Jakarta is the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia. Its 8.79 million (2004) people make it almost three times larger than any other city in the archipelago. Included among its inhabitants are groups of people from most of the country's 300 ethnic groups, each group maintaining ties with its community of origin.

Beginning in the early 1960s, leaders of the Persatuan Gereja-Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia (The Muria Christian Church of Indonesia) had a growing vision of establishing a cluster of churches in the Jakarta area to serve as a base for launching mission efforts to far-flung parts of the archipelago. By the 1970s several churches had already been established and Pekabaran Injil dan Pelayana Kasih (PIPKA), the mission board of the conference, had set up its headquarters and Mission Training Center in the adjacent port city of Tanjung Priok. Among the important Christian institutions in the city are Sekolah Tinggi Teologia Jakarta, an interdenominational seminary; Badan Penerbit Kristen Gunung Mulia, a major Christian publishing house; and Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja Kristen di Indonesia (the Communion of Christian Churches in Indonesia).   

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 459. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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