Seminary graduates of the Gereja Lutheran Indonesia
Saturday, August 3, 2024, was a joyful day for Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Lutheran (STTL), the seminary of the Gereja Lutheran Indonesia (GLI). That day also became an important historical milestone for STTL, because this was the first graduation recognized by the Indonesian government. After waiting for quite a long time, finally, STTL managed to get accreditation status for the first time.
STTL was founded in 1979 by missionaries from the GLI’s sister church, WELS, in Pejompongan, DKI Jakarta. Initially, STTL was founded to equip God’s servants who became the first leaders of the Gereja Lutheran Indonesia. STTL has also experienced several name changes and location changes, until finally God blessed STTL with a new and strategic location for the spread of the gospel—a location which is increasingly equipped with faithful people in the training program to become pastors.
In the end, after years of this seminary’s existence, 2024 became a special year for STTL because it officially received accreditation status for the first time. This is also one of the reasons why STTL is now permitted to hold graduations in accordance with seminary regulations in Indonesia.
Citing God’s sure and perfect promise to God’s people in the Old Testament about their uncertain future (Jer. 29:11) as the theme, this verse also becomes the basis for every graduate who is declared to have completed the Academic Theology Bachelor’s program for their journey of service in this world. This verse also becomes a testimony for every guest who attends—not only from our Lutheran denomination, but even from different beliefs—that the certainty of a bright future can only be obtained through the definite work of God. In his sermon, Pastor Medi Sutrisno said firmly, “The certainty of the end of everything in this world can only be obtained from God in the Old Testament who is the God revealed in the incarnation of Christ in the New Testament.”
In addition to being a day of celebration, the graduation also introduced to the public that in Indonesia there is a Lutheran seminary that teaches the Bible purely based on Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Sola Scriptura, and that trains prospective servants of God who will serve God and his people with the principles of Oratio, Meditatio, and Tentatio.
This graduation was held by graduating 19 students, 11 of whom had graduated in previous years, some of whom had even become pastors in local churches. This graduation was also special for the Gereja Lutheran Indonesia because it included a calling service for 8 students who had just graduated and were appointed as vicars. Each of them was so happy after hearing the new place they would go to in their ministry. One of the vicars said, “This is a very special day for me, not because I succeeded in completing the 4-year Academic Theology program, but because God entrusted this beautiful work to me who is not worthy. However, I believe that the God who called me, he is also the God who will equip me.”
The entire STTL community feels proud and grateful to God, who never forgets or neglects to help us in the mission of spreading the gospel and training God’s servants at STTL, Indonesia. We are also very happy to have fellow believers who always help us in prayer and help us in other needs. The accreditation status that we have obtained and the graduation ceremony that we have held are not the end of our work, but this is a new chapter that will motivate us to do the best we can for the glory of God. Soli Deo Gloria!
Submitted by Pastor Michael Simarmata
