by James Ray, Europe Director

“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them.” (Acts 16:9)

The first missionary to Europe was the Apostle Paul. God revealed to Paul in a vision at night that there was a land across the Mediter-ranean Sea in great need of a message from God. Paul obeyed and Europe was evangelized. That night not only saved Europe but also saved America.

The Gospel filtered throughout the Roman Empire, being spread as much by Christian traders as by missionaries. The great message handed down by Paul reached as far away as Norway, Germany, England and Ireland. Great men arose to follow in the footsteps of Paul, Europe’s first missionary. John Wycliffe gave England a Bible in its own language. William Tyndale utilized the printing press to saturate European lands with personal copies of the Bible.

Pilgrims, leaving Europe for America, brought with them the Word of God. The nineteenth century found England with an empire so far-flung it touched every corner of the globe. With the dawning of the twentieth century, the mantle of spreading the Gospel to the world fell upon America.

Sadly unnoticed by Christian agencies in America was a silent decline of spiritual interest in Europe.

America now entered its hour of glo-ry as a world power. Religious move-ments flourished with mission agencies processing volunteers for unevangel-ized lands. Sadly unnoticed by Chris-tian agencies in America was a silent decline of spiritual interest in Europe.

Ominous signs of spiritual death were seeping out of Europe by the mid-1960s. Reports were emerging from England, France, and Germany of empty churches and assertive atheism. American Christians were slow to be-lieve and accept that Europe had ex-changed its spiritual heritage for hu-manism. When Hitler was raining de-struction on England with missiles and bombs, Winston Churchill commented, “The lights are going out.” The dark-ness was, however, more than he knew.

When Hitler was raining destruction on England with missiles and bombs, Winston Churchill commented, “The lights are going out.” The darkness was, however, more than he knew.

The American church, by the late ‘60s, was beginning to appraise the darkness of Europe. Missionaries were hearing a call from God, as Paul before them, to go over and help Europe. Early BIMI missionaries such as Ferrell Kearney (England), Bob Huffman and Gailen Abbett (France), Walt Hornung (Germany), and others pounded churches with the message that Europe, again, needed missionaries.

By 1989, BIMI had located 100 missionaries in almost every Western European country. Notwithstanding a slow response, churches were being established. The opening of Eastern Europe in 1990 brought astounding opportuni-ties. Sensing that God was about to do the impossible, BIMI sent a survey team into Eastern Europe and Russia. Bibles were smuggled into Russia and distrib-uted in town squares. Amazingly, the survey team met no resistance.

Russians and East Europeans gathered in great crowds, weeping and reaching for Bibles. With the complete deterio-ration of the Communist Empire, the door to Eastern Europe flung further open. Citywide meetings were arranged by BIMI and thousands came to Christ. An Eastern Europe center was established in Romania to serve as a literature base for southeastern Europe.

Although BIMI remains one of the leading church-planting mission agencies in Europe, the number of workers remains far too small.

BIMI today has 14 resident missionaries in Russia and Siberia. More than 40 are resident in Eastern Europe and Russia together. Others are on deputation. Europe, east and west, today has a population of almost ONE BILLION PEOPLE. Although BIMI remains one of the leading church-planting mission agencies in Europe, the num-bers remain far too small. Darkness has fallen. The lights have gone out. One billion people are crying, “Come over and help us.”

The BIMI force of missionaries along with the help of thousands of churches are endeavoring to do just that. BIMI teams have distributed over a million pieces of literature and Bibles. Fifty thousand Romanian hymnbooks have been printed and distributed. Other publications include thousands of copies of Bible doctrine books and

. . . the situation remains fragile politically, we must respond immediately. Many churches could be started in a short time if missionaries will go.

other study helps. Working with the Ford Porter Ministries in Indianapolis, Indiana, teams have distributed hun-dreds of thousands of the famous tract, “God’s Simple Plan of Salvation.” Sev-eral Bible schools have been estab-lished already in Eastern Europe.

The countries of Eastern Europe are ready for an immediate harvest. Be-cause the situation remains fragile po-litically, we must respond immediately. Many churches could be started in a short time if missionaries will go. The doors, in all probability, will not remain open for long-term work. One hundred couples in Russia could leave 100 new independent Baptist churches in 4 years.

One hundred couples in Russia could leave 100 new independent Baptist churches in 4 years.

Russia is a country where churches can be started with translators while the missionary studies the language. BIMI missionaries already have two churches started in Russia’s second largest city.

Western Europe also remains a great mission field. Missionaries who can plod and persevere are needed for Western European countries. The doors have never been more OPEN than now in Western Europe. BIMI is asking prayer for a great number of couples for the countries in the west.

England, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Italy, and others are wide open for missionary work. In some of these countries, a work can be started and organized in four years, although it will probably not be self-supporting in that time. One hundred couples working in Western Europe could organize scores of new churches in four years.

Never before has there been such an opportunity in Europe. When faced with a similar opportunity, Paul’s response was . . .

“ immediately we endeavored to go . . . assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them.” (Acts 16:9)

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

KIRK & KATHY HICKOK -  BRAZIL
CHRIS & CHRISTINE HILMER -  CANADA
HAROLD M & BRIDGETTE HOLDBROOK -  GHANA