Indonesian Church Gets Building Permit After 12 Years
Pastor "Andi" and his congregation of about 30 met the official requirements, which demanded neighbor support and the backing of the interfaith forum.
A church in Indonesia has finally received permission to build its house of worship after 12 years of paperwork and local opposition, International Christian Concern (ICC) reported. Pastor "Andi" and his wife lead the congregation.
Twelve years without a place of their own
The pastor's home was used to gather about 30 people, but the law did not recognize it as a permanent place of worship. Neighbors objected to the group continuing to meet there, and the case reached national media: the story spread widely in 2022. The problem was regulatory. The property did not meet the 2006 Joint Regulation of the Ministries of Religion and the Interior, numbers 09 and 08. Under pressure, the congregation organized itself in shifts: each meeting was held in a different member's home. That is how they kept the community going for years, depending on the goodwill of one family after another.
The requirements that hold a permit back
Building a church in Indonesia is no minor process, according to ICC. The hardest hurdle is gathering the support of at least 60 neighbors who live near the proposed site; that backing must be validated by the head of the subdistrict or village. On top of that come a written recommendation from the Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) and the local office of the Ministry of Religion, plus a building approval (PBG) or construction permit (IMB). The pastor spent four straight years on that paperwork, with the congregation still meeting in other people's homes. This month he obtained the permits that the regulations require.
Worshiping without watching the door
ICC accompanied the pastor throughout the process, encouraged him to stay firm in his ministry and provided what he needs for worship: Bibles, communion sets, a guitar and a keyboard. An ICC colleague in the region asked for prayer that construction moves forward smoothly and that the congregation can worship with comfort and joy. The psalmist wrote it long ago: "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the LORD!'" (Psalm 122:1, ESV). Having a fixed place changes life for a group like this: singing, hearing the Word and celebrating the Lord's Supper no longer depend on someone else's house. For safety, the names and exact location are withheld, just as in the ICC report.
So what can you do? Pray for this congregation and for believers in your city who still don't have a stable place to meet. This Sunday, when you arrive at your church, thank God out loud for what others are still waiting for. And ask your pastor whether your community's space or resources could serve a small group that is just getting started.
