The beginnings of an indigenous church in the region may be traced back to around 1730 when three local kings / chieftans from the island of Rote (to the south west of Timor) received a Christian education in Jakarta (then Batavia). After converting to Christianity they returned to Rote to establish a Christian school there. Beginning in Rote, Indigenous Protestant Christianity took root very slowly accross the region and in many areas today its presence dates back to less than a hundred years.

The twentieth century saw the fastest rate of church growth. The Dutch missionary Pieter Middelkoop played a significant role in the 1920s. Living in the mountains of central Timor he worked hard to understand local traditions and world view as well as translating the Bible into the language of Timor. Consequently the church in this area grew rapidly through the training of local church workers.

The influences of a spiritual revival in the same region of South Central Timor during the 1960s can still be seen in the life of GMIT congregations today.

The ending of Dutch colonial rule coincided with independence for the Reformed Church in Indonesia after the Second World War. Consequently, largely due to geographical reasons a number of independent synods came into being under the umbrella of the Protestant Church in Indonesia (GPI) one of which was the Gereja Masehi Injili di Timor (GMIT).

In the present day many GMIT congregations continue to grow and thrive in different parts of East Nusa Tenggara province and Sumbawa. This is in spite of the recent arrival of many new Evangelical denominations in the area and rapidly changing social environment.

THE REGION SERVED BY GMIT

The area in which GMIT ministers is culturally and linguistically diverse. Although Indonesian is widely spoken there are around 60 local languages in use throughout the region. The island province is one of the driest regions of Indonesia. The short rainy season and poor soil quality in some areas presents agricultural challenges for the people of this area who are mostly subsistance farmers and fishermen.

Christians make up some 88,8 % of the province's population (Catholic 54,65 %, and Protestant 34,24%). Islam accounts for 8,25 % of the total population and a small percentage of Balinese Hindus and Buddhists. In some areas of the province traditional belief systems are still adhered to.

The bustling provincial capital of East Nusa Tenggara is Kupang situated at the south western end of Timor island. Kupang is now very well served by flights to and from the larger cities in Indonesia and connecting air and sea links to the province’s other islands are improving all the time. There are a large number of hotels, guest houses and restaurants. The Sasando Hotel, and Kristal Hotel are of International Standard.