European Student Missionaries Gather to Draw the Future of Mission in Europe

ADELSHOFEN, GERMANY--- The Annual Conference of European Student Missionary Association (ESMA) was held recently in Adelshofen, Germany. The program of the conference varies from bible studies, worship, seminaries, workshops and mission conferences which attracted over 210 bible colleges students all over Europe.

Respectable and experienced missionaries from many Europe ministries are invited to be the guest speaker for the seminaries and workshop. Some highlighted topics are “Possibility and Challenge to Unreached peoples?by Francis Omondi Director of a Kenyan mission society- Sheepfold Ministries, “Western Europe, a hard place: challenge France?by Nicolas Kessely experienced missionary since 1964, founder of France pour Christ and “Mission in an international team ?opportunities and challenges?by Dr. Lianne Roembke from Campus For Christ.

Through the seminars, young European missionaries gain a lot of visions and strength. While they have a heart of passion to take up the Great Commission of Jesus?apostles to spread the gospel to the unreached land till the ends of this earth, the urgent need to focus on local evangelism in Europe is emphasized by some leaders in the discussion.

“WHERE SHOULD EUROPEANS DO MISSIONARY WORK ?AT HOME OR OVERSEAS??This question is really very crucial for the future of Europe Christianity.

Francis Omondi Kenyan missionary has provided an answer. He suggested that each Christian should first gain experience at home before spreading the Gospel in another culture.

In addition, German missionary organizations should focus on the unreached people at home. In the former Christian Occident millions had not heard of Jesus Christ, for instance many immigrants.

He pointed out that the number of people without any church affiliation was on the rise in Western Europe. They account for 30 per cent of the German population and up to 50 per cent in the United Kingdom.

Actually, many Christian figures has reported and commented about the sign of the declining Christianity in Europe, first revealed by the low attendance rate to the church. The Church of England statistics make depressing reading for the clergy. The number going to a service on Sunday but not during the rest of the week was 1,002,000 - a fall of 56,000 in two years.

Maybe through the ESMA conference, hope can be seen in the European young generation.

ESMA was founded in 1954 and encompasses more than 40 theological seminaries and bible colleges. It aims to unite and organize exchange activities for students in Christian training.