Please help to ignite the Great Re-Awakening in Europe

[Inhocsigno]

Hello all, again just heard from some old friends, originally from New Mexico, who moved a little over 2 years ago to Dessau in eastern Germany. Karl (aka "Charles" when he was in New Mexico, he just Germanized his name when he went there) wanted to send his blessings and regards to everyone here, and for anyone who's considering a move there to join the fledgling yet growing Christian community in Sachsen-Anhalt (the state in which Dessau is located), he sends his warm regards. They are soon welcoming the birth of their first-born in their new home, a wonderful event that's brought happiness to all of their old acquaintances (including yours truly) back here across the Atlantic.

They've said that times are indeed a bit tough now due to the economic unraveling that's pretty much sweeping across the world right now. It's actually a bit better in Germany than in the USA (or UK) due to some differences in the banking system there, but it's not easy for anyone anywhere. Nevertheless, they're sticking it out and maintaining faith that they'll pull through. Besides, Karl is a mechanic who's quite handy with a toolbox (always a reliable line of work in Germany ) so I'm sure they'll persevere.

The language was a bit tricky at first but they seem to have gotten the hang of German there enough to say, "Gott beschütze und viel Glück!" to everyone here!

 

[Inhocsigno]

Hello everyone, just wanted to report the wonderful news that, according to an old friend in my hometown-- who has been active in the recruitment of Christian families from the USA, Canada and Australia to relocate to, raise their children in, and spread the faith in Germany-- his group is reporting the 500th migrant to the city of Stuttgart. While the numbers are still small, they're growing steadily, and have already reached the point that the churches in this German city are being revitalized!

The families have embraced their new identity as German citizens and are raising their children as such, and as they increasingly master not only the German language but also the local customs, they are becoming increasingly effective messengers of the faith in this land.

This is truly outstanding news, and this kind of event-- with Christian families from North America and Australia moving to and adopting citizenship in Continental European countries like Germany-- is precisely what is finally restoring the Christian heart to the Christian heartland in Central Europe, one of our greatest success stories in perhaps generations.

Hopefully this will continue to encourage others to follow in their example!

 

[Inhocsigno]

Dear Brothers and Sisters, just a reminder that many of the regional church organizations (synods and dioceses) are offering assistance to church members who want to emigrate to Europe to help establish ministries there. Remember that there's a good deal of red tape here-- emigrating to a country always involves a good deal of paperwork which isn't always straightforward.

Since our chief objectives are in Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands here, there's also a language issue at times. It heartens me that so many of you have already met this challenge, but in case you're not yet fluent, there are many services available to help with translation and filling out the forms.

 

[Jishuku]

I just wanted to chime in and say that if anyone is thinking of coming to the northern parts of Sweden, feel free to PM me if you need any help.
Also, no matter what part of the country, if you need help translating anything from/to Swedish, I'd be glad to help.

Greetings from a snowy "västerbotten".

 

[Inhocsigno]

Thanks for the suggestion, Jishuku. An old friend of mine from Oakland moved to Sweden years ago with his wife and is now raising 2 children there. He's recently become fluent in Swedish and his children are being raised as Swedes, so he's begun some low-level ministering there. I'm sure he'd love some company, so I'll just say for your efforts: Lycka till!

 

[Inhocsigno]

Greetings everyone, just popping back in to report some blessed news from one of my own ex-neighbors in my old church, taking part in the Great Awakening in the Netherlands. She left for Rotterdam more than 2 years ago with her then-fiance (both from Florida), and they are proud to report the birth of their son Michiel, who will be raised in the faith in their Rotterdam church.

Her story is a shot in the arm for all of us worried about the difficulties of such a move-- she and her husband are now both fluent in Dutch and German and have begun their own business, that is going strong despite this difficult economy. Michiel (as well as all his future siblings of course ) will grow up as proud Dutch Christians, making the Gospel there strong once again!

Along with other blessed news I have recently received from our Christian brethren settling in Belgium and of course in Germany, we have been making great strides in the Re-Awakening. A blessed day to all of you here!

 

[Inhocsigno]

I put this up in another thread, but I figure this one might actually be the best place for it (since it seems to be mainly Europe-focused):

Does anyone here have more information on the "Skanderbeq Movement"? It's one of these efforts within the broad umbrella of converting Muslims to our faith, in this case focused specifically on Albanians and with the highest success rate (so far) of any such movement.

My understanding is that this began in the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Norway and especially Germany a few years ago, as an effort to convert Muslims among the migrant Albanian population (who are predominantly Christian to begin with) to the Christian faith. Skanderbeq is the name of the Albanian national hero, who is revered by Muslim and Christian Albanians alike.

The key here is Skanderbeq's personal biography: As a young boy, he was apparently taken as a hostage into the court of the mainly Muslim Ottoman Turkish empire, which at the time was trying to expand into Europe. Skanderbeq was brought up as a Muslim, but after a series of battles in which he was a general, he renounced Islam and embraced Christianity, subsequently leading his Christian Albanian people in a series of remarkable victories over the Ottoman Empire. So Skanderbeq provides an example of a great and revered figure who left Islam for Christianity and brought pride to his people, and he has thus been a remarkably valuable example for converting the Albanian Muslim people to Christianity.

Anyway-- again, my understanding is that this began in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany with remarkable success. Furthermore, it's even been extended to find similar nationalistic examples which have been used to convert Bosnian Muslims, Turks, Alevis and Kurds to the Christian faith, particularly within Germany.

Thus, most of the relevant material (including plans on distribution of Albanian-language Bibles and other literature) on the movement has been written in German. Does anyone here, with German-language skills (at least, better than mine) have more background on this movement, and maybe some pointers on where one could find the relevant information? Thanks.

 

[Inhocsigno]

Greetings everyone, just passing on a wonderful report, that one of our missionary churches in Germany has just reported its 100th formerly-Muslim Albanian convert to the Christian faith, and rapidly growing.

Multiply this by the many other such churches in Germany now (founded chiefly by American, Canadian and Australian Christians who've migrated to Germany in just the past decade, starting new churches there), and you have thousands of Albanians and Turks who have joined our faith through our very efforts. Wonderful news indeed, and I hope it inspires more of us here to join the effort!

 

[Inhocsigno]

Greetings everyone, just wanted to report on another wonderful update, though of a different nature from the ones before. I was in touch with an old acquaintance, whom I'd met before from a church conference for my denomination, and who was apparently among the first to answer the call for the Great Reawakening in Europe.

He's Australian originally but moved with his wife and 3 kids to Hamburg in Germany close to 6 years ago-- initially without speaking a word of German, but is now fluent in the language and even started his own plumbing business. With a group of other Aussie and North American emigres, as well as some native Germans, he was able to start a new church in the Hamburg region which has recently grown steadily.

This news was wonderful enough, but he recently reported that in the past two years alone, he and his church have successfully managed to convert nearly three dozen former Muslims to the Christian faith, in Hamburg itself! I learned about this when I had inquired about the Skanderbeq movement (to convert the Albanian population), and he confirms that he has had tremendous success with this population: Personally converting 5 formerly Muslim Albanians who had come into Hamburg from Kosovo (in Serbia), and another two from Albania itself. He reported successful conversion of a similar number of Hamburg-based Bosnian Muslims and Turks to the faith, as well as many Kurds and even two Hamburg-based Arabs (who have been difficult to convert), one from Algeria and one from Syria. The new converts, in turn, have become fervent Christians in their own right, even going back to their home countries to help in preaching the Gospel, and establishing churches in places like Kosovo!

No doubt his own church's efforts in Hamburg have had a major impact, but the sheer Christian wonder of the German land-- full of churches and Christian music-- has helped as well. Wonderful news that I wanted to pass on!

 

[Edmond89]

Hello my dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I really wanna to take part in the missionary mission,it's very good and enjoyable,it's God's instance and request from us as it's mentioned in the Bible,well I wanna to evangelize the Eastern European countries that needs it's so much,because they are thirsty for the bible and the religion were prohibited in the communist regime in Russia.
Furthermore I look to preach the gospel also in Germany as well))

if anybody can help me just pm me and thanks,may God bless you all.


Best Regards,
Edwar

 

[Inhocsigno]

Dear Edwar, God Bless You for your interest and dedication to this essential cause. Your help is welcome, particularly in Germany and the surrounding region-- if you can speak some German (or are willing to learn), I am sure you could find others working alongside to bring the Gospel to the very people who helped to proclaim it to the world, but for whom historical circumstances has made their continuing connection to this heritage so difficult. We need you for this effort, so we welcome you to our fold!

 

[hardcore]

Send people to the UK too. Our country here desperately needs to hear the gospel. I've been challenged about the call to missions but I can't help but think that right here in London is one of the neediest places around.

 

[Inhocsigno]

Greetings hc, I certainly agree on your observations of the desperate need in that region-- rarely have I ever seen a nation lose its Christian heritage as rapidly, as London has. If I recall, the movement's founders also saw a need but had encountered great difficulties with the authorities in England, which so hindered the effort (and siphoned resources) that they urged efforts elsewhere, i.e. an issue of practical allocation above all. Any of you among the movement founders-- any updates on the situation on the ground there, in different European countries?

 

[KnowWhatJesusDid]

God Bless You Michael!

 

[Inhocsigno]

Wonderful news to report, my friends. One of our affiliates in northern Germany-- a group of emigres originally from the USA (mostly from Arizona, Texas, Utah and California) and Australia, who has settled to raise their children mostly around Hamburg-- has specialized in not only reviving established churches there, but in bringing Albanians, Turks, Kurds and other (often ex-Muslim) newcomers to the German Christian church.

They have produced their own Albanian-German and Turkish-German side-by-side translations of the New Testament, and have worked hard in local outreach. They recently reported that they've brought 5,000 Turks into their fold-- many of whom have taken on Christian German names in the process-- and more than half that many Albanians as well. Our efforts are bearing fruit already, and it is my joy to spread this news further. We are always looking for more Americans, Australians, Canadians, Brazilians and others to join in the efforts in Germany, Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark and neighboring nations, so further help is of course welcome!

 

[Unashamed Jesus Freak]

I just found this. Thank you for posting here. God bless you.

 

[Inhocsigno]

Another wonderful announcement-- our group of migrants to Hamburg in Germany (from the USA and Australia), involved in revitalizing the churches there, has now reported their 5,000th conversion of local Albanians to the faith. The key has been the availability of the German-Albanian Bibles and the fervor of the recent Albanian and Turkish converts there, as well as the invocation of Skanderbeg, the Albanian national hero who saved most of Christian Albania from Muslim Conquest in the Middle Ages.

At least in Germany, the cultural milieu is such that conversion of the local Albanian, Turkish, and Kurdish populations has been having a high success rate. If any of you can speak German (or are willing to learn, or just have some German/North European ancestry), you are welcome to join the effort. Your contribution will be much appreciated!

 

[New Father]

5. Emphasize positive, productive and ecumenical aspects of our faith as much as possible to your new flocks. Be inclusive with your teachings, and while you are of course inculcating your congregation into the great traditions and history of our faith, you should make your ministry relevant by tailoring your sermons and your announcements to a degree in line with the conditions of your community.

I couldn't agree more on the importance of emphasizing ecumenicity. Here in Scotland there is a long history of sectarian violence, which continues to this day, with young Catholic and Protestant boys breaking glass bottles in each others' faces, organising streetfights and participating in fatal stabbings regularly.

It is heartbreaking, and despite the undying efforts of myself and my colleagues, we just don't have the resources to educate enough of these kids fast enough in order to stop such senseless rivalry and violence, before more pointless deaths and horrific injuries are doled out.

Much of the violence occurs around football matches, with rival religious denominations associating themselves with rival football teams, so the majority of government action and press coverage (what little there is these days!) puts it all down to "boys being boys" and flare-ups of friendly competitive spirit that just gets out of hand "sometimes", as it is apparently just too controversial to touch on the religious motivations behind this madness.

So yes, I agree with the advice you have offered everyone and I cannot stress enough the importance of emphasizing ecumenicity, it is so much easier to bring new christians together from the start than it is to reconcile those who have parted ways somewhere along the line.

God bless and good luck to all in spreading the word.

 

[zionsoldier]

not trying to ruin the idea. However I disagree with some of the "denominations" you mentioned. Particularly mormons. Their "gospel" is not the gospel at all, they are false prophets. I don't know about the others you mentioned, but being a fundamental charismatic evangelical Christian means that I take the Bible as it comes.

for more information about mormon beliefs, and other religious group movements, please visit
www(dot)
carm(dot)
org/mormonism

if you examine their belief, you will see that they are false prophets

 

[Michael Snow]

Send people to the UK too. Our country here desperately needs to hear the gospel. I've been challenged about the call to missions but I can't help but think that right here in London is one of the neediest places around.

I think Christmas is one of the opportune times for talking to people more freely.
Last year I published a book with the purpose of sharing Christ at Christmas.

It is a reflection on the story of the Christmas truce of WW1, mostly between soldiers of the UK and Germany.

I am in the US. Don't know if it would strike a chord with Brits today, probably more so with older people. [But on youtube a lot of young people comment on the movie that was made about this story, Joyeux Noel.]

Anyhow, if anyone wants to look at it, I would be happy to send them the PDF. It's a bit over 8 mb.

The title is Oh Holy Night: The Peace of 1914 and is on amazon [us at least] or you can see it on my website.