Batak Christian Protestant Church

{{Short description|Evangelical Lutheran church in Indonesia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}} {{Infobox Christian denomination | name = Batak Christian Protestant Church | native_name = Huria Kristen Batak Protestan | native_name_lang = id | image = File:HKBP ( Huria Kristen Batak Protestan ).svg | imagewidth = 150px | abbreviation = HKBP | main_classification = Christianity | orientation = Protestant | theology = Lutheran (with influences of Protestant Unionism){{efn|HKBP Confession<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-22 |title=Konfesi HKBP|url=https://hans5958.github.io/HKBP-Guidebook/konfesi-hkbp/ |access-date=2023-11-22|website=HKBP-Guidebook.com|language=id}}</ref>}} | polity = Episcopal | scripture = Protestant Bible | language = Indonesian, Toba Batak | headquarters = Hutatoruan V, Tarutung, North Sumatra, Indonesia | leader_title = First Ephorus | leader_name = Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen | leader_title1 = Current Ephorus | leader_name1 = Victor Tinambunan | associations = ''See below'' | area = Indonesia, United States, Europe, Singapore, and Malaysia | founded_date = 7 October 1861 | separated_from = Rhenish Missionary Society (RMG) | separations = * Evangelical Lutheranism: GKPS, GKPA, GKPI, GKPPD, GMB, HKI, GPP * Confessional Lutheranism: GKLI | members = > 6,500,000 (as of 2024) | website = [http://www.hkbp.or.id/ hkbp.or.id] }}

The '''Batak Christian Protestant Church''' ({{langx|bbc|Huria Kristen Batak Protestan}}), abbreviated as '''HKBP''', is an Evangelical Lutheran church among the Batak ethnic group, generally the Toba Batak people of Indonesia. This church uses an Ecumenical worship style influenced by the Dutch Reformed Church due to the influence of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, as well as the Pietistic legacy left by the Rhenish Missionary Society when the church was founded.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-30 |title=HKBP: Gereja Lutheran Gado-gado |url=https://saenababan.com/2021/08/30/hkbp-gereja-lutheran-gado-gado/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917030937/https://saenababan.com/2021/08/30/hkbp-gereja-lutheran-gado-gado/ |language=id|url-status=usurped |archive-date=17 September 2021 |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=SAEnababan.com }}</ref> With a membership more than 6,500,000 (as of 2024),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Antara |date=23 December 2024 |title=HKBP tekankan pentingnya kerja sama dengan pemerintah |url=https://antaranews.com/berita/4545558/hkbp-tekankan-pentingnya-kerja-sama-dengan-pemerintah |website=antaranews.com |language=Indonesian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=VIVA |first= |date=24 December 2024 |title=HKBP Bakal Fokus di 3 Sektor Ini Selama 4 Tahun ke Depan |url=https://ceritakita.viva.co.id/humaniora/1279-hkbp-bakal-fokus-di-3-sektor-ini-selama-4-tahun-ke-depan |access-date= |website=ceritakita.viva.co.id |language=id}}</ref> the church synod is the largest among the Protestant churches in Indonesia. It is one of the largest Protestant churches in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, making it the third largest religious organization in Indonesia after Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Batak Gaul |title=HKBP Organisasi Keagamaan Terbesar Ketiga di Indonesia |url=http://batakgaul.com/batak-kali/hkbp-organisasi-keagamaan-terbesar-ketiga-di-indonesia-289-1.html|access-date=2016-11-17 |website=Batak Gaul |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161117211644/http://batakgaul.com/batak-kali/hkbp-organisasi-keagamaan-terbesar-ketiga-di-indonesia-289-1.html|archive-date= 17 November 2016|language=id-ID}}</ref> Its present leader is ''Ephorus'' (bishop) Victor Tinambunan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sosok Pendeta Victor Tinambunan, Ephorus HKBP Terpilih di Sinode Godang ke-67, Raih 1.125 Suara|url=https://medan.tribunnews.com/2024/12/05/sosok-pendeta-victor-tinambunan-ephorus-hkbp-terpilih-di-sinode-godang-ke-67-raih-1125-suara?page=3|website=Tribun-medan.com|language=id-ID|access-date=2024-12-05}}</ref>

HKBP also has several churches abroad, such as in Europe, Singapore, Malaysia, and the United States of America.

HKBP is headquartered in Pearaja (North Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra) which is about 1 km from the city center of Tarutung, the capital of the regency. Pearaja is a village located along the road to Central Tapanuli Regency and Sibolga city. The HKBP headquarters complex is located in an area of about {{Convert|20|ha}}. In this complex there is also an Ephorus (bishop) as the head of the HKBP office. Although Toba Batak is the majority ethnic group, HKBP is also open to other ethnic groups.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pinem |first1=Masmedia |last2=Burhanudin |first2=Dede |last3=Cahyadi |first3=Indrawan |last4=Rohanda |first4=Rohanda |last5=Nurjaman |first5=Andri |title=Reviving Faith: The Dynamic Legacy of HKBP Resort Balige Church |journal=Hanifiya: Jurnal Studi Agama-Agama |date=23 August 2024 |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=173–192 |doi=10.15575/hanifiya.v7i2.37495 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.15575/hanifiya.v7i2.37495 |access-date=28 November 2024 |language=en |issn=2722-2772|doi-access=free }}{{Creative Commons text attribution notice|cc=by4|from this source=yes}}</ref>

==History== [[File:Ingwer Ludwig Nommensen (1834–1918).png|thumb|upright=1.2|right|Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen]] The first Protestant missionaries who tried to reach the Batak highlands of inner Northern Sumatra were English and American Baptist preachers in the 1820s and 1830s, but without any success. After Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn and Herman Neubronner van der Tuuk did intensive research on Batak language and culture in the 1840s, a new attempt was made in 1861 by several missionaries sent out by the German Rhenish Missionary Society (RMG). The first Bataks were baptized during this year. In 1864, Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen of the RMG reached the Batak region and founded a village called "Huta Dame" (village of peace) in the district of North Tapanuli Regency in Tarutung, North Sumatra.

The RMG was associated with the uniting churches also called a merged denomination that includes a Lutheran element. However, Nommensen and local leaders developed an approach that applied local custom to Christian belief.

In 1868, a local seminary for the education of teachers was opened in Sipirok, and in 1877 a seminary for the education of preachers was built in Pansurnapitu. 1881, Nommensen was officially nominated "ephorus" of the Batak congregations by the RMG. In 1885, the first Batak ministers were ordained in Pearaja Tarutung, where the HKBP headquarters is still located.

In 1889, the RMG sent out Hester Needham who started the work with girls and women and later established the first Batak deaconess. In the last quarter of the 19th century, further missionaries of the RMG were sent out to the other Batak tribes (Angkola, Dairi, Simalungun, Karo, and Pakpak).

In 1917, the "Hatopan Christen Batak" (HCB) which later became one of the nuclei for the independent Batak church, was founded in Tapanuli as a social movement.

In 1922, the first General Synod ("Sinode Godang") for all Batak congregations was held. In 1931 the HKBP became the first independent self-governing Christian body in what was then the Dutch East Indies.

In 1940, all Germans working for the RMG, including pastors and ministers, were detained by the Dutch government. The Rev. Sirait was chosen by the synod as the first indigenous ephorus of HKBP.

In 1952, while maintaining its indigenous character, the HKBP became a member of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).<ref>{{Citation|last1=Aritonang |first1=Jan Sihar | last2=Steenbrink | first2=Karel | title=A history of Christianity in Indonesia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cUoGJSs9yOUC | access-date=30 November 2010 |year=2008 |publisher=Koninklijke Brill NV |location=Leiden, The Netherlands |isbn=978-90-04-17026-1 |page=554 |quote=Membership of LWF was not promptly achieved because one of the requirements was that HKBP had to accept the Augsburg Confession of the Lutheran church. The HKBP leaders were aware that they were not purely Lutheran since they had inherited from the RMG the so-called Uniert tradition, that is a union or combination of Calvinist and Lutheran traditions, and they wanted to define their own theological identity. To solve this problem, HKBP formulated its own confession in 1951 that on the one hand adopted the Augsburg Confession and on the other hand reflected its own theological struggle and standpoint. The LWF assembly in 1952 accepted this ''Confessie HKBP 1951'' as not contrary to the Lutheran doctrine and confession.}}</ref> In 1954, HKBP founded Nommensen University. In 1977, ''Sekolah Tinggi Theologia'' (STT or "Theological Seminary") HKBP split from Nommensen University.

Over the years, a number of church bodies have split from HKBP for various cultural and doctrinal reasons. However, HKBP remains the largest Indonesian LWF member by a factor of ten and also remains in communion with daughter church bodies through the LWF. Tarutung and the Batak lands region remain the stronghold for the HKBP in the predominantly Muslim nation of Indonesia, although worshippers are found throughout Indonesia and worldwide.<ref>{{Citation|last=Hillerbrand|first=Hans Joachim|title=The encyclopedia of Protestantism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4bnvbTel4Y4C|access-date=1 December 2010|volume=1|year=2004 |publisher=Routledge (Taylor & Francis)|location=New York|isbn=0-415-92472-3|pages=337–338|chapter=Batak Protestant Christian Church of Indonesia |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4bnvbTel4Y4C&pg=PA337}}</ref>

Well known HKBP congregants include Amir Sjarifuddin (the only Christian prime minister of Indonesia), Todung Sutan Gunung (TSG) Mulia (the second Indonesian education minister), and General Tahi Bonar (TB) Simatupang.

In January 2010 two churches were burnt down by extremist mobs in Sibuhuan.<ref>{{cite news |title=North Sumatra, two Protestant churches burnt: "too many faithful and too many prayers" |first=Mathias |last=Hariyadi |url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/North-Sumatra,-two-Protestant-churches-burnt:-too-many-faithful-and-too-many-prayers-17427.html |newspaper=AsiaNews |date=23 January 2010 |access-date=7 January 2012 |quote=A crowd of at least 1000 people burned down two Protestant churches last night in Sibuhuan (district of Padang Lawas, North Sumatra). The blaze was the culmination of tension between the faithful and the local Islamic community, tired of seeing "too many faithful and too many prayers" in a place not registered as a church.}}</ref>

==Nommensen Pietism==

The HKBP represents a unique ecclesiastical phenomenon often described as Nommensen Pietism. While frequently classified under the Lutheran umbrella due to its membership in the Lutheran World Federation, the HKBP is a distinct denomination whose identity is defined by a synthesis of Rhenish Pietism, the Uniert (Union) tradition, and Batak customary law (Adat).<ref>Aritonang, Jan S., Mission Schools in Batakland (Indonesia): 1861-1940, Brill, 1994, p. 2.</ref> This theological framework serves as a parallel to the Moravian Church, which similarly occupies a space between traditional Lutheranism and a specialized, heart-centric piety.

The roots of the HKBP lie in the Rhenish Missionary Society (RMG), founded in 1828 in Barmen, Germany. The RMG was a product of the German Pietist movement, specifically a branch that sought to move beyond the rigid doctrinal debates of 17th-century Lutheran Orthodoxy in favor of "living faith" and personal conversion.<ref>Spener, Philipp Jakob, Pia Desideria, 1675. (Primary source of the Pietist movement).</ref> Unlike the state churches of Germany, the RMG was a "Union" mission, meaning it combined elements of both Lutheran and Reformed (Calvinist) traditions.<ref>The Sharp Contrasts of Sumatra," Brill, 2018, p. 14.</ref>

Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen arrived in Sumatra in 1862 carrying this Rhenish heritage. His approach, which established the foundation of Nommensen Pietism, was characterized by: * '''Volkskirche (People's Church)''': A strategy in which the church was not merely a religious institution but the primary social and legal stabilizer for the Batak people.<ref>Nommensen, L.I., Berichte an seine Freunde, 1882.</ref> * '''Cultural Transformation''': Rather than abolishing Adat, Nommensen "baptized" it, integrating Christian ethics into the existing tribal social structure.<ref>"The Role of HKBP Church in Preserving Batak Cultural Identity," Jurnal Sosial Teknologi, 2021.</ref> * '''Pietistic Discipline''': An emphasis on communal singing, prayer meetings, and strict moral supervision, which continues to define the "vibe" of HKBP congregations today.

The HKBP is often mistakenly viewed as a mere branch of Lutheranism. However, several factors establish its status as a distinct denomination. While traditional Lutherans adhere strictly to the Book of Concord of 1580, the HKBP formulated its own Confessi HKBP in 1951. This document was created specifically to address the unique cultural and theological challenges of the Batak context, such as the relationship between the Gospel and ancestral traditions. Because of its RMG origins, the HKBP retains a hybrid liturgy and a view of the sacraments that incorporates Reformed influences, making it technically Evangelical Lutheran-leaning rather than Confessional Lutheran. Much like the Moravian Church (''Unitas Fratrum''), the HKBP maintains a sister relationship with Lutheranism but remains independent. For Moravians, it is the "Heart-Relationship with the Savior"; for the HKBP, it is the "Community of the Batak People under Christ."<ref>"Spirit of the Moravian Church," Wikipedia, citing Shawe (1977).</ref> Both groups are members of the LWF, but they do so as autonomous partners who contribute a unique pietistic spirit that standard Lutheranism often lacks.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}

== Ecumenical relations == HKBP is a member of and participant in: {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |- ! width="172" | Organisation ! width="185" | Member since ! width="150" | Note & Ref. |- | World Council of Churches | style="text-align: center;" | 1948 | <ref>{{Cite news |title=Protestant Christian Batak Church |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/protestant-christian-batak-church |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612201719/https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/protestant-christian-batak-church |archive-date=2022-06-12 |access-date=2026-04-22 |work=World Council of Churches |language=en}}</ref> |- | Communion of Churches in Indonesia | style="text-align: center;" | 1950 | Founding member.<ref>{{Cite web |last=PGI.OR.ID |title=Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) |url=https://pgi.or.id/synod/detail?id=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251012103120/https://pgi.or.id/synod/detail?id=1 |archive-date=12 October 2025 |access-date=30 April 2026 |website=PGI.OR.ID |language=id}}</ref> |- | Lutheran World Federation | style="text-align: center;" | 1952 |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Member Churches |url=https://lutheranworld.org/member-churches/search?search_api_fulltext=Protestant+Christian+Batak+Church+(HKBP)&vkey=154235623 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430063743/https://lutheranworld.org/member-churches/search?search_api_fulltext=Protestant+Christian+Batak+Church+(HKBP)&vkey=154235623 |archive-date=30 April 2026 |access-date=30 April 2026 |website=lutheranworld.org |language=en}}</ref> |- | Christian Conference of Asia | style="text-align: center;" | 1957 | Founding member.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History {{!}} CCA |url=https://www.cca.org.hk/about-us/history |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508061512/https://www.cca.org.hk/about-us/history |archive-date=8 May 2023 |access-date=3 May 2026 |website=www.cca.org.hk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 October 2017 |title=Asian Christians celebrate diamond jubilee of first regional ecumenical group |url=https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2017/10/asian-christians-celebrate-diamond-jubilee-of-first-regional-ecumenical-group |access-date=30 April 2026 |website=www.anglicannews.org |language=en-gb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430095134/https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2017/10/asian-christians-celebrate-diamond-jubilee-of-first-regional-ecumenical-group|archive-date=30 April 2026}}</ref> |- | {{ill|United Evangelical Mission|de|Vereinte Evangelische Mission}} | style="text-align: center;" |1996 | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Pauly |first=Martina |title=Who we are |url=https://www.vemission.org/en/about-us/who-we-are |access-date=2025-06-08 |website=www.vemission.org |language=en-EN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pauly |first=Martina |title=25 Years United in Mission |url=https://www.vemission.org/en/information/25-years-united-in-mission |access-date=2026-04-30 |website=www.vemission.org |language=en}}</ref> |- |}

==Agenda== The book of liturgical procedure used by the HKBP is referred to as the "Agenda" or formerly as the "Agende". This term comes from the European Protestant use of ''agenda''.<ref>{{Citation | last = Newman | first = Albert Henry | editor-last = Jackson | editor-first = Samuel Macauley | editor2-last = Loetscher | editor2-first = Lefferts A. | title = The New Schaff-Herzog encyclopedia of religious knowledge | place = Grand Rapids, MI | publisher = Baker Book House | series = Christian Classics Etherial Library | volume = I | orig-year = 1909 | year = 1951 | chapter = Agenda | chapter-url = http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc01.html?term=Agenda | pages = 84–86 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=lgGfW-WFjpIC | access-date = 31 May 2011 | isbn = 0-8010-7947-0}}</ref> {{Further|topic=the book of hymns in the Batak language|Buku Ende}}

== Leaders == === Ephoruses === {| class="wikitable" |- !No.||Name||From||Until||Notes |- |1.||The Rt Rev. Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen||1881||1918||First ephorus |- |2.||The Rev. Valentin Kessel||1918||1920||Temporary officeholder of Ephorus, due to the First World War preventing Johannes Warneck from arriving. |- |3.||The Rev. Johannes Warneck||1920||1932|| |- |4.||The Rev. P. Landgrebe||1932||1936|| |- |5.||The Rev. E. Verwiebe||1936||1940||Interned by the Dutch colonial government after the German invasion of the Netherlands. |- |6.||The Rev. K. Sirait||1940||1942||The first Batak that became Ephorus. |- |7.||The Rev. Justin Sihombing||1942||1962|| |- |8.|| The Rev T. S. Sihombing||1962||1974||Elected in Special General Synod. |- |9.||The Rev. G. H. M. Siahaan||1974||1986|| |- |10.||The Rev. S. A. E. Nababan||1986||1998||HKBP Crisis happened from 1992 to 1998 that resulted in dualism of HKBP's leadership until 1998. |- |11. |The Rev. S. M. Siahaan (as Bishop or Ephorus) |1992 |1993 | |- |12.||The Rev. P. W. T. Simanjuntak||1993||1998||Elected in Special General Synod. |- | rowspan="2" |13.|| rowspan="2" |The Rev. J.R. Hutauruk||1998||1998||Elected as temporary officeholder of Bishop. |- |1998||2004||Elected in Reconciliation General Synod. |- | rowspan="2" |14.||The Rev. Bonar Napitupulu||2004||2008|| |- |The Rev. Bonar Napitupulu||2008||2012||Elected in the 59th HKBP General Synod in Sipolohon Seminarium.<ref>Hari Ini, Pucuk Pimpinan HKBP Periode 2008–2012 Dilantik di Pearaja, [http://hariansib.com/2008/09/07/hari-ini-pucuk-pimpinan-hkbp-periode-2008-2012-dilantik-di-pearaja/ Harian Sinar Indonesia Baru]{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, diakses 7 September 2008</ref> |- |15.||The Rev. W. T. P. Simarmata||2012||2016||Elected in the 61st HKBP General Synod in Sipolohon Seminarium.<ref>Ini Dia Para Pemimpin HKBP (Ephorus, Sekjen, Kadep) dan Daftar Praeses HKBP yang Baru Periode 2012 – 2016, [http://pargodungan.org/ini-dia-para-pemimpin-hkbp-ephorus-sekjen-kadep-dan-daftar-praeses-hkbp-yang-baru-periode-2012-2016/ Pargodungan.org], diakses 14 Oktober 2013</ref> |- |16.||The Rev. Darwin Lumbantobing||2016||2020||Elected in the 62nd HKBP General Synod in Sipolohon Seminarium.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2016-09-16 |title=Darwin Lumbantobing Terpilih Jadi Ephorus HKBP |url=https://regional.kompas.com/read/xml/2016/09/16/08033611/darwin.lumbantobing.terpilih.jadi.ephorus.hkbp |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=KOMPAS.com |language=id}}</ref> |- ||17.||The Rev. Robinson Butarbutar ||2020||2024||Elected in the 65th HKBP General Synod in Sipolohon Seminarium.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=markus|date=2020-12-14|title=Pdt Dr Robinson Butarbutar, Ephorus HKBP Periode 2020-2024|url=https://pgi.or.id/pdt-dr-robinson-butarbutar-ephorus-hkbp-periode-2020-2024/|website=Website PGI|language=id-ID|access-date=2021-09-16}}</ref> |- ||18.||The Rev. Victor Tinambunan||2024||2028||Elected in the 67th HKBP General Synod in Sipolohon Seminarium.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sosok Pendeta Victor Tinambunan, Ephorus HKBP Terpilih di Sinode Godang ke-67, Raih 1.125 Suara|url=https://medan.tribunnews.com/2024/12/05/sosok-pendeta-victor-tinambunan-ephorus-hkbp-terpilih-di-sinode-godang-ke-67-raih-1125-suara?page=3|website=Tribun-medan.com|language=id-ID|access-date=2024-12-05}}</ref> |}

=== General secretaries === {| class="wikitable" |- !No.||Name||From||Until||Notes |- |1.||The Rev. Karimuda Sitompul||1950||1957||First Secretary General of HKBP |- |2.||The Rev. T. S. Sihombing ||1957||1962|| |- |3.||The Rev. G. H. M. Siahaan||1962||1974|| |- |4.||The Rev. F. H. Sianipar||1974||1978|| |- |5.||The Rev. P. M. Sihombing||1978||1986|| |- |6.||The Rev. O. P. T. Simorangkir||1986||1992|| |- |7.||The Rev. S. M. Siahaan||1992||1998|| |- |8. |The Rev. W. T. P. Simarmata |1998 |2008 | |- |9. |The Rev. Ramlan Hutahaean |2008 |2012 | |- |10. |The Rev. Mory Sihombing |2012 |2016 | |- |11. |The Rev. David F. Sibuea<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pelitabatak.com/news/-Pdt-David-Farel-Sibuea-MTh-Sekjen-HKBP-Periode-2016-2020/|title=Pdt. David F. Sibuaea, Sekjen HKBP 2016–2020|website=pelitabatak.com|language=id|date=7 December 2024}} </ref> |2016 |2020 | |- |12. |The Rev. Victor Tinambunan |2020 |2024 | |- |13. |The Rev. Rikson Hutahaean |2024 |2028 | |}

=== Head of Koinonia Department === {| class="wikitable" |- !No.||Name||From||Until||Notes |- |1.||The Rev. Bistok M. Siagian ||2004||2008|| |- |2.||The Rev. Jamilin Sirait ||2008||2012|| |- |3.||The Rev. Welman P. Tampubolon ||2012||2016|| |- |4.||The Rev. Martongo Sitinjak ||2016||2020|| |- |5.||The Rev. Deonal Sinaga ||2020||2028|| |- |}

=== Head of Marturia Department === {| class="wikitable" |- !No.||Name||From||Until||Notes |- |1.||The Rev. Manumpan H. Sihite ||2004||2008|| |- |2.||The Rev. Binsar Nainggolan ||2008||2012|| |- |3.||The Rev. Marolop P. Sinaga||2012||2016|| |- |4.||The Rev. Anna Ch. Vera Pangaribuan||2016||2020|| |- |5.||The Rev. Kardi Simanjuntak||2020||2022|| |- |6.||The Rev. Daniel T. A. Harahap||2022||2024|| |- |7.||The Rev. Bernard Manik||2024||2028|| |- |}

=== Head of Diakonia Department === {| class="wikitable" |- !No.||Name||From||Until||Notes |- |1.||The Rev. Nelson F. Siregar ||2004||2012|| |- |2.||The Rev. Bihelman D. F. Sidabutar ||2012||2016|| |- |3.||The Rev. Debora Purada Sinaga ||2016||2024|| |- |4.||The Rev. Eldarton Simbolon||2024||2028|| |- |}

==Gallery== <gallery> File:HKBP Pearaja, Res. Pearaja 01.jpg | HKBP Church in Pearaja, Tarutung, North Sumatra. The church is located within HKBP Headquarters complex File:Kantor pusat hkbp.png | HKBP Headquarters in Pearaja, Tarutung, North Sumatra HKBP Dame Saitnihuta, Res. Dame Saitnihuta 01.jpg | HKBP Church in Dame Saitnihuta, Tarutung, North Sumatra. The church is the first to be built by Nommensen. File:HKBP Dame Saitnihuta, Res. Dame Saitnihuta 10.jpg | Nommensen statue at the HKBP Church in Dame Saitnihuta, Tarutung, North Sumatra File:HKBP Sipirok, Res. Sipirok 02.jpg | HKBP Church in Sipirok, South Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra File:HKBP Balige, Res. Balige 11.jpg | HKBP Church in Balige, Toba Regency, North Sumatra File:HKBP Sipahutar, Res. Sipahutar 02.jpg | HKBP Church in Sipahutar, North Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra File:HKBP Tangga Batu, Res. Tampahan 01.jpg | HKBP Church in Tangga Batu, Toba Regency, North Sumatra File:HKBP Pangururan (by Gerejanesia).jpg | HKBP Church in Pangururan, Samosir Regency, North Sumatra File:HKBP Parapat, Resort Parapat 04.jpg | HKBP Church in Parapat, Simalungun Regency, North Sumatra File:HKBP Pematangsiantar, Res. Pematangsiantar (02).jpg | HKBP Church in Pematangsiantar, North Sumatra File:HKBP Baris, Res. Baris 09.jpg | HKBP Church in Baris, Pematangsiantar, North Sumatra File:HKBP Dame, Res. Dame 02.jpg | HKBP Church in Dame, Pematangsiantar, North Sumatra File:HKBP Sinta Nauli, Res. Sinta Nauli (02).jpg | HKBP Church in Sinta Nauli, Pematangsiantar, North Sumatra File:Kantor HKBP Distrik V Sumatera Timur 02.jpg | Headquarters of HKBP's District V of East Sumatra, located within HKBP Pematangsiantar complex File:HKBP Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Res. Medan 05.jpg | HKBP Church on Sudirman Road, Medan, North Sumatra File:HKBP Tanjung Sari, Res. Tanjung Sari (03).jpg | HKBP Church in Tanjung Sari, Medan, North Sumatra File:HKBP Pardamean, Res. Pardamean (Medan) 03.jpg | HKBP Church in Pardamean, Medan, North Sumatra File:HKBP Pardomuan, Res. Medan Selatan (02).jpg | HKBP Church in Pardomuan, Medan, North Sumatra File:HKBP Griya Martubung, Res. Medan Martubung 01.jpg | HKBP Church in Martubung, Medan, North Sumatra File:Gereja di Bukittinggi 20220311 075950.jpg | HKBP Church in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra File:Gereja HKBP TD Pardede Padang.jpg | HKBP Church in Padang, West Sumatra File:HKBP Kotabaru - Kotabaru, Kota Jambi, JA.jpg | HKBP Church in Jambi, Jambi File:HKBP Palembang.jpg | HKBP Church in Palembang, South Sumatra File:Sopo Marpingkir HKBP, Jakarta.jpg | Sopo Marpingkir HKBP, Jakarta, where headquarters of HKBP's District VIII of Jakarta and District XIX of Bekasi are located in File:HKBP Ressort Jakarta Kernolong.jpg | Oldest HKBP Church in Jakarta, founded in 1919 File:HKBP Kebayoran Baru Res. Kebayoran Baru.jpg | HKBP Church in Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta File:Gereja HKBP Menteng Jakarta Jl. Jambu.jpg |HKBP Church in Menteng, Jakarta File:HKBP Ressort Sudirman Jakarta 1.jpg |HKBP Church near Sudirman Avenue, Jakarta File:Gereja HKBP Poltangan Pasar Minggu.png | HKBP Church in Pasar Minggu, Jakarta File:Gereja HKBP Bandung Riau Martadinata.jpeg | HKBP Church on R.E. Martadinata Street, Bandung, West Java File:Gereja HKBP Yogyakarta.jpeg | HKBP Church in Yogyakarta File:HKBP Surabaya.jpg | HKBP Church in Surabaya, East Java File:Gereja HKBP Denpasar.jpg | HKBP Church in Denpasar, Bali File:HKBP Makassar.jpg | HKBP Church in Makassar, South Sulawesi </gallery>

==See also== * Protestantism in Indonesia * Buku Ende * The Indonesian Christian Church (Huria Kristen Indonesia HKI)

==Notes== {{Notelist}} ==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|HKBP}} * {{Official website}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.serve.com/~inside/edit49/hkbp.htm|title=Battle for the Pews|last=van Klinken|first=Gerry|website=www.serve.com|publisher=Inside Indonesia|access-date=2 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051124190134/http://www.serve.com/~inside/edit49/hkbp.htm|archive-date=24 November 2005}} * [http://stt-hkbp.blogspot.com ''Sekolah Tinggi Theologia'' (Theological Seminary) HKBP]

Category:Batak Christian Protestant Church Category:1861 establishments in the Dutch East Indies Category:Batak Category:Lutheran denominations established in the 19th century Category:Lutheran World Federation members Category:Lutheranism in Indonesia Category:Christian organizations established in 1861