LAI 72nd Anniversary Worship and Celebration
The service held Monday evening, 9 February 2026, at Bala Keselamatan Church in Central Jakarta, iwas attended by 600 people of God consisting of: LAI's extended family; foundation organs, active employees, and retirees;, leaders of church institutions at the national level, leaders of church synods in the Jakarta area and its surroundings, leaders of local churches, government elements (Bimas Kristen Protestant, Bimas Katolik and DKI Jakarta Provincial Government), and LAI's ministry partners.
The thanksgiving service was enlivened by Ignite GKI and the KOMPAK Choir of BMV Cathedral Parish in Bogor, along with performers from within LAI. The event was further enlivened by the presence of guest star Saykoji who performed several hymns wrapped in rap music and rhythmic beats.
The sermon on the theme "Divine Word Inspires Digital Culture" (John 1:14, TB-2) was LAI's working theme for 2026. The preacher was Major Kriston Harinei, M.Th, Commander of the West Java Salvation Army Division. ” The digital age is a paradox, an era where distance has died but proximity has become a rare commodity. We are globally connected, but personally isolated," said Major Kriston as he started his sermon in the 72nd Anniversary Worship and Celebration of the Indonesian Bible Institute (LAI).
If the Almighty and Infinite God is pleased to reveal Himself in the fleshly Christ, then the church and believers are also called to present God's word in new spaces of life, including in the limitless digital space. To be able to present His word, we as believers are invited to maintain our integrity in the midst of digital anonymity. We are called to be fully human, to be people for others in the most virtual space. Digital space for the faithful is not just a space for proclamation and self-actualisation.
On the other side of his sermon, Major Kriston said LAI is like a boat that has sailed from island to island, exploring the remote corners of the archipelago to deliver the Good News to the people. If LAI still exists today, the anniversary celebration is a momentum for LAI to be grateful and recognise God's presence and help throughout the ministry.
On behalf of the LAI Foundation, the Chairperson of LAI, Rev. Dr Henriette T. Hutabarat Lebang, expressed gratitude for the age of LAI and also gave thanks for the presence of LAI which has been a blessing to many people of God in Indonesia. She also spoke thanked all employees, retirees, Foundation organs and all Partners who attended the 72nd Anniversary celebration. Special thanks to Bala Keselamatan Church for facilitating the event.
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In this series of celebrations, LAI also introduced two of its latest publications, namely the Hybrid Bible and My Pop Up Bible, which are designed to reach out to new generations to love God's word even more. In addition, LAI promotes two faith education ministry programmes, namely LAI Goes to School (LGTS) and LAI Goes to Campus (LGTC), as an effort to foster children's and young people's love for the Bible.
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On the same occasion, LAI introduced an innovative programme of raising support for the Endowment Fund, in partnership with Henan Asset Management, to sustain the long-term sustainability of LAI's services. Internally, LAI also launched the Continuous Improvement Convention as a collective commitment to continuously improve efficiency, product and service quality, and productivity through consistent and incremental small improvements.
The anniversary is also an opportunity for LAI to give awards to internal circles (outstanding employees and service loyalty) as well as to service partners (service agencies, publication distributors and individuals) who have helped sustain and advance LAI's services over the years.
With the vision of “God's Word reaching all generations,” the task of LAI is far from complete. LAI realises the diverse needs of people in various contexts of life, from remote communities without signal access to generations of digital immigrants and digital natives. It is our common desire that each generation has equal opportunity to access the Bible and its passages in their heart language, whether through print or non-print media.
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Through increasingly close partnerships between LAI, churches, governments, and ministry partners, the Divine Word is expected to continue to be present and inspire the lives of the faithful, no matter how strong the whirlwind of changing times — including in this 21st century, when digital culture increasingly shapes the face of civilisation and church ministry.
The 72nd anniversary of the Indonesian Bible Institute. May God bless the journey of LAI's ministry, so that His word will always live and work in the midst of this nation.
