Retired Pastor Preaches in Bali

Robert Koornneef, a retired Christian Reformed chaplain and pastor, recently returned from five months of service as the minister at a Protestant church on the tropical island of Bali in Indonesia.

Following the death of his wife and then recovery from being hit by a car last summer while riding his bicycle, Koornneef had been seeking a challenge—and he found it in Bali.

“I could not have asked for a more enriching, unique, cross- cultural experience than I had in Bali—a tourist attraction in Indonesia that celebrated 71 years of independence in August,” he said.

Koornneef served as the pastor of the Bukit Doa International Church, located on “Prayer Hill” in Nusa Dua, Bali. Pastors from all over the world, many of them retired, volunteer their time at the church.

As it turns out, Koornneef is one of three CRC chaplains who arranged together to work on separate occasions at the church this year. Rev. Douglas Vrieland, a retired U.S. Navy chaplain, was there just before him. Rev. Allen Schipper, a retired hospital chaplain, is serving on “Prayer Hill” now .

The area is referred to as “Prayer Hill” because the Indonesian government bought the property and erected five houses of worship—two churches, two temples, and a mosque—side by side, representing the main religions in the country: Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Catholicism, and Protestant Christianity.

Hinduism, however, is the predominant religion in Bali.

“Ninety percent of the population are Balinese Hindus, and their impact is visible everywhere by way of temples, small shrines, idols, and numerous rituals,” said Koornneef.

In Indonesia as a whole, 95 percent of the population is Muslim, and increasing numbers are moving to Bali for employment.

“A significant number of both religions take advantage of the good education provided by the Protestant Church of Bali and other groups,” he said.

Koornneef, who served as a hospice chaplain and pastor for several years at Calvin CRC in Grand Rapids, Mich., learned several things about Indonesia as a result of his time there —including the country’s history under the rule of his Dutch ancestors.

“They exercised some 300 years of very cruel and exploitative colonialism over this vast archipelago of some 170,000 islands and 700 languages,” he said.

The church where he preached for 22 Sundays has an average attendance of about 50 people. A small group of expatriates are outnumbered by Indonesian families and individuals who prefer to worship at this church for a number of reasons.

 “Quite a few of these folks have moved to Bali from other islands in the country and may be more familiar with the English language than with Balinese,” said Koornneef. “A significant number of the young adults who attend came to Bali on their own for employment.”

He said it was a privilege to lead the diverse group in worship and learn some of their stories.

The experience was “quite an eye opener in many ways,” he said. “One couple, for example, hosted me for a delicious Korean dinner, and the husband shared that he went to a Christian mission school in Korea and later converted from Buddhism to Christianity, while his wife went to a Christian school in Bali and converted from Hinduism to the Christian faith.”

One of the highlights each Sunday afternoon, Koornneef said, involved meeting with six to eight young adults for Bible study at the villa where he stayed.

“A lot of singing and sharing took place as well as playing games,” he said. “They were eager to learn, and several were quite open about the struggles they faced. In a sense, I was a ‘grandfather’ figure to them.”

Above everything else, he said, listening to parts of individual stories and being able to offer encouragement were the greatest highlights for him during his time in Bali.

“It makes me feel so much more a part of the universal church,” said Koornneef.