“The church in Europe struggles with many things,” said Helge Dittmer—one of the more than 1,000 pastors, Christian leaders, and evangelists attending the European Congress on Evangelism in Berlin, Germany. “The main problem is that we lose the centre of the message.”
This pastor of over 20 years from Kiel, Germany, is not the only one who has noticed the deterioration that happens when Christians stray away from “the centre”: Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross for the sins of humanity.
As churches in Europe begin to renew their passion and calling to proclaim the Gospel, this congress is aimed at reigniting this work all across the continent.
Throughout the day, guests from over 50 countries and territories heard from multiple speakers who offered practical advice and encouragement to stir up the church to stand strong on the foundation of God’s Word.
Chris Sinkinson—an associate pastor in Bournemouth, England—called out the prevalent issues in churches throughout Europe: rejecting the absolute truth of Scripture, and focusing on feelings, rather than faith in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
“We are not content creators. We are content custodians,” he said, reiterating a Christ-follower’s unchanging mission to share the Gospel. “Evangelism is the announcement of a finished work: Christ died for our sins.”
Dittmer couldn’t agree more. “We take so much time and investment in questions that are not essential,” he said. “I think the devil is very happy because we are circling around ourselves. We are not fixed on Jesus Christ as the centre and doing the work He has for us.”
What can be done about this problem?
Sinkinson shared the answer through his personal testimony. As a teenager, he realized that “religion was only offering a patch-up job, covering up the problems.”
“Jesus Christ changed my heart from the inside out,” he explained. “The Word of God has power to transform and to change. If we’re going to go forward to the nations, we must keep going back to the Saviour and to the Word.”
This reminder to keep things simple—relying on the power of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit—refreshed Dittmer’s heart. “The encouragement to preach the centre of the Gospel and not everything else—it’s impacted me,” he shared.
Another conference presenter—Ulrich Parzany, former national general secretary of the YMCA in Germany and Billy Graham’s successor as head evangelist and CEO of ProChrist from 1993–2013—emphasized this point. “The Bible must be the foundation—not the decoration—of our preaching.”
Amy Orr-Ewing—former president of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics—believes this congress is being held during a crucial time in Europe.
“I’ve been in ministry for over 25 years, and I haven’t known a moment like [this] in terms of the hunger among Gen Z for truth and for the Gospel,” the apologist and theologian shared with Cissie Graham Lynch. Franklin Graham’s daughter hosted her for a special on-stage interview. “This is kind of like a holy moment,” Orr-Ewing said.
As the day came to a close, Skip Heitzig—a pastor of over 40 years and the author of 24 books—urged guests to rely more fully on the power and work of the Holy Spirit—and not their own strength.
“Without the Holy Spirit to empower us, our task is impossible,” he reminded fellow Christians. “But infused with the power of the Spirit, it’s a brand-new battle—and it’s one we can win.”
“The muscle behind what we do is the power of the Holy Spirit,” Heitzig said.
The Christian leader shared his personal testimony of how he was touched by the Holy Spirit as a young man watching Billy Graham preach on TV. He gave his life to Jesus Christ at Graham’s invitation and hasn’t looked back. It’s a transformation, he noted, that is possible for millions more people throughout Europe and the world.
Would you pray for these leaders to continue to grow in unity as they study the Scriptures at the congress and that God would reignite their passion for the proclamation of the Gospel?
