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Raranta, Wolter A. (1929–1995)

By Orsly Winston Raranta

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Orsly Winston Raranta is currently working towards his master's in religion degree in Biblical Studies at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies.

First Published: January 30, 2021

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Wolter A. Raranta was a pastor and church administrator in Indonesia.

Early Life

Wolter1 A. Raranta was born to an Adventist family in a small town of Langoan, North Sulawesi, Indonesia on November 1, 19292 to parents Adolf Raranta and Johana Tamburian.3 His father, Adolf Raranta, a successful farmer, was born in 1876 and died on January 12, 1964 in Langoan, at the age of 88. His mother, Johana Tamburian, a loving wife, was born in the same town on January 2, 1901 and died on July 21, 1982.4

Wolter was the third son of nine siblings. Among his siblings three other brothers, John Raranta, Benny Raranta, and Piet Raranta, served the Adventist Church in various capacities. John served as a pastor and as a mission president until he died in 1976. His brother Benny, also served as a pastor, as well as a professor and mission president until he died in May 1978. Finally, Piet served as a teacher in the mission until he died.5

Wolter spent his childhood growing up on the farm in Langoan where he learned many precious lessons from nature that prepared him to be a leader of the church. He attended public school for elementary level from 1935-1941.6 He then was baptized in the church in August 1942. For a couple of years Wolter attened public junior high school in 1948 but then he was transferred to the North Celebes Academy, a church school that shaped him to become a faithful member and leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He studied there from 1948 to 1949.7 He attended senior high school 1950-1951.8

Education and Marriage

After finishing high school in early 1951, Wolter Raranta studied Theology at Indonesia Union Seminary (I.U.S) of Gadobangkong (now Universitas Advent Indonesia [Indonesian Adventist University]) in Bandung and got his degree in 1952.9 He was married to Evie Koroh in 1957.10

His wife, Evie was born in Tondano, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, on June 6, 1939 to an Adventist family, of Emil Koroh and Ong Pie Nio. She was baptized in the church in May 1952. Evie was married to Wolter at a young age and was not able to finish her studies. However, she served the church as director of Children’s and Women’s Ministries for several years in both North Minahasa and Maluku Missions.11

Wolter and Evie had three children: Stanley, Wendell, and Melvin.12

Ministry

Wolter started his ministry in the church as a colporteur in West Indonesia Union at the age of twenty.13 He then served as a credentialed colporteur in North Sulawesi Mission from 1953 to 1954. From 1955 until 1960, Wolter served as the publishing secretary at the same mission. He was then transferred to the West Java Mission and continued his service as a Publishing Secretary for another year until 1961. From 1964 to 1968, he was assigned as Publishing secretary for East Indonesia Union. In 1969 he was elected to be the East Indonesia Union secretary and served in that capacity for five years from 1969-1974. Then he was called to serve once again as Publishing Secretary for East Indonesia Union from 1975 until 1979.14 From 1980 to 1984, he was elected as North Minahasa Mission president.15 After that, he served as president in Maluku Mission from 198516 until 1988.17 He was associate publishing director of East Indonesia Union Mission from 199318 until his retirement at the end of 1996.19

Later Life

Though officially retired, Wolter continued serving as Literature Ministry Seminary director in East Indonesian Union for another three years until he died at the age of 68 on October 23, 1995. His wife, Evie, is already 81 years old (still alive in 2020). She lives with her son in Manado city, Indonesia.20 Wolter was considered as a worker with the longest years of service in both West Indonesia Union and East Indonesia Union at that time.

Contribution

Wolter Raranta had served many churches throughout his life in the entire East Indonesia Union. He had been involved in so many church and school planting endeavors. He made great contributions to the literature ministry both in his personal efforts and in his leadership model. He organized many training seminars to upgrade the literature evangelists of Indonesia. He was instrumental in building a number of facilities for literature evangelism. He was active in the literature ministry even after retirement and continued working to train literature evangelists until he died in 1995.21

Sources

Birth Certificate of Wolter Raranta, in the author’s private collection.

Marriage Certificate of Wolter Raranta and Elvie Koroh, in the author’s private collection.

National Workers Record, Wolter Raranta, Southern-Asia Pacific Division Archives, Silang, Cavite, Philippines.

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Various years. https://www.adventistyearbook.org/.

Notes

  1. Some entries show his name as Walter.↩

  2. As shown in the Birth Certificate of Wolter Raranta, in the author’s private collection.↩

  3. National Workers Record, Wolter Raranta, Southern-Asia Pacific Division Archives; Marriage Certificate of Wolter Raranta and Elvie Koroh, in the author’s private collection.↩

  4. Jeanny Poula Ivonny Raranta, niece of Wolter Raranta, interviewed by author, Manado, October 17, 2019. The testimony supported by the date in the picture of the tombs showed by Jeanny.↩

  5. Jeanny Poula Ivonny Raranta, interviewed by author, Manado, November 5, 2019; National Workers Record, Wolter Raranta, Southern-Asia Pacific Division Archives.↩

  6. Ibid.↩

  7. Ibid.↩

  8. Ibid.↩

  9. National Workers Record, Wolter Raranta, Southern-Asia Pacific Division Archives.↩

  10. Evie Koroh, wife of Wolter Raranta, interviewed by the author, in Manado, March 19, 2020.↩

  11. Ibid.↩

  12. Melvin Raranta, youngest son of Wolter Rarnata, interviewed by the author, in Manado, March 19, 2020; Information-National Workers Record.↩

  13. Evie Koroh, wife of Wolter Raranta, interviewed by the author, in Manado, March 19, 2020.↩

  14. See Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, year 1980, 178.↩

  15. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, year 1981, 192; Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, year 1985, 133.↩

  16. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, year 1986, 112.↩

  17. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, year 1988, 116.↩

  18. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, year 1993, 111.↩

  19. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, year 1996, 67.↩

  20. Evie Koroh, wife of Wolter Raranta, interviewed by the author, in Manado, March 19, 2020.↩

  21. Ibid.; Melvin Raranta, youngest son of Wolter Rarnata, interviewed by the author, in Manado, March 19, 2020.↩

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Raranta, Orsly Winston. "Raranta, Wolter A. (1929–1995)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. January 30, 2021. Accessed January 16, 2025. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=BCWD.

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Raranta, Orsly Winston. "Raranta, Wolter A. (1929–1995)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. January 30, 2021. Date of access January 16, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=BCWD.

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Raranta, Orsly Winston (2021, January 30). Raranta, Wolter A. (1929–1995). Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved January 16, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=BCWD.

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