Church Reformation

Source: Certified Autism Center

The church is not just called "the name". like Hillsong Church, New Life Church, Calvary Church, and Christ Church in America and we know GKI Gejayan, GMS Yogyakarta, GBI Keluarga Allah, and Gereja Kerasulan Baru. The church is actually in the basic of serving. 

The basic of serving consists of how God calls you as a son of God and serves each other in Matthew 20: 28 and Colossians 3: 23.

"Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20: 28

"Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men." Colossians 2: 23

God is not to be served but He wants you to serve the Lord through giving the help and teaching each other to get know more about. That's the basis of serving where the church has a purpose of work. The church is home to everyone and God calls you to serve each other not for the church as the church is basically the home of where you grow up and a place of worship. You can serve outside the church, that is okay. But, what's the point that I want to discuss about the church reformation? Let's talk!

Church is home to everyone but sometimes church always forgets what everyone actually needs. I serve for my church and that's a good church. I love the church where I grow up and have a community of believers. But, my church has a lack, especially for people with disabilities, including myself who is a Deaf person. We don't have a ramp or lift for people with wheelchairs. We have limited sign language interpreters and only have one interpreter at a single work time every day. So, my church is good but my church needs to change as part of the aim of home to everyone who wants to know about Jesus and feel accepted as a family. 

What's a church actually should change?

Here are the points that I want to share with you.

• Church needs awareness and encouragement about people with a variety of backgrounds.

Sometimes, the church is only for hearing people because they do not know what can they do. They still think that disability is an illness and they are going to need to pray for them, even though people with disabilities just want to know more about Jesus and never ask to pray. Don't see "disability" but see how they have heartful to know about Jesus. Invite them to join the service, not pray for them. 

• Church whether small, medium, or big needs more development.

If you have a child with autism, you need a special worship room to accommodate your child who cannot be silent and loves to run. That means the church should hire staff who has special needs development certified and have experience working with children with disabilities at a church. As well as sign language interpreters that the church should hire and open the sign language class, that will work for Deaf people who want to join the service, learn the Bible, and attend the events. The church needs to improve awareness of people who are from a variety of backgrounds. 

• Church needs more volunteers to help the programs, especially the youth community.

I know churches in America have programs for volunteer usually when the church holds a summer camp and hire teens to volunteer. But, I don't see churches in Indonesia like that. Having volunteers are kind of important to the ministry's development. Most students who have a long vacation, usually have rainy and hot seasons, but I know that they will go home instead of having ministry experience. So, that's kind of hard. Therefore, I believe the church should have as helping and organizing teens who have ministry experience with people who aren't from that church which can from people with disabilities, the homeless, the poor, and whatever they are going to find the hidden things in the world which they have never be around. When I spend at XA Chi Alpha, I learn about XA Chi Alpha activities in Indonesia and America through meeting my friends who are from America. They have conversations, icebreakers, games, watch movies, and have a piece of live music. I don't know what is actually XA Chi Alpha events in America but so far as I know they have a summer camp. I meet my friends who are volunteers of XA Chi Alpha and they told me that they learned about leadership. It was such interesting. So, I think churches should need volunteers to gain ministry experience whether they want to have programs for kids, people with disabilities, elderly people, the homeless, and marginalized, and vulnerable communities.

• Church needs to encourage how important mental health is.

Sometimes, we do not know how can help people who have depression because we aren't taught a lot about that. There are a lot of stereotypes about mental health. Jesus came to the world as a human being but He knew that human is limited and imperfect. That's why He always forgives His disciple who denied him three times, a woman who was caught in adultery, and so many that He has forgiven. We know that God is the only can heal us but it takes a long process. What's a way? You can go to a psychiatrist, ask for a break, take a rest, and get ready to work back if you feel okay and ready. That is all taken under the church's watch so being able to pray and assist what anything in their needs. 

There are four vital points for church reformation. I hope that works for church reformation because the church is basically serving each other and teaching them to get to know more about Jesus. That means the church is home to everyone who wants to worship God through the accessibility that in they need.

God bless you!