STORIES FROM
EUROPE

"It’s a Tuesday morning at Haltepunkt E. Our team gathers to discuss our work and the tasks ahead, but before that, we always take an hour to read the Bible and pray together. Today, we read from Hebrews 11, exploring together how faith and trust work."

The beauty of these moments is that what began as a small core of believers at Haltepunkt E. is steadily growing. More people are joining in, cautiously at first, but with increasing openness. This changes the conversation about faith and trust.

A man in the group, who has been part of Haltepunkt E. for many years, shares his struggles: “Truly trusting God isn’t easy. It’s hard to trust someone I’ve never seen and cannot touch.”

Across from him, a woman further along in her faith journey reflects on her own experience. She describes how she became more open to faith and then encountered a deeply personal, transformative experience. Since then, she is certain: “I want to follow Jesus.”

The conversation unfolds naturally as the team discusses the faith of biblical heroes and how they trusted God through their challenges. At the end of the study, the group sings a song together—a modified version of a Johannes Oerding tune, akin to a German Guus Meeuwis song. They sing about going “all in” in faith: giving everything—even oneself—so that, in the end, victory is found in following Jesus.

The van Dijk family is grateful to see their dream for Evershagen becoming reality. This summer, two women hope to be baptized, ready for a fresh start with Jesus and open to letting Him transform every part of their lives.

The family also appreciates the wider team supporting this work. Delegating tasks and empowering neighbours to take responsibility is a slow process, requiring many years of patient investment. Yet, a strong local team—including two German Christian couples—shares responsibility for the work, giving space for growth and sustainability.

One of ECM’s core values is partnering with local churches. In this spirit, ECM collaborates with the Freie Evangelische Gemeinde in Germany. Together, in Rostock, Schwerin, Hagenow, and Ribnitz-Damgarten, we are exploring new ways for the gospel to take root in the hearts of East Germans.