Which country is home to the world’s fourth largest population, over 700 language groups, and 120 unreached people groups? If you guessed Indonesia, you are correct!
Indonesia’s population has climbed past 275 million, and only about 10%-12% of those are Christians. How can we possibly reach over 240 million people with the gospel?
Indopartners has found digital evangelism to be the most effective way. Read below to learn more about digital evangelism and the other ministries being used to reach the unreached people of Indonesia.
History and Vision of Indopartners Agency
Back in 2003, God gave two Indonesians living in the United States the passion and desire to reach Indonesia with the gospel. The problem was, they didn’t have many Christian connections in Indonesia.
God brought to them a former Christian worker to Indonesia named Jeff. He was in Indonesia for over 30 years and had connections to many churches, Bible schools, and indigineous mission organizations. The three of them met together and decided to form a mission organization strictly focused on ministering to people in Indonesia.
Indopartners Agency was officially formed in 2004 and is located in Mesa, AZ. Their mission is to reach the unreached people of Indonesia for Christ. How do they accomplish this?
What Does Indopartners Do?
Indopartners Agency began primarily by supporting indigineous church planting teams. They still support several teams and are committed to church planting, but have found a more effective way to reach the unreached people throughout the country.
Indopartners has found digital evangelism to be incredibly fruitful and cost-effective. What is digital evangelism? Digital evangelism is simply sharing the gospel through the internet through channels such as websites, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, a smartphone app, and more. This digital evangelism ministry is called Guide Online.
Guide Online consists of 28 Indonesian staff and two Americans working together. They are able to share the gospel with millions of Indonesians every year through online articles and videos.
Their staff then follows up with interested contacts and personally responds to thousands of messages every month. Those who want to learn more are connected with a Christian field worker who studies the Bible with them and leads them to faith. The people who put their faith in Christ are baptized and connected with a local body of believers. Guide Online is part of a coalition of Christian workers located throughout the country who have come together to see the country reached.
Guide Online also is equipping Christians and ministries to do digital evangelism. They have helped several individuals, churches, and mission organizations establish their own digital ministries to increase their impact.
Another part of Indopartners is mobilizing prayer for Indonesia. They do this through the Praying for Indonesia ministry. Indopartners also has a member care ministry devoted to helping Indonesian cross-cultural workers stay emotionally, mentally, and spiritually healthy so they don’t burn out and can make a greater impact. Finally, Indopartners is working on developing a digital discipleship ministry to help Christians mature in their faith and be equipped for outreach.
What Distinguishes Indopartners?
There are a few things that make Indopartners unique. First, Indopartners has become primarily, and almost exclusively, a digital ministry. Guide Online is clearly a digital ministry, and the member care ministry is also done digitally. The prayer ministry is focused on finding ways to help people pray using digital means such as social media, emails, Zoom, and more.
Second, Guide Online allows Indopartners to share the gospel widely, see people come to Christ, and help them be discipled. Very few digital ministries are able to do all three of these things at such a large scale.
Third, Indopartners strictly focuses on the Indo-Malay people located primarily in Indonesia. This allows them to have a greater understanding of the language and culture and be very targeted in their approach.
Ways to Pray for Indopartners
Indopartners firmly believes in the power of prayer. Without prayer, the ministry wouldn’t be fruitful or effective. Here are some ways you can be praying for Indopartners:
- Pray for open hearts and that Indonesians would respond positively to the gospel.
- Pray for protection for Guide Online’s staff and tools being used for outreach, so they are free from Satan’s attacks and government interference.
- Pray for wisdom and creativity in finding new ways to take the gospel to Indonesians who have never heard it.
- Pray for ways to further develop and expand the prayer and member care ministries.
Good Neighbor Insurance loves the work Indopartners Agency is doing. We have provided health insurance to protect some of their workers so they can perform their important ministries. If you are interested in learning more about the organization or how you can get involved, visit their website (www.indopartners.com).