B e r l i n – The future of Christians in the Middle East at risk, according to the appraisal expressed by Nabil Costa (Beirut, Lebanon), the Middle East representative of the European Baptist Federation, at the EBF Council in Elstal near Berlin. Democracy also remains only slightly secured in the lands of the “Arab Spring”. As a result, Christians – possibly more than others - are suffering, said Costa. The prevalent uncertainty in various parts of the Arab World is leading both Christians and Muslims to emigrate. In the past, Christians, focused on education to positively impact their countries. Thus the Baptists had run kindergartens and schools. However, except in Lebanon, they are unable to continue this work. Costa emphasized the need for continued dialogue between Christians and Muslims: “The more we build relations with one another, the less likely are we to harm each other.”

Baptist churches in France are growing very slowly, but surely. It can take 20 years for a newly founded church to have 50 members, said the European team leader of the missions agency BMS World Mission, Philip Halliday (Massy, France) at the Council of the European Baptist Federation (EBF) in Elstal near Berlin. Following the Second World War, there were 21 churches in France; today there are 120 with about 7,000 members. Patrick Deneuve, a missionary in the harbor city of Marseille, emphasized the need for Christians to work together in order to reach immigrants from North Africa with the gospel: “Right now we don’t know how we can do that,” he admitted. The new Secretary General of the Free Church, Marc Dereux (Paris) also emphasized the significance of networking among the country’s Christians. This is necessary in order to grow stronger especially in the larger cities of France. He called for prayer for a protestant gathering in the coming year in Paris, which 15,000 participants are expected to attend.

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Baptist churches are growing primarily in areas with a Muslim majority, according to Tomislav Dobutovic (Sarajevo), the coordinator of Baptist work in that country. Why this is so, no one knows. “Maybe because the Muslims don’t regard us—as opposed to Orthodox or Catholic Christians—as competition?” mused Dobutovic. Over and over Muslims come to faith in Jesus Christ through the missionary work. There are five churches in the country, along with ten more church-planting projects, with altogether about 300 members.

The Swedish-speaking Baptist Union in Finland faces a new challenge. According to Secretary General Peter Sjöblom, most of the 1,200 Baptists in the 17 churches know each other personally: “We are like a big family.” But now the small Baptist church in Oraveis in the southwest of Finland has doubled in membership, as numerous refugees from Burma have joined them. They do not know how they can expand this work: “Please pray for us.”