We met in Willigen, Germany in the mountains of Sauerland. Linda and I went to encourage, strengthen, coach, advise and just be a blessing in any way we could. We also wanted to learn if church planters are making inroads in their post-modern, post-Christian, secular contexts.
Our director asked at one point "How many of you are experiencing great results at this time?" From what I saw only one couple among the 100 or so workers raised their hands. It was Paul and Kathy who are seeing a harvest among Bulgarian Turks in West Germany. The rest of the workers were seeing either moderate or very little fruit. Tim went on to share several theological truths about Europe. Here are some of them in my own words. I believe they apply to all of us who work in Western individualistic cultures:
1. God has a harvest time for every people group in Europe. We must believe in the harvest.
2. The harvest ripens rapidly in some places. In Europe it can take several generations. We must take the long view.
3. Society is fragmented and diversified with many layers of immigrants. We must look for the harvest in pockets - not massive church planting movements but local and regional breakthroughs.
4. It will take a spiritual battle. There will be a cost to see harvesting take place. We need great devotion, great faith, great sacrifice, and great perseverance.
5. Each one has a role to play (1 Cor. 3:1-5). Some till the soil, others sow, others water and still others reap. We must work hard, content and patient where God has called us. In time, we all share in the harvest and will all rejoice together.
6. We must not yield to pressure to glamorize the work or exaggerate the fruit. We live to please God, not man. Besides churches in the USA can't boast of great conversion rates and their soil is getting more and more like that of Europe.
7. We should discern "people of peace" (Luke 10) and other prepared people rather than invest indiscriminately, remembering God's words to Paul in Acts 18:10 "Do not be silent... I have many people in this city."
Here are some creative things workers in Europe are doing:
- In Toulouse, France, a couple is leading a multicultural team from Hong Kong, Germany, USA and Latin America. All those languages are represented by segments of the city. Some groups are meeting in coffee houses and in community centers. They use discussion forums. Now there are enough disciples and seekers to begin a new multicultural congregation and some French families are interested in getting involved. They will keep the easy access groups going.
- A team is coming together in Berlin. Rather than starting a traditional church they are looking to start a coffee house as a "third space" where believers and skeptics can meet. They will also find other safe venues for talking about spiritual things.
- A church planter in Lyons, France is encouraged by the willingess of people to voice their beliefs or lack of belief. Jonah says: "Expect them to share their frustration with organized religion. If you listen to them without arguing, you will have an opportunity to speak soon enough."
- The team in Rome partnered with a couple from another Mission organization to start a church. They decided to release the group to the care of the other couple and start over with evangelism and discipleship. "That is what we are called to do."
- By discipling and training Bulgarian Turks In Duisburg, Germany Paul and Kathy are seeing changed lives and families not only in their local community but also in Bulgaria. The newly converted Turks are going back and sharing their new faith with family and friends.
- There is an Iranian church growing in Belgium. Many reports tell of conversion and new churches among the Iranian diaspora.
Pray for Europe. It has seen the gospel breakthrough several times in its history. The harvest many not look like the great fields of the America midwest; it will probably resemble the patchwork of fields that cover the European countryside... The key will be preparing workers from the harvest to go to new harvests.
