History Of Jawa Barat

Sejarah Pendirian GKI Jawa Barat

The Indonesia Christian Church (GKI), particularly West Java Area Synod, rooted its history to the first converted person back in 1858. The person was Ang Boeng Swi, Chinese descendant who lived as a trader around Indramayu in West Java. His baptism 142 years ago became the milestone of the -almost one and a half century- history of GKI Indramayu, the oldest parish of GKI and the oldest parish of Chinese descendants in West Java. There are several historical documents about him and the parish in the Raad vor de Zending der Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk*) Archive in Oegstgeest - Nederland.

Uniquely, this person did not convert as a result of missional activities, neither by zending nor by church. He used to be very obsessed to find an ultimate salvation which could satisfy him. In his search for this kind of salvation, on one day he met his friend, a lay person from Cirebon, who was reading the Javanese Holy Bible. After discussing that Bible, he found the Gospel message put him in the experience of "tremendum et fascinosum" (trembled and fascinated) and granted him the satisfaction he had been looking for in his life. Then he borrowed the Bible from his friend, took it home, and began a serious study of it. Later, when he had completely convinced the message made his heart fully peace, he accepted baptism at 1858 and took his whole family to baptism. Eversince, a family church began in his house. Nowadays the church known as GKI Indramayu. This unique event interpreted by historians Rev.Dr. Chris Hartono (Faculty of Theology of Duta Wacana Christian University), Rev.Dr. Th. van den End ( NHK*)) and educator Rev.Dr. Andar Ismail (Jakarta Theological Seminary) as the first milestone in the history of GKI especially West Java area.

By this historical interpretation, it means that GKI was not founded in the Barthian scheme "God speaks and man answers", eventhough need not necessarily anti-Barthian, but more likely the Tillichian scheme "Man questions and God answers". Later in the history, this Tillichian scheme recurrently happened. When Dutch Zending planned and worked out their missional activities particularly among indigenous people in West Java, but eventually more responses did come from Chinese descendants. Yet the mission was not intended for them. In this case, obviously GKI was not a result of an intentional evangelization, but deeply motivated to search and to find the Gospel by themselves. In theological phrase we might say, the Holy Spirit Himself open their heart to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they accepted the salvation He offered through His compassion and crucifixion. Certainly this is not the end of the story of GKI. It was just the beginning. In following the path and ministry of Jesus Christ, GKI steadily announcing the Word of God and continuously placing the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the core of its preaching and teaching. GKI also keep launching unexhaustive effort to let the loving care of God the Father being really experienced by its surrounding neighbours.

*) the NHK homepage available only in Dutch