Worshiping in the mall? Why not?<\/p>\n
Sunday services are mostly solemn and held inside a church.
\nBut alternative venues are becoming popular among worshipers, and
\ntheir services are thought to be unique. Some services are held
\nin shopping malls and other people-friendly places. The Jakarta
\nPost observes the phenomenon. Related story on Page 2.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Shopping malls can be more than a place to shop.
\nFor many people, malls are favorite spots to meet people, to
\nrelax and to seek entertainment. Air-conditioned malls provide
\ncomfort, especially during a hot day, and there are many food
\noutlets. Some also have sports facilities or movie theaters. And
\nfor some Christians, shopping malls are a place to pray.<\/p>\n
On Sundays, thousands of Christians throng certain malls in
\nthe city where services are held. At malls, services do not
\nnecessarily take place in a special conference or meeting hall --
\nit can be in a restaurant, a theater, or a store.<\/p>\n
Religious services are also performed in other public places
\nlike sports centers, cafes, office buildings and at star-rated
\nhotels.<\/p>\n
The Tiberias Ministry of Indonesian Bethel Church, for
\nexample, has 27 venues in Jakarta, Bekasi and Tangerang, and one
\nin Bandung. Only one of the 28 venues is a church.<\/p>\n
Other Protestant churches, like Bethany and the Evangelical
\nReformed Church, also make the best use of office buildings and
\nhotels to spread the message of God.<\/p>\n
\"The place is comfortable, the service is not boring and the
\nsongs are dynamic,\" said Linda, a young executive who has been
\ngoing to Bethany's services at the Jakarta Hilton Convention
\nCenter for two years. \"At my previous church, it was so boring,
\nsometimes I almost fell asleep.\"<\/p>\n
Unlike mainstream traditional Protestant churches, alternative
\nchurches hold services which are more alive and entertaining. In
\na mainstream church, hymns are usually accompanied by the organ
\nin a slow or moderate tune, while the new denominations have
\ntheir congregations singing in full spirit. They also clap their
\nhands and sway to the dynamic music of a band with its various
\nmusical instruments.<\/p>\n
The existence of alternative churches, however, is not a real
\nthreat to traditional churches as there are still many Christians
\nwho prefer a serious and solemn atmosphere.<\/p>\n
Protestant churches in Indonesia have their roots in the
\nLutheran Church, which was established by Martin Luther in the
\n16th century in protest of the issuance of certificates of sin
\nabatement by the Roman Catholic Church. The Lutheran Church later
\ngave birth to the Reformed Church, in which three denominational
\ngroups have their roots: the Presbyterian, the Anglican and
\nAnabaptist. Soon, other churches were established. For example,
\nthe Methodist Church and the Baptist Church were set up by
\nmembers of the Anglican Church.<\/p>\n
The Catholic Church is more united because all of them are
\nunder the Pope, who has final say on any decision.<\/p>\n
Protestants are more liberal. Everybody is encouraged to read
\nthe Bible and they are free to interpret the verses. (It was not
\nuntil the 1960s that Catholic congregations were allowed to read
\nthe Bible.) There are different interpretations of the Bible,
\nwhich results in the establishment of new churches.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, the first wave of Christianity -- Protestant and
\nCatholic -- arrived with the colonialist government. Protestant
\nevangelists succeeded in the establishment of the Indonesian
\nChristian Churches (GKI), and Christian churches based on the
\nethnicity, like the Javanese Christian Church (GKJ), Batak
\nProtestant Church (HKBP) and Protestant Church in West Indonesia
\n(GPIB).<\/p>\n
The second wave of Christian evangelism hit after independence
\nwhen American missionaries, mostly from the Pentecostal Church,
\narrived in the country. It was these missionaries who introduced
\nalternative churches and the charismatic movement.<\/p>\n
\"The charismatic movement rapidly developed in big cities in
\nIndonesia in the 1980s with young people as the main target -- a
\ncondition that upset traditional churches,\" said Yusak Soleiman,
\na lecturer at Jakarta's School of Theology.<\/p>\n
The charismatic movement emphasizes the importance of charisma
\nor talents, like the ability to speak in tongues, the language of
\nthe holy spirit.<\/p>\n
By the 1990s, the movement stepped back a bit, and it now
\npreaches the \"theology of success\", according to Yusak. This
\nphilosophy underlines that Christians are blessed people whose
\nneeds are fulfilled by God. Therefore they should be happy and
\nenjoy life.<\/p>\n
\"In America, there is now the development of other 'churches'
\nwith element of paganism. Some have entered Indonesia, like the
\nChurch of Satan,\" Yusak said. The sect is banned in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Data from the Ministry of Religious Affairs shows that in 1995
\nMuslims made up 87.21 percent of country's population,
\nProtestants 6.04 percent, Catholics 3.58 percent, Hindus 1.83
\npercent and Buddhists 1.03 percent. Today's population is over
\n200 million.<\/p>\n
With the establishment of many new churches in Indonesia,
\nChristians have more choice. If they do not like one church, they
\ncan go to another. Their affiliation has little to do with
\nloyalty or lack of but has more to do with \"taste.\"<\/p>\n
Alienated<\/p>\n
\"They could feel alienated because they are not rooted in
\ntradition. On the other hand, a church cannot serve its
\ncongregation because people can easily move from one church to
\nanother,\" Yusak said.<\/p>\n
In order to maintain their congregations, traditional churches
\nshould improve their services to the members, such as by visiting
\nmembers of their congregations at home more often. \"But you can't
\nforce people to come to your church,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Organizing religious services in public places, which is done
\nby alternative churches, has become an effective way to attract
\npeople.<\/p>\n
A minister of the Tiberias Ministry said: \"If you ask your
\nfriends to come to the church, they might be reluctant -- they
\ncan even be 'allergic' to the word church, but things can be
\ndifferent if it (service) is in a shopping mall, a movie theater,
\na hotel or a cafe.\" The minister, who asked not to have his name
\nprinted, is scheduled to give a sermon in a cafe in a shop-house
\nin West Jakarta on Sunday.<\/p>\n
But another reason behind the organization of services in
\npublic places is the fact that it is not easy to build a church.
\nThe government stipulates that the establishment of a church
\nshould be approved by local authorities and religious leaders.<\/p>\n
Since Soeharto was in power, religious harmony among the
\npeople has been marred by the destruction of places of worship.
\nData at the Communication Forum of Indonesian Christians says
\nthat during the government of first president Sukarno (August
\n1945 to March 1967), two churches were damaged. But during the
\nSoeharto administration (lasting 32 years until May 21, 1998) saw
\nthe closing or destruction of 455 churches. During the Habibie
\nadministration (May 1998 to October 20, 1999), 153 churches were
\nclosed or damaged. Under President Abdurrahman Wahid's
\nadministration, 14 churches have been damaged so far. The latest
\ncase took place in Bekasi on Dec. 5 when one church and one home
\nin which church services were conducted were attacked by an angry
\nmob who objected to their presence. (sim)<\/p>",
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