Prague – The Church is fruitful and full of life if it is engaged in mission. But if it concentrates only on itself, it will become boring and irrelevant. That was the essential message of a June missions conference held by the European Baptist Federation (EBF) in Prague. Nearly 30 mission leaders from 22 of Europe’s Baptist Unions as well as several from the Near East and Central Asia attended.

The German missiologist Professor Michael Kisskalt from Elstal Theological Seminary (near Berlin) stressed the need of Christian care for the poor. The poor need both: our practical deeds of love as well as the verbal witness. Kisskalt described his experiences in both the German capital as well as in rural Cameroun, where he served as a missionary from 1995 to 1999. In both instances, he had been more than just a giver – he had also been on the receiving end. In Cameroun he had been deeply impressed by the capacity of the poor to celebrate feasts despite their need. In relating to Berlin’s homeless, he had learned that Christians do not necessarily need to live in apartments and lead middle-class lives.

Ian Bunce (Didcot), Director of Mission for the Baptist Union of Great Britain, explained their new mission programme: ‘Crossing Places’. It offers a wide range of suggestions on how Christians can cross the ways of those who do not believe in Jesus Christ. Christians must move out and beyond their congregations if they intend to win persons in the surrounding world for the Gospel.

During ensuing discussions it became clear that Baptists from the rural regions of Eastern Europe are not convinced that a gap exists between themselves and non-Christians. This is especially true in those rural areas in which Baptist churches tend to predominate.

Practical models on how Baptists from throughout Europe are affecting their neighbourhoods were also introduced at the gathering. In Georgia they have founded a programme for health and social services to aid the poor as well as those victimised by the conflict with Russia in 2008. In the Serbian capital of Belgrade, Bread of Life offers support to war refugees and others in need. Baptists in Arad/Romania have taken orphans out of state-run homes and accepted them into their own families. The Baptist Union of Ukraine, which itself is suffering from the loss of many of its members to the West through emigration, is searching for homes for the elderly. Baptists in Denmark’s capital of Copenhagen have formed a ‘night church’, which gathers twice monthly to serve those who work in or visit the city’s nightlife. Norwegian Baptists are supporting refugees from Burma/Myanmar. The Czech Republic has a growing network of Russian-speaking Baptist congregations which are themselves offering practical services to those needing to adjust to local life.

The meeting’s participants also discussed how the church could do more than just offer aid to the victims of injustice. How could it also raise its prophetic voice in such a way as to help overcome unjust structures?

Particularly moving at the conference was the report from Baghdad’s Baptist congregation. Due to the ever-present threat of extremist groups, Baptists are now only meeting at one secure location in the city. Despite the incredible danger, the congregation is growing.

The EBF’s next missions conference is to take place in Elstal from 7 to 10 June 2011. It will deal with the issue of how Baptists and Muslims can best confront each other.