Generally people known that The Most Indonesia Population are Islamic religion and Father Yohanes before became a Priest in the Orthodox Church, he was a Muslim because he was born from Islamic Family. Before he knew what Orthodox Christian was, as generally Islamic Family, Father Yohanes has been educated strictly to live as what is taught in the Islamic Religion. He went to Mosque, learning and praying together with the others.

But because the Grace of God, on the year 1973 he was called by God and converted into Protestant Christianity,  and began to study the teaching of Christianity. Even he followed the Christian fellowship, teaching and evangelizing people from One Village to others.
After he graduated from High School, he went to the Theological College in Cibogo-West Java for a year, and on the year 1982, he served God for a year at the Christian Church of South Sumatra (GEKISUS), and when he was serving God at this Church he

felt lack of his theological knowledge, therefore he wanted to continue his study at the protestant theological seminary (STII) in Jogyakarta- Central Java, for three years.  While he was studying in that Seminary, he  also studied the Orthodox teaching through a letter from his brother Daniel Bambang Dwi Byantoro, who was studying in Korea on that time.

His brother namely : Daniel Bambang Dwi Byantoro, finally from Korea, went to Greece to deepen the Orthodox way of life in the Monastery, but even though He was in the monastery, he remained sent a letter to Father Yohanes and his friends and taught them
the doctrine and the faith of the Orthodox Church. After that, his brother Daniel Bambang Dwi Byantoro went to United states to continue his study at the Holy Cross School of Theology in Boston, and From This Theological School, after his brother  graduated, on the year 1986 he invited Father Yohanes and his two friends to continue their study in the same Holy Cross School of Theology  where he studied  and graduated before.  On the year 1989, after his brother Daniel Bambang Dwi Byantoro was ordained to be an Orthodox Priest, he ( Mr. Daniel ) returned back to INDONESIA to begin his missionary work.

The came back of Father Daniel and began his Ministry from Solo. In his missionary work, he had been helped by brother Chrysostomos Manalu. The first things that he did in his ministry was translating books, teaching and evangelizing. So the person who has important role in helping Father Daniel’s Ministry at that time was brother Chrysostomos Manalu. Because of their hard work and dedication, many people interested, came and converted into the bosom of the Mother Church or The Orthodox Church. 

On the year 1990, after graduated his Master Theological of Studies from Holy Cross Theological School and to be ordained as an Orthodox Priest by His Grace Bishop Maximos in The Holy  Cross Orthodox Church in Pittsburgh, Father Yohanes and his two friends left from United States and returned back to Indonesia and began his missionary work together with Father Daniel and brother Chrysostomos Manalu in Solo. Years went on, along with the hard work, finally on the year 1991, the existence of the Indonesian Orthodox Church has been legalized by the Indonesia Government, so that the Priests could develop their Orthodox missionary at the whole Indonesia.

In order to develop The Orthodox Missionary work rapidly, finally based on their collective decision, the Priests separated themselves and move to another city and begin to open the new Orthodox community individually.  And Through that decision, Father Yohanes left from Solo and began his ministry in his native land – Mojokerto which around 50 Km from Surabaya the capital city of East Java Province. And based on that decision he began his ministry at Mojokerto on the Year 1992. While brother Chrysostomos Manalu namely the one who has an important role in helping Fr..Daniel’s ministry, studying to Thessalonica to take his Master of Theology and finally after graduating he became an Orthodox Priest and work in the vineyard of God in North Sumatra-Medan, and  now, he already in successfully to establish the Orthodox Churches and The Orthodox Schools from Kindergarten until University in Medan, the North Sumatra Province Capital City.

Father Yohanes started his ministry from his own Family, and finally his ministry  grew up and many people interested and converted into the Orthodox Faith.  It seemed that the ministry of the Orthodox Church was developing, then Fr. Yohanes was trying to get the operational permission of doing an Orthodox Mission in East java from the Religious Department, and finally on the year 1992, the operational permission that he wanted to get, came up so that Father Yohanes could legally continue his ministry in East Java nicely up to now.

As it has been known that to establish the Church especially in East java is not that easy, many factors indeed, made this very difficult namely: the majority term, culture and people. On the years 1992 and 2000, therefore, when Father Yohanes tried to establish the Orthodox Church either in Mojokerto or in Driyorejo – Gresik, it had been demonstrated by people who live around the location where the Orthodox Church was built. Many challenges that had been faced by Father Yohanes, but he never gave up, he always tried to materialize his dream to plant the Orthodox seeds in East Java.  Therefore after his Churches has been demonstrated, he began to write, and translate the Orthodox Church books, whereas the Orthodox books that he has been written and translated are : Christology in the perspective of the eastern Church, The Lord Prayer in the perspective of the eastern church, The Holy Spirit and His work in the perspective of the eastern church, The Apostolic Church, The Incarnation of the Word and its effects, The Question and Answer of the Orthodox Faith, The materials of Catechesis for the Catechumen in the perspective of the eastern church, Understanding The Divine Liturgy, Orthodoxy : Faith and Life, and even now because of his struggling Father Yohanes was able to establish St. Demetrios Indonesia Orthodox Chapel in Mojokerto.

Through this Orthodox Chapel, Father Yohanes was able to do his Missionary activities, and even through this chapel, because of the help from his beloved Metropolitan Nikitas, in the year 2003, he was able to establish the orthodox kindergarten School in Dlanggu Area - Mojokerto, whereas the name of that Orthodox Kindergarten School is “Aghia Wacana Kindergarten means “The Holy Teaching” Kindergarten.

Basically, he never stop to work and never give up to develop his missionary work, because in his mind, he just thinking that the Orthodox Faith must be known by the entire Indonesian People, and even now because of the participation of his Orthodox Members
that has already been baptized namely : Mr. Stefanus, Mr. Matheus and Mr. Karalambos, he begin to establish St. Nikolaos Indonesia Orthodox Chapel in Surabaya now, whereas the address of St. Nikolaos Indonesia Orthodox Chapel in Surabaya is at Taman Pondok Indah RX 2-3, Wiyung – Surabaya, Mobile: +62 888 318 5223, +62 888 311 2929.  And Through St. Nikolaos Orthodox Chapel, he will do the Divine Liturgy, writing some other things of the Orthodox knowledge and faith, Teaching of the Holy Bible and the Treasure of the Orthodox Church.

Now The Orthodox Church in East Java has two Priests and one of them is Father Timotius.  Father Timotius finished and graduated his study from The Thieological School of Athens - Greece, now along with Father Yohanes are serving in East Java.  Therefore, while Father Yohanes is trying to develop his ministry in Surabaya, Father Timotius is going to handle the ministry of St. Demitrios Orthodox Church in Mojokerto.

Father Yohanes and Father Timotios are serving in East Java, got a blessing of their Metropolitan Nikitas and the Church where Father Yohanes and Father Timotios are serving  is under the Jurisdiction of  Constantinople Patriarchate, therefore what are done by them is on the name of Constantinople Patriarchate.

Father Yohanes and Father Timotius want to continue their Work and plan to keep build from  the Orthodox Kindergarten School level that has already exist and then to esatablish the elementary School level up to Orthodox University level, but they realize that without the participation of the Orthodox brothers and sisters from abroad, then it is  impossible for their  work and plan can be continued and done nicely, therefore here either Father Yohanes or Father Timotius want to knock the heart door of their Orthodox brothers and sisters to partake and  help this precious work for the Glory of God and to lay out the foundation of the Orthodox Church in Surabaya, East Java.

For Further Info:
Bible Study & The Catholic Orthodox Book,
Contact us :  +62  888  318 5223 (Stefanus H),  +62  888  311 2929 (Matheus H),  081.2304.00040 (Fr.Yohanes) &
Parokia Aghios Demetrios-Gatul V/7 Mojokerto-Jatim, Indonesia.
Phone : (+62  321  328 498 with Fr.Yohanes)
Facsimile Number :
+62  321  328 498,  +62  31  594 1671

Email Add :  stefhen_tpisby@yahoo.co.id;  stefhend_tpisby@yahoo.com;