Indonesian Shaman Finds New Life Through Christian Television

The 36 million Sundanese people are one of the world’s largest unreached people groups. Our partner Indonesian Church Growth Network (ICGN) operates an Arts Center where Sundanese Christian artists can express their talents through their treasured Sundanese cultural arts. Their common goal is to glorify the Lord Jesus, their Savior, through drama, television production, dance, singing, and songwriting, all in Sundanese.

Partners International supports the Arts Center’s multi-media work including a number of popular television shows. One of them is called “Father’s Village,” a pre-evangelistic drama that is shot in a village setting and focuses on problems typical to a Sundanese community. The father figure in the show gives advice on solving problems directly from God’s Word.

We recently received this amazing story of the television program's impact:

“Four months ago, Pastor Didi, the star of Father’s Village, told us that he had been asked to come to someone’s home that he had never met before. It turned out that this person was a well-known shaman. He was so well-known that more than a few representatives and senators from the legislature had come to him for healing or for magic to advance their careers.

“After Didi and his wife arrived and introduced themselves, the shaman began to ask them questions regarding a ‘higher power,’ which despite trying he could not seem to attain. He asked Didi, ‘What power exactly does the Father have?’ Didi then presented the story of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Didi explained that this was the higher power present in himself and in the show’s character.

“The following week, the shaman called Pastor Didi again, asking him for another visit. The shaman revealed that he wanted to receive Jesus because he was dying from a terminal illness. For Didi’s visit, the shaman had gathered 22 members of his extended family and told them to listen and accept what Pastor Didi believed. He also instructed his wife and children not to bury him according to the Muslim custom. He wanted his funeral to be according to Didi’s faith. He also shared with Didi that he looked forward to having many more conversations with him in heaven. Shortly thereafter, the shaman passed away.

“Since then, the shaman’s extended family members have proven faithful to the promise that they made to their father. Twice each week, they come to Didi’s house for discipleship.

"As a result of our programs, Pastor Didi is widely known as ‘father.’ He has been given a platform to show Jesus to the Sundanese. He portrays to the entire Sundanese world that a follower of Christ does not have to become Western but can remain culturally Sundanese.”

ICGN’s programs reach an estimated audience of 50,000 people. Funds are needed to support the creation, production, and broadcasting of new episodes.

Support ICGN’s multi-media work today

News From the Field