Wrap-up Journal Post, Wednesday, September 17

2:26 PM – Thank you for your prayers and financial support during my trip. It was exciting to see God working in the lives of so many people.

The trip was fully funded and I was able to give some money to the school for leadership development and to the Bernhardts for their ministry in Indonesia. While I was there I also gave books from my personal library to Pastor Maryono, Kim Linegar (US History and Bible Teacher), and Mike MacLean (Music Teacher). I also left music for “Hail to the King” and will be sending some of my original songs and arrangements to the church and the school.

Things for you to pray about include:
1. Pray for the local church (GJKI – The Christian Church in Indonesia) and for Pastor Maryono as they share the good news with people in Salatiga.

2. Pray for Pastor Maryono’s brother Martino who is spearheading the house church movement in Salatiga.


3. Pray for Pastor Maryono and his wife as they raise 2-year-old Samuel. God miraculously provided the pastor’s home for Samuel when he was born to a young woman who could not raise Samuel herself.

4. Pray for the female Islamic student Okta, as the Holy Spirit is working in her life to bring her to Salvation in Christ.

5. Pray for the English professor Hamam, as he seeks to come to the US to complete his doctorate. I believe the Holy Spirit is working in Hamam’s life as well.

6. Pray for the Indonesian Christians during the rest of September, which is the Islamic holy month, Ramadan.

7. Pray for Gideon, the gamelan instructor who uses his skill with the traditional Javanese instruments and shadow puppets to present the gospel of Christ in the local villages.

8. Pray for the Worship Seminar participants and the Mountainview students who lead worship on a regular basis, that they may be able to lead God’s people together in worship.

9. Pray for Salab Putih, the Christian retreat center in Salatiga, as they are coming under political attack to give up much of their land to the Islamic community so that a mosque can be built in its place.

10. Pray for the 9th Grade Bible Class at Mountainview that they will develop a passion for the Word of God.

11. Pray for Jeremy, the speaker for the youth retreat, and his wife as they prepare to move to a remote island in Indonesia to be missionaries to a formerly un-reached people group.

12. Pray for the 11th and 12th Grade Leadership Class as they develop their leadership skills and prepare to use those skills to advance the kingdom of God.

13. Pray for my small group of 7th Graders at Mountainview. They are experiencing the newness of school and/or the newness of boarding at school. Pray that God will help them assimilate into the school and that they will develop good Christian friendships.

14. Pray for the college-aged friends of Sharon and Casey as they try to live a Christian life in a predominately Muslim nation.

15. Pray for the staff at Mountinview International Christian School as they minister to students from several nations.

16. Pray for Sharon, Casey, Ryan, Niko, and a new little Bernhardt to be born in a few months as they have committed to serving Christ in Indonesia. Pray for their financial provision and for their protection as they are both Christian and foreigners.


Some Of Things I Gained By Traveling To Indonesia
A deeper understanding of our freedom in Christ. We talk about our freedom from the bondage to sin and that is a wonderful freedom, but it is not the extent of our freedom. We are also freed from the law, freed from do’s and don’ts.

When we give to someone in need, we are not trying to earn entry into heaven, or a bigger mansion when we get there. Christ has purchased our entry into heaven, and He is preparing a place for us even now. When we give, we are free to give out of the compassion the God has placed in our hearts – no strings attached, no ulterior motives.

The freedom that we have is a freedom to respond to God’s call or people’s needs out of love and compassion alone, without the burden of trying to earn positive points for judgment day.

A deep love for the people of Indonesia and an insight into God’s love for all people. It’s hard to explain but after a few short hours in Indonesia I had developed a deep passion for the people of Indonesia. It was a supernatural love, not based on personal observations or relationships. It was the love of God for these people, being lived out in my heart.

With this new found passion, I also re-imagined God’s passion for all people. There are people in Bulgaria that God loves deeply; there are people in Orissa, India that God loves passionately; there are people in Henry County, Indiana that are deeply loved by God. Our job is to find those people and tell them of His love.

A clearer concept of how we should minister to Muslims. By explaining our freedom from the law and our freedom to serve others, we can highlight the bondage that Islam brings to its people. We can also share that God is both transcendent (very other, very removed from us) and imminent (very near, very intimate with us). He wants to hear our concerns and our sorrows. He wants to share in our joys and triumphs. Prayer is more than a scripted exercise five times a day; it is communion with God Almighty, our Creator and Friend.

A fuller understanding of the power and work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is at work in our lives and in our world. He goes before us as we minister and comes behind us when we leave or are called away. He is at work in a female teenaged student of Islam. He is at work in the English professor at the Islamic University. He is at work in the church in Salatiga. He is at work in the heart of an unwed mother. He is at work in the prayer life of a busy pastor. He is at work in the dreams of a frightened 7th grader. He is at work in the study of a US history teacher. He is at work in the Karate training sessions of a Muslim guard. He is at work in the homes of missionaries around the globe. He is at work in the busy, sometimes frantic preparation of a music minister from New Castle.

A clearer understanding that passion is a result of our interaction and communion with God. Passion is a gift that God gives us as we explore His heart, read from His word, and listen to His Holy Spirit. We can then use this gift to fuel our work in the harvest of souls. As a result we give the gift back to God and the cycle begins anew. Passion is a gift FROM God and a gift FOR God, and is a direct result of our interaction and communion with God. If you want to develop a godly passion, spend time with Him.

A lower tolerance for spiritually-autistic Christians. We have nothing to complain about; especially as American Christians. We are often consumed by the latest fad, or hottest news story, or brightest star in Hollywood. Many of the things that consume our time and finances are simply here for a time and tomorrow they will be gone. Even our finances themselves are destined to fade away. We are blessed beyond measure, but we are often ignorant of the needs that our time and finances could help resolve. We will not be found innocent on that day when Jesus says, “I was naked and you did not clothe me, I was hungry . . .” What are we holding on to? Why are we holding on to them? Are we finding security, or fulfillment, or joy in something, or someplace, or someone other than Christ?

Thanks again for making it possible for me to travel to Indonesia. It is a beautiful country full of people that God loves deeply. Thanks for your prayers. There was never a moment that I felt afraid or unprotected. Thanks for your support of Cheryl and the girls. It was a long time for me to be gone, and I’m sure that your prayers helped sustain them in my absence.

During a final interview last Tuesday, Annaliese, the journalism student at Mountainview, asked me if I felt I had completed all that God wanted me to do In Indonesia. That question sounded a little too final to me. Yes, I believe I was faithful in doing everything God wanted me to do. But I would not be surprised if, instead of the final Indonesian chapter, this is chapter one in a larger story. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us in the coming days!

You can find more trip pictures at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).

They are also posted at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)


If you want to support Sharon and Casey or Mountainview International Christian School, let me know in the comment section and I'll forward their contact information.

Journal - September 3, 2008

8:50 am - traveled to Salab Putih (retreat site) to look at the sound system. It's fairly new but more like a home stereo amp than a sound mixer. Only 5 - 1/4" mic inputs and three mixer controls (1; 2 and 4;3 and 5). We will have to run guitars on their own amps; the keyboard and the microphones will run through the sound system. With live drums and a very LIVE (echoy) room, worship will have a tendancy to be too loud We'll see.

Ron and Tory were up all night - couldn't sleep. I slept great. Kim, the teacher that took me to Salab Putih says that spiritual opposition is very tangible during Ramadan. Her son, Clayton, didn't sleep well last night either. He will be my drummer for morning worship and the sound tech for evening worship.

9:37 am - Preparing to go to the Jr. High Bible Class. I'm uploading video, so you should be able to watch some "moving pictures" soon.

Casey is having a busy day. Ron is in his second day of electrical work. Some tiles have broken and other minor emergencies that require Casey's attention. Tory is still not 100% but is teaching a defense class this morning.

Casey said we had ordered cheeseburgers and fries for lunch. It's still moderately warm, but not unbearable. We've had two good rains since Sunday (the first one caused the power to go out!), so the rainy season here has begun. Six months dry and six months rainy.

1:44 pm - The 9th & 10th grade Bible Class was fun. Turned out that there were no 10th graders, so it was just a 9th grade Bible Class. Ron talked first and then me. The theme seemd to be multi-faceted.

1. Live life to the full.
2. Great Commandment - love god, love people.
3. Read the word - it's exciting.
4. Don't be afraid to walk thru doors that God opens.

Kim, the teacher, then walked thru the topics the class was discussing. What was Noah's responsibility and what was God's. Then she asked what is our responsibility, and what is God's. She added that many times we become unhappy when we try to do God's things and fail to do ours.

3:23 pm - I don't know if I've told you this before . . . In muslim cultures there is a call to prayer 5 times a day. There are loudspeakers located at the top of every mosque. In Salatiga there are several mosques - not so much denominations, but easy-access locations. The loudspeakers crank up at various times of the day including 4:00 am. During ramadan the kids are encouraged to go into the streets and set off firecrackers at 1:00 or 2:00 am so that people will wake up and eat (since it is the month of fasting, they are not supposed to eat during the day). This keeps the non-muslims up as well, but it hasn't bothered my sleep, so I am thankful!

More later . . .

You can find more trip pictures at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).

They are also posted at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)

Thanks for reading!