Indonesia Christian Church

Indonesia Christian Church

The Indonesian Christian Church (GKI, originally:
Gereja Kristen Indonesia) is an Indonesian church of Gereja Kristen Indonesia
Presbyterian denomination. It adheres to Calvinist
theology.[1]

History
GKI was established in continuity with the Indonesian
Christian Church in West Java, Central Java and East Java.
These three denominations were originally independent,
each arising from separate missionary initiatives conducted
by local and foreign missionaries. The first of these
denominations to be established, later coming to be known Abbreviation GKI
as the Indonesian Christian Church East Java, was Classification Protestant
incorporated on 22 February 1934. Six years later, and
coming to be known as the Indonesian Christian Church Orientation Reformed
West Java, the second denomination was incorporated on Theology Calvinism, Progressive,
24 March 1940. Finally, on 8 August 1945, the Indonesian Ecumenical
Christian Churches Central Java was incorporated.
Polity Presbyterial-Synodal
Since 27 March 1962, the three denominations have been
united as the Indonesian Christian Church, with the overall Associations Communion of Churches
governing responsibility maintained by the General Synod in Indonesia
(Sinode Am), which aims to co-ordinate united efforts Christian Conference of
towards common goals.[2] Asia
Both GKI West Java and GKI East Java were originally World Communion of
affiliated with the Dutch Hervormd mission, whereas GKI Reformed Churches
Central Java was affiliated with the Dutch Gereformeerd World Council of
mission. Additionally, GKI West Java originally included a Churches
number of congregations operating as a distinct presbytery,
which was affiliated with local and foreign Chinese Region Indonesia
Evangelical missions. Despite the differences in liturgy and Headquarters Jakarta, Indonesia
church government between the various congregations and
Origin August 26, 1988
denominations, all the congregation from the three previous
GKIs, without exception, consented to the merger at the Merger of Indonesian Christian
time GKI united. Church East Java
Indonesian Christian
Organization Church West Java
Indonesian Christian
GKI's organization consists of the congregation, presbytery, Church Central Java
regional synod and Synod. Each organisation respectively
was led by the congregation council (session), the Congregations 231 as of 2020
presbytery council, the regional synod council and the Members 263.688 active members
synod council. As the Synod consists of regional synods,
regional synod consists of presbyteries, presbytery consists (2020)
of congregations, so synod council consists of all regional Official website http://www.sinodegki.org/
synod councils, regional synod council consists of all
presbytery councils and presbytery councils consists of all congregational councils. In short, synod councils
consists of all GKI councils which are composed of elders and ministers.

Church government in the congregation was run by an executive congregation council, the presbytery
assemblies was run by an executive presbytery council, the regional synod was run by executive regional
synod council and the synod was run by executive synod council. This kind of organisation was
acknowledged as the presbyterial-Synodal system. What was unique of GKI Presbyterial-Synodal is that,
each form of GKI church organisation has its own council as servant-leaders, not a mere executive board.

Assembly
The most authoritative forum to make decision in each form of the church organisation is the assembly. The
assembly is respective assembly of council in its own scope. GKI hierarchy is made such that the larger
assemblies, i.e. consisting of more little assemblies has more authority. For example, the assembly of the
congregational council has to submit to the assembly of presbytery council, the assembly of presbytery
council has to submit to the assembly of regional synod council and the assembly of regional synod council
has to submit to the assembly of synod council.

Regional Synods
There are three regional synod in GKI: Regional Synod in East Java, Regional Synod in West Java and
Regional Synod in Central Java.

Statistics
As of 2020, the church has 263,688 members in 231 congregations, 19 presbyteris and 3 regional
synods.[3]

Presbyteries

East Java
Presbytery of Banyuwangi
Presbytery of Bojonegoro
Presbytery of Madiun

West Java
Presbytery of Jakarta Barat
Presbytery of Jakarta Timur
Presbytery of Jakarta Utara
Presbytery of Jakarta Selatan
Presbytery of Bandung
Presbytery of Priangan
 Presbytery of Cirebon
Presbytery of Banten

Central Java
Presbytery of Jakarta I
Presbytery of Jakarta II
Presbytery of Semarang Barat
Presbytery of Semarang Timur
Presbytery of Magelang
Presbytery of Yogyakarta
Presbytery of Solo
Presbytery of Purwokerto

Church Functions
Church functions in GKI are ministers and elders. GKI deliberately chooses fewer church functions. Since
Elder (Greek: presbuteros) is a function which GKI believed as being permanent function since the Old
Testament to the New Testament. Whereas minister (Greek: episkopos) is an inherited function from the
New Testament church. However, there are a few GKI congregations keeping the deacon function in their
fidelity to old Calvinism.

Liturgy
GKI Liturgy is adapting and referring to the ecumenical Lima Liturgy and BEM (Baptism, Eucharist and
Ministry) Document of the WCC. The Word of God was ministered by adapting The Revised Common
Lectionary. GKI affirms two sacraments, i.e., baptism and eucharist.

Decision Making
Decision making in each meeting and assembly is undertaken by means of the conciliation method which is
parallel to the consensus method.

Ecumenical commitment
GKI is committed to ecumenism by becoming an active member of the World Council of Churches, World
Communion of Reformed Churches, and co-founder of Christian Conference of Asia and Communion of
Churches in Indonesia (PGI).

The uniting of GKI has placed GKI as the only church unity in the Indonesian ecumenical family, and one
of the eight churches in the Asian and one of the eighteen churches in the global ecumenical family which
forms the united and uniting churches. GKI partnering with the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, the
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and the Uniting Church in Australia.

Theology
GKI values its theological heritage which originates from Pietism, Calvinism and Methodism, but
prominently classified as mainline Protestant. GKI is doing theology in the context of a church living in the
midst of Muslim community. GKI deliberately discontinued its ethnic bond, i.e., (Indonesian Chinese) to be
a multi-ethnic national church in 1958. The church affirms the Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, Athanasian
Creed, the Heidelberg Catechism and GKI Confession 2014.[1]

References
1. id:Gereja Kristen Indonesia#Pengakuan Iman
2. Ramstedt, Martin (2004). Hinduism in Modern Indonesia. Routledge. p. 119. ISBN 978-0-
7007-1533-6.
3. "Gereja Kristen Indonesia | Profil Gereja di Indonesia" (https://sinodegki.org/new/direktori-ge
reja/). sinodegki.org. Retrieved 2023-03-07.

External links
Official website (http://sinodegki.org)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indonesia_Christian_Church&oldid=1184150860"