Messengers of Reconciliation
"Into this beautiful land, God has called us to bring a message of grace, forgiveness and hope to those whose lives were rocked by war. He has called us to plant our lives here and live among a people who don’t know Jesus." A testimony from the Balkans.
"Growing up, we were inspired by stories of missionaries in the 18th and 19th centuries, but we don’t remember hearing of them coming to the western Balkans where we now serve. Our corner of Europe has been part of an ‘East-meets-West’ tug-of-war for a long time – part of Europe, but heavily influenced by the eastern powers that ruled for centuries.
We see the influence of those days in many areas, from daily life and food to religious affiliations and societal values. While seeking to hold on to cultural traditions, many people are drawn to a western dream that is marked by materialism and secular living. This is also a place where there has been very little visible, vibrant Gospel witness for centuries, a place where the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century didn’t reach, and where Communism was king for much of 20th century. This was followed by a vicious war whose legacy lives on 25 years later.
Into this beautiful land, God has called us to bring a message of grace, forgiveness and hope to those whose lives were rocked by war, whose aspirations are often built on temporal things, and whose values are bound up in religious teachings from the middle east. He has called us to plant our lives here and live among a people who don’t know Jesus. Our prayer is to see God’s kingdom established in the hearts of individuals and families, bringing reconciliation and peace to their communities and glory to God through their lives."
- The Avila's, ECMers serving in the Balkans
Stories from Europe > 2024
December
- 12/10/2024 12/10/24, 12:36 PM - Portugal, Our Mission Field
- 12/3/2024 12/3/24, 11:51 AM - Disability Ministries Network
November
- 11/27/2024 11/27/24, 11:00 AM - "Small Towns Like These"
- 11/20/2024 11/20/24, 11:48 AM - Why Send to Europe?
- 11/13/2024 11/13/24, 12:57 PM - Messengers of Reconciliation
- 11/6/2024 11/6/24, 1:27 PM - "My Call to Europe"
October
- 10/30/2024 10/30/24, 1:07 PM - Why I Pray for Europe
- 10/23/2024 10/23/24, 12:59 PM - Slovenia, 0,1% of Evangelicals
- 10/16/2024 10/16/24, 12:14 PM - Why is Europe Important?
- 10/9/2024 10/9/24, 11:53 AM - More than Brick and Mortar
- 10/1/2024 10/1/24, 12:29 PM - 'In Europe everything will be fine'
September
- 9/25/2024 9/25/24, 1:25 PM - Learning the Language
- 9/20/2024 9/20/24, 11:45 AM - Fruits from Our Labour
- 9/16/2024 9/16/24, 1:03 PM - Starting the Missionary Journey
- 9/10/2024 9/10/24, 11:55 AM - One Month in Greece
- 9/4/2024 9/4/24, 1:42 PM - Creating Memories
August
- 8/26/2024 8/26/24, 11:16 AM - Believing and Belonging
- 8/13/2024 8/13/24, 10:30 AM - God was at work at the Paris Olympics!
July
- 7/23/2024 7/23/24, 12:01 PM - 110 campers heard the gospel this month!
- 7/23/2024 7/23/24, 10:17 AM - Romanian ECMers make the New Testament accessible in their own native language
- 7/17/2024 7/17/24, 12:42 PM - Planting Refuge and Hope
- 7/5/2024 7/5/24, 12:34 PM - The Blessings of Summer Camp
June
- 6/20/2024 6/20/24, 2:03 PM - Talking about Jesus (without being THAT guy)
- 6/3/2024 6/3/24, 8:12 PM - Jesus in a Jazz Club
May
- 5/21/2024 5/21/24, 10:13 AM - Living out multiplication today!
- 5/16/2024 5/16/24, 10:32 AM - A place of rest... and salvation
April
- 4/16/2024 4/16/24, 9:22 AM - ECM's ministry continues to grow
- 4/12/2024 4/12/24, 7:16 PM - Ukraine: training and caring for volunteers
- 4/9/2024 4/9/24, 10:30 AM - Can a church multiply quickly in the UK?
- 4/2/2024 4/2/24, 9:32 AM - Multiplying young leaders in Slovenia
March
- 3/29/2024 3/29/24, 10:20 AM - On this solemn day...
- 3/5/2024 3/5/24, 2:48 PM - Come help us reach Muslims in Berlin!
February
- 2/28/2024 2/28/24, 10:00 AM - Portuguese university students being transformed by the gospel
- 2/20/2024 2/20/24, 10:43 AM - Why Europe?
- 2/6/2024 2/6/24, 2:58 PM - Multipliable Mission Teams