Mission History

ELCA companions in Indonesia

August Theis led a group of Dutch missionaries to spread Christianity to the Simalungun area after he received a telegram from the local Rheinische Missions-Gesselschaft (RMG - Netherlands-based sending institution) leader. On September 2, 1903, they arrived at Pematang Raya to begin their mission among the Simalungunese. September 2 has been celebrated each year by GKPS all over the world as an olob-olob (Simalungunese for joyous) day to thank God that the Bible has entered Simalungun. Up to 1910, 17 churches were founded inside Simalungun area, the embryo of the present GKPS.

In 1940, all of the churches inside the Simalungun area were officially grouped together as a single district inside HKBP (Huria Kristen Batak Protestan). 12 years later, Simalungun District synod members held a meeting to prepare a separation between themselves and HKBP. The new church was called HKBPS (HKBP-Simalungun). The HKBPS transformed its organization and name into Gereja Kristen Protestan Simalungun (GKPS) in 1963.

The Huria Kristen Indonesia (HKI) is a predominantly rural church headquartered in North Sumatra. The current Ephorus is Dr. B. Purba. The HKI is a break off from the HKBP. The church has over 600 congregations in 60 parishes. Since a large number of their theological students come from poor rural communities, it has been important to provide scholarship assistance to students who have shown good potential during their first year of studies.