Growing Openness to the Gospel in Europe
“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ ” —Acts 16:9
It is especially exciting to receive requests which present new opportunities to provide Scripture booklets and to develop new relationships to reach the world with the Word of God. Such was an email from Denitsa K., who wrote on behalf of a Christian ministry started in Bulgaria in 2003, but which has a wide outreach even beyond Bulgaria.
“We have reached hundreds of thousands of people, preaching in evangelistic tents as well as in the open-air, on the streets of many cities and villages as well as in different institutions: in hospitals, schools, old-age homes and orphanages.
“We believe that every person is precious in the sight of God. His dream is for everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. And we have the privilege to fulfill the dream of God.”
This ministry organizes and carries out different kinds of evangelistic events, working in cooperation with ministers from Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, England, Sweden, Belarus, Russia, Buryatia (in Siberia), Poland, Spain, as well as from the United States.
Their next goal is to focus on Poland, as they have many missionary teams there which are active for the gospel. Denitsa continued, “In view of the fact that Christian literature in Poland is not easily available, we kindly ask for information whether you have available Scripture booklets in Polish. Also, we need booklets and literature in Bulgarian, as we continually serve in Bulgaria and there is a shortage of many kinds of booklets in Bulgarian as well.
“And last, but not least, we ask whether you can offer us Scripture booklets and other Christian literature in Czech, Slovak, Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian, which will be really useful for our missionary work in Central Europe.”
Follow-up with this ministry led to an initial order for Poland and 35,000 Bulgarian booklets supplied though our coordinator in Romania.
Week after week the Lord leads in ways we had not known or considered.
A faithful WMP partner from Finland, with personal street evangelism experience, has felt the Lord’s call to reach out in unique ways. “One project in my heart,” wrote Ed G., “is to travel around Finland in a motorhome with a bicycle, driving into cities and cycling around delivering Scripture booklets door-to-door. There is much demand here for Persian/Farsi, Russian, Estonian, Somali, and Arabic. I recently embarked on new outreaches of seeking foreigners by visiting foreign restaurants. It takes many years to learn Finnish fluently (I am still learning after 20 years). I feel peace when giving people booklets in their mother tongue.”
A pastor in Lisbon, Portugal, who reaches out to refugees, looking for help with literature in Portuguese and Arabic, was excited to receive his first supply of Scripture booklets as “paper missionaries” to offer these refugees a continuing message from the One who loves them.
Friederike S. wrote, “We are the largest distributor of Bibles and evangelistic literature in Switzerland.” They have been a WMP distributor for 30 years, faithfully requesting small supplies of specific languages and titles as needed. The most recent request from Friederike included The Way to God booklets in German, French, Italian, English, Spanish, Arabic, and Turkish.
One current project that is most encouraging is a 20-foot container shipment being prepared for Denmark. Booklets in 23 languages, including Icelandic and Dari (Afghanistan), will be distributed throughout Europe by believers who are faithfully sharing the truth of God’s Word. The shipment also includes 11,000 Persian/Farsi New Testaments which our contacts have been eagerly waiting for, to share with Iranians living in northern Europe who are interested and open to receiving God’s Word.
Our coordinator in Denmark, Tonny M., has been evangelizing on the streets for 25 years, faithfully proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has been working on the logistics needed to receive a container shipment and finally believes that now is the time. “Don’t ever give up on us!” he wrote. “We will never give up working for Christ, till the work is terminated from above either way! Receptivity to Scripture booklets/tracts and witnessing conversations continues to be very good!”
One interesting point about the growing openness to the gospel in Europe was shared by a Nigerian pastor in Stockholm, Sweden and reiterated by our coordinator in Denmark. There seems to be “an evangelistic boomerang from Africa and Asia coming to Europe.” In past years, “God’s Word went from Europe to Africa, and now it has come back from those places. Much of the spiritual life in [European] countries now comes from former mission fields!”
Praise God for His sovereign plan and purpose, moving peoples from lands of restriction to lands where the gospel can be freely heard and received. Praise Him for the strong Church He is building around the world for His glory!
[You can help provide God’s Word for Europe and the world. Every donated dollar helps produce 29 powerful Scripture booklets for people around the world in their own language. An investment of $100 will touch the lives of 2,900 people; $1,000 will impact 29,000 people who need to know God.]
Grateful Quotes
“A great need to hear the gospel in Norway.”
“I just want to send a big thank you to you all for the Norwegian Scripture booklets I received from you last week. There is a great need here for people to hear the gospel. Evangelism and local missions seem not YET a great priority here, but I pray that God will change hearts and that your booklets will all fall on good soil to produce salvation and passionate new-born believers. Will also send a financial gift so that you are thanked not with words only. Many thanks!”
—Alan B., Norway
Meet the Team
Brent M.
Partner Relations Team
My father- and mother-in-law volunteered at WMP in the past, and when I would drive by on the way to Warsaw to visit family, the sign out front would catch my eye, and I would take a second to think about working here. I was looking for a Christian ministry to work with, and the opportunity presented itself to join World Missionary Press and put my skills to work for God’s ministry.
As of mid-April, I have been here almost two months. As part of the Partner Relations team, I help develop and schedule email communications, special projects, and other campaigns that allow us to share what’s happening at World Missionary Press. The thing I like best about WMP is that the work we do here has a direct impact on the gospel being shared throughout the world. It is also a joy to come to work knowing that every person is willing to pray with me. That is not always the case with every job.
When I’m not working, I love to play soccer. I play year-round in both indoor and outdoor leagues. As part of my involvement, I am on the board of my outdoor league. I am also a realtor and enjoy helping people in that capacity. I have set up a woodworking shop at my home and have made a few shop projects and a bench for our dining table. It’s a skill I enjoyed learning in high school and have picked up again in the past few years.
I have a beautiful wife of five years and a two-year-old daughter who is full of energy. We love to go on walks through our neighborhood and enjoy our backyard. A fun fact is we were married locally in January 2016, and also had a private vow-renewal ceremony on our honeymoon in Hawaii that summer. So, we celebrate two anniversaries each year!
WMP Partners Around the World
Steve B.
Nicaragua Update
In 2004 the Messiah Project in Nicaragua began using WMP literature. As they reached more remote regions, the Lord opened doors to bring the Word of God to the Miskito Indians of the Rio Coco for the first time in their own language. What the Spirit of God has done through His Word and the faithfulness of many is a ringing testimony of God’s unfailing love for all people, wherever they are and whatever language they speak.
WMP: Steve, how did having Scripture booklets in the Miskito language help establish believers in the Rio Coco region?
Steve: After years of experiencing their impact first-hand, I believe that God truly inspired the topical format of the Scripture booklets to effectively introduce people to the Word of God. Though many in rural and remote regions haven’t had the benefit of a high-school education, they are able—with the help of the Holy Spirit—to grasp a topic through the selected verses.
WMP: How has the pandemic affected the work of recently established churches and believers?
Steve: On my return to Nicaragua in March, we had wonderful, joy-filled meetings and services. I have been humbled to see how powerfully the Lord has moved during this pandemic phase. At a time of fear and uncertainty, the brothers and sisters of Messiah Project chose to try and make a difference. They took to the streets and marketplaces to share the good news of Jesus. Pooling together the offerings from each church, they purchased basic food supplies and prepared gift bags, making sure to include several Scripture booklets in each bag, sowing the Word of God in homes that otherwise might not receive spiritual food.
WMP: You have called the Scripture booklets “invaluable resources.” Can you elaborate?
Steve: WMP Scripture booklets are an essential part in sowing the love of God and hope for a better future. Though people will listen to what we have to say, they can soon forget. But when we give them a Scripture booklet, we know the Word of God will go back with them to their homes and continue to bear fruit. Many of our brothers and sisters want to do something for the Lord but feel inadequate or unprepared. Scripture booklets are an invaluable resource in training and equipping these precious saints. Anyone can “go” and give
someone a Scripture booklet, which is part of the foundation we build upon in making disciples of Jesus Christ.
WMP: Another container of literature is ready to send to Nicaragua. Are you ready to receive it?
Steve: As I reviewed last year’s report of our evangelistic outreaches across the country, I was amazed at the amount of literature they had given out in my absence—over 1,600 boxes! I know the literature from WMP has been an intrinsic part of the Lord’s work through Messiah Project. I have spent the better part of two days signing certificates of baptism, rededications of lives restored, and the dedication of children to the Lord from new members of the Messiah Project churches across the country. We are ready to receive 
another shipment of literature! After I see how the virus has affected the customs process, I will initiate the process of shipping the literature at your earliest convenience!
Messiah Project is responding to the need to provide New Testaments in the Miskito language by providing a translation and raising funds to help WMP print 25,000 copies! Preparation for printing is almost complete. From not even knowing the name of Jesus, to learning of God’s love through a feeding program in hundreds of centers and being introduced to God’s Word through Scripture booklets, to having churches established along the Rio Coco with the New Testament in their own language—“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8).