5 Questions With...Hendri Sutrisno

1. How did you first get involved with Friendship Presbyterian?  I used to attend a Presbyterian-like church in my home country of Indonesia. Then, three years ago, I came to Taiwan to study Industrial Management/Operations Research, and I looked for a Presbyterian church in Taipei. The distance mattered. Fortunately, I found FPC through Google. Interestingly, I lived in the same room with three of FPC’s regular attendees, and it helped me get to know FPC faster. I enjoyed my time at FPC and also its international feel.  

2. What do you do Monday through Saturday?  G.K. Chesterton once said, "You cannot evade the issue of God. Whether you talk about pigs or the binomial theory, you are still talking about Him." I take the quote deeply. As a Ph.D. student, I spend my time mostly for research. Not because there is a requirement to have academic publications, but because doing these things remind me of how great is our God.

3. What is something people might be surprised to know about you?  Two things. First, people find me to be like a pro in repairing a computer, when what I did was only operating-system installation and hardware cleansing. Second, my mood changes my handwriting. One time, I ended a three-hour lecture with five different writing styles!

4. What do you find most challenging about being a Christian today?  I find the practice of evangelism to be the most challenging issue, especially for a millennial like me. Millennials do not like separation, whether political, spiritual, or otherwise. On some occasions, practicing evangelism is viewed as an effort to separate.  

5. What is one of your favorite books of the Bible?  I like Luke the best. Luke warned of the danger of materialism, which is relevant to the living style in Taipei. People are relatively wealthy, and often distinguish themselves through their expensive lifestyles. Another reason is that the book elaborates the cost of following Jesus. People must be aware that following Jesus is not an easy task!