A BRIEF UPDATE CONCERNING EUROPE—MAY 2016
The Present Need in Germany
Presently, there is a strong emphasis on Germany. In response to hundreds of thousands of refugees entering Germany, we are continuing to carry out gospel trips, with saints throughout the earth participating with us by praying, giving, and going. We are focusing on the four cities of Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart. So far there has been a very good response among Farsi speakers. Many of them have been meeting regularly with the saints for two or three months now and are introducing the saints to other Farsi speakers whom they know. In Stuttgart alone there are 20 now meeting with the saints, as well as 20 more in a city to the south. Some saints are now in Austria to meet another group referred to by these new ones. There are also Farsi speakers being shepherded in Berlin, Dusseldorf, and Frankfurt. There are two more follow-up gospel trips scheduled during the next six weeks. We are emphasizing the Bible distribution as part of our follow-up gospel trip labor, and have over 30,000 German New Testament Recovery Versions ready to be distributed.
An annual conference for Germany was held in Frankfurt from May 14-16, which included the first Lord’s table in that city. Among the 755 attendees from 26 countries, 67 were refugees and 92 were children. The atmosphere was tremendous, and all the saints were greatly encouraged. This was the largest conference held in Germany in almost three decades. The Lord is raising up and strengthening His lampstands in Germany in order to establish His testimony before the end of the age.
Recent History
In the past 15 years, there has been more than a sevenfold increase in Europe with presently about 4,000 saints in more than 80 lampstands and many scattered cities. The ground has recently been taken in Budapest, Hungary, and in Frankfurt, Germany, with many other cities to follow in the near future.
There are now approximately 25 major blending events occurring each year in Europe. Tens of thousands of UK radio listeners have contacted us at least once, and 50,000 UK recipients of the Recovery Version of the New Testament have requested contact, with a good number in other European countries requesting contact as well. Also, 1,022 individuals from 21 European countries and 16 other countries have participated in the One-week Training in London, many of them more than once. Additionally, a total of 235 saints have graduated from the Full-time Training in London (FTTL), with 14 more graduating in two weeks’ time. Over 70% of these graduates have served full time afterward.
The Need for Blending and Training
In line with Brother Lee’s speaking in The World Situation and the Direction of the Lord’s Move, “that Great Britain is very crucial for the Lord’s move throughout Europe” (p. 48), the labor in Great Britain in the past several years has been with the view of the Lord’s need throughout Europe. Since the summer of 2005, much of this labor has been centered at Bower House in London.
In recent years, however, the space at Bower House has not been adequate to accommodate those who attend the various events. These times at Bower House have been instrumental in bringing people to the ministry, and eventually into the church life. For this reason, we would like to emphasize the need for further capacity and have spent much time considering Bower House and two nearby properties, Bower Farm and Woodland Camp.
Bower House, which we own outright through the gifts of saints from throughout the earth, is approximately nine acres in size. We recently were granted planning permission approval by the local Council to improve facilities at Bower House, which will include a much larger meeting space.
Bower Farm is adjacent to Bower House and is over seven acres in size. If its purchase is successful, we would begin construction of residential facilities, giving us an additional 20 bedrooms with up to four persons per room. More than five acres would still be available to be developed at a future date.
Woodland Camp, a 17-acre recreational camp and a ten-minute drive from Bower House, is fully owned by Amana Trust. Planning permission is being sought for a meeting and dining facility, as well as for cabins with approximately 400 beds.
Combined Benefit of the Properties
If we are able to move forward with these plans, we can enlarge our capacity for the Full-time Training in London (FTTL) and simultaneously have capacity for other events such as one-week trainings, weekend events, and potentially even a middle-age training for Europe.
This new capacity at Bower House would enable us, through the use of soundproof partitions, to train up to 150 in each of four classrooms or have a combined meeting of up to 800 in the same space.
Woodland Camp would be able to host two events simultaneously, each with up to 200 persons. On special occasions, we could have a large gathering of between 1,500 and 2,000 by use of a marquee (tent), including adequate parking for cars and coaches (buses).
The Urgent Need
The recent happenings in Germany and other countries have caused an awakening in the people of Europe. Things are not as they once were. It is an unsettling time in Europe. This has caused a new openness among the Europeans. May we give the Lord His way in the midst of this “sudden striking” that we are witnessing in these days in Europe.
“We need to see how to carry out the spread of the Lord’s recovery in the countries of Europe. Our going to Europe should be neither by a work nor by a movement but by emigration.” (The World Situation and the Direction of the Lord’s Move, p. 46)
“We are burdened to go to Europe in a team of at least four saints, including a couple between the ages of thirty to fifty, in whose home the meetings will begin. Every team of saints going to Europe should have a couple, and this couple may have some children. This family will be the center of the team. We will try to help them to get a home close to a college or a university. Hopefully, this home will be big enough for keeping two or three guests. It could serve as a place for some emigrating saints to stay until they can become properly situated. The newly-contacted people can be brought to this home for fellowship. This will be our way.” (The World Situation and the Direction of the Lord’s Move, p. 48-49)
“Some can emigrate there to study in a school and serve the Lord. I would recommend that some go there to be ‘professional students.’ In other words, those who go to school should plan on remaining in school for the Lord’s work on the campuses. The longer they stay in school, the better it is. This is because they can spend their time contacting the students for the Lord’s interest. I hope that many young people among us would go to the universities in Europe to be professional students teaching the divine truths. It is glorious and worthwhile to be such a student, contacting other students daily with the Lord’s truths. I believe that some students who go to Europe can bear new fruit monthly like the tree of life in the New Jerusalem.” (The World Situation and the Direction of the Lord’s Move, p. 47)
The great and urgent need in Europe is for many, many saints, even some mature saints of retirement age, to emigrate to Europe for the Lord’s interest. More homes near the European campuses are needed in order to reach the students, and more students are needed on the campuses to reach their fellow students. In Germany, as with other European countries, a student may obtain a quality education with little or no debt, and increasingly, degree programs are being offered in English (visit amanatrust.org.uk/universities-europe for further information). The need is great for personal, loving shepherding among all these seekers throughout Europe.
For information regarding migration, please visit: lordsmove.org
For information regarding Germany, please visit: germany2016.amanatrust.org.uk
For information regarding the London properties, please visit: amanatrust.org.uk/uk-building-project
For information regarding gifts toward the London properties, please visit:
lordsmove.org/ukbuildingfund or amanatrust.org.uk/uk-building-project
For information regarding gifts toward the continuation of the Life-study of the Bible with Witness Lee daily radio broadcast, please visit: lordsmove.org/ukradio
(Source: http://lordsmove.org/pdfs/PrayerBurdens328.pdf)
