What do we believe in?

VISION

Our faith is expressed in the two statement of faiths that follow. One expresses the content of our faith (Reformed faith) and our the other our commitment to sharing the gospel with others (Evangelical faith). As part of the International Reformed Evangelical Church founded by Rev. Dr. Stephen Tong, we desire to be faithful to the Word of God. Hence, our worship service is centered on a careful exposition of the Word of God.

MISSION

Our desire is that each of us might become disciples rooted in Christ, growing in His Word and sharing the love, peace, and joy that Christ has first given to us through His suffering on the cross. We aim to build a strong communities and fellowships and impact the rest of the world through our faith.

Apostle's Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell.

On the third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Nicene-Constantinople Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and to life in the world to come. Amen.

Get to know your Ministers

Rev. Budy Setiawan, M.Div.

“God’s wrath against sin is so great it takes His sacrificial love to cease it, God’s love to sinners is so great it can cease the wrath of the all powerful God.”

Rev. Budy Setiawan is the senior pastor of IREC Melbourne from 2006 until now. Previously he served as Rev. Stephen Tong’s assistant in IREC Singapore. Teaching and growing together with God’s people are the passions of his life. To equip and build God’s people to glorify God in all aspects of life is God’s call for him. He enjoys reading, outdoor, and playing table tennis. With his wife Lusi they are blessed with two teenage daughters, Valerie and Charissa

Vic. Lim Yi Jin, M.Div.

“The gospel is no truth, and gives birth to no faith, without exclusivity; for truth never fails to offend lies.”

In 2014, Vic. Lim Yi Jin first came to Melbourne as an international student from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Since then, he has been attending the International Reformed Evangelical Church (IREC) of Melbourne as a church member.

He then graduated from the University of Melbourne (B. Sci. in Microbiology and Immunology, 2016) and went on to complete his pastoral training at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (M. Div. with Pastoral Emphasis, 2020). He is now serving in IREC Melbourne and Auckland as the assistant pastor under the leadership of Rev. Budy Setiawan.

Having experienced both the Eastern and Western cultures firsthand, Vic. Yi Jin is passionate about serving the bicultural minority, local and international alike, in this multicultural city.

Maria Lusiana, M.A.

“Change is moving in the right direction. It’s not about speed, distance, or perfection, but direction. – David Powlison”

Maria Lusiana began to think with her calling as a counselor when she was studying in the field of food processing. At that time, she experienced and saw the complexities and difficulties of human life in a sinful world. God’s clear call for her, has led to a step of obedience to pursue in the field of ‘soul processing’, by completing the M.A. in Clinical Psychology. She started serving in the field of Christian counseling to Indonesian-speaking congregations since 2000.

Elder Paul Tirtha

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms – 1 Peter 4:10”

Paul’s formal education is Bachelor in Architecture of Technical University Mainz-Germany. Having more than 20 years experience as an Architect and Interior Designer, in the year 2000 Paul migrated to Australia and founded his own company.

Since 2005 Paul has become a registered migration professional. Paul has extensive knowledge and experience in immigration matters and an in-depth understanding of government policy. Paul has a passion for helping people settle in Australia to experience a better life.

Paul is a Public Officer and Elder of the International Reformed Evangelical Church in Melbourne and participates actively as a Children Advocate of Compassion Australia. Paul married Meisy Sujudi and has 4 adult children and 5 grandsons and 4 grandaughters (2021).

Elder William Kwe

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom – Psalm 90:12”

William is a former Registered Building Practitioner (RBP) and Professional Engineer of Engineers Australia (MIEAust). He migrated to Australia in 2008 and was ordained as one of the church Elders in 2017, currently serving as an active minister in the church. He was recently involved in the renovation of IREC Melbourne whilst serving as a carer in a nursing home. In his spare time, he is a badminton player, a chess player, a cooking and gardening enthusiast. He is married to Lily and is blessed with three children – Jason, Janet and James.

Our Story

A Movement is not an organization. A movement is a burning zeal that rests upon a group of people,
which consequently influences other individuals to understand, profess, and accomplish
a significant task that would change the course of history

Est.1989

Scroll to know more about the first church branch and how GRII Melbourne came to be

3
1989

The IREC (International Reformed Evangelical Church) Synode was established by Rev. Dr. Stephen Tong and Colleague in Jakarta, Indonesia

1996

IREC expanded to Melbourne and was founded with a small congregational fellowship

1997

The first official Sunday Service in IREC Melbourne was held

1998

First generation of baptism, confirmation of faith, and attestation

2006

Rev. Budy Setiawan and his family was sent to minister in IREC Melbourne

2007

The Language Interpretation Ministry for the Sunday Service began

2015

Inauguration of the IREC Melbourne church building in 552 City Road, South Melbourne

2016

The first English Service was held with live pulpit interpretation

2019

Initiatives and planning for expanding the church building were introduced

2020

Commencement of the first construction phase for building expansion

2020

Official appointment of Vic. Lim Yi Jin as assistant pastor in IREC Melbourne