“Something phenomenal is happening” in Jakarta, editorialized one of that city’s newspapers last month. The event was the first interdenominational evangelistic crusade in the Indonesian capital and two other major cities on Java.
John Haggai, founder of Evangelism International, conducted the campaign, which drew more than 1,000 members of a dozen Protestant churches as Bible instructors, counselors, ushers, and choir members. Attendance during the ten days totaled 65,000; nearly 9,000 Indonesians made Christian commitments or enrolled in Bible courses.
The crusade grew out of one of evangelist Haggai’s previous visits to Java. Earlier this year 183 Indonesian ministers and evangelists attending a seminar Haggai conducted had invited him back to hold evangelistic meetings.
Fear of Muslim disturbances nearly canceled the meetings before they began; Indonesia’s population of 110 million includes 100 million Muslims. But thirteen Muslims were among those who made decisions for Christ. “To attract 400 Muslims to a meeting which is plainly a Christian soul-winning endeavor is an achievement,” commented an experienced missionary. “To convince thirteen of them that Christ is the Saviour of mankind is phenomenal.”
PAUL PURUKAN
