, a petite yet energetic figure rotating between groups of students to offer a smiling word of encouragement, pose a question, or demonstrate a concept with animated hand gestures.

Today, it is increasingly rare to find educators in the Indonesian public school system that fully grasp and treasure the life-changing calling entrusted to them. But my friend Pak Nur Hadi, a native of Kudus, is one of these gems. I first got to know Pak Nur through Djarum Foundation’s effort to find and recruit the best educators throughout the district and equip them as master-trainers. A grade six public school teacher in the village of Bulung Kulon, one of three least-developed villages in the district according to 2015 census data, Pak Nur is passionately devoted to his craft. Undaunted by the contextual challenges he and his students face, Pak Nur is committed to shaping his students to become mature, confident global citizens. During his after school hours, Pak Nur also seeks to grow his impact as a teacher-trainer, author, and aspiring entrepreneur.

Pak Nur inspires other teachers during a workshop on creating and utilizing whiteboard animation as teaching aids, organized by the Kudus Teacher Learning Center.

Pak Nur in action at school.

Pak Nur’s classroom is an intriguing amalgam of the conventional and unconventional, cluing us in to his ability to creatively maximize his surroundings. The rusty blackboard and mahogany-tinted furniture are reminiscent of my parents’ schooling days, though the desks and chairs are now arranged in table groups and are set against a vinyl beach-scene backdrop covering the entire back wall of the class. Students’ entrepreneurial creations decorate the lengths of the classroom, but today they are also joined by cardboard boxes and measuring tools of various shapes and sizes. Pak Nur spots us and enthusiastically beckons for us to come in. “We’re learning to calculate volumes today,” he explains. We introduce ourselves to the sea of excited faces and throw a few questions at them. In their red-and-white school uniforms, Pak Nur’s students look like they could be from any Indonesian public elementary school, but unlike typical village children we meet, they confidently introduce themselves and converse with us. We find out from Pak Nur that several of them have recently won poetry-reading and art competitions, though to Pak Nur, all of them are uniquely talented.

After the class ends and we wave our reluctant goodbyes (or see-you-later’s) to the students, Pak Nur invites us to pay a visit to his home, leading the way on his motorcycle. We sit crosslegged on a tarp mat on his front porch as he brings us water, biscuits, and deep-fried risoles pastries that his wife has just fried. I thank Pak Nur for having us over on such short notice, and ask if I could ask him a few interview questions for a collection of blogs I am writing on everyday leaders and their efforts to build interfaith, intercultural understanding. Pak Nur listens and nods, smiling with his gentle eyes, and responds that it would be his pleasure. Sipping our tea and enjoying bites of our snacks, we begin to learn more about Pak Nur’s story.

(The following are edited excerpts of our conversation, translated from Bahasa Indonesia).

Can you tell us a little more about your background? Were you always a teacher, or have you ever dabbled in other professions?

Actually, miss, my dream was always to be a teacher. But I didn’t grow up in an environment where that was common. My parents, grandparents, and extended family were all farmers—and farming was all we knew. The first time I went to college, I pursued a degree in agriculture in order to help the family trade, but after I graduated I found it was difficult to sustain a stable living from farming alone. And so I worked as a door-to-door salesman and cigarette production laborer for several years.

 After four years, as grateful as I was for my job and the living it provided, I was itching to try something that could challenge my creativity and bring greater impact to others. At this time, I was reminded of my childhood dream to be a teacher. Thankfully, my employer was supportive and encouraged me to go and pursue this calling. He even provided a scholarship!

When I graduated from the teacher’s college in Semarang and was accepted into the civil service, I made a commitment to myself and to God that no matter where I was placed, I would not take my “civil servant” status for granted but would instead always strive for excellence and integrity in serving my students, community and country.

Wow, what a journey! Can you tell us a little more about what excellence look like in your profession? What do you hope to achieve in the classroom?

Most of my students come from farming backgrounds like I do, but most of them will not stay in the village and become farmers. And so my hope for them is that they can grow up as mature, creative young people who can adapt well in many diverse kinds of working environments and go after big dreams. Many people cannot keep a good job because they’re unable to work with or under other people who have different beliefs and values.

That’s why I try to implement multicultural education in my classroom: encouraging students to be curious and appreciative about other cultures and faiths. My shelves at home are full of religious books from other faiths, and I often discuss what I’m reading with my students. Kids are very inquisitive, you know. One of them asked me once: if humans are the same despite our differences, why do we even have different religions and cultures at all? I offered my opinion, that perhaps it’s like the colors in a rainbow or watercolor painting: life is more beautiful with all of them included.

We love that you are so passionate about multicultural education. What has your own experience with multiculturalism been like? Do you find that others in your community - including other teachers - ever oppose what you are trying to do?

My family and I are all Muslim, but I grew up in a village which has a very multi-religious and multicultural makeup. I have neighbors and relatives who are Protestant Christian, Catholic, and Hindu. And we trust and feel safe around each other. Do you see? None of us lock our doors. Many of us, including my family, come from the Samin[1] tribe, and in our tribe we have many sayings that teach us to avoiding anger and live in peace and harmony with ourselves and others.

 As a native of Kudus, I’m also inspired by our long history of multiculturalism: just look at Menara Kudus[2] or Kudus people’s habit of eating buffalo meat, and we remember Sunan Kudus’s centuries-old teachings about religious tolerance. I have observed that in Northern coast of Java, we tend to be influenced more by the culture of the “Wali Songo” (Nine Islamic Saints of Indonesia) who preached a moderate and multicultural Islam, as opposed to some other cities that are more influenced by strands of hardcore Islam coming from the Middle-East war zone.

 But of course, to answer your other question, there are always a few here and there who think differently. For example, one of my friends, a lecturer in Semarang, has become more and more extreme in his views in recent years, and quite often posts non-tolerant messages on his social media platforms. We see these kinds of shifts happening in some mosques and schools, too, but it’s usually more pronounced in the big cities (not necessarily Kudus). In my opinion, these people’s motivations seem mostly political, not religious.

 So how do you respond to people like this friend, who disagree with your vision of multicultural education and interfaith tolerance?

To be honest, it can be quite discouraging when these kind of people ridicule you time and time again for your views. But when you truly believe you are doing the right thing, it helps you persevere in the long run. Many times, I turned to God in prayer when I felt discouraged, and He reminded me of the commitment I made to keep pursuing excellence and truth. And God has been faithful to answer my prayers. I have met many other friends who support me and share the same vision, like my colleagues at the Kudus Teacher Learning Center (Pusat Belajar Guru Kudus), and the community of educators I’ve met through different competitions and research conferences.

You mentioned the idea of “doing the right thing”.  How would you summarize your personal mission? Does your faith influence this mission?

Very simply, I believe that the best thing a person can do, what God intends and enables us to do, is to be someone who does good for others. So my core mission is to serve and be useful to others in as many ways as I can: whether in the classroom, through the books and blog I write, or in designing and organizing training for other teachers. My hope is that together we can prepare a generation of young people who can also be useful to the people around them and the world they live in.

Last question: You know, the government’s numbers tell us that Bulung Kulon is one of the “least-developed” villages in all of Kudus. But visiting your class and talking to you here today, it seems to me that you all have discovered some priceless nuggets of truth here that the rest of the world can learn from. On behalf of Bulung Kulon, can you share a word of wisdom for the rest of us, in the face of the various issues and conflicts that our world faces today?

No community is perfect. But here, we know that true wealth is not in material possessions. To me, poverty is not about money. Someone is poor if they have one of two conditions: one, if they are sick; and two, if they are in debt[3]. In our village, we may not have much money, but we also have little sickness or debt, and many good relationships. And so my encouragement would be, wherever you’re from and whatever your profession is, recognize and fight for the truly important things in life.

[1] The Samin people are an indigenous community of Central and East Java who descend from followers of Surontika Samin, a 19th century peasant farmer who preached nonviolent resistance against Dutch colonialism and social norms of the time, including colonial taxation, state education, the use of the Indonesian language, and adherence to one of five officially recognized religions in Indonesia. Though stereotyped as being resistant to change and “behind the times”, they are also known for their tradition of benevolence and peaceful protest against social and environmental injustices.

[2] The iconic local mosque which blends characteristics of Hindu and Muslim religious architecture.

[3] Unknowingly, Pak Nur has reminded me of the beauty of the gospel message: that though all of us are sick and in debt from the disease of sin which deserves eternal death, God in Christ has come to heal us and pay our debts through His work on the Cross, offering new hearts and life to the full for all who trust in His name. But this is material for another blog post.

The Taste of Tolerance

Buffalo (kerbau) meat is still somewhat of a culinary novelty in Indonesia. However, for adventurous palates curious to taste the best of this delicacy, you need look no further than a small town tucked away about 70 kilometers east of the provincial capital of Central Java. Stroll through any main street or obscure corner of Kudus regency, and chances are you’ll stumble upon multiple food stalls offering myriad variations of buffalo-based treats: barbequed on skewers (sate kerbau), stewed with rice on melinjo leaves (pindang kerbau), boiled in fragrant broth (soto kerbau), or even fried into crunchy rind crackers (krupuk rambak) – and all for less than the price of a glass of iced tea in Jakarta.

My interest in Kudus’s buffalo-dominated gastronomic landscape is ironic, considering I’m a pescatarian. But ever since my first visit to Kudus two years ago for my work in the education development space, and in all the recurring visits since, I’ve continued to be captivated by the story behind Kudus’s preferred choice of bovine cuisine and what it teaches us about Indonesian multiculturalism.

You see, besides cheap culinary treats, this small town I’ve come to know as a second home boasts a strong legacy of Islamic tolerance. A landmark Islamic pilgrimage site since the sixteenth century, Kudus’s name originates from the Arabic word “al-Quds” (Jerusalem) and translates to “holy” in the Indonesian language. (You can imagine the endless variations of puns at the disposal of Kudus natives, orang Kudus.) Yet, when Kudus was founded in 1549 by Sunan Kudus – one of nine Muslim saints renowned for their influential role in the spread of moderate Islam throughout Indonesia – many Kudus natives were still practicing the Hindu faith. In order to respect these Hindu residents who considered cows sacred, Sunan Kudus forbade his followers from slaughtering cattle for meat and encouraged the consumption of buffalo meat instead. Today, buffalo meat remains a staple of local Kudus residents’ diets and a daily reminder of the standing tradition of religious tolerance and Archipelago Islam in this city.

Recently, Indonesians and international audiences alike are voicing concerns that Indonesian pluralism has lost its way. News headlines such as the jailing of Jakarta’s ethnic Chinese, Christian ex-governor for alleged blasphemy, the three-fold series of church bombings in Surabaya this year, and a recent study finding nearly 60 percent of Indonesian Muslim teachers to hold intolerant views, all seem to confirm that Indonesia has veered far from the original vision of democratic, multicultural coexistence formulated by the nation’s founders. Even in historically peaceful, moderate environments like Kudus, radicalized teachings are finding their way into schools and universities. A study conducted by the foundation I work for found that roughly 60 percent of religion teachers in state primary schools backed the cause of a radicalist Islamist group (HTI) banned by the Indonesian government for suspected ties to ISIS. The nation’s climate has become rife with growing distrust and divisiveness, and generations who lived through the ’98 ethnic and religious riots wonder if history is bound to repeat itself.

Yet, in my two years journeying across Indonesia and interacting on a day-to-day basis with Indonesians of various faiths and cultural identities, from teachers in Kudus to farmers in Southeast Sulawesi to Go-Car drivers in Jakarta, I’ve encountered numerous counternarratives of faith-based reconciliation and care for neighbor across ethnic, racial, religious and socioeconomic boundaries that give me hope for a better Indonesia. I’ve seen how faith can be a force for good, a fundamental part of one’s identity and calling to love God and thus love neighbor. Some stories are relatively well-known and documented, like the history behind Kudus’s love of buffalo-meat-based cuisine, or the peace-building movement led by the fourth Indonesian president Gus Dur and continued by his descendants today. Many others remain to be discovered and told.

In light of all this, I have decided to begin a personal quest to search for, document, and share more of these counternarratives of hope for a multicultural, democratic Indonesia in which faith can still play an integral and positive role. As part of this quest, I will learn and write about the stories of everyday Indonesians – Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, teachers, farmers, businesspeople, politicians, development workers – their life backgrounds, how they understand and interpret faith in context of their other identities and callings, what loving God and loving neighbor means to them, and how they engage in peace-building within their own circles of influence. Some of my sources will be primary (from personal interactions and interviews), while others will be secondary or tertiary (from my ventures into historical documents and books to see what we can learn there). I will start with various relationships I already have, in the hope that I will not only gain understanding but also deeper friendships. Throughout this process, I commit to a posture of learning and seeking truth in love (please keep me accountable!).

I do not pretend to be an expert on interfaith and intercultural issues, nor a neutral observer and narrator. I am an ethnically Chinese, foreign-educated, a Singapore citizen with Indonesian-born parents, a woman, and a practicing Christian. I acknowledge that each of these identities and especially my Christian worldview will certainly color and shape my observations, conclusions, and even actions in the journey of interfaith reconciliation. Yes, I may be biased as a Christ-follower, but it is a bias toward hope and redemption: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18, ESV).

Friends, in the face of complex, heated, emotion-rife issues like religious intolerance and radicalism, often the temptation is to fight or flight. To vilify the perceived enemy or other and bemoan their wrongs; or to withdraw altogether and resign ourselves to whatever fate may come. However, I invite you to join me in choosing a third option: to recognize with humility that we are part of the problem even as we try to be part of the solution, and thus by God’s grace commit to learning, listening, and persevering in the work of reconciliation.

My prayer is that this generation of Indonesians can be one that writes fresh stories of multicultural tolerance and interfaith reconciliation, continuing in the spirit of historical figures like Sunan Kudus, Soekarno and Gus Dur, and forging a fresh legacy for our modern times. Who knows? Perhaps some of these stories will continue to be told to locals and tourists generations down the line, roaming the street food stalls of Jakarta and Kudus and other Indonesian cities, captivated by the delicious foods, beautiful peoples and rich multicultural legacy of this nation we call home.

Felicia Hanitio, Jakarta Cohort 2018

Lifeʼs Little Detours

What do you when things donʼt go your way? Do you often grumble, do you often resist, and try to push forward? There are time when weʼre called to simply brave it through, to push through. But there are also the other times where detours are necessary.

How often do you get thrown off guard when things donʼt seem to go as you had planned it to be?

Thatʼs me most of the time. And as I took time to ponder upon the question: Why is it so hard for me to simply let things be? And I came to realize:

Resistance often comes when what we want (what we plan) isnʼt what He wills.

And ever since I come to realize that, I feel an immeasurable surge of peace and I choose to yield into His leading. Iʼm simply gonna let things flow, learning to flow in His grace. And to not let little things that doesnʼt seem to go our way throw us off.

With every detour thereʼs a blessing, or an opportunity to serve.

Therefore we must instead pay closer attention to what Heʼs doing, instead of getting irritated. Easier done when our will is no longer ours.

I would have not been here if it were not some of these detours. And I praise God for the little detours in my life. For it is part of His way, to drive me a little out of my “seemingly straight path”, a little further, a little off-the-road experiences, whereby the view is better, or where an unexpected encounter and experience occurs.

God is working in all things, including the detours.

So the next time, something doesnʼt go your way, consider that a “pause” sign from God. To ponder, and to come to Him, ask Him to open up your eyes, so you may be attentive to what Heʼs doing. Because our God is purposeful and intentional in every way. Therefore, with every detour, it could be a pause sign to ponder and pray; it could serve as a warning; it could be a way to get your full attention to what Heʼs doing; it could be His way to redirect you. It could be a million things. Therefore it is wise to simply consider and pause, rather than simply push through. Otherwise youʼd be going through life just zooming through it, managing it, and missing the whole point of life itself.

Lifeʼs little detours calls for us to learn to flow in His grace.
Lifeʼs little detours calls for us to learn to surf with the waves.

And I pray today that I may be able to understand this everyday and every time something unplanned comes my way. Iʼll pray the same for you too.

Sonia Wirya, Jakarta Cohort

Are You a Secure Leader? (Part I)

Part I: When You Cannot Let Go

What would you feel when God asks you to let go of your position, your title or the ministry you have built over many years?
How do you feel when you handover power to your disciple and take a step back?
How do you feel when you successor is more successful than you?

Your response to these questions will tell you whether you are a secure or insecure leader.

After 5 years of serving and leading life groups (community groups), I felt God calling me to empower young adult leaders to start their own community groups. A mentor of mine confirmed this calling and told me this: "Stop being the hero. Instead, be a hero-maker of the people God has placed in your community". It made sense to me and I knew this was a clear sign for me to start delegating tasks and raising leaders in order to multiply. 

Something was holding me back.

The stubborn, micromanaging side of me was not ready to give in to the calling God had for me and our life group. Our attendance had grown from 12 to nearly 80 people in the past 2 years. I enjoyed seeing our group grow. A sense of accomplishment helped me grow in my confidence as a leader. As months passed, I realized in order to deepen our faith as a group it was important for each person's story to be known by others. In order to build a healthy community it was important to cultivate vulnerability and openness and this was hard to do in such a large group. 

I began to reflect on why it was so hard for me to receive God's calling to empower leaders and split into smaller groups.

I realized there were 2 insecurities I had developed as a leader:

1. I am afraid of losing power and control
I was worried about the quality and depth of the groups if I was not the leader. I was worried that the new leaders were not able to carry out the same passion and zeal I had for the life group. I felt like if I was not present and in charge, something would go wrong. These worries were not about the abilities of the future leaders, this was more about my unwillingness to give up control and step down in order to give room for others to lead. 

2. I am afraid of being forgotten
I was worried people would forget about how awesome of a leader I was (or I would like to think that I was) and like the new leader better. I was worried that this new leader would be a much better leader than me and his/her group would grow to be bigger than my original group. I was afraid I would no longer have a say and my sacrifice would be forgotten. 

Both of these insecurities stem from one thing: PRIDE. 

I made my ministry all about me. This community unconsciously became part of my identity and I realized this is a danger that can happen to followers of Christ who have committed a big portion of their life to ministry. I have realized that it is possible to be selfish about serving Christ. Pride can develop from desiring recognition from the church to as a good, strong, committed Christian.

God was calling me to the next step of leadership. God was calling me to develop and empower the next generation of young adult leaders. God was reminding me that everything belongs to Him and I cannot get overly attached to anything, even when it is a good thing like ministry. Often times we get so busy with perfecting our way of serving that we lose sight; in order to grow, we need to level up in our spiritual walk with God.  We need to embrace the directional change that God is calling us to go. A good leader serves. A good leader realizes it is not about him/her. A good leader is able to discern when it is time to give up control and let others step up.

Grace Liu, Jakarta City Director

When Empty, Cracked Vessels are Good

We live in an age age that demands perfection more than ever. With today’s technology, airbrushing has never been easier, if not more convenient, to display or sell the truth. Images of things we market and sell are airbrushed, and even various images of ourselves.

First, we airbrush the photos (the way we look) we post on social media. Then, we “airbrush” our character or personality to match what we want others to perceive of us. Soon, we easily “airbrush” our own spirituality. Now, we are not showing our true selves.

Why do we do this? Is it because you don’t think you look good enough or are enough? Do you fear not having it all? This basically means that you donʼt believe that God knows what He is doing when he created you. You donʼt trust Godʼs design (of you).

There is a practice in Japan, the Kintsukuroi method, where broken pottery is repaired with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold. Now picture two Vessels. One being perfect and intact and the second having cracks, but with hints of gold. Which is more beautiful and real? Which of these vessels would you like to be?

How To See and Embrace Your Cracks

No one is perfect. So, the choice is yours to plaster your own cracks or let God plaster your cracks. Who better to go back and fix the original masterpiece than the Potter Himself? He designed and made the vessel in the first place. He is the only One that knows what your functions are and why you are designed the way you are. He has called you to fulfill a purpose that only He knows. If you understand that, let me share a little of what I went through when I made the decision regarding my own cracks.

For me, the process began with a willing heart, prayers and self-reflection. You need to be still, be willing, and be honest. But the hardest, most crucial part was being courageous enough to be vulnerable and be real. This process also involves the help of others. So, do not be afraid to seek trusted Godly counsel or communities. Weʼve become so good at plastering our own cracks that sometimes it is hard for us to be able to see what is real and what is not an original part of us.

Only when an honest, trusted opinion gets lovingly spoken to us, do we realize we have cracks and see where they are. This is the hardest part for me. Some of the things that I cover my cracks with is perfectionism, self-sufficiency and feminism. And to top it off, I keep a safe (emotionally and spiritually) distance from people. If you maintain a safe distance, people cannot see you for who you truly are, an imperfect person. But with that action, you forget the importance of your imperfections...that your imperfections is the greatest testimony of His mercy. When there are cracks, there is room and need for grace.

“for My strength is made perfect in weakness” - 2 Corinthians 12:9

I am done being seen as one who has it all together. If anything, that is the biggest misperception that others often have of me. For those that have earned my trust and see me for who I am, they know how far from perfect I am from it.

The Need for Empty Vessels

God can only pour into empty vessels. Grace is flowing and can overflow. So, in order to receive God, you need room for Godʼs oil in your vessel. But you also need to keep your vessel clean so that the pure oil may continue to flow to and through you.

The “cracks” are what sometimes prevents us from showing our true selves or God’s glory. But it is those cracks and conflicts that actually best represent His blessings and allows His glory to shine through the most. You are Godʼs chosen vessels, imperfect and with cracks. Cracks ensure His glory and allow His grace to be visible. This way people wonʼt compliment the vessels, but in turn, might value the oil that is placed inside.

Pour out what is inside your vessel. Leave your vessel empty, by pouring into Him, so that He may pour into and make you anew. One must have the courage to pour out our own pride, opinions, insecurities, walls and defenses. Only then can you come before the Lord, willing, vulnerable, honest and ready to be renewed in His grace. Let God repair the cracks (part of His original design) that you have tried to plaster yourself, and let Him fill it with gold, His grace.

Pour out to People - The call to love

The main principle is that you pour love to other people, knowing that you are pouring for the Lord. This is in spite of how they may respond, appreciated or not, and regardless of whether they asked. Remember the source from where it comes from and the very reason why you began pouring out to others in the first place. Continue to offer a word of encouragement, a touch of love, an offer of strength, but no matter what, you gotta keep pouring.

The concept of Daily Sustenance

“Your mercies are new every morning” - Lamentations 3:22-23

2 Kings 4:5-6 - The widow poured in secret (behind closed doors) into empty vessels

When vessels are empty, they are ready. Ready to receive, ready to give, ready to daily draw from Him. Usually, one gives as much as they “have” or can “afford” to give. But know that because God is your source, you will never have nothing to give. So, you should always give and let His blessings continue to flow upon you and others. Let the oil continue to flow out and into vessels.Just as the Israelites were told not to save manna for tomorrow, trust that what God gives to you today is meant to be shared for today. Do not hold back worried that it won’t be enough. God will always provide just enough not only for you but for others that you want to share it with and with those God wants you to share it with. Then you come again to Him tomorrow for another portion.

My prayer today

Lord, I believe that You have given me what You have required. I trust that I have enough. Enough love, strength, encouragement and faith to give. I choose to not to wait until I have what I think I need, before I can give.

I trust that You are sovereign. So, if You have led me here, I believe that You have a plan. I thank you for all the paths which are aligned with Yours. And I trust You with the detours that You have lovingly let me take out of my own misdoing. Help me now to turn those detours for Your glory and for your purpose.

Give to me, in all your ways, just enough for today, for myself, to give to others, and to all those You have placed in my life.

Word of Encouragement:

I believe that every decision you have made until now has led you to where you are at this moment in time. You are where you are supposed to be, doing what God needs you to do, not later, but now.

Sonia Wirya, Jakarta Cohort 2018

A New Wave of Missions - ICON 2018

There is an element of missions that I have always admired and romanticized - the idea of sacrificing all you have and all you know to go live in a faraway place for the sake of sharing the love of Christ with people who do not know Jesus.  What automatically came to mind was something along the lines of living in a hut with chickens and goats while wearing prairie dresses and befriending local villagers. It sounds a bit primitive, but this would not be too far-off a description of my own first overseas missions trip experience I had in 2004.

I know that missions has changed over time and that there has been a movement to integrate business and missions, so I was really looking forward to the opportunity I had to visit Jakarta with Resource Global and get a first-hand look at one way that missions can look like today.  

How do you impact a city of 10 million people for the sake of the gospel?  One effective way would be to find the young movers and shakers, invest in them, and mobilize them to be the change agents in their own city and to their own people.  This, in a nutshell, is what Resource Global is doing in Jakarta.

Who are these young movers and shakers?  They are business start-up founders, company CEOs, and other heads of businesses.  They are in the position to employ and directly influence tens, hundreds, and some, tens of thousands of people.  They can infuse Christian values into their business leadership and business culture in a way that shines Christ. They are in positions of great influence.  And they are under 30 years old.

I was quite impressed with the many 20-somethings I met in Jakarta.  What was initially impressive to me was their high business positions and titles at such a young age.  But this is not what was lastingly impressive. The persisting quality that stood out to me was their passion and conviction to use their positions to honor Christ.  It sounds typically spiritual and holy, but I imagine that being heads of businesses comes with a lot of worldly temptations that does not make this an easy or light matter to take for granted.

Many of these young people have strong business acumen that has helped to propel them to success. However, I was surprised by many who did not have much or any business background, but circumstances had fortuitously led them to engage in their family business that they originally did not plan on or have the aspiration to do.  This, along with the weight of responsibility they feel to those they employ and work with, draws a posture of humility before God.

What potential do these business leaders have to impact their city and country?  A young business co-CEO of a large scale apparel manufacturing company that makes clothes for many notable U.S. brands, who provides jobs for 28,000 people in Indonesia.  A young maritime business head working to bring healthcare to remote islands in Indonesia through floating hospitals- donating resources and working to raise funds and workers- whilst running the maritime company that is not at all related to healthcare.  A young business CEO who started a company that provides microloans for small online businesses, which is helping to build a virtually non-existent middle class in Indonesia. These are a few snapshots of the young people God is using in Jakarta.

While I continue to hold the utmost respect for those that sacrifice all they have and all they know to go live in faraway places, I am also awakened to other ways to shine Christ to people who do not know Jesus.  Find young Christian entrepreneurs and business leaders, invest in providing them spiritual mentorship, cultivate in them a love for their city and their people, and mobilize them to use their God-given positions to impact their city and their country for the sake of the gospel.  This is the work of Resource Global and I am thankful for the opportunity I had to catch a glimpse of it.

Ellie Kim was one of Resource Global’s first board member.  She is a teacher at the Chicago Public School

Loving Our City - Thoughts from Wayne Pederson

Indonesia

Indonesia is the world's 14th largest country in terms of land area and the 7th largest in terms of combined sea and land area. With over 261 million people, it’s the world's 4th most populous country.  It’s the world's largest island country, with more than 17,000 islands.

We had the privilege of spending a week in Jakarta, seeing the thriving business community. But also heard the frequently mentioned challenges:

• Marginal air quality

• The crazy heavy traffic

• Poverty, (the large gap between the “haves” and the “have nots)

• Corruption: (Young people leave country because of corruption.)

• The resulting hopelessness

Because of the poor air quality and the heavy traffic, life for many professionals is lived in the many stunning, impressive, shiny shopping malls.  The most luxurious department stores, excellent restaurants and varied specialty shops abound in the malls.  We spent a lot of time in the malls, even did some serious shopping.

Resource Global

I was in Jakarta as a guest of Resource Global. Resource Global led by CEO Tommy Lee seeks to develop young leaders for Christ’s Kingdom from among the leading young marketplace entrepreneurs.  The purpose of our meeting was to identify, encourage, recruit and mentor young marketplace leaders as a bridge to serving the church and Christ’s Kingdom.

Many of these young marketplace leaders in their 20’s and 30’s have studied at some of the best universities in the U.S.  They returned to Jakarta to run family businesses, do business turn-arounds, or engage in starting, building and selling new businesses..  Many were already using their business as a means to enhance the life in their communities and to demonstrate the love of Christ to the culture

For example: Julia stepped aside from a rapidly rising career in New York City to return to Indonesia to work with her father in a family shipping business.  Very soon she saw a need for healthcare among the underprivileged in the thousands of islands across the country.  And she saw an opportunity to use shipping vessels as a floating medical clinic to reach the underserved people on the islands.  In addition to money from her company, she raised $1 Million locally to fund equipping of the boat.

A young pastor and his wife (Andrew and Nikki Jun) see their church as a base for business entrepreneurship.  They recognize the business platform as an effective way to reach local unreached people groups.  They are identifying local leaders and sending business entrepreneurs for outreach to other areas of the country.

George Enratta runs an amazing 45-50 companies, for which he has provided venture capital for a start-up or a turn-around; i.e an online travel agency, a coffee/tea business and banking along the lines of PayPal.

David Dtjokknor: dynamic CEO of Soverience Capital. His business mission is to strategically invest in start-ups.  His model:

1. See the need

2. Build the company

3. Sell the company

To date, David has 87 investors, creating such businesses as Uber Asia and a full-service Brides/Wedding on-line consulting.  The wedding business in Indonesia is huge with guests running in the thousands.  The wedding service is run by Christians.  Weddings are streamed on FaceBook Live.  Christian model for marriage is presented. Excess wedding banquet food is distributed to the poor.

His advice for westerners:

• Listen to those you seek to influence.

• Provide mentor ship to those who seek help.

• Honor and respect the culture.

• Take a back seat.

Over tea with the SE Asia representative of a well-known Foundation stated: We are transitioning from the old ways of western non-profit missions to supporting local entrepreneurs.  This is a different global mission mindset. Funding for ministry in Indonesia is increasingly coming from businesses in-country.

The ICON Conference all day Saturday was a call to action:

• We are to be students of the city. God has a plan for us to redeem the city. -What is one tangible thing we can do?

• Christians must get involved

I was impacted by plenary speaker, former HUD Secretary under the Bush administration, Steve Preston, who stated:

“Gods vision for loving the city is loving its people. “

“The role of government for the city is to advance the welfare of individuals in the city. In areas of poverty, education, jobs, healthcare, environment.”

“In order to transform society God has to transform us.”

Sunday morning we attended a large, alive evangelical church on the 8th floor of a large building in downtown Jakarta.  The worship was alive, loud and vibrant.  Most of the music was .  The pastor was dynamic, biblical and practical as he shared the great truth that God is present ALWAYS, with us, in us, before us.  We were thrilled and inspired to see this large, passionate group of young believers worshiping and learning in a country where they are so outnumbered, but rapidly growing.

Wayne Pederson, Friend of Resource Global

Loving the City - ICON 2018

Psalm 107 portrays the gathering of displaced people into a city as an ideal.  “. . . and they founded a city where they could settle (v. 37).”  Displaced people are described as “finding no way to a city where they could settle (v. 4b).”

Jakarta has become a global city where over ten million people have found their refuge. The Chinese are among those who have settled in Jakarta.  This mega city in South East Asia on the island of Java has the highest number of overseas Chinese in Indonesia. ICON 2018 was a conference to promote the values and practices of “Loving the City” for an audience made up mostly of young ethnic Chinese.  Several other people groups were among the audience, but the majority were definitely the Chinese and, if history told it all, the Chinese would not have a reason to love Jakarta.  The article on “Chinese Indonesians” in Wikipedia, documents a history of discrimination and persecution against this group.  And yet, over 100 young (average age, 27), Chinese Indonesian professionals gathered on a Saturday in July to receive instruction and encouragement to love Jakarta.  Why?

Many of these professionals came to a personal faith in Jesus Christ while studying abroad and now desire to live out that faith in and through their lives.  But they have a problem, or a potential, depending on which angle one approaches the issue.  Their positions in the business world allow them to implement changes of scale larger than mere personal transformation. The potential of influence would be a problem if the conference did not specifically address this unique angle.  But the organizers have been tracking the needs among this audience for the last four years with excellent, on-the-ground data. Resource Global was able to challenge the audience on their level, and at the right point for their next step.  In education a timely challenge, that is truly a next step in ability and willingness is called, the Zone of Proximal Development.  Debriefing with several participants made it evident to me that ICON hit the Zone.

A business owner at my table decided to make himself accountable.  Mr. Steve Preston, the keynote speaker, a business leader and a former US housing secretary, mentioned that businesses could become deliberate in changing a neighborhood. “Why not cooperate with other businesses and deliberately place your next venture where the economic situation is dismal?”  That is exactly what this business owner heard and inquired about after the speech. What would the dynamics be if he placed his next manufacturing/assembly business in an accessible place to a population that was a need?  He promised he would pray about it and investigate the actions necessary to make the love of Jesus tangible in a neighborhood.

After all, these young professionals have committed themselves, at least forty of them, to implement whatever they learn from the Scriptures in their family businesses and work places and in their personal lives.  Icon 2018 gave them specifics on scaling their influence to not “take out of the city, like many others, but to give to the city” (challenge from Alex Evans, the pastor at The Collective.)

The theme for next year will bring the focus back to personal ethics and issues of integrity.  The organizers of ICON know how to dance between the Sermon on the Mount issues (Matthew 5, ethics) and the parable of the good and faithful steward in Matthew 25 (stewardship).  Icon is making disciples in Jakarta who can and want to change how Jesus’ love would be experienced in healthcare, education, politics, architecture, and more in a city where many migrate to (over 50% of the population is not from Jakarta).  It is crowded now, but open spaces are coming!

Dr. Julius Wong Loi Sing - thoughts from ICON 2018

Interview with Andrew Jun - Part 1

Two Part Interview with Andrew Jun, Lead Pastor of Harvest Mission Community Church (HMCC) Indonesia

Andrew Jun is a graduate of the University of Illinois and also University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.  He now lives in Jakarta with his wife and three kids and is the pastor of two church plants in Jakarta and Karawaci.  Andrew is on the Indonesian board of Resource Global in Jakarta.

Part I

Tommy: Andrew, it’s been more than five years now since you moved to Jakarta.  Can you talk to me about what life in Jakarta or Indonesia is compared to life in US? Similarities, differences, things that.

Andrew: A long time missionary was describing life in Jakarta to me when we first moved there and he said the difference between Jakarta and the US is the same difference as Jakarta and everywhere else in Indonesia. So it’s quite unique compared to other places in Indonesia because you have so many of your modern conveniences. Actually some things are even more modern than in the US…the malls and things like that are all very highly developed and really really nice.

But really Jakarta is full of contrasts.  You have some places that are just amazing and modern. And then you have some places that are very developing and can be very frustrating because you just can’t expect to have things run as efficiently as in the US. So we have to deal with regular things like traffic and different things concerning the weather and other things. As well as because it’s kind of island culture, everything just runs a lot slower. There’s something called *jim-kar-et* which is translated as rubber time, which is everything is flexible, nothing is really, like, on a tight schedule, so we have to be really flexible about what we can accomplish in a day, or who we’re going to be meeting at what time.  We just always have to be flexible.

Tommy:  Andrew, one of the things I’ve also experienced in Jakarta is the fact that being flexible means sometimes people will cancel out on you or reschedule on you.  Is that just a way of life and how culture is?

Andrew: In Jakarta everyone is on the go and there is probably many different variables going on, factors going on in a person’s daily life, that they can have multiple meetings or have a previous meeting and it will go way over and they just have to cancel the meeting after or something like that. So it’s like operating in New York City, with the infrastructure, you know?

Tommy: Yeah, and you mentioned traffic. When people think, wow, California is bad traffic; Atlanta, Chicago is bad traffic, that traffic in the US is nothing compared to Jakarta, right?

Andrew: Yeah that’s right. I mean usually it will take me about 45 minutes to get into the city center. Without any traffic that’s what it should take. But it will take anywhere between an hour and half, two hours, maybe even three hours if traffic is bad. I kind of look at it like this. In the US you can run multiple errands on a single trip, like you’ll stop by at one place and then you’ll go to Target and you’ll go somewhere else and the library. But really here in Jakarta you don’t run errands like that. If you can make it to one place and run one errand in a day, you’ve had a pretty good day, you accomplished something, but never more than one errand in a day unless you’re planning on spending all day running errands. You’re lucky and productive if you have two meetings squeezed in.

Tommy: One of the things I also realized and you’ve taught me is family obligations and work life is actually very important and interrupts ministry and some of the things you can do.

Andrew: Yeah, that’s correct. I mean because people in Jakarta, their working life is so packed Monday through Friday and oftentimes bleeds into the weekends. The weekend time, Saturdays and Sundays, are really important to family time and it’s very guarded time to spend with family, even though sometimes it isn’t like meaningful interaction or meaningful conversation.  It’s just kind of the Asian mindset of just being present, and being together is an accomplishment. So people are really held to those obligations and younger people really want to honor their family or have a lot of pressure to honor their family obligations.

Tommy: As a pastor, how have you found what’s been effective for you to disciple these people and to really care for them? Has it just been spending time or building relationships with them? What’s important in doing ministry in Jakarta?

I think it’s being really patient, kind of picking and choosing your battles and discipling people through issues rather than discipling people to make one decision or two decisions or something like that. It’s really helping them follow Christ and knowing that sometimes people will fail or disappoint you and other times you know they’ll be learning and they’ll be making good decisions and healthy decision. So I think it’s just a lot of patience and trying to instill principles into people in which case it will not always be a linear and a smooth process for people. It’s going to be a very up and down thing.

Abraham Viktor Reflection - GCG 2016

Three weeks ago, I attended Resource Global's GCG 2017. It is possibly the most life-changing retreat that I've ever attended in my life. It truly transformed how I think about work and how it ought to be integrated with my belief. Work is a big part of my life, so to know the truth about it is truly liberating. I truly cherished every moment there; from the sessions brought by world-class speakers, the fellowship with my huddle group members, the conversation with the people, until my personal reflection time. I want to relive each and every moment of it. Since I came back to Indonesia, I haven't stopped talking about what I learned there. Here, I would like to thank few individuals that have made the memory a lasting one.

First of all, I would like to thank:

Tommy Lee and Sarah Chow for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this Resource Global cohort. Everything, since that first event in puncak until the GCG have been an incredible blessing to my life, I am forever grateful for the opportunity

Kara Sauder for picking me up in SFO airport at a late night until you feel asleep in the car, that was very-very nice of you

Noah Chung for withstanding the total of 3 hours trip to that pho restaurant at the edge of San Jose

Matt Harvey for teaching me about baseball!

Michael Liu for the meaningful conversation in the car ride to Tenderloin

Johannes Ardiant Harlie for the conversation in the room about love and compassion for the city

The best huddle group ever: Jimmy Mei, Jenny Chae, and Ketlien Manuel; for the most epic scavenger hunt! We know we were the true winner!

Jen Kamins and Donna Eicker Crum for the amazing trip (and amazing conversation) to Yosemite. I can't believe someone would drive a total of 9 hours for some friends they'd just met, you guys sacrificed so much for us; Julia, Johannes, and I don't deserve friends like you guys.

Being a part of this is a proof of God's generous grace upon my life.

Abraham Viktor

Jakarta Cohort Member

Meet Anggit: Defying the Odds to Impact Indonesia

Anggit grew up in Sidoarjo, East Java. After her father passed away when she was just four years old, her mother worked as a teacher to support her young family, earning amsalary that was barely enough for them to survive daily. Anggit began working at a very young age, selling various items and giving private lessons to her younger neighbors.Now, Anggit works on a team of academic administrators. They help teachers grow through professional development and develop Christian education curriculum for 30 schools (and more in the future) throughout the islands of Indonesia.

Anggit is a Jakarta Cohort member, and is being equipped and mentored to see God's hand in her story as she seeks to use the skills He's given her to impact Indonesia. We asked her some questions about her role and how she sees God using her through it.

When did you first know you wanted to be in education?

I come from a long line of teachers and administrators but it wasn’t until 2014 that I fully understood my passion for teaching. After all the formal education and experiences I’ve had, I’m convicted to continue to grow and invest in the mission of education. I see and have experienced how education liberates people from darkness. It brings me joy to be involved in the process.

In what ways have you seen firsthand the impact of your work?

Everytime I visit the schools, I hear stories of students leaving their old bad habits and choosing to do the right thing because of the education they’ve received; students then teach good practices to their parents and impact the family culture.

I see leaders and teachers trying to implement what they have been learning from my team to improve their school. I witness how the schools are trying to proclaim Christ even when facing challenges because of this. When I see the map of Indonesia with the school locations on it, I praise God for the work He has done.

One particular example of encouragement was when I recently visited Labuan Bajo (Flores, Indonesia). The leaders had shared they were feeling insecure, confused, and uncertain of what they were doing: “We didn’t know whether we made the right decision. Is the school running well? Talking to you comforted us and confirmed our decision and what we are doing here. Thank you for praying for us.”

I almost shed tears upon hearing what they said. It confirmed that I am doing what God has called me to, laboring for eternity.

Where do you see opportunities in Indonesia for God to use emerging leaders? What makes you most hopeful, even amidst challenges?

In general, I see that Indonesia needs strong leaders everywhere in many areas such as commerce, health, arts, religious institutions, government, education, and domestic affairs.  We need leaders with vision who see the big picture, who fear and depend on God, who are able to translate vision into implementations, and who share Gospel values.  

In particular, our school system feels that we lack leaders who will then transform the education system in Indonesia. We employ about 1.100 teachers and staff and have 15.000 students all over Indonesia. We always try to make sure that our employees are growing in Christian faith because they are on the frontlines of those who teach, invest, and interact with the students. If all students have the opportunities to listen to the Good News, to see godly life examples from the school community, and to witness how sinners try to live in integrity, by God’s grace they might encounter a lifetime personal relationship with Jesus.

Following Christ is still a narrow path. Our nation is facing a very difficult situation at the moment and it’s so hard to be hopeful since Christians here are pressed in many ways. However, every time I hear progress or good practices from schools, I am confident that God is working and is in control. I am hopeful that He will restore our world. I am looking forward to see Him work in and through all of us.

What have you enjoyed most about being part of the Jakarta Cohort so far?

Listening to different speakers has enriched and confirmed my understanding of work. It’s challenged me to reflect and implement what I’ve learned to my sphere of influence.

Network News: Lessons Learned at ICON Conference 2016

At Resource Global, we’re growing a network of young professionals all around the world to cultivate their potential and impact their cities with the Gospel. With over 60% of our lives spent in the workplace, our work matters, and we’re committed to inspiring and equipping young professionals to see their work as a critical opportunity to serve God and impact others. In October 2016, we’re launching a City Cohort, an eight-month in-depth discipleship program, in Jakarta, Indonesia. To kick off the Cohort, we hosted a one-day Faith & Work Conference on June 11th in Jakarta. Over 100 young professionals were inspired and equipped to honor God through the workplace at the ICON Conference that day. One individual, Jonathan Barki, shared his key takeaways and applications below.

My Key Takeaways & Applications:

Contribution to God’s Kingdom:

I hope to contribute to God’s Kingdom, and believe that my multiplier impact is from what I do best. I am passionate about my work, and hope to leverage on my business resources and network to make a positive social impact. I am currently exploring opportunities in social impact investing with the support of our firm.

Work and Rest:

While I push myself to commit and perform to the highest level at work, I am learning to balance my personal life with rest, and time with God. It has been wonderful, as I have begun a new and evolving routine of prayer and absorbing the Word of God.

My Identity:

I am learning to separate myself from simply my achievement at work by:

• Thanking God and reminding myself that everything was given and lent to me, not earned!

• Accepting that any day God may once again take everything away from me

• To build my home around Him, and not what’s around me

• Reminding myself that I can only find my peace through Christ

Accountability Partners:

I am very blessed to have a wonderful group of brothers, who share the same faith, the same passion, and drive in life. We relate and support each other through our struggles, and also share with one another God’s glory and blessings. I'm praying the members of our group will continue to grow and develop as believers and workers for God.