fighting against anonymity

The fight against anonymity is real in a mega-city like Berlin. But Rafaela, Thorsten, Kweku, Lydia, Tatiana, and Pius find a common bond as they worship God with 150 other believers. And this, despite being German, Ghanaian, Namibian, and French.

This is very different from the US, where there is often a church on every corner. Evangelical Christianity has permeated American society in broad and deep ways.

But it’s just not the case in many places in the world – including Europe! The continent of Luther, Calvin, and Wesley is far removed from the effects of the Reformation. Massively secularized and seemingly allergic to God, the ‘dark continent’ remains a missiological “puzzles” for evangelicals.

So how do we spread the gospel and plant churches in a place where authentic Christianity is scarce and where the name ‘Grace Brethren’ is not only unknown, but often suspected of being downright dangerous?

One way is to look for partnerships with evangelicals of like heart and soul. Find where other believers are and whether their ministries regard the Scriptures, salvation, church life, and outreach in similar ways. Network with believers attempting to find “wedges” for the gospel in (especially urban) Europe. Pray that the Lord of the harvest would unleash people already committed to him towards involvement in his mission.

This search does not always provide discoveries or official partnerships. But it does acknowledge that we are not the first evangelicals on the continent, and that we are part of the larger Body of Christ.

In Berlin, where we’ve served for nine years, we are discovering one potential partnership. Two years ago, we linked up with the International Baptist Church in the city, where 20+ nationalities are represented among 200 people. Surprisingly, almost 40% are German. It may not fit the typical approach for cross-cultural missions. But the opportunities are there nonetheless.

Since that first connection, we have taught, trained and equipped a wide variety of people in Christian faith and witness. Ambassadors, refugees, students, business leaders, and many more diverse people. Many are German, like the six young men I’ve met with for a year in leadership training. Many come from around the world, from bi-cultural marriages, or for a short stop in Berlin. Whatever their story, God brought them here. Part of our role is to provide an oasis for their faith and a training ground for their mission. Our ongoing evangelistic relationships provide a context and example to other believers as we stimulate them to reach out with the message of the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Some fruit is born when we get “out there.” Other fruit takes place in training and motivating those “in here” (in existing churches) to live and share their faith “out there.” Our core commitments to biblical truth, biblical relationships, and biblical mission pervade our ministry in every way.

Could such partnerships be valuable, especially in the ‘spiritual deserts’ that make up the urban areas of the continent? In a place where resources and believers are limited, it’s worth finding out. - Mike Yoder

Culturally allergic to the gospel

“Oh you look so beautiful tonight, in the city of blinding lights,” croons Bono. But to what are the lights blinding us? What if urban culture and even culture in general were blinding us to something very important?

I recently saw an advertisement for patio flooring boasting “European stone.” Now what would make one think that "European" stone was more desirable than, let’s say, Philippino stone? Let’s face it, the “European” label on merchandize—whether it be German cars, French haute couture or Italian caffè—evokes images of “chic” and “class."

Europeans take their culture very seriously—intellectually, artistically, architecturally, literarily, musically, and apparently when developing floor materials. Who is not awestruck by magnificence of the Christendom era’s Temple—the Sistine Chapel, or the magnitude of the Enlightenment’s Temple—the Louvre ? (And in "The Da Vinci Code," Dan Brown points out how nice the Louvre’s flooring is!)
But before we are tempted to purchase that European stone for our patios, let’s remember the caveat against “boasting of what [one] has and does” (1 John 2:16). Cultural anthropologist Sherwood Lingenfelter, warns of the dangers inherent in any and every culture (whether it be European, Philippino, Ethiopian or American). He says:

“Learning from parents and peers to accept and live in accord with certain values, beliefs, and procedures for action, create a collective this-worldliness, which becomes a prison of disobedience. So entangled, they live a life of conformity to social images that are in conflict with God’s purpose for humanity” (Transforming Culture, 15-16).

Many of Europe’s “values, beliefs and procedures for action” have been developed in reaction to Christendom, the religious political power responsible for carnage and horrific dealings with peoples around the globe, and even with their fellow Europeans. As a result, today's European culture often causes people to have an allergic reaction to the gospel.

For example, take the words of one of Europe’s most influential and revered voices, whose work is quite in vogue among postmodern people, Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche asserted:

“Christian is the hatred of the intellect, of pride, of courage, freedom, intellectual libertinage; Christian is the hatred of the senses, of the joys of the senses, of joy in general” (The Anti-christ, 26).
In a broad sense, the blinding lights of 21st century European culture, and the “boastful pride of life” it engenders, hinders Europeans from seeking Christ; they expect to find all they need in the richness of their culture.

As I shared in “Plausibility and Pray-ers,” John Robb, Unreached Peoples Program Director with World Vision, says:

“Satan works… by trapping a people in society-wide presumptions about reality.” In settings where “Christ is not obeyed… such strongholds go unchallenged, sometimes for centuries, gaining strength with every passing generation” (see Perspectives, 145-151).

For centuries and centuries, Europeans have been indoctrinated and inoculated against the gospel found in Scripture. Europe’s culture, influenced by anti-Christian philosophy reacting against a brutal Christendom devoid of Christ, has trapped its people in prisons of disobedience to Christ.
BEFORE WE POINT THE FINGER...
Of course it is easy to pick on the Europeans. But I recently had a discussion with two young restaurant workers in the States. They mentioned how demanding “believers” can be during a meal. This waitress and waiter find it especially offensive when these “believers,” after being verbally ungracious, leave a miserly tip topped off with a tract. One of the restaurant workers said, “I know people who have become embittered against evangelicals because of this sort of thing.”

So evangelical Americans, let’s be introspective for a moment. Could the American evangelical sub-culture somehow be jading or offending this current generation? Do we wield power—political, corporate—in a way that could motivate them and future generations to alienate themselves from the Church and from Christ?

The next series on Dr. Klaw & ET: spiritual resources.
Whether it be Europe or the United States, what spiritual resources has God given us to counter things such as the smoke, mirrors and incandescence of the Crusades, the Inquisition, atheistic philosophy and blindingly bright culture? What does the Spirit recommend to us so that we might better incarnate and share the good news of the kingdom, regardless of the kind of floor covering one chooses and uses?

Journeying together in mobile Europe

This past week, a GO team from Martinsburg, Pennsylvania was in London ministering with us and learning firsthand what ministry looks and feels like here. They had multiple opportunities to connect with people and help them take the next step in their spiritual journey. They provided the environment in which Monia, a new believer from a Muslim background, was able to share her salvation testimony for the first time. One team member, Dan, connected with Chris who lives on the streets of London – and shared the Gospel with him. Several of the team members helped show Christ's love through the Soup Kitchen at the American Church (see photo).


As Europe becomes more mobile and urbanized, a significant implication is the transiency of relationships – people with each other and in relation to the Church. People simply move more frequently. The consequences of this change are numerous – some positive and some negative.

On the negative side, it is increasingly rare for a person to live his/her entire Christian experience in one local church (i.e. first exposure to the Gospel, conversion, baptism, discipleship, service & outreach). Many relationships in the Body of Christ are short- rather than long-term.

But on the positive side, this increased mobility is a huge opportunity for the Gospel and Jesus’ Church. If we can plant the seed of the Church in individuals with whom we work, they can take that with them wherever they go.

In the midst of that mobility, God allows us to help in the journey of many individuals who may never be a part of one of our churches. But all of these small touches in Jesus’ name will see the larger Body of Christ built up and Jesus’ Church progress in a global sense, without necessarily being easily measurable.

Another example, a definite highlight for us this year, was the recent baptisms of Kim, Shaun and Steve. We know them through Goodenough Trust, where we lead a Bible-reading group each Tuesday evening. Just weeks after her conversion, Kim came on an April mission trip to Serbia with a whole group from Goodenough (I was a part of that group as well). During that trip and over the subsequent weeks, God used MaryAnn and myself in a discipling relationship which led to her baptism.


Kim may not become a member of a Grace Brethren Church, but God clearly used us in her life to move her to a point of believer’s baptism. And we count it a great privilege to be able to journey awhile with people like Kim, Monia and the Martinsburg GO team in their walk with Jesus.