Obedience in Hard Ground: Planting Churches in Germany
The soil where the Reformation began has become hard and unforgiving.
Once shaped by the world-shaking Reformation of the 1500s, Germany has seen decades of steady decline—marked by cultural secularization, biblical illiteracy, and growing indifference to the church.
What was once a stronghold of Christian conviction has become, in many ways, spiritually barren.
“Though historically Christian, Germany now is atheist in practice,” explains Lukas, a staff member at European Bible Training Center (EBTC), TMAI’s training center in Germany and Switzerland. “This creates a generally hostile environment for church planting.”
And the challenges are not only the result of worldly circumstances. Even within evangelical circles, many churches struggle with a shallow understanding of Scripture and a shortage of qualified leaders.
The result is hesitation—an unwillingness to press forward in the difficult, yet necessary, work of planting new churches.
A Biblical Necessity
For the students and alumni of EBTC, church planting is not a strategy driven by cultural trends or ministry preferences.
It is a matter of obedience.
“Church planting is a biblical necessity,” Lukas recognizes. “That would be reason enough.” He continues, tracing a pattern established in Scripture: “God’s Word faithfully taught works the desire to make disciples. Disciples make disciples. Churches plant churches.”
Conviction from the Word shapes everything.
The need for new, doctrinally-sound churches in Germany is clear—but even if it were not, the command remains. Christ builds His church, and He does so through faithful proclamation and multiplication.
“Church planting is not a strategy driven by cultural trends or ministry preferences. It is a matter of obedience.”
Out of that conviction, EBTC established a church planting workshop—not as a theoretical exercise, but as a practical means of equipping men for faithful ministry.
Now in its third round, with a fourth planned for late 2026, the workshop has steadily grown, drawing pastors from around Germany—many trained through EBTC—who meet the biblical qualifications for leadership.
This is not an introductory seminar. It is a focused, Scripture-driven training designed to prepare men for the realities of church planting. Participants work through the biblical foundations of planting, the character and calling of a church planter, and the practical phases involved in establishing and shepherding a new congregation.
All of this for the sake of what sound, doctrinal preaching produces: hearts transformed, lives that are redeemed, and futures full of hope.
The aim is not merely understanding, but obedience—equipping men to labor faithfully, even when the ground is hard and the labor formidable.
New Challenges, New Opportunities
Cultivating the soil for healthy churches requires confronting both cultural and spiritual obstacles.
Secularism shapes public life. Biblical literacy remains low, even among professing believers. Many churches do not have consistent—if any—expository preaching. And small, faithful churches facing these difficulties have become reluctant to take risks, slowing the work of multiplication.
At the same time, Germany’s demographics are dramatically changing.
Immigration has brought new cultural and linguistic complexities, requiring great wisdom and adaptability in ministry. Yet, it has also brought the nations to Germany’s doorstep—opening doors for the gospel among people who may never have encountered it in their home countries.
And so, the men of EBTC serving around the nation are eager, ready, and equipped to meet this need.
The Spirit’s Work
Despite the challenges, the Lord is at work.
The church-planting workshop is not built around attendance metrics or financial gain. It exists because Scripture commands the work, and faithful men are compelled to obey.
“The need for new, doctrinally-sound churches in Germany is clear—but even if it were not, the command remains. Christ builds His church, and He does so through faithful proclamation and multiplication. ”
“In this world, supply and demand often determine what is offered,” Lukas reflects. “For us, it is what God commands. We comply—and He will send the demand.”
And already, fruit is evident. Six teams from six churches are now preparing for the work ahead—all led by men equipped, strengthened, and committed to the task.
While the path ahead is long and difficult, EBTC remains steadfastly committed to providing shepherding for these ministry leaders.
“It is a side-by-side walk,” Lukas explains. “We maintain regular contact with these churches and accompany them toward the goal of church planting.”
The soil may be hard, but the labor continues. Millions in Germany are in need of the living water promised by Christ (John 7:37–39).
Please pray with us for the students and graduates of EBTC as they go out into Germany, bringing the Word of God that alone can transform their nation.
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