Youth Leadership Training

34 young adults met in Sukamakmur, Indonesia. Most of them came from Indonesian UEM member churches, while others represented member churches from the Asia Region (the Philippines, Sri Lanka) and the Africa Region (Tanzania). The five-day training in October 2025 was hosted by the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) together with PGI* and the UEM member church GBKP*.

Rev Yusni Rut Mentina Pandia, director of the Ate Keleng Foundation of GBKP, emphasised in her sermon based on Ephesians 2:10 that as believers we are created to do good works – to bring meaning and represent God through our deeds.

Solid foundations, locally rooted

During this Youth Leadership Training, the participants learned the essentials of good leadership: vision, communication, and design thinking. Through games and activities designed to strengthen unity and teamwork, they experienced
• how important cooperative collaboration is,
• how trust strengthens a group, and
• how group dynamics can be maintained.

Together with representatives of Karo Regency, they discussed civic engagement, advocacy, and sustainability: How can I organise my neighbourhood around a political concern? Where does political influence emerge?

Agriculture and digitalisation

During their visit to the “Moderamen”, the headquarters of GBKP in Kabanjahe, the participants learned more about how the church supports young people on their journey into the future. The majority of GBKP members work in agriculture. Therefore, the church offers training on topics such as organic farming, entrepreneurship, and digitalisation.

Deacon Micael Andepa Pinem, representing PGI, urged the participants in his speech to actively engage in the training so that, upon returning to their respective churches and communities, they could put into practice what they had learned during the five days.

Read more about how people in leadership positions continue their education within the UEM: In September 2025, church leaders from the three UEM regions – Asia, Africa, and Germany – gathered for the Leadership Training in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

*PGI = Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja di Indonesia (Community of Churches in Indonesia, umbrella organization of protestant churches)

*GBKP = Gereja Batak Karo Protestan (Protestant Karo Batak Church)