Remember Stephen Tong a Chinese-born Indonesian evangelist. He founded the Gereja Reformed Injili Indonesia GRII. It is headquartered right here in Jakarta. The Gereja Reformed Injili Indonesia is more than just a church. It represents a vision. It is a vision of Reformed theology. It is a commitment to spreading the Gospel.
Founded in 1989 the Gereja Reformed Injili Indonesia’s roots go deeper. They trace back to Andrew Gih’s Southeast Asia Bible Seminary in Malang. Tong graduated from there in 1961. He spent years preaching and evangelizing. All of this led to the church’s formal establishment.
Let’s rewind to 1974. Tong began conducting seminars in Surabaya. Two years later he became a guest lecturer. This was at the China Evangelical Seminary. By 1984 he turned his focus to Jakarta. He wanted to uphold Reformed theology. He wanted to uphold the evangelical spirit. In 1986 he co-founded the Reformed Evangelical School of Theology. This was in both Jakarta and Surabaya. He also started a library and printing station. This provided Christian books.
Stephen Tong established Gereja Reformed Injili Indonesia to create congregations. These would be rooted in Reformed theology. These people would dedicate themselves to spreading the Gospel. The GRII has grown significantly since its inception. It now has locations beyond Indonesia. You will find congregations in Singapore Malaysia Australia China Japan Taiwan Germany and the USA. The church has approximately 56 congregations.
The Gereja Reformed Injili Indonesia adheres to Reformed confessions. However it also maintains its own unique statement of faith. Some congregations use the Westminster Confession of Faith. Some use the Heidelberg Catechism.
Since 2018 Antonius Steven Un has led the Synod. He is the senior pastor of GRII Kebon Jeruk. The Gereja Reformed Injili Indonesia embraces female leadership. Female evangelists lecturers and council members play key roles. They preach and hold authority. They are not ordained.
Stephen Tong preached the Gospel to 1.5 million Indonesians in 2012. In December 2012 he preached in the Messiah Cathedral in Jakarta. 30000 people attended. At the 2019 National Reformed Evangelical Convention Tong addressed a pressing issue. There was a lack of male Sunday school teachers. He urged young men to step forward.
In 2008 a new building was completed for the Gereja Reformed Injili Indonesia in Jakarta. It is called the Reformed Millennium Center of Indonesia RMCI. It includes the Messiah Cathedral. It has a 4800-seat auditorium. Tong designed the church building himself. It is one of the largest Chinese Christian evangelical facilities in the world. It spans 600000 square feet. Besides the auditorium it houses a theological seminary. It is called STT Reformed Injili Internasional. The seminary partners with the Reformed Institute for Christianity. It also partners with Stephen Tong Evangelistic Ministries International. The seminary maintains close ties with Westminster Theological Seminary.
As you stand here consider the impact of Stephen Tong’s vision. The Gereja Reformed Injili Indonesia stands as a testament to faith. It is a commitment to spreading the Gospel around the world.