Abstract :
Pendidikan dan pelayanan harus berdampak untuk memajukan dan
mensejahterakan kehidupan. Tanah Simalungun adalah tanah sorga yang memiliki
sumber daya alam yang luar biasa, indah subur dan penuh berkat. Namun
ditemukan seperti ungkapan: ?Ayam mati di dalam lumbung padi? dan ungkapan
dalam bahasa Simalungun: ?Horahan itoruh ni sampuran? artinya orang kehausan
di bawah pancuran air. Dua ungkapan ini menggambarkan konteks kehidupan
jemaat dan masyarakat di Tanah Simalungun, bahwa di tengah ketersediaan
kekayaan alam namun kehidupan masyarakat masih miskin.
Persoalan ini menjadi fokus dalam penelitian, di tengah kekayaan sumber
daya alam yang Tuhan anugerahkan di Tanah Simalungun, mengapa
masyarakatnya miskin? Kemiskinan mengakibatkan persoalan dalam kehidupan
masyarakat. Kemiskinan berdampak pada kurangnya pendidikan, maraknya
perjudian dan narkoba, serta tingginya kasus kekerasan dalam rumah tangga dan
mengakibatkan tingginya kasus perceraian dalam Rumah Tangga serta
meningkatnya kejahatan sosial di masyarakat di Tanah Simalungun.
Penelitian ini menggunakan metodologi kualitatif deskriptif dengan
pendekatan observasi dan wawancara kepada para informan yaitu para pelayan
gereja GKPS dan Pemerintah Daerah Simalungun serta petani dan pengusaha/
pelaku ekonomi di Tanah Simalungun.
Kesimpulan dari penelitian bahwa ditemukan masih minimnya peran
Pendidikan Agama Kristen terhadap para pelayan gereja GKPS dalam
mengembangkan ekonomi kreatif jemaat dan masyarakat karena pemahaman
bahwa pelayan gereja lebih fokus pada pelayanan ritus ibadah di gereja dari pada
ikut berperan dalam menolong kehidupan perekonomian dan kebutuhan
kesejahteraan hidup jemaat dan masyarakat. Sehingga harus dilakukan penguatan
peran Pendidikan Agama Kristen terhadap para pelayan gereja sebagai upaya
strategi dalam pelayanan berdampak dan berkolaborasi antara pelayan gereja GKPS
dan Pemerintah serta stakeholders terkait untuk kesejahteraan kehidupan jemaat
dan masyarakat di Tanah Simalungun. Gereja kreatif, pelayan gereja kreatif,
ekonomi kreatif serta Jemaat dan masyarakat kreatif untuk kesejahteraan hidup.
Kata kunci: Peran, PAK, Pelayan Gereja, Ekonomi Kreatif, Stakeholders,
Tanoh Simalungun. / Education and services must have an impact on advancing and improving life.
Simalungun Land is a heavenly land that has extraordinary natural resources, is
beautiful, fertile and full of blessings. However, we found the expression: "The
chicken died in the rice barn" and the expression in the Simalungun language:
"Horahan itoruh ni sampuran" which means a thirsty person under the water
fountain. These two expressions describe the context of the life of the congregation
and society in Tanah Simalungun, that despite the availability of natural wealth,
people's lives are still poor.
This issue is the focus of research, amidst the wealth of natural resources that
God has bestowed on Simalungun Land, why are the people poor? Poverty causes
problems in people's lives. Poverty has an impact on lack of education, the rise of
gambling and drugs, as well as high cases of domestic violence and resulting in
high cases of divorce in households as well as increasing social crimes in the
community in Tanah Simalungun.
This research uses a descriptive qualitative methodology with an observation
and interview approach to informants, namely GKPS church servants and the
Simalungun Regional Government as well as farmers and entrepreneurs/economic
actors in Simalungun Land.
The conclusion of the research is that it was found that the role of Christian
Religious Education for GKPS church servants is still minimal in developing the
creative economy of the congregation and society because of the understanding that
church servants are more focused on serving the rites of worship in the church rather
than taking part in helping the economic life and welfare needs of the congregation
and public. So it is necessary to strengthen the role of Christian Religious Education
for church servants as a strategic effort in providing impactful services and
collaboration between GKPS church servants and the Government and related
stakeholders for the welfare of the congregation and community in Simalungun
Land. Creative churches, creative church servants, creative economies and creative
congregations and communities for the welfare of life.
Keywords: Roles, PAK, Church Servants, Creative Economy, Stakeholders,
Tanoh Simalungun.