27 November 2023 | St. Albans, UK [David Neal]
Not a one-off event, not a programme, not a fast-track campaign, Christ for Europe is a renewed emphasis by the General Conference (GC) in partnership with the three European Divisions, Euro-Asia, Inter-European and Trans-European Division (TED), to share the Good News about Christ with today’s European people. Over the last twelve months, TED has hosted numerous projects headed by GC personnel and other local pastors/evangelists. Many projects took place during the late spring, with more following during the summer and, most recently, during October and November.
Preaching with both ‘boldness and cultural intelligence’
When TED Adventist Mission director Anthony WagenerSmith shared the initiative in his 24 February tedNEWS report, he described our territory as “an incredibly diverse mix of European cultures from post-Christian urban areas to Orthodox-dominant countries”, a reality we’ve known for quite a while – but are committed to grow in our understanding of.
As a result, every pastor and evangelist is encouraged to preach and teach with what WagenerSmith describes as ‘both boldness and cultural intelligence’. Again, a value we’ve been sensitive to for quite a while and have sought to practise, but is still definitely a work in progress.
Take, for example, the 2013 – 2015 Dublin City of Hope mission emphasis. This was no one-off event but a coordinated and collaborative plan to seek spiritual revival, train members for witness, connect with the community, and run multiple outreach/evangelistic events. With the support of GC evangelist Mark Finley (who gave three months of his time and talent over those three years), the Irish Mission’s long-term legacy continues to grow deep and wide.
A renewed Christ-like love for each other and lost people.
That’s what happens whenever there is a renewed emphasis on Mission. The church grows deep – as members on their discipleship journey find a renewed Christ-like love for each other and lost people. And be assured the previous sentence is no loose soundbite! It isn’t because there is enough evidence to show that an incredible mind shift occurs when we recognise that ‘the church’, ‘our church’, exists to serve others above and beyond ourselves. The ‘fortress’ mindset (it’s all about us) all too frequently practised gets demolished as the church is transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit into a genuine open-door community (we exist to serve others). Through the discovery of spiritual gifts, members engage in building up the church. And naturally, or indeed supernaturally, the church grows wide as members share Christ in word and deed.
Reflecting Hope – British Union Conference
In response to the GC’s Christ for Europe emphasis, a current example of a coordinated and collaborative plan is underway, led by the British Union Conference (BUC) leadership, to create a climate where being ‘engaged in mission’ is spontaneous and natural. Reflecting Hope – was launched at the beginning of 2023, with 62 pilot congregations throughout the territory participating in the plan. Described as “a contemporary, lay-led, clergy-engaged, locality-appropriate evangelistic initiative supported by Adventist World Radio (AWR)”, several outreach/evangelistic activities have been held throughout 2023.
Over the weekend of November 3-5, 250 representatives from throughout the BUC met to reflect and evaluate the pilot projects, train for further ministry, and develop plans for the ‘Reflecting Hope’ initiative 2024 and 2025. A full report of this reflection and training event can be found here.
And if you’ve reached this point without looking at the tedNEWS video report, we trust it will further encourage you about what God has done, is doing and will continue to do through the Christ for Europe initiative.
Featured Image: President of the Albanian Mission, pastor Delmar Reis, baptising Razie Matraxhiu. – just one of the many stories tedNEWS has shared during the 2023 Christ for Europe initiative.
