Church planting

God's intention is not for Christians to be isolated, but to be part of a Christian community. This is true in free countries, but also in countries where Christians risk persecution.

While Europe is becoming increasingly secularized, in recent years there has been an interest in the Christian faith in the Muslim world, and people are becoming Christians. Many are attracted to Jesus. Jesus' message of forgiveness and love for enemies stands in sharp contrast to the messages of extremists. Jesus' miracles bring hope in a hopeless world. But while the church's challenge in Europe is that many Europeans are not interested in Christianity, that is not the problem in several countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Asia.

The challenge here is rather that seekers and new believers are educated in the Christian faith. That their faith is not just an opt-out of Islam, but also an opt-in. That their faith is anchored in the Bible so that it lasts.

That's why the Danish European Mission is involved in church planting so that new Christians have a community.

Theological education

In this context, theological education of pastors and leaders is crucial. In the emerging churches of the Middle East, Central Asia and Asia, many pastors have at best only done short Bible studies and at worst possess no theological training at all.

As a result, bias can creep into preaching, congregations can become unhealthy and fall prey to actual heresies that circulate on YouTube, for example.

That's why Danish European Mission's intercessors and donors have ensured that 60 pastors and leaders in predominantly Muslim countries have received education at diploma or bachelor's level. Currently, 80 pastors and leaders receive training in theology, but also church history, leadership, pastoral care, ethics, economics and other subjects.