Fruit in the unfruitful season: A case study of the Indonesian Bethel Church’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Verbum et Ecclesia

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Fruit in the unfruitful season: A case study of the Indonesian Bethel Church’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic
 
Creator Widjaja, Fransiskus I. Abraham, Rubin A. Simanjuntak, Fredy Boiliu, Noh I. Harefa, Otieli
 
Subject Theology; Mission; Church Planting influenza; Pentecost; practical theology; Indonesian Bethel Church; case study
Description The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is similar to the Spanish flu that occurred 100 years ago. Various media and research institutes have reported different church-related responses regarding the pandemic, especially in church growth. The pandemic has become a threat associated with fear, stress and frustration and causes significant health and economic crises. Its impact was inevitable on churches, with a substantial decrease in the level of worshippers. This research aims to assess the impact of and the church’s responses to the pandemic phenomena in Indonesia. It is a qualitative research with data descriptively analysed. Drawing on the Indonesian Bethel Church (GBI) case, the results showed that the Indonesian church has historically experienced various challenges and crises and considers the pandemic an opportunity for the church to show its natural character and use this as a moment of spiritual awakening. It is evident that the GBI considers the pandemic a spiritual-awakening momentum. In these challenging times, the GBI experienced an addition of 659 local churches (250 inaugurated and 409 pioneering posts) in response to the Great Commission’s fulfilment.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research helps readers determine how the mission report acts as an understanding source of the church ecumenism in response to completing the ‘Great Commission’ of the Lord Jesus beyond the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic phenomenon.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor Mission and church Planting, Unreached people Group Department of Synode GBI
Date 2021-08-10
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — qualitative and descriptive research with data descriptively analyzed
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ve.v42i1.2247
 
Source Verbum et Ecclesia; Vol 42, No 1 (2021); 8 pages 2074-7705 1609-9982
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2247/4924 https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2247/4925 https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2247/4926 https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2247/4927
 
Coverage Indonesian Archipelago Modern Time Church; Mission
Rights Copyright (c) 2021 Fransiskus I. Widjaja, Rubin A. Abraham, Fredy Simanjuntak, Noh I. Boiliu, Otieli Harefa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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