IREC AUCKLAND
International Reformed Evangelical Church
About Us
IREC Auckland or MRII Auckland is a church branch of Indonesian Reformed Evangelical Church (Indonesian: Gereja Reformed Injili Indonesia, GRII). GRII is based in Jakarta, Indonesia. GRII was founded by Rev. Dr. Stephen Tong upon God's calling in fulfilling a vision that God gave to establish a reformed evangelical movement in Indonesia.
VISION AND MISSION
As our name suggests, we think it is important to be distinctly Reformed in our theology and evangelical in our practice. Reformed theology is the rich understanding of God as expressed in the Scriptures. It glorifies God by focusing on the redemption we have in Christ through grace. The word Evangelical in our name reminds us of the Great Commission in which Christ sends us out into the world to share the news of redemption. With an evangelical spirit, we are salt and light in the world, loving people who are still walking in sin and in need of the atoning work of Christ.
Our faith is expressed in the two statement of faiths that follow. One expresses the content of our faith (Reformed faith) and our the other our commitment to sharing the gospel with others (Evangelical faith). As part of the International Reformed Evangelical Church founded by Rev. Dr. Stephen Tong, we desire to be faithful to the Word of God. Hence, our worship service is centered on a careful exposition of the Word of God.
Our desire is that each of us might become disciples rooted in Christ, growing in His Word and sharing the love, peace, and joy that Christ has first given to us through His suffering on the cross. We aim to build strong communities and fellowships and impact the rest of Indonesia through our faith.
OUR BURDEN
Based on the grace of God and the faith handed down from generation to generation to us, we will serve this generation by establishing a pulpit that is faithful to the Word of God and that shares the good news, the Gospel of Christ to our fellow human beings.
With all of God's chosen people around the world, we want to see a strong church established as a witness of Christ, as we welcome the next century.
OUR PRAYER
We pray that the Spirit of God fulfils every Word that is preached from this pulpit. We pray that every congregation who hears the Word from this pulpit obtain the true faith through His Word.
We pray that people who obey His Word may experience salvation in His Gospel and become more and more perfect like our Lord. We pray that this pulpit arouses the conscience of the people of God who live godly and righteous before Him, living justly and lovingly in the body of Christ, and is responsible in all aspects of his life as a witness to the Gospel of Christ in the world.
All glory to God, the giver of His Word to man. May peace reign every soul who loves Him forever. God, bless and lead this pulpit ministry until Thy will be done. Reveal your vision to your people, call upon Thy servants to Thy fields for harvest. Bless our people through this pulpit. Graciously hear your servant's prayer. Amen.
Jakarta, 17 September 1989
Rev. Dr. Stephen Tong
Our Pastors
Rev. Budy Setiawan
Rev. Budy Setiawan, M. Div. is a senior pastor serving in International Reformed Evangelical Church (GRII) Melbourne, Australia, and in IREC (MRII) Auckland, New Zealand. He completed his degree in Bachelor of Theology (S.Th) in 1999, and obtained the title Master of Divinity (M.Div) in 2008 from Indonesian Reformed Evangelical Theological School (STTRII), in Jakarta, Indonesia.
He instilled a core question while he was studying in Perth, namely “Where do I serve God most effectively?”, before he entered theological seminary. He has served in many IREC (GRII) church branches in Indonesia, including the mother church in Jakarta, as well as Bintaro and Matraman. He also served in IREC (GRII) Singapore.
Since 2006, Rev. Budy has served as a pastor in IREC Melbourne. He is married to Maria Lusiana and blessed with two daughters, Valerie and Charissa.
Vic. Andrew Kristanto
Vicar Andrew Kristanto, M. Th, is the serving pastor in International Reformed Evangelical Church (MRII) Auckland, New Zealand. Vicar Andrew is a bilingual pastor (English and Indonesian) and is highly trained in the Reformed theological heritage from different Bible colleges, with several years of experience in pastoral settings, teaching, counselling, and outreach.
He completed his degree in Bachelor of Psychology from University of Surabaya in 2004, and obtained the title of Magister of Divinity from Reformed Evangelical Seminary Jakarta in 2009, Master of Arts from Moore Theological College, Sydney in 2018, and Master of Theology from Moore Theological College, Sydney in 2020. He has served in many churches (GRII) in Indonesia, such as Malang, Tangerang, and Kelapa Gading.
Vicar Andrew has been appointed to minister IREC Auckland since 2021. He is married to Yulia Kristanto and blessed with a son Benedict and a daughter Chloe.
Creeds
APOSTLES CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
On the third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
STATEMENT OF REFORMED FAITH
GOD
We believe in the only living and true God, everlasting and His existence depends upon himself, which transcends and precedes all creation; who in eternity exists in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God; Who created the universe out of nothing by His powerful Word; who sustains and governs all things that have been created by Him and maintain His eternal statutes.
THE BIBLE
We believe that the Old Testament and the New Testament is the perfect revelation of God that is inspired by the Holy Spirit to the authors thus the Bible is completely inerrant in the original manuscripts. The Bible gives testimony of the Holy Spirit, and is the sole and absolute authority for faith and life, both for individuals, churches, as well as communities. We believe that the Bible is inerrant of all the things that it taught, including matters concerning the history and science.
HUMAN
We believe that human beings was created uniquely in God's image, created with holiness, justice and true recognition; and was commanded by God to understand and to live up to God's thoughts as a devout convenant custodian: he was entrusted to govern and rule over God's other creations for the glory of God. We believe that all aspects of life must be lived under the commandment of God as an expression of obedience to God's laws.
SIN
We believe that what has happened in Adam as representative of humanity, results in the entire human race falling into sin and death; spiritually dead, deserving the just wrath of God, without hope and without help for salvation, either from himself or from outside himself or even from the world.
COVENANT OF GRACE
We believe that God in eternity has made covenant with his chosen people, with Jesus Christ as the Head; that through the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ and His death as a substitute for man on the cross, Christ has satisfied the demands of God's wrath against his people.
Through the power of the resurrection of Christ, God continually calls and gather His people from all ages and all nations to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation for His glory.
JESUS CHRIST
We believe in Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Triune God, true God and true man, the only savior of mankind; which has been conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; lived a sinless life, was crucified to death and rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father to intercede for his people as the High Priest, the victorious and full of understanding; that He will come again in his glorious body, visually and suddenly to judge the living and the dead.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Triune God, the Divine inspirator of the Bible, that convicts people of their sins through His Word, regenerating them, so that the growing faith and repentance to Jesus Christ bring people to salvation; He equips believers with the power to obey God's laws; He gave the Church of Jesus Christ gifts for ministry of the saints; He intercedes for believers with unspoken groaning for and until the day of the glorification of God's people.
CHURCH AND MISSION
We believe in one holy universal Church, composed of all the elect of God of all times which are now partially absorbed in the local churches; The local church should be an expression of the nature of holy and universal Church by maintaining purity in accordance with the teachings of the Bible, by giving precedence to unity based on truth in the bond of love between the various local churches and denominations that exist, to radiate the glory of God.
STATEMENT OF EVANGELISM FAITH
I believe in the power of the Gospel that saves every person who believes.
I believe in the unity of the Trinity, creator of Heaven and Earth, the High Judge of sins and the source of salvation of man.
I believe in the power of the Gospel that saves every person who believes.
I believe in the sovereign grace of God over the undeserving mankind that chooses his people in the highest wisdom of His eternal election, and who acts in the dynamic process of history to redeem His people in His only Son, Jesus Christ.
I believe in the incarnation of Jesus Christ through the birth of the virgin, His life without sin, the crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension in which these are historical facts that set the essence of the gospel as the only means to gain God’s salvation.
I believe in the power of the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses, as encapsulated in His sacrifice that acts as the atonement, propitiation, redemption and reconciliation, that gives new life to man.
I believe in the preaching of the gospel (evangelism) as the only good news, which provides the foundation of a life filled with joy and eternal hope for man. Evangelism is:
The true testimony of Christian life that submits themselves to God’s commands
The formation of personal fellowship among sinners with God, through the mediator Jesus Christ.
The cause in which the saving faith in human hearts is derived from.
The key to church growth and to desire His eternal presence.
I believe in repentance as a sign of rebirth through the Holy Spirit that produces true faith and the fruits of new life in Jesus Christ.
I believe in the anointing of the Holy Spirit in evangelism that takes the form of courage, wisdom, power and authority, as well as the desire to be witnesses over those who obey the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.I believe that the final entirety of the gospel is perfect in itself, that it cannot be replaced or compared, including through religious and philosophical views, good worldly deeds (qualitative difference), and even through cultural mandate and its social responsibilities in regard to the orthodox faith and the gospel (it only complements pre and post evangelism). Its finality also extends to the grace of the Holy Spirit with its miracles and signs as stated in the Bible (that God occasionally uses to showcase His gospel). Therefore, we are mandated to preserve the perfection of the gospel.
I believe in the immutable power of the gospel of Jesus Christ that is able to sustain His redeemed people and to change society through their testimonies until the glorious consummation of Jesus Christ’s second coming.