Berlin/Dushanbe – How do Christians in the strongly-Muslim countries of Central Asia manage? That question shaped an unusual worship service held in the Baptist congregation of Berlin-Oberschöneweide on 29 May. Among the guests were 13 visitors from Tajikistan as well as 18 further guests from a Russian-German congregation in Dillenburg/Germany and the USA. The group was headed by Pastor Alexander Vervai (Dushanbe), President of Tajikistan’s Baptist Union, and Pastor Heinrich Herber of Dillenburg. Most of the guests from Tajikistan were in Germany for the first time. They used the visit in a congregation as well as a city tour to gather initial impressions of life in Germany.

In the packed service, the guests reported on life in their congregations. Christians are a tiny minority. Four guests who had once been convinced Muslims gave testimonies on their walk with Christ. One woman in the group had once learned large segments of the Koran by heart. Following her conversion to Christ, she learned all of the Psalms by heart. In the service she recited Psalm 103.

The guests sang songs in the national tongue of Farsi, which is also spoken in Iran. Their ancient musical instruments included a Persian Tar, a long-necked lute also known as a Setar. The musicians and their instruments produced exotic-sounding texts and melodies praising God.

In his word of greeting, Alexander Vervai stressed the positive relations between his Baptist Union, the European Baptist Federation (EBF) and Germany’s Baptists. The EBF’s programme for indigenous missionaries supports two church plants in the north of the country.

Hans Guderian, Pastor in Berlin-Oberschöneweide and the EBF’s Vice-President, preached on Exodus 32 and the necessity of unity in Christ. Moses did not distance himself from his people. In the same sense, despite guilt and failure, Christians today need to support and pray for each other.

Tajikistan has 7,3 million inhabitants; its Baptist Union consists of 600 members in 20 congregations.