More workers needed for Europe outreach

USA (MNN) — Today there are 820 million people living in Europe. But less than two-percent of them are followers of Jesus. Greater Europe Mission is doing something about it, but they need your help.

President of Greater Europe Mission Henry Deneen says in order to reach Europe and North Africa, it has to be God's plan. So, Deneen says GEM leaders and staff are asking a lot of questions of God: "How do You want me to pray? With whom do You want me to intersect? How do You want us to spend our time and our resources?"

Deneen says it's important to focus on intercessory prayer before implementing strategy. "We've developed some internal pieces for prayer, as well as external, and are saying to donors and friends all around the world, 'Pray with us first that God will direct, that God will lead, and that God will use us in the best possible way.'"

These prayer efforts have allowed GEM to reach out into Bulgaria, which is strategic. "It sits right on the edge of Turkey, Macedonia, and these other places, and the Bulgarians are starting to catch the vision of reaching other nations. So, they're sort of a pipe-line for the Muslim world from Turkey–through Bulgaria to cities like Cologne, Germany."

Deneen adds that it's not enough to be followers themselves. "But by reproducing themselves–reproducing churches, moving down into Turkey to Macedonia to other surrounding countries–Bulgaria could become a great light there in eastern Europe."

Deneen says, "I'm bullish on what God is doing in Europe and North Africa because we're seeing doors open in powerful ways."

There is a need for more workers, especially as GEM begins to expand the outreach further. "We're beginning to moving into London, into Edinburgh, Scotland, and we're calling people to pioneer with us and partner with us and develop with us. So perhaps somebody listening to this would be encouraged by what we've seen God do in Sophia."

The need right now is for Christians to get involved. Deneen says, "We're talking to people about engaging with a particular city, engaging through prayer, by sending teams and focusing on Muslims and others who are coming to the cities."

Deneen says every nation of the world is coming to one location, and GEM is responding to it with their newest Web site, http://www.EveryNationOneLocation.com.