Born on June 17, 1978 in Jakarta - Indonesia, Gilbert is the son of Edward and Nina Thera and the grandson of late Dr. John H. Thera. His parents are both active ministers in the Kingdom of God. His father is one of the elders in their homechurch, Maranatha Ministries, and his mother is one of the deacons in their homechurch. His grandfather was the pastor of GGP Ecclesia Christi in Jakarta, Indonesia. The family moved to the Netherlands, when he was still an infant. He grew up in Haarlem. Gilbert has two younger sisters, Cheryl and Caressa and one younger brother, Sherwood. Gilbert TheraEver since the age of eleven Gilbert had the desire to worship God through music. He started as a keyboard player at the teenage services. After a few years he started to play at the youth service and not long after that he started as a keyboard player during the Sunday services. During his teenage years he and some friends had regular prayer meetings where they prayed night after night for eachother and for their generation. Together with his cousin Joshua Kusardy they held weekly prayer meetings. And finally Gilbert was involved at the school prayer meetings, during his high school years. It is safe to say that prayer has been and still is one of the most important aspects of Gilbert's life. At the age of eighteen he joined the band Batuh yang Teguh. That's where God formed him and trained him. He learned a lot from his Batu yang Teguh's bandleaders (Chanelsy Moniharapon and Chaka Laisina). Batuh yang Teguh released an album named Change my heart in 1998. In the year 2000 he started a Dutch praise and worship band named "Praise in Unity". Their first "concert" was in Amsterdam as the support act of Winans Phase II. They released their first album in February 2002. But during the summer of 2003 Gilbert clearly heard the voice of God calling him to stop ministering with Praise in Unity and change direction. Although he loved the team, he chose to obey and he answered the call of God. In the months after that decision God opened many new doors for Gilbert. First of all the album Persembahanku, but next to that God opened new doors in Indonesia for him to minister in several churches. Next to that God is also opening new doors in the Netherlands for him to minister and to lead people in worship. At this moment he is a member of the Maranatha Ministries Worship team and one of the partners of Aesthetic Studio. Furthermore he travels at least once a year to Indonesia to minister in many churches of different denominations. Many were saved, healed and delivered during the Worship Services and Worship Crusades in Indonesia. Through it all Gilbert realizes that it is all by the grace of God that he's able to minister in the Kingdom of God.