Discipleship in Indonesia: The First Decade of Adventist Message (1899-1909)

Abstract

The first Adventist missionary came to Indonesia at the end of 1899. The first decade of the Adventist work met many challenges and hardships. However, in 1909, the Adventist membership percentage increased sharply if it is compared with the previous and later years. This paper attempts to discover what was the main factor of the successful evangelism from 1899 to 1909. After surveying the information gathered in various periodicals during the first decade of Adventist work in Indonesia, the finding is that discipleship was a significant factor that made the evangelism in Indonesia was successful. Discipleship, including training, needed much time and efforts before it reaped the bountiful harvest. This research also recommends some strengths that can be cultivated and weaknesses that may be avoided to gain better outcomes today.

Keywords: Discipleship, Adventist Message, evangelism, Indonesia, adventist missionary

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