The sound of children singing can be heard in the children’s ministry area, where Ivo Christiana Siregar is a team leader at her church in Indonesia. Ivo delights in teaching the next generation about Jesus and is passionate about coaching new leaders to present and demonstrate the gospel in ways that are age-appropriate and culturally relevant.

Her ministry work is not always easy, and she has to balance it with her professional work as a lecturer, but she draws encouragement from Romans 12:12, where Paul provides practical directives to the congregation in Rome to rejoice in hope, be patient in distress, and persevere in prayer. Ivo explains: “Joy is a characteristic of the Christian life that emanates from our hope in God. This hope encompasses our assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ, God’s providence, and the eager anticipation of His return.”

Ivo meditates on the word “joy” because it’s something she sees in the children’s faces as they learn about their identity in Christ. As children of God, they are living testimonies of the joy that arises from their hope in God, making them confident to confront and overcome obstacles in their lives, of which there are many.

Ivo also sees how this joy in the hope of God acts like a magnet, attracting others to Jesus and multiplying the growth of the gospel in her nation.

Written by Carolyn Grant