I have been going regularly to Manado since 2004, and I have to date been there 16 times. Manado is in north Sulawesi , Indonesia and about 70% or more of the people there are Christian. However many of them are nominal and Christian by tradition only.
This is because the Minahasan people converted to Christianity in around the year 1830. However there has been a real move of God in reviving Christianity in Manado . The new charismatic churches in Jakarta have recently come and successfully planted new churches here that are thriving. However, God has been using us to revive the older traditional as well as the older Pentecostal churches, where the majority of the Christians are.
I work through a local group called Ciptaan Bahra (literally ‘New Creation' but not linked to the work in Singapore ) which is committed to revival in the older churches and unity in all the churches. God has wonderfully and sovereignly opened doors for us. The main purpose of each trip to Manado is to take a live TV programme called “Voice of Transformation” on Sunday nights aired at 8.30 to 9.00pm (Primetime), and also 3 live Radio programmes at 2 different radio stations. All of the programmes except for one Radio programme are interactive talk shows, i.e. the listeners call in after we preach with questions or prayer requests. Besides the Radio and TV programmes we also preach at various local churches on the Sundays and teach various discipleship, leadership and intercessors' groups. We've also conducted 3 teaching seminars as well as several evangelistic/healing rallies and one youth rally. I sometimes go alone (which can be strenuous) or with a partner or a team. The responsibility for this work in Manado, is shared by a small group of pastors and we call ourselves the Pastors in Covenant. I represent Covenant Vision Ministry in this group.
Just recently (9-13 September) I was in Manado with Jacob Sim (also a CVCM General Council member) and we split the meetings. Jacob received several visions which was inline with our vision of “ Manado the Jerusalem of Indonesia” and this really raised the faith level of the people there. Our messages dovetailed together very well and we were excited at the response. At the TV and Radio talk shows, the people called in unceasingly, and the radio shows continued past closing time to cope with the incoming calls. Many of the phone calls were for healing, but there were several rededications. One call was particularly poignant. It came in via SMS and it went like this:
"Pastor I am 24years old and I am a prostitute. I have had 4 abortions and I feel too guilty for I know I have killed innocent lives. I have a boyfriend who is married to another woman. Will God forgive me? Will you pray for me?”
My interpreter and I cried as we prayed wit her over the radio. Hallelujah! Lives are being changed. Other such testimonies have received, and we've been stopped on the streets by people who tell us that they recognise us on TV and that their lives have been changed by our messages. We see that this is truly impacting a community, and our prayer is a total Holy Spirit led and empowered transformation of this community.
Please pray for me. I go back to Manado again on 30 th September to 6 th October, this time with a team of seven others. Besides the usual radio, TV, church and leaders training, I will be taking some evangelistic/healing meetings. Also several of the team are on the Board of Families for Life Singapore and we hope to launch some teaching on marriage and families on this trip as well.
Written on Monday, 18 September 2006 00:00 by Administrator