Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Fall 2014:

It has been a busy and rewarding season for us personally, for the church in Darmstadt, and for the Church Planting movement of the International Baptist Convention (IBC), our partners in this ministry. We have much to share with you - our partners who make it all possible through your prayerful support!
Dr Jimmy Martin prays for our new elders and their wives.
Of course there was cake - lots of cake!
Second Birthday! On October 12 we celebrated the second birthday of Converge International Fellowship in Darmstadt. It was a great day. We were joined in our worship service by Dr. Jimmy Martin, the General Secretary of the IBC, and his wife Laurie. During the service we commissioned our first elders of the church Igor is a Swiss physicist and at the European Space Agency; Adam Williams, from England, is the Operations Manager for the Venus Express Mission at the Space Agency; and Eric Eagle is a Geospatial technician for the US Department of Defense. Even more impressive than their resumes is their love for the Lord. These are great men to work with! We are so blessed that God has brought them to the church and into leadership.

The service was further highlighted by greetings from Rev. Doug Simpson, who found us on the Internet. He was the first pastor of First Baptist Church of Darmstadt in 1965! We didn’t even know there was an English language church here in ’65 – and he didn’t know we were here now! It was very special to connect with him during our birthday week. We followed the service that evening with a “fellowship feast” in the church dining room, complete with international delights and birthday cake!
CIF officially welcomed as a Member church
 of the IBC by Dr. Jimmy Martin.

IBC MEMBERSHIP!
At the Annual Convention Meeting of the IBC the church was welcomed as a full member of the Convention, having laid the foundation for ministry in the city of Darmstadt and church multiplication in the years ahead. We are so grateful to God for His faithfulness in these few short years!

Violet is from Poland, Jason & Tia
are from the USA and China
Joanna and Werner are from
Singapore and Germany
John & Magdalene from Sierra Leone

The Church Family gathered for our 2nd birthday celebration
University Students from Kenya, Ghana & Latvia

Welcoming New People.

Our children's ministry is GROWING!
 This fall has been a season of growth. Not only has the number of people grown, but the demographic has changed substantially. Many of the new folks have been young families. Our children’s ministry went from 2 or 3 at each service to 14 or 16 in just a few weeks! We have had to rent additional space in the building to multiply the children’s ministry opportunities. Pray for the ministries of the church – our goal is to introduce them to Jesus, help them to grow in their relationship with Him, and send them out as equipped disciples





Church Planting Around the World!

With Tromanhausers in Munich
Prayer of Commissioning at the Annual Meeting of the IBC.
Our mission here is two-fold. First, we are here to plant a healthy reproducing church in Darmstadt. Second, we are commissioned to assist the IBC in establishing a Church Planting movement around the world. Several steps were taken in recent weeks on the second front. In October, we went to Munich to join a family who has been called to plant a second IBC church in that beautiful city. Kyle and Matilda Tromanhauser, and their two boys, Kyle, Jr. and Conner, are a wonderful family and are very excited to get under way. We met with them to assist in meeting leaders of the first IBC church in the city, plan for the new church, and encourage them in fund raising (we know how hard that process is!). 


Assessment Center in Ramstein, Germany
The last week of October we participated in the very first Church Planter Assessment Center put on by the IBC. Over the past years, the IBC has had their church planters assessed by Converge Worldwide in the US, and we still will for candidates located there, but now we are equipped to assess potential planters who are in Europe without sending them across the Atlantic. Assessment of church planters and their spouse is a key ingredient in finding the right planter for the right city, and we were blessed to assess two potential church planters that week – an American who is planning to plant in Rome, and an Italian who feels called to plant an IBC church in Barcelona. This was Carol’s first time to participate in an Assessment Center as an Assessor, and she found out just how challenging and rewarding it is. 

Keep us in your Prayers!


  • Pray for the church. As we move into our third year of ministry, we are seeing the first big wave of relocations. We have no less than 3 families and numerous students who are moving away in January. This is the nature of International churches, with so many in the city on a short-term basis. It is hard to say goodbye, but we are so blessed to have been able to worship with these dear friends. Pray for them as they go, that they will find a supportive church community in their new city.
  • Pray for Carol as she serves the church in so many ways. She is busy helping students, wives and moms who are adjusting to life in a foreign city far from family and friends. Sometimes our greatest ministry flows from our own deepest pain.
  •  Pray for Bob as he pastors the church, serves as coordinator of the Church Planting Management Team and Vice-chair of the Interlaken Summer Conference Team for the IBC.
  • Pray for our family – Our parents, children and grandchildren are so far away back in the USA.  We love and miss them – it’s hard to be so far away!
  • Pray for the church; and greater impact of our ministry among students at the university, scientists and support personnel at the Space Agencies, and business & military personnel from the US and around the globe working in the area and their families

Monday, November 10, 2014

Herasy in Evangelicalism...Two articles...

An article from Christianity Today, October 28, 2014: 

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/october-web-only/new-poll-finds-evangelicals-favorite-heresies.html


An excellent perspective from First Things on the article on heretical views in modern evangelicalism. 

http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2014/10/heresy-in-american-evangelicalism

We must all be very careful what we teach, preach and believe!

New Poll Finds Evangelicals’ Favorite Heresies
Icon of the Fathers at the First Council of Nicaea

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Answered Prayers!

Hi everyone,

I want to share with you the following email that I just received from Xiannan. For those of you who do not know, he just recently relocated to Innsbruck for a six month work assignment at a research center as part of his PhD work.  It has been very difficult to find a place to live, and we have been praying for him.  Here is his email:

Hi Bob,

I am contacting you to inform you guys I found an perfect room.

I visited a potential room this morning, and got it. I can't believe the fact, since
she hardly speaks English, however I indeedly make it under the help of my colleague. 

This room was previously her daughter's room and very clean and tidy. The lady is so nice and
kind, even she told me I don't need to pay any deposit, just because she trusts in me. In addition,
I don't need to buy any life stuff, just move in directly. By the way, it is just a kidding but is true, she said she can even help me wash clothes, since she is free most of the time.

Last but most importantly, I really fall short of words to express my gratitude to God and all you guys. I couldn't make it without mercy of God and your numerous prayings. Please help me forward my gratitude to all guys.
Thanks a lottttttttttttttttttt!

Have a nice day.
Kind regards
Xiannan

Thank you for your prayers for Xiannan.  Please continue to pray for other students, including Anok,who is waiting to hear a response from more than 50 applications that he has sent our regarding his future studies.

In addition please be praying for Christy Helfand's family, and the health of her father, and for Franzi Ngnoudgi, who is recovering from emergency surgery over the weekend. 

Prayer works!
-- 
Today is, of course, September 11.  We all know what happened on this date in 2001, and we mourn for the lost.  Seventy years ago today, on September 11, 1944, the city we now live in was destroyed.  As many as 12,000 were killed and 60,000 left homeless in a 20 minute period.  Darmstadt was one of 5 cities in Germany to have casualties of more then 10,000 in a single day. September 11 brings two very sad reminder for us.

(If you use Google Chrome to open the link below, you can have it translate the article into English).

http://www.echo-online.de/region/bergstrasse/heppenheim/Zehntausend-Tote-in-einer-Nacht;art1245,5419965


Monday, September 8, 2014

Prayers for Darmstadt



Dear Praying Friends,

In your prayers in the coming week, please remember the following requests:

Xiannan, our dear Chinese friend, has relocated to Innsbruck, Austria for the next 6 months as part of his PhD studies. He is in desperate need of a place to stay. Right now he is sleeping on a cot in his office while looking for a place. No one wants to rent him a place for just 6 months. Xiannan is a new believer, and he also needs to find Christian friends, and if possible an English- or Chinese-speaking group of believers.  Pray also for Michael, a student who just relocated to Tomsk, Russia for a one year term, who faces some similar challenges.

Pray for Anok, a University student from India, who has applied to more than 60 locations for a PhD program, and has not received a single positive response. He is very discouraged, and is asking for your prayers.

We have many students in situations similar to these, or struggling with discouragement or confusion regarding God's direction in their lives - please pray for Aurelion, Samir, Mo, Samuel, Arthur, and Venkat.

As we move toward October, and the beginning of a new academic year at the University, we are welcoming many new people into the church.  Single students and families from around the world are walking through our doors every week.  Pray for our church family to be welcoming, engaging and supportive in Jesus' name, sharing the love and gospel of Christ with these new friends.
Thank you for your prayerful support of this amazing work in Darmstadt!

Soli deo gloria!

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Five Types of Expats - from InterNations

Global Insights

Five Types of Global Minds You Meet Abroad

Five Types of Global Minds You Meet AbroadiStockphoto
Driven by curiosity and a lust for adventure, the explorer is keen to see more of the world.
Are you an explorer, keen to see the world? Or are you simply moving abroad because you’re sent there on an expat assignment? There are various different kinds of internationally minded people roaming the globe. InterNations introduces you to five common types of such global minds.

The Explorer

The explorer simply loves to travel the globe, to seek out foreign shores and explore the world. Displaying a keen interest in all that is new and unknown, the explorer is oftentimes particularly drawn to destinations which very much differ from home. Asia, for example, is thus a popular destination of choice for western explorers.
While abroad, the explorer actively seeks out to experience the local culture. Attempts to speak the local language are made, but not always successful. Explorers are like nomads, roaming the globe because there is so much to see, learn, and experience, with each trip or stay abroad an adventure to somewhere new.
However, there are some explorers with a particularly focused interest in one specific country or culture, then known as country-/culturephiles. Take for example the Anglophile. Self-made expats often fall into this sub-category, spurred on by their love for a destination to make the move abroad.

The Escapee

Contrary to the explorer, the escapee is less driven by a love for the unknown, and more by a desire to flee their home. Reasons for the escapee’s flight may vary, from simply boredom to trouble with an ex-partner or the law. The common theme, however, is typically the further away and the more exotic the destination, the better.
The expat retiree is a classic example for the escapee type. Finally able to enjoy the fruits of their life-long labors, most retirees seek out sunny shores to escape the wet and cold climates of their home countries. Florida and Thailand, for instance, are popular destinations for the pensioned escapee.

The Foreign Partner

The foreign partner is living abroad not because of a love or hate for one country, but simply because of love, period. Regardless of whether they have met the love of their life during an explorer’s adventure or simply at the supermarket checkout, the foreign partner finds themselves abroad because love knows no borders.
Depending on their general disposition and personality, moving abroad for love may be the happy fulfilment of a lifelong dream or have the potential of becoming a nightmare. Only the end of the honeymoon phase will tell.

The International Local

Not a foreign resident themselves, the international local is nevertheless very much a global mind. They actively seek out travelers and foreigners, or are at least glad to be gotten in touch with and are thankful for opportunities to share their local expertise with strangers.
International locals are often returned explorers or repatriates themselves, hungering for familiar accents and opportunities to speak the language, keen on sharing experiences, news and stories about the former host-country, or simply hoping to get back this feeling of travelling and experiencing foreign cultures.

The Classic Expatriate

Sent abroad for a few years by their current employer, the classic expatriate typically takes this chance to further their career and ideally also get some expat benefits out of their stay abroad. Being sent abroad is, however, already where most similarities between classic expatriates end. Based on their individual characters and their behavior while living abroad, there are at least three very distinct subcategories of classic expatriates: the alien, the elitist, and the assimilator.
The alien sticks out in their host country and culture like a sore thumb, whether by choice (e.g. culturally insensitive behavior), or by circumstances (e.g. outward appearance). The elitist similarly does not integrate in the local culture, but spends most of their time, both at work and at home, with fellow expats. The assimilator, on the other hand, does their best to blend in by speaking the local language and adhering to local customs.

Of course, as is always the case with types and categories, these are very much a broad generalization. In real life, things are hardly ever as black and white. In fact, global minds can easily be identified or identify themselves with more than one of these types or a totally different type entirely. A keen explorer, for instance, may happily be sent abroad on a classic expat assignment.
Source:  
http://www.internations.org/magazine/five-types-of-global-minds-you-meet-abroad-17425?utm_source=newsletter_mails&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=28_20140710&utm_content=1

Friday, June 20, 2014

Summer 2014

Today is the Summer Solstice and we are enjoying the exceptionally long days of summer here in Darmstadt.  This morning the sun rose at 5:16, and sunset will be at 9:38pm. We are amazed (and thrilled!) to look at the western horizon at 11pm and the sky shows evidence of the fading sun!  It’s been a wonderful spring and early summer, with beautiful warm days and lots of sun. 
We had a very surprising “jolt” on May 18, when a 4.1 magnitude earthquake rumbled through our city.  The epicenter was just a few kilometers south of our apartment, and some minor damage was done.  We were hosting a birthday party for Bob at our flat and it cause quite a buzz among our guests! There have actually been three earthquakes here over the past 5 months – all very minor – but it’s a feature we didn’t anticipate when we moved here! 

Of course we pray for the Lord to “shake the foundations” of the culture and bring the living light that never fades to this wonderful city!
The Darmstadt Earthquake, 2014:
"Let the recovery begin!"

New Faces, New Places!

We’ve welcomed new people from new lands to the church over the past few months - wonderful new friends from Taiwan, South Africa and China.  Our most recent Chinese university student told Carol that she came to the church because her department head at the Technical University recommended it to her.  He had heard that we were a church that welcomed new people from around the world!  What a wonderful reputation at the TU-we are humbled and grateful to God for such a recommendation!


Prayers for Ukraine

As an international church, we are particularly sensitive to the global political crises that take place around the world.  Many of those countries in conflict are home to our members!  On a recent Saturday a number of us gathered to pray for the situation in Ukraine.  We encourage everyone to pray diligently – in particular for the Christians in many of those nations who are targets of oppression.

Team Converge!

On Sunday, June 8, three men from the church participated in the Darmstadt Triathlon.  Kevin, a student from Germany, was joined by Adam, a space agency scientist from England, and Kevin, a member of the US military.  They all completed the course (“to finish is to win!”) and represented the church by wearing CIF shirts.  


Please Pray for Us

  • Pray for the church as we appoint our first elders.
  • Pray for Carol as she ministers 3-5 times a week with women, and hosts groups and individuals in our home. Pray for strength and health.
  • Pray for Bob as he serves as coordinator of the Church Planting Management Team for the IBC, works on a degree at Liberty Seminary Online, and pastors the church.
  • Pray for enhanced exposure for the church, and greater impact of our ministry among students at the university, scientists and support personnel at the Space Agencies, and business & military personnel from the US and around the globe working in the area.
  • Pray for our family – parents, children and grandchildren back in the USA.  We love and miss them – it’s hard to be so far away!




Thursday, March 13, 2014

Keep us in your Prayers!

Keep us in your Prayers!
Please keep us in your prayers.  We are very busy, and we know that Satan loves to attack when God is at work! 

  • Pray for the church as we implement our new constitution and appoint our first elders.
  • Pray for Carol as she ministers 3-5 times a week with women either one-to-one or in groups, hosts groups and individuals in our home, and serves in numerous ministries in the church.
  • Pray for Bob as he takes the reigns as the Northern Europe church planting coordinator for the IBC, leads a Feasibility Study team to Rome, works on a degree at Liberty Seminary Online, and pastors the church.
  • Pray for enhanced exposure for the Darmstadt church, and greater impact of our ministry among students at the university, scientists and support personnel at the Space Agencies, and business & military personnel from the US and around the globe working in the area.

Critical Steps in Church Development.

Critical Steps in Church Development.

Converge International Fellowship passed a major milestone with the ratification of our church constitution on January 26. Church governance is very important, and we praise God for the way He led the Genesis Team in completing an outline for orderly biblical church organization.  With this work complete, we were able to accept our first members – 23 became official charter members of the church!


Continued Growth!

Continued Growth!
 The winter months were a period of growth for our congregation as we welcomed new friends from Sierra Leone, Russia, Malaysia, Eritrea, Singapore and Colombia! One evening recently we welcomed 18 people into our apartment for our weekly Bible study – from 12 nations on 5 Continents!  It is an indescribable blessing to study, discuss and pray together with people from around the globe. We are humbled to be part of this amazing work!




The Most important Growth of All!

The Most important Growth of All!
One evening we received message from a woman we had not previously met. She had seen our brochure at the European Meteorological Satellite Center (EUMETSAT), and wanted to come to church.  She arrived on Sunday a broken, discouraged, angry individual.  She embraced Carol after the service and tearfully shared her story.  Over the weeks God worked in her heart, and Carol had a chance to meet with her and minister to her one-on-one several times. Six weeks later, on a very special Sunday evening, she sought forgiveness and reconciliation with God – the transforming work of God in her life was visibly evident as she shared the news!  Her countenance was lifted – she was filled with joy, victory and peace!  

She talks of a new found desire to please God, a deep-seated, healthy "fear of the Lord."  She said she never knew what that meant until now - but her greatest desire is to please Him!  Her baptism is scheduled for this weekend. Paul writes to the Ephesian believers, “You who were once far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  Pray for Pamela - How we thank God for His work in her life!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Basic Biblical Principles from Genesis:

“The Bible tells the grandest story of all: God loves His children, established a way of salvation and a route to eternity.” ~Max Lucado

God’s Word, first written down thousands of years ago, is as relevant today as when first scribed - it is timeless truth.
"CREATE" is the first verb in Scripture. Creation is the first assertion, the first elemental truth of the Bible. Genesis 1-11 tells us that we are not the result of cosmic accidents and dumb luck – we are designed by a God who is present and personal.

Throughout the Scriptures, God does the unexpected. He chooses the least likely, probably the last person we would choose for His purposes.

My obedience does not insure my comfort; My comfort does not indicate obedience.