He sends angels to help at anytime

This was the first time I went to Europe, and I had to get to the guesthouse by myself.  I was a bit anxious.  On the airplane, I met a Chinese lady.  She usually goes to Budapest with her husband, but this time she was alone. When we transferred flights at Frankfurt, I helped her with English.  When we arrived in Budapest, her son, daughter-in-law and other relatives came to meet her.  One of her relatives exchanged money for me so that I did not need to give a commission to the bank.  Her son helped me to find the right airport minibus to go to the guesthouse.  Jesus knows my anxiety and has prepared the way before me.  Jesus is faithful and listens to whispers and prayers.  Praise the Lord!

Free Methodist European Missions Network Consultation

26 people were present at this consultation: the general director of Free Methodist World Missions, the director of VISA, 13 American missionaries serving in Europe, 2 brothers from Brazil (a missions coordinator and a mobilizer), 1 Brazilian lady missionary to Portugal, a missions coordinator and his partner from the United Kingdom, a vicar from Bratislava, an American pastoral couple and senior editor of the Light and Life Magazine, and the administrative assistant of FM Hungary.  Dan Sheffield (Director of Global and Intercultural Ministries of Canada) and Jerry Coleman (Europe Area Director) led the reports and discussion in the two and half days of meetings.  The missionaries gave reports from Brazil, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, the UK, Ukraine, etc.

A terrifying future?

I rejoiced that in these past ten years God has opened the doors to 10 countries in Europe.  I was grieved when I heard of the present situation of Christianity in Europe.  The rich 1500 years of Christian church history is ignored.  The number of evangelical Christians and churches in many European countries is declining. Regular church attendance has fallen from roughly 40% of the population to about 20%.  Western Europe has become a "post-Christian society".  The population is also declining, and more and more immigrants are coming from the Middle East and African countries because they can offer relatively cheap labor.  This may mean the number of Muslims is increasing.  It is estimated that 50 years ago there were about 250,000 Muslims in Europe, but around 20 million now. When I think of the many great early Church Fathers like Augustine, and the great church reformers and theologians like Martin Luther, I could only give a sad sigh. 

In my conversation with one of the brothers from the UK, I shared that the Chinese are really indebted to the great missionaries from the UK like Robert Morrison and Hudson Taylor.  I also mentioned William Carey who gave his life to India and is called the "Father of Modern Mission work".  The brother told me that the church at William Carey's home village is now a Muslim mosque!  I was so shocked to hear that.  It is such a pity! 

Will it be possible that some day in the future, all of Europe, which in the past was "a Christian world," might become a "Muslim world"?   Will the European culture, which was once Christian, be demolished silently, and instead be subjected to Muslim culture and teachings?

Any way out?

You may wonder why I joined the European Missions Network Consultation since my ministry is in Asia.  Of course I came because I was invited.  In this consultation, my understanding of the scope of missions was broadened, and I began wondering whether there is any way out for the future of the Christian churches and missionary work in Europe.  Otherwise, Christianity might gradually diminish and fade out in Europe.  Something must be done to gain back the Christian base.

On the other hand, the Chinese population is also growing in Europe.  It is estimated that in 2003  there were 1 million Chinese, and in 2004 there were 220,000 Chinese students, among which 99% come from Mainland China (in comparison, there are 2 million Chinese in the US).  There are 150 Chinese churches in Europe, while there are 3000 Chinese churches in the US.  The proportion is 1:20.  There are 60 Chinese missionaries in Europe, while there are 5,000 in US.  The proportion is 1:50.  There are 10,000 Chinese Christians in Europe, only 1% of the Chinese population, while there are 200,000 Chinese Christians in US, about 10% of the Chinese population.  

Do you see there are great challenges and opportunities for the Chinese in Hong Kong and Taiwan?  If we can evangelize the Chinese immigrants and train them to reach out to their own folk, or if the students after graduation go back to Mainland China, they can be messengers of the Gospel.  There must be a start.  These immigrants can also be encouraged to witness to their European neighbors.  Can our church organize a tour trip to Budapest, Hungary, for a week and at the same time use 2 or 3 days to minister to the Chinese there? 

A Chinese restaurant

On Sunday after worship, I went with Jerry and Jan to a Chinese restaurant for lunch.  It was Sunday and just 1 or 2 customers came at different times so that we had time to talk.  The owner's daughter, Mong Ya, is studying in the last year of high school in the same class with Coleman's son.  It is a Christian school. Every Saturday and Sunday she helps in the restaurant so that her mother will not be so busy.    Mong Ya speaks English, Hungarian and Mandarin. She is interested in the Bible but cannot understand much of the traditional Chinese.  I gave her a simplified Chinese Bible and some devotional books.  I shared with them how I believed in Jesus, who is the only true God.  They were interested in the origin of human beings.  We had a very good conversation.  We invited Mong Ya to go to church on the following Sunday.  She is learning to play the piano by herself from the Internet.  Jan is a piano teacher and offered to teach her.  That is a real great opportunity.  Please pray for Mong Ya. 

Half-day city tour

We stayed in the Abel Pancio (Abel Guest House).  It is across the street from the Free Methodist Ministry Center.  On Saturday afternoon Julia and Margaret took me and the three Brazilian brothers and sisters for a city tour in their two cars.  Though it was a rainy day and a bit cool, we all enjoyed it.  I was a bit excited to see the famous Danube and the Chain Bridge, the Parliament, Royal Palace, Fishermen's Bastion, and the Wine Cellar under the Hilton Hotel.  In fact, the Hilton Hotel was built on the foundation of a monastery which was built in the middle ages. The hotel kept the wine cellar.

Budapest Free Methodist Fellowship

The Budapest Free Methodist Fellowship has been going for about three years.  The average attendance is about 15.  Zeita came to learn English for two years and gradually built up trust in the missionary.  Then she came to the church regularly with her two children.  Her husband came with her, just to be cooperative with her.  After a camp, this couple found that the church really cared for people, not like other churches that only had formalities.  This couple are now sincere Christians and active in helping the ministries.

The Free Methodist Europe Ministry Center Administrative Assistant Julia was born in a Christian family.  Her father was very legalistic Christian.  They had to observe many rules.  Julia told me that almost all the churches were bound in formality.  She did not feel joy and liveliness in the church.  People were just "church goers."  After she had met our missionary and Europe Area Director Jerry and his wife Jan, and came to work in our office and came to our church, then she found a difference!  Christianity was joyful and lively!  When she had the course on "Who are Free Methodists?" she found this was what she had been looking for in her religious life - holy living, cell groups, caring for the needy and poor people, missions and reaching out to unreached people.  She is proud to be a member in the big family of the Free Methodist Church.  And so am I!

Margaret is another interesting sister.  She came back with her husband from the US to do "recovery ministry."  There are many homeless people, drug addicts, alcoholics and other people needing recovery of the body and soul.  Among these people, some were professionals.  She started a "recovery center" and also a shelter for the homeless people.  Margaret and her husband put these people into small groups and lead them Bible studies.  Through some contacts she met Julia and came to the Free Methodist Fellowship with her husband.  In the same way as Julia, they finally found this was the kind of church they had been looking for.   She invited the members in the recovery ministry to Sunday worship.  One of them said, "In the church I have found again the dignity of a human being, and the love and trust in people."

Pearl of Europe

Budapest is known as "the Pearl of Europe," like Hong Kong is "the Pearl of the Orient."  May Jesus use our Free Methodist Fellowship in Budapest.  May it shine for Jesus, like a pearl shines in the darkness.