From the January-April 2012 Issue
The Annual Report on the Work of the European Missionary Fellowship for 2011
Martin Leech
One year ago we were anticipating a significant period of change for EMF, which was acknowledged in the title of last year’s Annual Report, ‘Overshadowed by a Sense of Change’. Looking back, I am conscious that we have very much for which to give thanks to our unchanging God. We are still passing through changes and face the future confidently in our unchanging God. As He has been, so He always will be. Inevitably, space needs to be given over to the changes at the Mission’s headquarters in Welwyn but there is also plenty of important news from those we support on the mission field.
THE CHANGES AT HOME First of all, as we have already reported in the September-December 2011 issue of Vision for Europe, Daniel Webber formally retired from the Mission on 31 July. I moved from my position as Assistant Director to take up the responsibilities of Mission Director on 1 August. Then, on 1 September, Jörg Müller assumed his new role as Assistant Director and Principal of the School of Biblical Studies. Although he is based in Germany until the summer of 2012, Jörg has been regularly at Guessens, getting his feet under the table by working on the detailed plans for the 2012 School as well as preparing his own lectures. He is already bringing energy and vision to developing the curriculum and administration of the School and we look forward to his removal to the UK, along with his wife, Heike, who will also be working with us in Guessens.
The Executive Committee continues to play a central part in the oversight and administration of the work of EMF. This year we have welcomed Walter Johnston, pastor of Chorlton Evangelical Church, Manchester, to the ranks of the Committee. Walter’s church has longstanding connections with EMF and for the last three years has hosted the North West Missionary Conference. There is both ‘safety’ and ‘victory’ in an abundance of counsellors (Prov. 11:14; 24:6, ESV) and the prayerful and pastoral ministry of the Executive Committee is crucial to the Mission’s over-riding desire to operate faithfully in serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
Considerable work has been done on making improvements at Guessens both for students and staff. This has been possible as a result of decisions by the Executive Committee to invest in the fabric and facilities a portion of the funds realised from the sale of part of the garage yard at Guessens in 2010. That land is now being developed and the project, due to be completed by the autumn of 2012, includes the provision of new parking and garages for EMF.
SCHOOL OF BIBLICAL STUDIES The 2011 School was the first to run the new, shorter schedule. Ten students joined us in January and completed their studies at the end of June. It is heartening to hear of those who are now involved in church life, some have been active in mission work and others are pursuing further studies. One unusual event was the visit of our local Member of Parliament, Grant Shapps, with whom we have been in correspondence about the visa problems. We wanted to highlight the problems and burdens that the regulations pose for small colleges and found him to be both sympathetic and interested in the work of the School.
EMF has met all the official accreditation requirements for the School, yet we still have to report that the process for students to obtain visas is far from straightforward and, at the time of writing, we are unsure quite how many will be able to join us for the 2012 course. Unusually, very few applications were received from citizens of European Union countries which means that 80% of the students will need visas. We understand that our experience is not unusual among UK-based theological training institutions and can speculate that the decline in applications from the EU may be connected to the economic crisis. However, several potential EU students have deferred their applications until 2013, so the situation may be different then.
NEW METHOD OF PROVIDING SUPPORT AND FINACIAL POSITION Last year’s Annual Report introduced the Mission’s new approach to supporting missionaries, which was more fully explained in an article in the May-August issue. This policy is now being steadily implemented and will form the basis for discussions regarding financial support with potential new missionaries. There has been a positive response from those of the existing missionaries with whom discussions have been held. We are progressing slowly, case-by-case and with full consultation.
Although the 2011 financial position will not be fully known until after this report has been published, we can already anticipate the possibility of a significant deficit. This is, in large part, due to the reinvestment of funds mentioned above. There is no doubt that costs continue to increase and will have to be monitored carefully during 2012 but, despite the gloomy economic climate, we are thankful that the needs of the Mission have been met.
MISSION FIELD The regular flow of news from missionaries, their prayer letters and reports when either they visit on deputation or we make field visits, continues to give much fuel for praise, thanksgiving and intercession. In some cases, we are simply thankful for the maintenance of regular ministry and outreach during another year where there may, as yet, seem to be little fruit. There is always hope in Gospel work though and we are not to despise days of small things. Pray with us that the Lord will not only graciously save sinful men and women but also raise up a new generation of men who fear God, know and love His Word, and who will be bold evangelists and caring pastors.
A year ago we reported that several of the missionaries were facing significant changes to their circumstances. A year on and Matt and Judith Hill (Spain) have now settled into life in Ciudad Real where they are involved in the church pastored by Luis Cano and in other ministries as well. In particular, Matt has been working with Demetrio Cánovas for Editorial Peregrino on a part-time basis, as well as preaching in his home church and others in the region. As reported elsewhere in this magazine, Michael and Ariëtte Robinson have moved to De Panne in Belgium following Michael’s acceptance of a call to the pastorate in the evangelical church. Likewise, as also reported herein, Jan and Lucie Hábl are now getting used to life in Usti nad Labem.
In Poland, Henryk Karzełek (Wodzisław) and Sławomir Rutkowski (Włocławek) have joined Zbigniew Modnicki (Łodz) in the ranks of the now retired pastors. All are still actively involved in church life but each congregation has a new pastor including, in Łodz, Wiesław Kamyszek supported by EMF, and we should pray for the future blessing of these congregations. Krzysztof Rutkowski continues to be involved in church life, preaching regularly in Włocławek, but his main responsibility is to lead the publishing mission of Legatio. This work has been struggling financially through lack of book sponsorship and is now being reorganised with the appointment of a new board, made up of Krzysztof together with Dawid Kozioł and Elzbieta Modnicki. The Mission is seeking to assist in not only maintaining Legatio but also in raising its profile.
It is good to be able to report that we have welcomed some new missionaries to the ranks of EMF during 2011. Juan and Marianne Bascuñana are serving in Churriana, Málaga (Spain) and became Associate Members in April. Victor and Gio Defranchi live in Palma de Mallorca where Victor is an elder of the Reformed Baptist Church alongside Andrew Birch. Following redundancy and a period of prayerful reflection with the elders and the church, Victor has been called to serve in a full-time capacity to assist Andrew with the pastoral work and is taking responsibility for some of their home-group and church planting activities. The Defranchis were accepted as members in October and will be partially supported by EMF but mainly by the church. We are also happy to say that the Mission gained a new member on October 22 when Vitaliy Maryash (Ternopil, Ukraine) married Lyudmila.
A number of congregations are facing the ‘nice’ problem of finding their buildings are getting too small, whereas others have needed to find new premises. During 2011 the congregation in Patra, Greece (pastor Evangelos Sikoutris), moved into larger and better located rented rooms whilst the church in Ciudad Real (Spain) was able to complete a project to extend its building to accommodate the growing congregation. In Ternopil, Ukraine, the congregation of Druzhba Baptist Church (pastor Volodymyr Kostyshyn) has at last formally opened and begun to use its new building, which they have called ‘House of Grace’. Then there are others who also see a need for more space but, as yet, are not sure of how the need will be met: the churches in Alcázar de San Juan (pastor José Moreno) in central Spain and in Carcassonne, France, where Tony and Barbara Hynes continue to work, are among them.
In drawing this report towards a conclusion, it is worth pointing out that the message of Europe being a needy mission field seems to be finding a hearing in many places around the world. There is a momentum building for renewed missionary endeavour in our continent. Significant attention is coming from places as far afield as the United States and South Korea, as well as from within the UK. There are many initiatives and EMF will at least keep an ear open to what is being said and an eye upon what is being done. We are looking to build networks of contacts with those who are theologically like-minded, not least to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort but, more positively, to try to offer meaningful input.
Finally, one lesson that I take from looking back over the last year is that whether there has been growth or no growth in particular congregations cannot be put down to ‘method’. Some churches are now growing yet are doing nothing different from times when the going was much slower; other churches are not growing numerically and yet church-life and ministry is very similar to places where growth is seen. Surely, the reason is to be found in the sovereign grace and high purposes of Almighty God. It is both humbling and encouraging to reflect on this. If a faithful church is growing in size then we must say, surely it is the Lord who is doing this. And here is the excitement and hope for us all in whatever may be our own ‘home mission field´.