By Jonathan Downs

 

Over the last decade, Australian Youth Missions (AYM) has worked in collaboration with the Overseas Missions Department of the United Pentecostal Church of Australia (UPCA) to send evangelistic youth teams into our mission field of Indonesia. God has blessed these ventures and our youth have been a tremendous encouragement to the churches, and more specifically the youth of Indonesia.
                  
Just Recently . . .
On 1 July 2006, Melanie Downs, Jacob Caltabiano, Bradley MacDonald and I departed on an 18 day mission trip to Indonesia. The majority of the time was spent in the cities of Denpasar, Jakarta, Semerang, and a one week evangelistic trip into the rural and remote areas surrounding Semerang. The Australian team was accompanied by a large group of youth from Rev. Lie Amin’s church in Jakarta and Bro. Tjantana Jusman who did all of the interpreting.

 

Given the recent terrorist disturbances in Indonesia, the team was advised to stay as low profile as possible. The trip went well and there were no disturbances. (Praise the Lord!) Still, in terms of staying low profile, I don’t know how well we achieved that goal. Try travelling through an Asian country (where people are relatively small) with a 6 foot 7 giant named Bro. Brad! Needless to say Bro. Brad became quite an attraction whenever we were in public places.

 

Easy Start
The team arrived into Denpasar, Bali on the Saturday afternoon to be met by Pastor Thompson, who pastors the church in Denpasar. After checking into the hotel the team then spent the evening fellowshipping with him. On Sunday the team ministered in both Bro. Thompson and Bro. Frederik’s churches. In both of the services there was a beautiful move of God and a good response to the preaching of the word. After the morning service with Bro. Thompson, the team went down to the beach to baptise four candidates in the beautiful name of Jesus. (Please pray for Pastor Thompson and Bro Frederik as they pastor these two growing churches in Bali, Indonesia.)

 

Lady to Ladies, Youth to Youth
On Monday night Sis Melanie Downs spoke at the Women’s Ministry meeting. Although it was a ladies meeting, it was well attended by the men. People are hungry to hear the word of God. The last night of our stay (Tuesday night) in Bali was a combined evangelistic service with both churches coming. Several people received the Holy Ghost in this meeting.

 

On Wednesday the team flew from Bali to Jakarta to prepare to travel to the Jakarta Youth Camp (Veni Vidi Vici—We Came, We Saw, We Conquered). The Youth Camp was tremendous. Situated three hours from Jakarta in a local resort area named “Wira Carita,” it was a beautiful location, but what God was going to do during the camp was even better!

Thursday and Friday night were revival services preached by Bro. Jacob Caltabiano and myself. Bro Jacob preached an inspiring message on “Making a Difference,” the next evening I preached on “Dealing with the Chains.” A good number of young people received the Holy Spirit including two young boys who were attending their first youth camp. A young reserved Chinese boy received the Holy Spirit as well. God touched him in such a way that even when the altar call was finished he just stood there continuing to pray in tongues. Praise God! The day sessions were focused on “youth teaching,” with the whole team involved in these sessions.

 

Saturday afternoon the team travelled back to Jakarta to prepare for a busy Sunday. We split into two teams in the morning and preached services at Pastor Kuhbani and Pastor Amin’s churches in Jakarta. In the evening the team ministered at General Superintendent Rev. Nathaniel Subali’s church. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the pastors of these churches for their wonderful hospitality and for making us feel so comfortable.

 

Mission Trip into the Jungle
Early Monday morning it was off into central Java for the mission trip. The Australian team took a one hour flight to the city of Semerang. The Jakarta youth team (10 young men) took the train and met us there. (This was a joint venture between Pastor Amin’s church in Jakarta and the Australian Youth Missions. (Semarang is situated midway across the island of Java, 1.5 hours north of Yogyakarta, the city recently devastated by an earthquake.)

 

During the next seven days the team would be travelling extensively (every day averaging approximately five hours per day) and preaching revival crusades every evening and teaching sessions during the days. One day and one evening the team ministered at the United Pentecostal Church of Indonesia Theological College in Salatiga. Teaching sessions during the day focused on leadership and evangelism with an evangelistic crusade in the evening.

 

Preaching to Preachers?
Unawares to the team at the outset was the fact that we would also be ministering at the Central Java minister’s retreat. This was one of my personal highlights as a lot was accomplished in this short time at the minister’s retreat. Personally I felt inadequate to be ministering to pastors and leaders, but I believe God had everything under control. I preached the revival service on the first evening focusing on “Going to Another Level.” Little did I know that the day session prior to me speaking was about church growth. I preached about re-digging the wells, taking my text from Genesis 26 where Isaac went back and dug out the wells that the enemy had filled in. God was speaking to His people about the need to “excavate in order to elevate.” If the church is going to experience a true “soul revival” and church growth it needs to go back to teaching the truth without compromise. It is then that the Lord will make room for us and we will be fruitful in the Land.

 

“And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land” (Genesis 26:22).

 

In the other revival meetings during the trip there was a mighty move of God. The hunger of the people was clearly evident and God rewarded those that diligently sought after Him, just as He promised in Hebrews 11. Many people received the Holy Ghost speaking in other tongues. We will never know just how many people were filled with the Holy Ghost as it was physically impossible to get around and pray with everybody.

 

Wet Altars
One particular night in a city called Purwokerto the team ministered at a combined revival meeting with approximately 400 people in attendance. During the altar call the electricity went out leaving the whole church in pitch black darkness. It was then that people let go and forgot about their inhibitions. A mighty roar of praise and worship went up, and then the beautiful sound of people speaking in other tongues. That night God filled many people with the Holy Ghost. There is no telling what God did in that place that evening. It was something I’ll never forget to the day I die!

 

Throughout the whole trip we experienced what I like to call “wet altars.” Many times in the past we have seen a great move of God and a great response to the altar call, but the “wet altars” stood out this time. I saw repentance like I’ve never seen before in Indonesia. Hundreds of people weeping before God as they repented and God filled them with the Holy Ghost.

 

God is doing something great in Indonesia. I sense something has broken in the spirit world and God is getting ready to pour out a great revival in that land. As the Old Testament records, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14).

 

I would like to thank the team for their willingness to be a part of this missions trip. It is a pleasure to travel with a team of young people who have a passion and desire to serve God no matter what the circumstances. The days were long and the nights too short. I can honestly say that each person pushed themselves to the max and we were weary. But once again, God confirmed His word, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9).

 

 

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© 2006, Jonathan Downs

 

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Jonathan Downs is a committed Christian, actively involved in the work of the Lord in Australia and on the mission field. Together with his wife Melanie, he has been involved in missions work for over six years in the nations of India and Indonesia. When not involved in church work, Jonathan works for the Australian Government and enjoys music and sports.