Our nation’s geography is vast and challenging, and so is our mission field.
Stretching across more than 17,000 islands and three time zones, many communities are separated by mountains, jungles, or ocean channels. This diversity also means the Church must serve people from hundreds of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, each with unique needs and ways of understanding faith.
Yet amid these challenges, the Adventist mission continues to grow—proving that when the Church is integrated for mission, even the most distant island can be reached with the Gospel hope.
Harvest 2025 Initiatives
Since the Harvest 2025 orientation in Bali, the West Indonesia Union Mission was empowered to come up with a slogan that would drive Total Member Involvement: 1 Family. 1 Soul. 1 Year.
What began as a slogan was made real through earnest prayer, unwavering commitment, Christ’s method, and a rather unique idea.
Stories of Impact
Bakso is an Indonesian meatball dish, a favorite of President Barack Obama. It brought us to Andi, a bakso seller with a divine mission.
He believed it was God redirecting his life when he was kicked out from his usual spot. Frustrated and bitter, he met an Adventist pastor whom he was comfortable opening up with. He found guidance and hope in a small Bible study group led by the pastor, a concept he was very familiar with since he was a cell group leader himself at his Sunday church.
But this group was different—more profound with biblical truths and more caring.
Soon after his baptism in December 2024, during Hope for Indonesia, the country-wide evangelism, he became a soul-winning care group leader. His method? His bakso.
When care group members missed their weekly meeting, he would visit them with bakso. He conversed, he listened, he attended to their needs even when he was far from abundance, he protected them from abuse, and he was always available for them.
By September 2025, he brought into a dying Adventist church 11 baptisms, including his wife and 2 daughters. Now, 1/4 of the church is his care group family.
When asked to introduce himself, he answered, “My name is Andi Purnomo. I am a bakso seller. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. For me, my pulpit is my job.”
Ministry Achievements and Developments
Total Member Involvement and collaboration are the keywords of West Indonesia Union Mission’s achievements.
With these key focuses:
- Relationships are empowered. Pastors and members felt like families at work. Pastors and wives are serving with love. Spouses are cherished in mission.
Highlight: Bi-union (WIUM & EIUC) Couple’s Convention by the Family Ministries in May, Yogyakarta; attended by 203 couples (406 individuals): 45 couples from EIUC and 158 couples from WIUM; with the theme “Cherish the Love” and guest speakers, Virginia Baloyo and Pr. Rudy Baloyo. Marriage recommitment was the highlight of the event; all couples were in suits and white attire, reminiscing about their wedding day in solemnity.
- Various demographics are reached. Women are reaching out to women. Children to their non-believing friends and their parents. Youth to youth. Professionals to professionals.
Highlight: The children’s center of influence, “Kind Kids Club,” aimed to develop their character and talents, as well as to involve them in ministry from an early age. They are encouraged to invite their friends who are non-believers, along with their friends’ parents. They have been successful in bringing even the children of parents who have not attended church for a long time.
- Multimedia is utilized. From audio to video. From books to online Bible study groups. From schools to churches.
Highlight: The weekly news production, “WIN—West Indonesia News,” highlighting and encouraging TMI for Harvest 2025 since March 2025. The production is aimed to inform, inspire, and encourage church members to be in faith.
- Multinational partnerships are involved. From groundwork by the 43 missionaries from the Trans Pacific Union Mission and training resilience in youth by SSD’s Health Ministries to evangelistic efforts by SSD’s Adventist Muslim Relations and several Indonesian American independent ministry groups.
Highlight: One missionary from TPUM in Singkawang, West Kalimantan, shared that while teaching English in an Adventist school, he found it meaningful to share Jesus through songs during morning devotions and vespers. Though not a good singer himself, he was glad that his students insisted on singing more and more. His care for broken homes and generosity to sick families built trust with his students’ families. He was especially proud when 2 of his students stood up for baptism after conducting a VBS.
All these efforts have gathered in more than 4,300 baptisms in 2025; double that number to include the current Bible students.
Beyond this year’s accomplishments, the past five years have witnessed steady progress in this union—with a 5% increase in churches, 13% growth in membership, 18% rise in tithe, and 17% increase in working capital.
Hence, the Executive Committee of the General Conference has moved forward to reorganize the West Indonesia Union Mission into two unions, effective January 1, 2026: the new West Indonesia Union Mission will consist of 4 missions and conferences with 3 institutions, and the Central Indonesia Union Mission will manage 7 missions and conferences with 4 institutions.
The fastest train in Southeast Asia is in Indonesia.
WHOOSH is a symbol of progress and a demonstration of how Indonesia is working hard to connect its people—through integrated transport.
From the Trans-Java toll roads and inter-island ferries to modern airports and the newly developed Trans-Sumatra and Trans-Papua routes, these systems are designed to connect thousands of islands, millions of people, and countless destinations across our vast and diverse archipelago.
Like WHOOSH, we too are part of a greater journey. We are not heading in different directions; we are one family, one movement, bound for the same destination—heaven.
Let us stay connected, coordinated, and Christ-centered so that together, we can help others find their way home to Him.
