News & Stories

All Things To All People

October 8, 2012

By Jerry Kragt, regional director for Europe/Middle East

Jerry shares an overview of Alliance ministries throughout the Europe/Middle East region.

God’s light shines in Europe

At a recent English camp for teens in former East Germany, a student asked Jesus to be her Savior. A week later, the new believer was so excited about her faith that she asked our workers, Ben and Sarah Carey, if they would start a youth group in their area.

“It didn’t take long for us to say, ‘Sure!’” the Careys wrote to me. “This young Christian brought her two brothers, as well as a friend from school who is not a believer. The enthusiastic group is inviting other teens as well.”

This exciting development is an example of how God is working to bring the whole gospel to this region. Our diverse team of international workers meets the needs of the whole person through various avenues, such as an outreach to international university students in London, youth camps in Northeast Germany, community development in creative-access contexts, poverty alleviation in Palestine, and women’s exercise classes in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

North African immigrants in Spain attend Spanish classes provided by Alliance international workers and their Alliance World Fellowship partners. In France, our workers partner with the Alliance national church to bring the whole gospel to unreached areas, one of which had not had a new church since the 12th century.

Reaching the Whole Person

Thousands of Syrians who have fled their homeland are receiving compassionate care through a joint relief effort of Alliance national believers, international workers, and other missions agencies. God’s love is expressed to the refugees through the provision of food and basic necessities.

The list could go on and on, telling the stories of more than 100 Alliance international workers in this region who have been sent by The Alliance to make disciples of all nations and establish growing communities of faith.

God has given these dedicated servants a variety of gifts and talents and placed them in key ministries, empowering them to, in the Apostle Paul’s words, ”become all things to all people” so that the light of Christ will shine brightly inEurope and the Middle East.