He must increase, but I must decrease

Stepping forward in obedience to God's calling, I humbly embrace the privilege given to me to serve as the Director of Mission for the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (APBF). With gratitude overflowing from my heart, I embark on this new journey, transitioning from 18 years of dedicated pastoral ministry to a broader scope of ministries. While my love for the church remains steadfast, I am exhilarated by the prospect of mobilizing over 40,000 local churches and 65 conventions spanning 22 countries across Asia and the Pacific.

One of the most rewarding endeavors within this role has been our consulting program aimed at enhancing the capacity of conventions to send missionaries. Through collaborative efforts, we facilitated a groundbreaking mission-sending initiative involving three conventions and 10 local churches from three different countries, united in fulfilling Christ's Great Commission by reaching the most unreached and ungaged areas of Indonesia. This concerted effort, spearheaded by APBF Mission, resulted in the deployment of 10 units of mission workers, including a courageous couple known under the pseudonym "Faith and Deed," sent to an area with the highest persecution index in Indonesia.

Faith and Deed exemplify unwavering dedication to God’s mission, having embarked on their journey immediately following their wedding. Enduring persecution due to their ethnic background, they persisted in their endeavors to connect with the communities they sought to serve. Despite societal constraints dictating Deed's role as a stay at home housewife, she bravely engaged her neighbors, initiating conversations and extending gestures of goodwill, such as sharing freshly baked bread.

Initially met with suspicion and hostility, Deed's persistence and genuine kindness eventually broke down barriers, leading to heartfelt discussions within her neighbors' homes. Through the simple act of sharing bread, she fostered connections that transcended religious differences, redirecting conversations of everyday life to matters of eternal life.

Personally, as a pastor, I always try to be involved directly and hands on in all types of ministries of the church. But, with the new role with the APBF, I understand that breakthrough of evangelism like one mentioned above does not have to be done because of my direct work. It was done through the facilitating of different churches in several conventions working in collaboration to make the sending of a mission workers like Faith and Deed to be on the front line of mission in the most unreached areas. Jesus must increase, and I must decrease.

We are grateful for the Lord’s divine soverignty in our lives, as 2023 has just passed. God’s mercies in our lives is evident, we have been blessed with health and nurture. Lily, my wife, and I, are grateful that our oldest daughter, Joanna, has started her 4^th semester in university, and our youngest, Melody, is in her second semester of grade 9. We are blessed that we all serve actively in our local church in Sunday School, music, worship, and preaching ministries.

Please pray for a fruitful 2024 where the APBF Mission strive to develop higher intensity in communication and connection through the Sub-regional Mission Coordinators that is in the process of being appointed.

Pray for Faith and Deed, as they must move to a different city in the same province due to some pressures and persecution in the previous city, even though they have made progress. Their move, by faith, will be more strategic in reaching a wider scope of people in the targeted unreached peoples of the land.

Please pray for more churches and convention in the APBF to be obedient in carrying out the Great Commission in their “backyard” and to the ends of the earth.

 May the Lord bless each and every one of you according to His mercies. Your support strengthened us as a family, knowing that there are groups of people praying for us. Thank you for supporting BMS, a valuable partner of ABPF and for your prayers for me as a BMS supported partner worker, as I seek to fulfil my role at the APBF, and in the mission field of Asia and the Pacific region.

Blessings,

Ardi