God's Timing in Germany

AGWM Personnel in Germany, Mike Tyler, relates the following incident showing God’s care and timing. “About a month ago, we received an invitation to a birthday party for some friends in Dresden. We love these friends, but it’s about a nine hour drive to Dresden from our present home! The party was scheduled for a Saturday, and Cara and the boys had school on Friday and Monday. It seemed like a nobrainer: We should decline. But neither Cara nor I could shake the impression that I was supposed to go. “Regardless, I procrastinated in making a final decision. Finally, the week of the party, I said, ‘If there is even a chance that this is truly the Holy Spirit leading us, I should just go.’ So on Wednesday night I made my plans to go.

Thursday morning I woke up to find an email in my inbox from the leader of a Chi-Alpha University Ministry in the Midwestern U.S. bA mutual friend had given him my name. One of his former students from China whom he had led to Christ, had been living in Dresden for a few years and was in a really tough spot. He was looking for recommendations for a church to send this young man to. I replied, ‘I haven’t been to Dresden in almost 3 years, but I’m going there tomorrow! So I can do better than recommend a church. I can pick him up and bring him to a great church.’

“The young man got in touch with me, and we decided to meet as soon as I got into the city on Friday night. Though we had never met, right away he started pouring out his story and his struggles. At an early point in our conversation his eyes welled up with tears and he said to me, ‘’I’m sorry if I’m sharing too much. I know we just met. But I haven’t really spoken with a Christian face-to-face in two years!’ He had tried going to a few churches, but he didn’t speak German well, and couldn’t really connect with anyone at a deeper level so he had been feeling incredibly lonely. I told him the story of how I got to Dresden that weekend, and we both knew, God had sent me just for him.

“Beyond that, God used our conversation at this critical juncture in life, to give this young man some much needed assurance on several key issues in his life. Dresden isn’t a very international city, but I knew of an international church that operates in both English and German. We went there together on Sunday morning. He looked around after the service and said, ‘I fit here. Look at all these people, and they’re from everywhere.’ The church was like a glimpse into the nations - and it was truly a perfect fit for my new friend. Only God could arrange an encounter like that. Yes, it was twenty hours in the car, but it was worth every second, to show a struggling young believer just how important he is in God’s eyes.

“And at the same time we can’t ignore the fact that it was for us too. Whereas we have started German-speaking churches in the past, we have been feeling that God is calling us to launch an international church that will minister in both English and German. It will take time to get going, but if anything is clear from this experience, it is that everything happens in God’s timing.”

AGWM Personnel in Germany, Mike Tyler, relates the following incident showing God’s care and timing. “About a month ago, we received an invitation to a birthday party for some friends in Dresden. We love these friends, but it’s about a nine hour drive to Dresden from our present home! The party was scheduled for a Saturday, and Cara and the boys had school on Friday and Monday. It seemed like a nobrainer: We should decline. But neither Cara nor I could shake the impression that I was supposed to go.

“Regardless, I procrastinated in making a final decision. Finally, the week of the party, I said, ‘If there is even a chance that this is truly the Holy Spirit leading us, I should just go.’ So on Wednesday night I made my plans to go.

Thursday morning I woke up to find an email in my inbox from the leader of a Chi-Alpha University Ministry in
the Midwestern U.S. bA mutual friend had given him my name. One of his former students from China whom he had led to Christ, had been living in Dresden for a few years and was in a really tough spot. He was looking for recommendations for a church to send this young man to. I replied, ‘I haven’t been to Dresden in almost 3 years, but I’m going there tomorrow! So I can do better than recommend a church. I can pick him up and bring him to a great church.’

“The young man got in touch with me, and we decided to meet as soon as I got into the city on Friday night. Though we had never met, right away he started pouring out his story and his struggles. At an early point in our conversation his eyes welled up with tears and he said to me, ‘’I’m sorry if I’m sharing too much. I know we just met. But I haven’t really spoken with a Christian face-to-face in two years!’ He had tried going to a few churches, but he didn’t speak German well, and couldn’t really connect with anyone at a deeper level so he had been feeling incredibly lonely. I told him the story of how I got to Dresden that weekend, and we both knew, God had sent me just for him.

“Beyond that, God used our conversation at this critical juncture in life, to give this young man some much needed assurance on several key issues in his life. Dresden isn’t a very international city, but I knew of an international church that operates in both English and German. We went there together on Sunday morning. He looked around after the service and said, ‘I fit here. Look at all these people, and they’re from everywhere.’ The church was like a glimpse into the
nations - and it was truly a perfect fit for my new friend. Only God could arrange an encounter like that. Yes, it was twenty hours in the car, but it was worth every second, to show a struggling young believer just how important he is in God’s eyes.

“And at the same time we can’t ignore the fact that it was for us too. Whereas we have started German-speaking churches in the past, we have been feeling that God is calling us to launch an international church that will minister in both English and German. It will take time to get going, but if anything is clear from this experience, it is that everything happens in God’s timing.”

One Little Boy in Germany

“Benni was a normal, very active boy when he first came to our Royal Ranger Starter’s Group during his last year of kindergarten.” AGWM Personnel in Germany, Steve Dunn tells Benni’s story. “But a year ago, all of a sudden, he started having epileptic seizures. They came more and more, stronger and stronger. Benni did not respond well to medical treatment. The kindergarten director asked the parents not to bring him anymore to kindergarten. This, of course, was a painful moment for the parents. Our Royal Ranger group, though, was instructed as what to do should a seizure occur. This statement of love and acceptance spoke volumes to the parents. Benni’s condition did not improve. He began losing his ability to speak and do other normal daily routine things. Then, on a Sunday morning this past May, our entire congregation joined together in earnest prayer for Benni. The following Monday there were no more seizures. During our Royal Ranger service a few weeks ago, Benni’s mother gave testimony that since that Monday there has not been a single seizure. A recent medical examination has confirmed that Benni’s EEG has gone from a third degree condition back to normal. The attending physician stated that there is no medical explanation for this change. He said that even under medication it cannot be expected that a third degree condition will revert back to normal. We praise God for this great miracle. May God continue His work of grace in the lives of Benni and his family.

“Benni was a normal, very active boy when he first came to our Royal Ranger Starter’s Group during his last year of kindergarten.” AGWM Personnel in Germany, Steve Dunn tells Benni’s story.

“But a year ago, all of a sudden, he started having epileptic seizures. They came more and more, stronger and stronger. Benni did not respond well to medical treatment. The kindergarten director asked the parents not to bring him anymore to kindergarten. This, of course, was a painful moment for the parents. Our Royal Ranger group, though, was instructed as what to do should a seizure occur. This statement of love and acceptance spoke volumes to the parents. Benni’s condition did not improve. He began losing his ability to speak and do other normal daily routine things. Then, on a Sunday morning this past May, our entire congregation joined together in earnest prayer for Benni. The following Monday there were no more seizures. During our Royal Ranger service a few weeks ago, Benni’s mother gave testimony that since that Monday there has not been a single seizure. A recent medical examination has confirmed that Benni’s EEG has gone from a third degree condition back to normal. The attending physician stated that there is no medical explanation for this change. He said that even under medication it cannot be expected that a third degree condition will revert back to normal. We praise God for this great miracle. May God continue His work of grace in the lives of Benni and his family.

Church Life Training in Germany

AGWM Personnel in Germany, Steve and China Walent, send this encouraging report about the Church Life Training they are involved in with the national church: “In April we completed two Church Life Training groups - one in southern Germany (13 Churches) and one in central Germany (9 Churches). The results are very exciting - here are some facts along with feedback from both groups:

One church that had been plateaued for twenty years at 400 people now has 450 and is moving towards 500. Another church that never went beyond 90 in average attendance now has had an average of 135 on Sundays since January of this year, and they just started a second Sunday service. All of the pastors, par­ticipants and churches have been changed in some way. Here are some feedback statements (among doz­ens) from some of the participants:

- “Church Life broke things open for us in our church - we are now starting to make some positive progress towards living out the mission of Christ!” - “Church Life challenged me personally in a very positive and needed way - in part it strengthened me, and in part it led me to really re-think my perception of the Church.” - “I am convinced that no one is regretting having taken part in this Church Life Training. The important val­ues, as well as much needed strategies, are tailor fitted to each church.” - “Every Church should take part in the Church Life process!”

We started another Training Group in July, we will start another in September, and again two more the beginning of 2017. We thank the Lord for helping churches, that have been stuck in a rut, to get moving forward again.”

AGWM Personnel in Germany, Steve and China Walent, send this encouraging report about the Church Life Training they are involved in with the national church:

“In April we completed two Church Life Training groups - one in southern Germany (13 Churches) and one in central Germany (9 Churches). The results are very exciting - here are some facts along with feedback from both groups:

One church that had been plateaued for twenty years at 400 people now has 450 and is moving towards 500. Another church that never went beyond 90 in average attendance now has had an average of 135 on Sundays since January of this year, and they just started a second Sunday service. All of the pastors, par­ticipants and churches have been changed in some way. Here are some feedback statements (among doz­ens) from some of the participants:

- “Church Life broke things open for us in our church - we are now starting to make some positive progress towards living out the mission of Christ!”
- “Church Life challenged me personally in a very positive and needed way - in part it strengthened me, and in part it led me to really re-think my perception of the Church.”
- “I am convinced that no one is regretting having taken part in this Church Life Training. The important val­ues, as well as much needed strategies, are tailor fitted to each church.”
- “Every Church should take part in the Church Life process!”

We started another Training Group in July, we will start another in September, and again two more the beginning of 2017. We thank the Lord for helping churches, that have been stuck in a rut, to get moving forward again.”

Roots Intertwined in Germany

Michael Tyler, AGWM personnel in Germany, relates the following amazing story. “I used to lead a Bible study group with 8 atheists. Every week I had the joy of sharing life with 7 young men, and one young lady for about 2 hours. We would eat lunch together and talk about life. Talking about life turned into reading a book by the Author of Life - the Bible. It’s amazing how hungry these young people were for the truth.

“Over the course of about 2 years several of these young people decided to become followers of Jesus. Some other young people migrated into the group. A few migrated out. But there was one young man who was with me for the entire two years…Lars. He was always ready to listen, but never ready to take the message to heart. I continued meeting with him until we moved away from that city. If nothing else, I knew I was planting a seed.

“At the same time I was meeting with Lars and the others, my family and I were also helping to plant two churches in Dresden; one in a neighborhood near Lars’ apartment, and another on the other side of town. That was almost four years ago.

“Last spring I got an unexpected email - it was from Lars. He wrote to tell me that he had decided to follow Jesus, and to thank me. That news gave me a reason to smile for days. Later that week I was meeting with the leadership team from our former church plant in Dresden (the one that was across town from Lars). We were rejoicing over the things God was doing among us, and I started sharing Lars’ story. Suddenly, they started laughing. One of them said, ‘We know Lars. Did Lars tell you who he prayed with when he decided to follow Jesus? We’ll be baptizing him next week.’

“That’s what church planting is like. The roots of that church we helped plant have grown deep enough to spread across the city, to reach the roots of the seed we planted in Lars four years ago, and they have become intertwined.”

Michael Tyler, AGWM personnel in Germany, relates the following amazing story.

“I used to lead a Bible study group with 8 atheists. Every week I had the joy of sharing life with 7 young men, and one young lady for about 2 hours. We would eat lunch together and talk about life. Talking about life turned into reading a book by the Author of Life - the Bible. It’s amazing how hungry these young people were for the truth.

“Over the course of about 2 years several of these young people decided to become followers of Jesus. Some other young people migrated into the group. A few migrated out. But there was one young man who was with me for the entire two years…Lars. He was always ready to listen, but never ready to take the message to heart. I continued meeting with him until we moved away from that city. If nothing else, I knew I was planting a seed.

“At the same time I was meeting with Lars and the others, my family and I were also helping to plant two churches in Dresden; one in a neighborhood near Lars’ apartment, and another on the other side of town. That was almost four years ago.

“Last spring I got an unexpected email - it was from Lars. He wrote to tell me that he had decided to follow Jesus, and to thank me. That news gave me a reason to smile for days. Later that week I was meeting with the leadership team from our former church plant in Dresden (the one that was across town from Lars). We were rejoicing over the things God was doing among us, and I started sharing Lars’ story. Suddenly, they started laughing. One of them said, ‘We know Lars. Did Lars tell you who he prayed with when he decided to follow Jesus? We’ll be baptizing him next week.’

“That’s what church planting is like. The roots of that church we helped plant have grown deep enough to spread across the city, to reach the roots of the seed we planted in Lars four years ago, and they have become intertwined.”