Gilbert Emanuel Lumoindong (born December 26, 1966, in Jakarta, Indonesia) is an Indonesian pastor and former television host who serves as Gembala Sidang (Senior Pastor) of GBI Glow Fellowship Centre, a congregation of the Gereja Bethel Indonesia (GBI) synod in Jakarta.
Known for his years as a Christian devotional TV presenter and for founding GL Ministry, Lumoindong has also become one of Indonesia’s most talked-about pastors due to a string of public controversies involving interfaith commentary and church discipline.
Gilbert Lumoindong At a Glance
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Gilbert Emanuel Lumoindong |
| Born | December 26, 1966, Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Age | 59 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | Indonesian |
| Spouse | Pdt. Reinda M. Lumoindong |
| Education | |
| Theology diploma | Lembaga Pendidikan Teologi Indonesia (1990) |
| Further study | Institut Theologia dan Keguruan Indonesia (ITKI), Petamburan, Jakarta |
| Ministry | |
| Title | Gembala Sidang (Senior Pastor) |
| Church | GBI Glow Fellowship Centre, Jakarta |
| Denomination | Gereja Bethel Indonesia (GBI), Pentecostal |
| Since | 2007 (as gembala jemaat) |
| Congregation size | Reported between roughly 8,000 and 18,000 members, depending on the source and year |
| Career | |
| TV host | RCTI Christian devotional program (1992–1997) |
| Prior role | Chairman, Gospel Overseas (1993–1997) |
| Ministry founded | GL Ministry (1998) |
Early Life and Childhood
Gilbert Emanuel Lumoindong was born in Jakarta on December 26, 1966. As a child, he experienced a neurological disorder that affected him until around age 10.
After his recovery, he decided to dedicate his life to Christian ministry, a decision that shaped the rest of his path.
By age 17, he was already active in preaching at Christian youth organizations, an early start that pointed toward the public ministry career he would later build.
Education and Early Career
Lumoindong studied Scripture at GBI Mawar Sharon before completing formal theological training.
He earned a diploma from the Lembaga Pendidikan Teologi Indonesia in 1990 and continued his studies at the Institut Theologia dan Keguruan Indonesia (ITKI) in Petamburan, Jakarta.
His early public career took shape outside the pulpit as well. From 1992 to 1997, he hosted a Christian devotional program on RCTI, one of Indonesia’s major national television networks, giving him broad visibility well before he became a full-time pastor.
During roughly the same period, from 1993 to 1997, he served as chairman of Gospel Overseas, a ministry led by John Hartman.
Ministry Career
GL Ministry and GBI Glow Fellowship Centre
Before starting his own ministry, Lumoindong was a member of Gereja Tiberias Indonesia.
He later left to found GL Ministry in 1998 together with his wife, Reinda M. Lumoindong.
Nearly a decade later, in 2007, he took up the role of gembala jemaat (congregational pastor), stepping into the leadership that would grow into GBI Glow Fellowship Centre, a congregation within the Gereja Bethel Indonesia (GBI) synod.
Under his and his wife’s joint leadership, the church grew into one of Jakarta’s larger charismatic congregations, with membership figures reported anywhere from roughly 8,000 to 18,000 depending on the year and source.
Its stated vision is “Menegakkan Kerajaan Allah Dalam Kebenaran dan Kasih” (“Establishing the Kingdom of God in Truth and Love”).
Role Within GBI Synod
Lumoindong has also served within the wider Gereja Bethel Indonesia structure, holding the position of Ketua Departemen Pekabaran Injil (Head of the Evangelism Department) at the GBI Synod’s national leadership body (Badan Pengurus Pusat), a role that placed him among the denomination’s senior national figures beyond his own congregation.
Public Controversies
Gilbert Lumoindong’s national profile has been shaped as much by controversy as by church growth, and Flicxa presents the following documented incidents neutrally, based on mainstream Indonesian reporting.
2019: False Conversion Rumor
In 2019, a false story spread claiming that Rizieq Shihab, then-leader of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), had converted Lumoindong to Islam, based on an old photo of the two men meeting.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information (Kominfo) formally confirmed the story was fabricated, and it was widely reported as a hoax.
2022: GBI Warning Over Sambo Case Remarks
In 2022, Lumoindong received a formal warning from the Badan Pengurus Pusat (National Leadership Board) of Gereja Bethel Indonesia after making public comments about the high-profile Ferdy Sambo criminal case.
GBI’s leadership stated that his remarks fell outside the scope of his role as a pastor and asked him to issue a public apology and refrain from further commentary that could inflame the situation.
2024: Blasphemy Report Over Sermon Comparing Zakat and Tithing
In 2024, Lumoindong was reported to police over allegations of religious blasphemy (dugaan penistaan agama) following a sermon in which he compared the Islamic practice of zakat, calculated at 2.5 percent, to Christian tithing, calculated at 10 percent, while reportedly imitating movements associated with Islamic prayer during his remarks.
The clip went viral and became a significant point of public controversy, prompting him to meet with former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who publicly urged him to avoid further comparisons of that kind between the two faiths.
Doctrinal Clarification
Separately from the public controversies above, questions were raised at one point about Lumoindong’s teaching on the doctrine of the Trinity.
GBI’s national leadership subsequently clarified that his teaching on the Trinity did not contradict the denomination’s official statement of faith, and that his application of the GBI creed within his own congregation was not considered a violation of church order.
Personal Life
Gilbert Lumoindong is married to Pdt. Reinda M. Lumoindong, who serves alongside him as co-pastor at GBI Glow Fellowship Centre.
The couple built GL Ministry together in 1998 before taking on congregational leadership nearly a decade later, and they continue to lead the church jointly.
Influence and Legacy
Lumoindong’s combination of television experience, national denominational leadership, and a large Jakarta congregation has made him one of the more recognizable pastors in Indonesia’s charismatic movement.
His public controversies have also made him a frequent subject of national news coverage, illustrating the scrutiny that comes with being a prominent religious voice in Indonesia’s religiously diverse and closely watched public sphere.
Timeline
- December 26, 1966 — Born in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Age 17 — Begins preaching in Christian youth organizations.
- 1990 — Earns theology diploma from Lembaga Pendidikan Teologi Indonesia.
- 1992–1997 — Hosts a Christian devotional program on RCTI.
- 1993–1997 — Serves as chairman of Gospel Overseas.
- 1998 — Founds GL Ministry with his wife, Reinda M. Lumoindong.
- 2007 — Becomes gembala jemaat, leading what grows into GBI Glow Fellowship Centre.
- 2019 — False conversion rumor spreads and is debunked by Kominfo.
- 2022 — Receives a formal warning from GBI leadership over remarks on the Sambo case.
- 2024 — Reported to police over a sermon comparing zakat and tithing; meets with Jusuf Kalla.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Gilbert Lumoindong’s controversy about?
Gilbert Lumoindong has faced several public controversies, including a debunked 2019 rumor about converting to Islam, a 2022 GBI warning over comments on the Sambo case, and a 2024 police report over a sermon comparing Islamic zakat to Christian tithing.
What is GBI Glow?
GBI Glow Fellowship Centre is a Jakarta congregation within the Gereja Bethel Indonesia (GBI) synod, led by Gilbert Lumoindong and his wife, Reinda M. Lumoindong, with membership reported in the thousands.
What church does Gilbert Lumoindong lead?
He leads GBI Glow Fellowship Centre, a Pentecostal congregation in Jakarta affiliated with the Gereja Bethel Indonesia (GBI) synod.
Is Gilbert Lumoindong married?
Yes, he is married to Pdt. Reinda M. Lumoindong, who co-leads GBI Glow Fellowship Centre alongside him.
Did Gilbert Lumoindong convert to Islam?
No. A 2019 rumor claiming he had converted to Islam was investigated and confirmed to be false by Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information.
