Editor’s Note: In this exclusive interview, Bonner Tanujaja, Regional Director of the Path of Generosity in Southeast Asia, East Asia, said that the core principles of generosity and the journey of generosity to individuals, churches and communities We share how Asian individuals, churches, and communities have changed. It is fundamentally generous. In August, he traveled to Hong Kong to advertise the message, calling for the gospel of prosperity and as an antidote for other incorrect teachings in the church.
China Christian Daily: Can you introduce yourself and your ministry?
Bonar Tanudjaja: Born in Indonesia, I grew up in Australia and returned to Indonesia when I decided to start my family in 2017. I have been on the path of generosity since December 2020, and now I am the regional director of Southeast Asia and East Asia.
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The path of generosity was a Christian ministry that began in the United States in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and was low to give among Christians. Our founders from the wealthy background wanted to be more generous to other businessmen, entrepreneurs, and Christian leaders.
After interviewing radically generous people, he realized that they were experiencing great joy in their giving. Many of these individuals, despite being businessmen, live in modest and poor communities, challenge people to rethink what true generosity brings.
He began to organize a journey to retreat of generousity, gathered friends, heard these stories, and explored the role of generousness in their lives. It’s not an educational programme to indoctrinate people, but rather an opportunity to present examples of radical generosity.
CHINA CHRISTIAN DAILY: What is your opinion in your opinion?
Bonar Tanudjaja: Generosity isn’t about having or not having it. It starts with God. John 3:16 says, “God loved the world so much that he gave it to his only son.” We serve a generous God, and as his children, generosity should be part of our DNA. Our life aims to serve both God and the people around us.
Generosity means living a generous life. We call it life. We want Christians to realize not only their life, but also the good life that God calls them to live. We do not seek money while traveling with generous events. Instead, create a safe space for people to explore the meaning of generousity. One of the core questions we encourage people to ask is “Why I should be generous?” We want them to understand it for themselves.
China Christian Daily: Can we share a fundamentally generosity story with us?
Bonar Tanudjaja: In 1910, India, known as Mizoram, a movement known as “just a handful of rice.”
Local churches have started this custom of putting a handful of meals aside for the church when each family cooks their meals. On Sunday, they bring the saved rice to the church and sell it to support these women. For over 100 years, this “just a handful of rice” movement has been practiced throughout the region. The church is being built and missionaries are funded without relying on external support.
CHINA CHRISTIAN DAILY: How do people change when they attend a generous journey?
Bonar Tanudjaja: We share a story about the businessmen who took part in one of our retreats.
He initially came to find a way to run his business in a respectful way. His goal was to treat his employees well and use his company as a means of doing good. However, during his journey of generosity he felt that the Lord was challenging him to do more. He struggled with this and said, “God, I’m building this business for you. How can I give more when I’m already investing everything to help others? “But the Lord put it in his heart. He still had something to give -his house was like a large mansion comparable to Manila’s Beverly Hills. For him, his house represents security and status.
He shared this belief with his wife, and soon they sold the house. Surprisingly, the first person to contact them bought it. Another thing happened: his wife’s longtime servant was about to lose her home as she had missed the payment. They realized that this was part of the reason for the god to sell the house. The wife said, “We sold the house so that the maid could keep her home.” There was such excitement and passion when they could help this servant.
Another story involves passing the right value to the next generation.
After COVID, when the first face -to -face retreat in Manila in 2022, the church invited a couple in their 40s and 50s. To my surprise, three young adults in their 20s also participated. Their parents died of Covid-19 and the church invited them in honor of their parents. Finally, one son shared how the retreat had an impact on him.
He explained that when his parents were alive he often opposed how they spent their money on churches and charity. But when he became a family company’s CEO, he wanted to buy more for himself, such as Rolex Watch and Fellar Retiget Ski. However, after hearing stories from his parents’ friends and peers at the retreat, he felt that his parents weren’t wasting their money or living in vain. He said not only to think about himself, but also to be more generous.
China Christian Daily: How can churches apply generosity within their communities?
Bonar tanudjaja: Corporate is personally, as a family, and as a church to see it beyond himself. When we travel a generous retreat in the church, they often open the eyes of their needs beyond their congregation.
Occasionally, the church will concentrate on your Sunday worship and programs, but when you hear about the poor and the poor, they remind you of the greater needs outside the wall. This is how we are blessed not only in our church, but also to our neighbors.
In general, Asians tend to be generous compared to the west, where people can be more individual. In Asian culture, we take care of large families, such as parents, cousins, and uncles. However, this can sometimes be brought about by a sense of obligation linked to a culture of honor. The generosity of the Bible brings the pleasure of being like the Lord.
CHINA CHRISTIAN DAILY: There are many resources in abundant countries, such as Australia, but many people suffer from depression just because they have it. What do you think about this?
Bonar Tanudjaja: The Gospel of Prosperity is all about what the Lord can do for me. If I were to join the church, I would like to be blessed. Some people are generous, but we want to make sure they have the right motivation.
It’s like insurance, so some people can give it. Lord, I will give to you, so protect my family and my business. Or maybe it’s an investment. Lord, I’m going to give the church money, so give me a blessing and return my investment 10 times, 30 times, 100 times.
God loves the cheerful gifter, the Bible says. Giving is not to manipulate God, but because you receive the love of God, you should be out of your heart, and you want to share that love.
China Christian Daily: Can you share more about Indonesian churches?
Bonar Tanudjaja: The Indonesian church is growing as the Lord moves around the country. Many non -believers often come to Christ through Jesus’ vision and dreams.
Christians are in the minority, so the church needs to catch up. We have victims’ way of thinking and can play safely in our own area. The church is awake, becoming more missionary, and proclaiming the name of Jesus for Indonesia. I think the harvest is amazing in Asia. We pray and train people to become dispatched countries. The Lord was good for the Indonesian church, so we want to be missionaries in other churches to hear about the gospel.
China Christian Daily: Could you share with us takeaways from our August trip to Hong Kong?
Bonar Tanudjaja: This trip was about connecting with churches, ministries and business leaders who were interested in biblical generosity. Inside the church there were so many false teachings that were harmful to the body of Christ. Our goal is to encourage people to give good managers of what God has entrusted to them, not out of duty. We want people to live their calling with freedom and responsibility.
China Christian Daily: Is there any word in China?
Bonar Tanudjaja: When we started this generous journey, our founders went to Hong Kong and mainland China. During these retreats, his Chinese friends invited non -believers, and many were deeply impressed by the story of radical generousity. After hearing these stories, some expressed their desire to be baptized. It’s amazing to see this message of generosity touching people’s lives everywhere. We hope that we can bless the Chinese church. I would like to be in China again.
Originally published by China Christian Daily
