In 1963 the Gereformeerde Gemeenten (GG, Netherlands Reformed Congrega-tions), a conservative Calvinist church, began pioneer mission work in the Pass Valley district of the Yali territory east of the Baliem Valley in the central part of a mountain range. The first baptism took place on December 28, 1969. In 1974 a central Bible School was established at Landikma; in 1978 the first congr were established; and in 1979 the first classis was installed. In 1981 the first CBS class graduated and six young men were admitted by the classis to the administration of Word and sacraments. In 1984 the GJPI was instituted and the leadership of the missionary work was transferred to the native church. In the meantime mission work had expanded to other valleys in the area with the active participation of the local Christians. In each of these valleys a different language is spoken. In the Nipsan Valley the mission post was destroyed and six Yali missionaries killed in 1974; however, in 1978 Nipsan was reopened. A second classis in the Una-speaking eastern part of the mountain range was formed in 1984. Parts of Holy Scripture were translated into the Yali (NT 1976, parts of the OT 1982) and Una languages. The mission is a pioneer mission which for logistical support depends on the Missionary Aviation Fellowship.
The GG mission intends to transfer the characteristics of Ref Christianity as perceived by the mother church without forcing its own identity upon the incipient church. The three confessions of Dutch Calvinism are used by the GJPI as an explanation of scriptural doctrine, but in the 1984 church order of the GJPI only the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed are named explicitly as confessions agreed to by the church; following these, 23 brief articles of faith have been accepted. The structure of the church is presbyterial; the Synod convenes once every two years. Women are not admitted to church office. The liturgy follows the pattern used by the mother church, but part of the hymn singing is done with indigenous melodies. Theological education is given in preparatory Bible Schools, Bible School, and Theological School; some graduates are sent to the KINGMI (CAMA) Theological School on the coast for further studies. Mission and church are also active in education, health care, and agricultural development. The GJPI has joined the Persekutuan Injili Indonesia (PII) as a guest member. The church considers June 25, 1984, as its birth date.
|
