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Belgische Evangelische Zending Mission Evangélique Belge
Issue 42 : June - July 2013
BEM info
News from the Belgian Evangelical Mission
The prayer of Jabez “Jabez was more honourable than his brothers, His mother had named him Jabez, saying ‘I gave birth to him in pain.‘ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.” I Chronicles 4 v .9-10 The information given above, about someone called Jabez, is to be found in the Bible in a somewhat surprising place. In the middle of genealogies, from time to time, we are told that so and so founded this or that city and here we read that Jabez was honoured more than his brothers. And what follows is as surprising as where we find it. This man does not seem to be an important person, or a great strategist. We not told of any victories he won, quite the contrary, what follows shows us that he was a weak man. What a contradiction! This man, who was more honoured than his brothers, was a very vulnerable person. We can sum up his life in three wordsdependent- prayer- received. And it is the combination of this trio that differentiates him from the others. Jabez is weak and he knows it. His weakness makes him dependent on God. While preceding verses speak of the founder of this or that city what do we read of Jabez doing? He prays. Conscious of his vulnerability he turns to God. He asks to be blessed ‘abundantly’ and protected. He is feeble and vulnerable but when he prays his expectations of God surpass the norm. He knows that God is able to do far more than he could imagine. God’s response is simple- He gives what is asked of Him. Others build cities, but God ‘grants’ Jabez great lands and the respect of those around him. His weakness and his vulnerability, in reality, turn out to be his strength! Now, when we realise how weak and vulnerable we are, our reactions are often very different. We are paralysed and ready to give up. Sometimes we adjust our expectations and content ourselves with less. Or we become more active and look for solutions. Perhaps it is high time to understand that it is not a bad thing to be feeble and vulnerable. Perhaps it is time to stop trying to ‘build cities’ Perhaps it is time to depend on God and to ask Him to give us great things and to protect us. Wilfried Goossens www.bez-meb.be
Go and make disciples of all nations... It is the vision of the Belgian Evangelical Mission to proclaim the Gospel, to plant churches and to be a source of inspiration. But how does this work out in practice? There are many ways to evangelise. Some methods have evolved, others are no longer used, and yet others have come into existence. There is the ’strategic’ method, where the location is determined by the size of the local population or existence of churches, the church-planting team being either pioneers or sent by a ‘mother’ church. Personal contacts can be used, relationships cultivated- and conversions can be born of these friendships. The new converts will then become a new church. And then some prefer integration into local society (bilingual conversation tables, discussion groups, community service). Whatever the chosen method, each Mission worker has a real desire to share, with those around, the salvation he or she has received in Jesus Christ. In this issue, we want to introduce you to some of our church planters. We will begin with a brief update of the Schilp’s project in northern Luxemburg.
Matthias and Vera Schilp are German and have two children. Based at the Mission Post of Saint Vith since 1993, they are now involved in a church-planting project in north Luxemburg.
Luxembourg
Matthias tells us that in the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg there is spiritual darkness. “Up to now every attempt at evangelism in the north of the country has failed. As soon as the population see the light of the Gospel coming, they seek to flee it. We have already seen this on the occasion of our first public meeting ‘Light of Hope’from the 5th to 7th April. It started with the Press – the ‘Luxemburger Wort’, the biggest Luxemburg daily, refused to announce any activity organised by the free churches. The same thing happened with the newspaper ‘Tageblatt.’ One magazine was willing to print a ‘minimum of information’ but it included errors. We had to resort to the good old method of distributing tracts at the market. Three speakers were due at the weekend meeting to share their testimonies about their experiences of God in times of crisis (abuse, Alzheimer’s, Burn-out). All three, plus Matthias Schilp, were attacked by health problems - lumbago, headache, inflammation of the vocal cords, fever….. Was the light too strong for the Enemy? Despite all these weaknesses, God was powerfully at work. The presence of church brothers and sisters from the south of the Grand Duchy and the support of the ‘mother’ church of Saint Vith were invaluable. The Christians were encouraged and deeply moved by the testimonies, non-Christians signed up for discovery bible studies. Matthias and Vera hope to see at least two or three people come to Christ this year and so double the number of participants in the housegroup. Since then, they have been surprised to discover that the town of Clervaux will allow them to use premises free of charge. As for the magazine that did print the advert for ‘Light of Hope’, our church-planting project will be the central theme of their next issue! Christ, the Light of the World, promised to transform a grain of mustard seed into a mighty tree. It is in Him that we put our trust for Luxemburg.
The Schilps are not the only Germans in Belgium. In fact, the B.E.M. works with several missionary organisations abroad. These recruit and send candidates who are interested in a ministry in Belgium. Besides the practical facilities afforded by these partnerships (particularly with regard to financial support), they bear witness to the work of the Gospel, bringing together the Christians of the world with one aim: to make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey the Scriptures.
The Lives of Others DIFFERENT HORIZONS Reiner & Angela Angela was originally from Bad Vilbel near Frankfort. Heilsberg, where she grew up, was built after the Second World War by folk who had lost their homes in East Germany. Reiner was born in Eckendorf, a little village near Esslingen am Neckar, southern Germany, where the 18th century German theologian, Albrecht Benge taught. Matthias & Sabine Matthias comes from Bad Mariemberg, in the Westerwald. Sabine is from Hassfurt which is part of the town of Beieren. We met at bible school during an Reiner & Angela Jursch Westerlo (Allianz-Mission) enchanting Black Forest winter, at the foot of the great Triberg waterfalls. Berthold & Renate We both come from Stuttgart, an industrial town in the south of Germany, where both Mercedes Benz and Porsche have their HQs. It is also a region where there were early spiritual revivals. We met in Switzerland at the Bettingen Bible Institute, in the region of Basle. Stefanie I come from Thuringia, a region in the centre of Germany. Andreas & Inge We are both German. We met when we were students, during a Christian camp.
FIRST CONTACT WITH THE B.E.M. Reiner & Angela After bible school Angela came with her first husband to Eupen to plant a church. After he died from a brain tumour she stayed on. She met Reiner later, when he was on placement at Eupen as part of his theological studies. We each had a clear vision for Belgium, which became our vision. We sought God’s will for our future and then married. Matthias & Sabine During our studies we met Matthias and Vera Schilp, who were working with the B.E.M. in Saint Vith. We decided to do a placement there and it was Matthias & Sabine Valenta during this time that we saw for ourselves the spiritual needs of the country. After a period Deinze (Kontaktmission) of intense prayer, we asked God to send us to Belgium. In 1997 we arrived, bag and baggage, in Saint Trond. Berthold & Renate We were the pastoral couple in the church that sent Angela and her first husband to Belgium. When they spoke to us of the spiritual needs of Belgium we were persuaded to join the Belgian Evangelical Mission. Stefanie I discovered the B.E.M. during my studies at the Bible Institute of Breckerfeld when I undertook a seven week placement in Libramont. When I had finished my course I began to work for the Institute. After a while, I began to have doubts – is this where I am meant to be? and if I should move on, where should I go? Confirmation came the very next day when Stephen Trump, my former placement supervisor, phoned me to suggest that I joined the B.E.M. Andreas & Inge In 1999, we took part in the campaign ‘Lees voor je leven’ (‘Read for your life’) organised by several Flemish churches. Soon after, we asked ourselves how we could return to Belgium. It was then that we were asked to take part in the B.E.M. church planting in Eupen.
IN NEW SURROUNDINGS Reiner & Angela We now live in Westerloo where we are planting a church. The locals are very kind but rather reserved. However we feel accepted and we enjoy the forests of Westerloo. In the beginning we had missed the woods and valleys of our home country. Matthias & Sabine We live in Deinze, near Ghent. Before that we were in Saint Trond Berthold & Renate Lamparter in the province of Limburg for two years, and ten years in Diksmude in West Flanders. The Alost (D.M.G.) character of local folk differs from one province to the other. In Deinze, the population is very open and we feel at home. We really thank the folk of the fellowship here for their loving welcome. Berthold & Renate When we moved to Belgium it was difficult to feel at home, not being able to speak Dutch and
knowing no-one. But God led us to where we are today. When we arrived we thought there were fewer differences between Belgians and Germans than expected. It was when we began to learn the language and learn about the culture that we discovered more and more differences. We see this in the way people communicate, work together and lead others as well as in way they live the Christian life. Stefanie Moving to Belgium meant a change in my way of life – French language course, a new church in Herstal, living in a big city and greeting one another with a kiss rather than a handshake. I was also surprised to discover how many of the bookshop customers in Liege are not of Belgian origin. Even if I find it difficult to have deep relationships with Belgians, I am grateful for good relations with my colleagues and I am glad to be getting to know Belgium better and better. Andreas & Inge Since German is spoken in the East Cantons of Belgium you might think it would not be very different. However there are obvious differences especially in the way of thinking and the people’s way of life- notably in their strong attachment to rituals and catholic traditions. In Germany, many grow up in a church where everyone in the family is involved so there are family examples of the Christian faith for young converts. In Belgium those who come to faith often have no such examples.
.. Stefanie Bottger
Liège (Kontaktmission)
MINISTRY Reiner & Angela Despite several evangelistic campaigns, few have come to the faith. Our fellowship is not large, but its strength lies in mutual aid and autonomy. We are sometimes sad to see the indifference some of the local people show to the Good News. There are real friendships between members of the fellowship. Our church also helps local minorities by participating in the local food bank. The Mission post of Westerloo will soon be autonomous and we hope to join a new church in 2014. Matthias & Sabine The church of Deinze continues to flourish. As well as Sunday services we also have, during the week, ‘growth groups’ (in homes). In the years to come we would like to elect deacons and elders. We also encounter the indifference of some who do not want to join a local church. Church planting in Belgium is both an endurance test and an obstacle race. Berthold & Renate We have been at Alost for nearly twenty years. There are about 80 at church on Sunday mornings. Besides our house groups and prayer meetings we also organise different activities for young people and for those who are not so young. We have noticed over the last years that evangelical Christians are regarded less and less as being ‘strange’. Stefanie Since September 2007, I have been working in the Bookshop in Liege. Every Thursday, the team organises a discussion group called ‘Bible and Coffee’. In an atmosphere that is both friendly and informal we invite the participants to come to discover Jesus Christ for themselves, to enjoy the Word of God or to strengthen their faith. Belgium still needs people to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed. If you love literature Andreas & Inge Seidlitz and enjoy meeting people don’t hesitate to undertake a placement in one of our bookshops. Eupen (Neukirchener Mission) Andreas & Inge In Eupen, we have a big programme of activities for children, adolescents, ladies, house groups and services. We would like the church to become autonomous in a few years’ time and we are working towards that by training helpers. We also want to proclaim the Gospel so that people can meet Christ – with this is mind, among other things, Andreas is on the market every Friday with Christian literature and he prepares a bi-monthly meditation for local radio.
Belgian Evangelical Mission UK P O Box 617 EPSOM KT17 9JQ E-mail: BEMUK@b-e-m.org Lambermontlaan 158 - 1030 Brussel +32 (0)2/241.30.15 - information@b-e-m.org
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