The first missionaries came toSoutheast Sulawesi in the 1880s. Around 1900 theProtestant church had congregations in this part of the island, consisting of army officers and military. The Protestant mission effort began in 1916, but only a small percentage of native inhabitants became Christian. During World War II, the congregations suffered under theJapanese. In 1950 several church workers were killed byMuslim guerrillas. Later the political situation stabilized. Christianity increased in the last 30 years.[1]The church has 89 congregations and 30,000 members.[2]It is a member of theWorld Communion of Reformed Churches.[3]