Developing and Empowering the Church of Berlin
Passionate about the German Church, Praying for the East Germans, Purposefully connecting the Two
Ministry Happens Here
Above: At my “ministry stoop” in the anarchist quarter of Berlin
Welcome!
Melissa has already served two years in Berlin as a short-term missionary with ReachGlobal and is back in the US raising support to go Long Term (5 years or more) with the same organization and Berlin Team.
Her desire to serve Germany is fueled by a deep conviction to use the talents and passions God has given her for His Kingdom purposes. She spent her 20s in the US working across various ministries of Ohio telling stories of God’s work locally and abroad through photos, videos, and social media.
It was serving with her local church’s high school youth department however, that Melissa developed a love for organic discipleship and evangelizing relationally: by simply doing life with people, getting to know them, and making sure that they know there’s a God who made them and loves them.
As a university student, Melissa spent her junior year living in northwest Germany. She immediately began the search for a church community and was disheartened to find empty cathedral after empty cathedral. Finally, she was blessed to find a vibrant, yet small, church community on the outskirts of town. Her experiences that year left her filled with hope and a burden for the dwindling European Church. She has been praying for a pathway back to Germany ever since, wanting to link arms with and serve the church in whatever capacity she could.
During her first term, God opened up relational inroads with friends found through shared hobbies, church partnership, and most notably her beloved East Berliner anarchists. It’s that last group, forgotten and marginalized by their own country, that Melissa’s heart breaks for the most and is eager to support churches that would welcome her rough-around-the-edges punks.
WHERE I SERVE
Berlin, Germany
3.64 million
As Germany’s largest city, Berlin is just smaller than Los Angeles, California.
>60%
Considered the atheist capital of the world, many in Berlin claim no spiritual belief.
<3%
Very few Christians attend any church service.
WHAT WE DO
Partner with local Gospel leaders to see the city transformed by the power of Christ
Invest in people, not just churches buildings.
While the Church is God’s Plan A for how Believers demonstrate to the world God’s love and desire for relationship with them, most people in Berlin wouldn’t step foot inside a church even with an invitation.
This is why we are committed to living our lives in a way that demonstrates loving God well and loving others as ourselves - in all areas of life, not only in Sunday services. This means being involved in our local community and having sincere friendships with people outside of our church. We are here to demonstrate through our lives and words why knowing God matters, even in a Western Europe context.
For every foot we have in a community outside of the church, we believe it is necessary to have a direct line of sight to a healthy church body that those friends could connect with once they decide.
Mobilize the Local Church
Our love for God is what drives our love and commitment to others. Our local churches aren't necessarily buildings - they are people, they are a family. We desire that our neighborhoods would come to know who God is by the way we come alongside to serve them, offer support, and live our lives for Jesus.
Invest in Leaders
Living out the Great Commission is a call to making disciples, not only converts. We are committed to developing, partnering with, and empowering our national leaders as they make disciples in their local context.
Take Action
PRAY
Nothing is more essential to this work than prayer and Scripture. It's what keeps our hearts on track with God's will and transforms our own lives to look more like His. I would love to invite you onto my prayer team!
connect
Through regular e-mail and video updates, my desire is that you would begin to see Berlin as a home away from home! You're invited to stay in the loop of what life is like as an expatriate and European church worker. Together we can bring the global church that much closer together and glorify God by sharing what He is doing in our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ!
GIVE
This ministry is funded by the incredibly generous support from individuals and churches who believe in what God is doing, both in Berlin and in my own life. Being part of God's Kingdom work is a privilege and my prayer is that He would continue to show His steadfast faithfulness to you as you partner in giving to His work!
Join The Team
While this calling may seem specific to me, I can't do this on my own. Scripture paints a picture of God intentionally partnering with humanity to bring about His plan for salvation. I want to extend the same invitation to you.
Would you partner with me in bringing the hope of Christ to Berlin?
latest news
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TESTIMONIALS
“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what you said - that Jesus died for us out of love. I had never heard that before.””
“Melissa is an outstanding person who lives out everything that she says she believes.
I’m a better Pastor because I know her.”
Rick Eimers | Missions Pastor,
Cuyahoga Valley Church
“I looked at someone like you, who lives their life AND is a passionate follower of Jesus and thought, ‘hm, maybe I don’t have to change who I am to follow Jesus’””
The Evangelical Free Church of America exists to glorify God by multiplying transformation churches among all people.