Publication Search

This study aims to develop a strategy for developing praise and worship services through a deeper biblical theology of Psalm 150, as a fundamental solution for congregational growth at YHS Eka Sinta Church in Kapuas Regency. The main premise of this study is based on the crucial disconnect between contemporary church music practices, which tend to be performative, and the essence of the doxology authoritatively contained in the text Scripture. By integrating descriptive qualitative methods and an exegetical biblical theology approach, this study explores the imperative meaning and poetic structure of Psalm 150 and then engages them in intercultural dialogue with the sociocultural context of local churches in Kalimantan. The results reveal that the biblical theology Psalm 150 emphasizes the totality of instrumental use and the universality of the subject of praise as an absolute reflection of God's sovereignty and might. Field findings indicate that the effectiveness of music services is often hampered by technical limitations and theological shallowness of liturgical ministers. This study concludes that healthy congregational growth, both in terms of spiritual quality and quantity, is rooted in the extent to which the church able to actualize biblical theological values ​​in expressions of praise that are relevant and resonate with the cultural background and local identity of its congregation. The resulting strategy offers a holistic ministry model, in which church music returns to its essential function as an instrument of faith transformation and a means of growing the Kingdom of God, adaptively yet faithful to the biblical text.

Interest in reading the Holy Scriptures is an important aspect of faith formation among Catholic Youth (OMK). However, various challenges, such as busy daily activities and the influence of digital media, have hindered the development of a consistent habit of reading the Scriptures. This study aims to describe the interest in reading the Holy Scriptures among Catholic Youth at Beato Dionisius Sumbul Parish and to analyze the use of the Lectio Divina method in fostering this interest. This research employed a descriptive qualitative approach involving ten informants, consisting of the parish priest, a youth mentor, and members of the Catholic Youth community. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation, and were analyzed using the Miles and Huberman model. The findings indicate that the interest in reading the Holy Scriptures among Catholic Youth has grown, although it has not yet become a consistent habit. The Lectio Divina method has proven effective in helping Catholic Youth read, understand, reflect on, and internalize the Word of God more deeply through the stages of Lectio, Meditatio, Oratio, Contemplatio, and Actio. This method increases their interest in the Holy Scriptures and promotes spiritual growth reflected in their daily lives. Therefore, Lectio Divina can serve as an effective pastoral approach for fostering interest in reading the Holy Scriptures among Catholic Youth.

This study examines how parents can serve as role models in fostering the spiritual growth of their adolescents. Parents play a fundamental role in shaping their children's character and faith by providing positive examples that adolescents can imitate in their daily lives. Spiritual growth during adolescence is particularly important because it serves as a strong foundation for their future faith, values, and moral development. The purpose of this study is to explore how parental role modeling influences adolescents' spiritual growth. This research employed a qualitative methodology using a library research approach. Relevant books, journal articles, theological literature, and other scholarly references were analyzed to examine theories and concepts related to parental roles and adolescent spiritual formation. The findings indicate that effective parental role modeling is demonstrated through words, behavior, love, faithfulness, integrity, and purity, which encourage adolescents to develop a deeper relationship with God and practice Christian values consistently. The study concludes that parents should actively model faith in everyday life as an essential part of educating their adolescents. By becoming living examples of Christian values, parents can significantly contribute to nurturing adolescents' spiritual maturity and strengthening their commitment to a lifelong life of faith.

This research aims to examine how the functions of Christian counseling (preventive, curative, developmental, and pastoral) can be integrated into the practice of Christian Religious Education as an effective strategy to support adolescents’ faith development. The background of this study arises from the fact that adolescents experience a crisis of faith that is not only related to theological aspects but also affects their psychological and emotional well-being. On the other hand, christian religious education practices in schools often remain focused on the transfer of doctrinal knowledge without being balanced by adequate personal guidance. This study applies a qualitative method through literature review and conceptual analysis of christian counseling theory, theories of adolescent faith development, and pedagogical practices in christian religious education. The findings indicate that integrating Christian counseling functions into the design of christian religious education learning can create a dialogical, reflective, and pastoral classroom atmosphere, providing opportunities for adolescents to develop spiritual discernment, self-awareness, and the ability to make responsible moral decisions. This article discusses the relevance of counseling to adolescents’ spiritual development, the characteristics of their faith development, the challenges of implementing counseling in Christian educational institutions, and the design of learning based on dialogue, reflection, and mentoring. In this way, the integration of christian counseling in christian religious education is considered a holistic approach that enriches the meaning of faith education and supports adolescents’ faith growth in a contextual, profound, and sustainable manner.

This study examines the role of social media as a contemporary arena of spiritual warfare and its impact on Christian spirituality amid the growth of digital disinformation. Employing a mixed-method approach, the research combines quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to identify patterns of religious disinformation and explain their influence on doctrinal understanding, worship practices, and the faith identity of church members. The findings indicate a negative relationship between exposure to disinformation and the depth and consistency of spiritual practices. They also reveal increasing theological confusion and the emergence of digital influencers as “alternative authorities” who shape religious interpretation outside established church guidance. In addition, low levels of media literacy and the church’s limited readiness for digital ministry further heighten believers’ vulnerability to misleading narratives. The study concludes that the digital sphere functions as a strategic field of spiritual warfare requiring an integrated theological, pastoral, and literacy-based response. Recommendations include developing theologically grounded media literacy programs, training digital ministry leaders, strengthening pastoral guidance online, and designing contextual, evidence-based church content for contemporary digital communities across diverse contemporary congregational settings and contexts.

The rapid growth of the digital era has significantly influenced Christian Religious Education (CRE), requiring curriculum transformation that integrates Christian household values into academic learning. This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach with an exploratory case study design to analyze the integration of family-based Christian values, such as love, open communication, and spiritual discipline, into the CRE curriculum. The findings reveal that this integration effectively nurtures Christlike character in students across cognitive, affective, and spiritual dimensions. In addition, technology-enhanced learning becomes more meaningful when it is rooted in household values that shape daily faith practices and relational responsibility. The study also indicates that the family context provides an important foundation for strengthening moral awareness, spiritual maturity, and responsible digital engagement among students. This research concludes that integrative curriculum models can develop educators who are not only theologically competent but also Christlike, adaptive, and responsive to digital challenges. Therefore, integrating Christian household values into CRE curriculum design is essential for strengthening holistic faith formation in higher education and preparing future educators to serve faithfully in contemporary digital contexts.

This study examines contextual discipleship as a strategic approach to Christian education in a multicultural society. It employs a convergent mixed-methods design to obtain a comprehensive understanding of how discipleship contributes to students’ spiritual growth and character formation. Quantitative data were gathered through structured questionnaires, while qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with relevant participants. The findings show that contextual discipleship significantly strengthens students’ understanding of faith, promotes tolerance and respect for diversity, encourages social engagement, and helps students respond wisely to challenges arising from technological development and digital culture. Contextual discipleship becomes effective when it is implemented consistently, supported by relational mentoring, and grounded in the translation of Gospel values into the learners’ real-life social context. The study concludes that contextual discipleship is a strategic and transformative model for developing holistic Christian education that is spiritually formative, socially responsive, and relevant to multicultural realities. Therefore, this approach can strengthen Christian educational practice and equip learners to live faithfully, responsibly, and constructively within diverse contemporary communities amid ongoing social, cultural, and increasingly digital transformation today.

The Tabernacle, established by Moses at God's command in the wilderness, was His holy dwelling place, signified by the pillar of cloud and fire. As the center of worship in the Old Testament, the Tabernacle featured a divinely designed structure: the outer court with the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Laver; the Holy Place containing the Table of Showbread, the Golden Lampstand, and the Altar of Incense; and the Most Holy Place housing the Ark of the Covenant with the mercy seat. Though historically exclusive to Israel, the spiritual meaning of the Tabernacle remains relevant for believers today. In the era of grace, every believer is a priest with direct access to God through Christ. This study explores the application of the "Tabernacle Tour" as a guide for personal prayer, where each piece of furniture symbolizes a spiritual stage from confession of sin to intimate communion with God. Through biblical reflection and practical experience, the author finds that this symbolic journey helps believers experience quality time with the Lord in prayer, transforming the Tabernacle from a historical reality into a living spiritual model for faith growth and contemporary worship.

This study aims to describe the implementation of spiritual activities and the development of student creativity at SMTK Alor Barat Laut, Alor Regency, as well as to analyze their contribution to the spiritual growth and potential development of students within the context of Christian education. Using a qualitative approach with a case study method, this research involved the principal, teachers, dormitory supervisors, and students as research subjects. Data collection techniques were carried out through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The results of the study show that structured spiritual activities conducted through morning worship, afternoon worship, evening worship, fasting worship, the Bible Reading Movement, memorization of golden verses, praise practice, and tambourine practice have made significant contributions to the spiritual growth and creativity development of students. The active involvement of students as worship leaders and as performers in artistic ministries fosters self-confidence, the ability to express themselves through music and the arts, as well as responsible character grounded in Christian values. Supporting factors for the implementation of these activities include a clear program structure, full support from teachers and dormitory supervisors, and the active participation of the school community, while inhibiting factors include a packed schedule and limited facilities and infrastructure. This study concludes that SMTK Alor Barat Laut has successfully realized holistic education that integrates spiritual formation and creativity development in a balanced manner, so that students grow into individuals who are faithful, creative, and character-driven in accordance with the values of Christian education.

This research examines digital charity practices within Christian media communication on YouTube, focusing on two distinct donation formats: marapthon live stream donations (e.g., 24‑hour fundraising events) and sermon‑based donations (offerings collected during or after online worship services). Despite the rapid growth of faith‑based online giving, a critical problem remains: the absence of an integrated system that aligns these two donation models with Christian values of transparency, accountability, and community stewardship. Existing platforms often treat live marapthon and sermon donations separately, leading to fragmented donor experiences and inefficient fund utilization. Therefore, this study aims to develop a conceptual framework for an integrated digital charity system by comparatively analyzing media communication strategies in both donation contexts. The proposed method is a netnographic comparative analysis, involving systematic observation of YouTube comments, chat logs, and video descriptions from 10 Christian channels (5 marapthon‑focused, 5 sermon‑focused) over six months, supplemented by semi‑structured interviews with content creators and donors. The main findings reveal that marapthon donations emphasize urgency and real‑time social proof, while sermon donations rely on theological framing and pastoral trust. The synthesis proposes a hybrid system architecture incorporating real‑time donation tracking, automated acknowledgment, and weekly theological reflection modules. In conclusion, integrating both models into a single development framework enhances donor engagement and aligns digital charity with Christian communication ethics, offering practical guidelines for church‑based YouTubers and platform developers.

This article explores the map of Christian education approaches from theological, pedagogical, psychological, and contextual perspectives. Christian education plays a vital role in shaping the faith, character, and spirituality of students in a comprehensive manner. Using a literature review method, the study analyzes various sources on Christian education theology. The findings reveal that the theological approach emphasizes the Bible as the primary foundation for learning, while the pedagogical approach focuses on active and participatory teaching methods. The psychological approach tailors instruction to the developmental stages of students, and the contextual approach links faith with students' real-life experiences. Each approach has its strengths and limitations, and Christian educators are encouraged to integrate these approaches to achieve holistic learning goals. The study emphasizes the importance of collaboration among schools, families, and churches to create an educational ecosystem that fosters the spiritual and character growth of students. By combining these approaches, educators can better equip students for both spiritual and personal development.

Christian leadership rooted in John 15:1 8 and 13 17 depicts Jesus as the true vine, where leaders, as branches, must abide (remain attached) in Him (Jesus Christ) to bear abundant fruit through divine vision, moral integrity, and passionate service. This analysis explores how the vine metaphor shapes a leadership model that depends on an intimate (attached) relationship with Christ, producing fruit in daily life and ministry. The relationship between the vine and the branches reflects the necessity for church leaders to rely on Christ for guidance, strength, and the ability to serve others effectively. The model emphasizes the importance of nurturing personal spiritual growth, cultivating virtues that align with God’s purpose, and fostering a ministry focused on service and integrity. These principles are relevant for Indonesian church leaders who are called to integrate their faith with contextual ministry. By examining the passage through exegesis and literature review, this article provides insights on developing a Christ centered approach to leadership.

This study explores the integration of Creativity Education and Growth Mindset in Catholic Religious Education (CRE) at Senior High Schools and examines its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, focusing on quality and inclusive education. Using a Systematic Literature Review based on the PRISMA 2020 protocol, the study analyzed 1,263 articles from scientific databases, narrowing down to 106 relevant studies. The findings highlight that Creativity Education fosters critical thinking, cognitive flexibility, problem-solving, and the integration of moral and spiritual values. Growth Mindset enhances students’ intrinsic motivation, perseverance, and resilience, creating an adaptive, innovative, and inclusive learning environment. The synthesis led to the development of an integrative learning model, which includes the Creative Reflective Learning Cycle, Faith-Based Project Learning, Creative Growth Dialogue, and Digital Creativity Integration. This model aims to holistically develop students’ cognitive, creative, moral, and spiritual capacities. The study demonstrates that the combination of Creativity Education and Growth Mindset enriches CRE pedagogical practices and supports the development of 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, collaboration, digital literacy, and moral literacy. It concludes that project-based learning, digital technology integration, and curriculum adjustments are vital steps in improving learning quality and inclusiveness. The study recommends further empirical research to test the effectiveness of the proposed model.

The diversity of students’ study motivations in theological higher education presents both challenges and opportunities in shaping the spirituality of prospective Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers. Not all students enter the CRE program based on a calling to ministry, resulting in varying levels of initial spiritual readiness. This study aims to analyze the process of spiritual formation among CRE students as prospective teachers at STT Katharos Indonesia Bekasi in the context of diverse study motivations, referring to James W. Fowler’s theory of faith development. This research employs a qualitative descriptive approach using observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation involving CRE students. The findings reveal that despite diverse initial motivations, the integrated theological education process through academic learning, ministry practices, community life, and spiritual formation effectively fosters faith growth and personal encounters with Christ. This process contributes to the development of students’ spiritual maturity. The study concludes that CRE education functions as an effective means of faith transformation in preparing prospective teachers with strong spiritual integrity and readiness for ministry.

This study examines the relationship between suffering in Job 1–21 and God's sovereignty in the Old Testament. The problem arises from the tension between the theology of retribution that links suffering to sin and the reality that the righteous can also suffer. Job is a key figure in understanding this theological dilemma. This study uses a qualitative method with a biblical exegetical approach through analysis of historical context, literary structure, and theological meaning. The primary data comes from the text of Job 1–21, supported by relevant theological literature. The analysis is conducted descriptively and analytically to find the relationship between suffering and God's sovereignty. The results show that Job's suffering is not a direct result of sin, but rather occurs within the scope of God's sovereignty that transcends human understanding. This text also critiques the rigid understanding of the theology of retribution and emphasizes that faith is rooted in trust, not merely rational understanding. Job's perseverance demonstrates that suffering can be a means of faith growth as well as a test that deepens humanity's relationship with God. This study emphasizes that suffering is part of God's sovereign plan and encourages believers to remain faithful and persevere amidst the uncertainties and struggles of life.

Digital spirituality is a way of living and expressing spiritual life within the context of the digital world, where technology serves as a medium to strengthen one’s relationship with God, oneself, and the community. It is therefore a conscious effort to maintain and nurture faith amid the overwhelming flow of information on social media. The concept of From Scroll to Soul encourages believers not merely to be passive recipients of information but to engage spiritually by using technology as a tool for faith formation. Practices such as using spiritual apps, participating in online communities, selecting constructive content, and conducting digital detoxes are important steps to maintain focus on God. Theologically, digital spirituality affirms that God is present in every aspect of life, including virtual spaces. Technology can become a tool of grace that deepens one’s relationship with God and serves as a space for witnessing faith when used wisely. Thus, digital spirituality is not a rejection of technology but rather its use as a medium for growth, testimony, and bringing Christ’s values into the modern information culture.

Christian Religious Education (PAK) plays a crucial role in helping students develop faith based on the truth of God's Word. Therefore, a theological foundation plays a crucial role in the implementation of PAK, ensuring that educational activities are not only focused on knowledge transfer but also directed toward holistically shaping character and strengthening students' faith. This article aims to examine the theological foundation of Christian Religious Education in the process of developing students' faith based on Christian teachings. The method used in this study is literature analysis, examining various theological sources, the Bible, and writings related to Christian education. The findings of this study indicate that the theological foundation of PAK stems from God's calling as a true educator, the example of Jesus Christ as the Primary Teacher, and the role of the Holy Spirit in fostering and maintaining faith. Christian Religious Education based on strong theology can help students experience true growth in faith, internalize Christian values, and implement them in their daily lives.

This study aims to analyze the application of design learning in planning discipleship materials as an effort to improve the Bible knowledge of church youth. This study uses a qualitative approach with an action research method, which is implemented through the stages of planning, action, observation, and reflection. The research subjects were 40 church youth who were actively involved in the discipleship program. Data collection techniques included observation, interviews, questionnaires, and participant reflections before and after the implementation of design learning. The results show that the application of design learning makes a significant contribution to improving the Bible knowledge of youth, which includes cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects. Youth not only experienced an increased understanding of the Bible's content, but also showed growth in faith attitudes, spiritual motivation, active participation in learning, and involvement in church services. The design learning approach helps create planned, contextual, and learner-centered discipleship learning. Thus, design learning is proven to be effective and relevant as a youth discipleship strategy in facing the challenges of faith formation in the digital era.

The environmental crisis is a global issue that has become increasingly evident and directly affects human life, including rural communities. Deforestation, environmental pollution, and changes in human lifestyles reflect an imbalanced relationship between humanity and nature. From a Christian faith perspective, the environmental crisis is not merely an ecological or social problem. This article aims to examine ecotheology as a foundation of Christian faith in responding to environmental crises, while also describing its practical implementation through a Community Service program conducted by lecturers and students of the Master’s Program in Christian Religious Education at IAKN Tarutung in 2025 in Situmeang Pintu Bosi Village, Sipoholon District, North Tapanuli Regency. The method employed is a qualitative approach using a participatory service model, which includes ecotheological material presentations, Bible-based reflective discussions, and the accompaniment of simple environmental care actions with the local community. The service materials emphasize the understanding of God as the Creator and Owner of all creation, the cultural mandate and stewardship, the reality of sin and its impact on the degradation of creation, and the role of the church and believers in preserving environmental integrity. The results indicate an increased theological understanding among the community regarding Christian responsibility toward the environment, along with the growth of ethical awareness to care for nature through concrete actions in daily life. This activity affirms that ecotheology is not merely conceptual, but has practical relevance in fostering faith-based ecological awareness.

The family is the primary place where the faith of children and adolescents is formed, especially in the digital age, which is rife with information and moral dilemmas. Home is more than just a place to live; it is where children learn Christian values ​​through parental example, prayer, discussion, and attention. With the digital generation growing up with rapid access to the internet and social media, it is crucial for parents to ensure that technology becomes a tool for growth, not a threat to faith. This study analyzed literature on Christian religious education in families, children's spiritual development, and challenges in the digital age. The results show that strong emotional connections and active parental involvement in daily faith education can significantly shape children's character and spirituality. The family is the primary foundation in preparing a wise digital generation, firmly rooted in Christ, and able to navigate changing times without losing their faith identity.