Understanding the Inter-Ethnic Solidarity Formation in A Plural Charismatic Community

This study describes the inter-ethnic solidarity in the charismatic Mawar Sharon church in Medan City, Indonesia, also known as the Connect Group Church.The qualitative and ethnographic approaches were used to determine the solidarity in Charismatic Churches where people are separated by ethnicity. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with respondents actively involved in the activities of the religious connect groups, such as sponsors, coaches


INTRODUCTION
group has become a worldwide spiritual movement. Local churches in Indonesia, especially Pentecostal/Charismatic sects, tend to build services using cell community as the most important part of their growth strategy. 4 The cell community is taught to respect people's opinions, be humble, understand, listen, think, speak, and act maturely. 5 The cell community is like the roots of a growing tree, where assuming the branch is Sasongko, "Gereja Karismatik Dan Inkulturasi Musik Di Dalam Sistem Ibadahnya," SELONDING 13, no. 13 (July 28, 2018): 1913 id/e-journal/index. php/haggadah/article/view/21. 5 P. C. Wagner, Your Church Can Grow (Ventura: Regal Books, 1984).; J. Comiskey, Ledakan Kelompok Sel (Jakarta: Metanonia, 1998). cut, it still grows. This statement means that the Charismatic Church continues to grow rapidly even though it is hampered due to the development of the cell community movement. 6 The association of communities is the headquarter to forming the cell church, which is more exclusive and separates itself from community life, emphasizing religious experiences and emotions while prioritizing member loyalty and commitment. According to Baskoro, developments Stockstill, Gereja Sel (Jakarta: Yayasan Media Buana, 2000). 7 H. Baskoro, Gereja Sel: Gereja Atau Sekte. Faktor-Faktor Pendorong Semangat Sektarian Gereja Sel (Yogyakarta: Universitas Gajah Mada, 2003). 8 D. Y. Cho, Kelompok Sel Yang Berhasil (Malang: Gandum Mas, 1994

Connect Group
The cell community at Mawar Sharon  …the church needs to perceive its vision and mission as a divine burden. However, we are grateful our church has spread from Sabang to Merauke. The various ethnic groups -Manadonese, Ambonese, Chinese, and even Indianshave all become one. We love Indonesia and are grateful that our churches carry out their respective roles along with spiritual movements in this country.   Praise and Worship is a mandatory activity that needs to be carried out weekly in the Connect Group's routine agenda.
Praise is an attitude that shows exaltation and happens when singing a song with a fast tempo and full of cheers (upbeat). Meanwhile, worship is an attitude that shows prostration or more respect using soft and intimate music (slow beat). 21  In an observation conducted using a fast-paced, upbeat song, one of the respondents assigned to lead the praise and worship session started by stating the following as informants said:  … let's be quiet before God by bowing our heads in fellow-ship to show gratitude. Speak in tongues shalalala… Connect Group's atmosphere, which was initially cheerful and full of joy, turned solemn. The atmosphere was even more solemn when a guitar strum with a calm strain sounded like a song's intro. Some participants were on their knees with heads bowed while raising their hands, while others cried.
Then the worship leader prayed for a while before singing a song, which all participants joined. The lyrics are as follows: We humble ourselves before You. Our hearts are full of gratitude We cannot complete each other's body Therefore, make us one Like you and Jesus Hence, the world knows the real earth from Your love Before we go declare Your love Start with us first Make us one.
The song is sung twice, followed by instructions from the worship leader to sing psalms and speak in tongues. During this period, the music played by the guitarist is only a soothing classical chorus. Therefore, other worshippers are not allowed to sing the lyrics anymore, while the worship leader says the following: …let's see within ourselves how good God is to us. We are born with many differences, but in God's eyes, we are the same. God is good, therefore, let us unite our hearts to share with each other. Let us profess our faith, that we are one in the body of Christ… Interestingly, the practice of this relationship is not only in daily life; rather, it becomes a symbiotic mutualism that is mutually beneficial between different ethnicities. For example, the Chinese community, whose majority is trading or opening a res-

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author would like to thank Grace Prima A Sihombing as the second author who has helped the author in completing this paper and to Ria Manurung, Sismudjito and Henry Sitorus as other writers who have provided suggestions in improving the writing of this article.