View source for Thiessen, Johann (1869-1953)

Johann Thiessen (1869-1953): missionary in the Dutch East Indies (now [[Indonesia|Indonesia]]). Johann was a member of the [[Einlage (Chortitza Mennonite Settlement, Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Einlage]] Mennonite congregation in the [[Chortitza Mennonite Settlement (Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Chortitza Mennonite Settlement]], South Russia. He studied for a time in the St. Chrischona institute near Basel, Switzerland. In July 1901 he began serving as a member of the Dutch Mennonite Mission Association (<em>Doopsgezinde Zendings Vereeniging</em> [DZV], now [[Doopsgezinde Zendingsraad|Doopsgezinde Zendingsraad]] [DZR]) on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, taking the place of Nikolai Wiebe and [[Nikkel, Gerhard (1862-1932)|Gerhard Nikkel]]. He worked at both [[Pakantan (Mandailing, Sumatra, Indonesia)|Pakantan]] and [[Muara Sipongi (Sumatra, Indonesia)|Muara Sipongi]], serving until 1912. The board of the DZV was dissatisfied with Thiessen's work, since he was more Baptist-minded than Mennonite (he was baptized in a Baptist congregation in Berlin before commencing his work in Indonesia). In 1921 he became the founder of a Pentecostal church in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, and editor of a church paper, <em>Dit is het</em>. Thiessen married a Dutch woman, A. Vink.
= Bibliography =
Friesen, Peter M. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Die Alt-Evangelische Mennonitische Brüderschaft in Russland (1789-1910) im Rahmen der mennonitischen Gesamtgeschichte</em>. Halbstadt: Verlagsgesellschaft "Raduga", 1911: 554 ff. 

Hoekema, Alle. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Dutch Mennonite Mission in Indonesia: Historical Essays</em>. Elkhart, IN: Institute of Mennonite Studies, 2001: 81, 85, 87-90, 95. 

Hoekendijk, C. J. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Bladen uit mijn levensboek: autobiografie van C. J. Hoekendijk</em>. Zoetermeer: Boekencentrum, 1993: 174-177.

Laan, C. van der. <em class="gameo_bibliography">De spade regen: Geboorte en groei van de pinksterbeweging in Nederland, 1907-1940</em>. Kampen: Kok, 1989: 23.

Laan, C. van der and P. N. van der Laan. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Pinksteren in beweging: Vijfenzeventig jaar Pinkster-geschiedenis in Nederland en Vlaanderen</em>. Kampen: Kok, 1982: 47-48.

Thiessen, Johann. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Pakantan: Een belangrijk gedeelte van Sumatra</em>. Apeldoorn: J. Thiessen, 1914.
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[[Category:Persons]]