Celebrating our First Term in Austria
2016
As we completed our first term serving in Austria, we wanted to share with you our top ten list of the ways we have observed God working in and through us for his glory in the ministry in country.  Celebrate with us the great things He has done!
1. Progressing through Language Learning and Acculturation
In our first year, we completed our formal study of the German language, passed the required proficiency exams, and began the arduous journey of learning to appreciate and work within Austrian culture.  Although we still view ourselves as involved in ongoing language learning and acculturation on-the-job, we are both already well-equipped for life and ministry in the language and culture, living and working comfortably daily in them!
2. Beginning and Concluding Ministry with Biblical Training on Location (BAO)
Gregory served for two years with BAO, the church-based training organization for which he was initially recruited. He completed a year-long working internship and then taught two semester-long seminars at our local church, one on evangelism and one on the worship gathering in the life of the Local Church. He also aided in various administrative and curriculum development capacities, even taking a leadership role in a project aimed at integrating new technologies and media into the curriculum to aid learning.
3. Forging New Ground with the Evangelical Academy (EVAK)
After two years in country, Gregory was asked to consider joining the faculty of the Evangelical Academy to instruct in New Testament, and accepted in early 2015.  God has caused this institution’s present need for qualified faculty and his passion for Biblical Studies to intersect, affording Gregory the opportunity to be used of God to influence Austria’s present and next generation of local church leaders.  At present Gregory is developing a course in NT Greek Syntax and NT Textual Criticism to be taught in 2016, and is already in discussion with the EVAK concerning future courses and contributions.
4. Finding a Local Church for our Family
Even before we relocated to Vienna in 2012, God connected us with a small, Evangelical, Austrian church in the 10th district of Vienna. He has used this community to bless us and encourage us, and we have been able to use our spiritual gifts to serve God’s people in this community.
5. Serving in and with the Austrian, Evangelical Church
Together we’ve had many opportunities to serve God and his people in our local church. By God’s grace we were one of two families to found a new small group in our district, which we hosted and led in many capacities before transitioning out after two years of involvement; the group continues to meet, praise God! God also opened a door for Gregory and Kim to serve in music at our local church. Kim particularly has helped provide leadership for the worship band, has recruited and mentored new leaders, and has written worship songs in German for our local church, six of which we've already drawn into the regular repertoire!
6. Making Progress in the Church Planting Initiative
This first term has afforded us opportunity to make critical and significant progress towards church planting among our focus immigrant population, one of the larger unreached people groups in the world.  We have already begun to research for and develop a long-term, contextualized strategic plan, including utilizing statistical data and our own empirical observations to guide our thinking and praying.  Additionally, in the last few years, God opened up important networks for Gregory in the Austrian, Evangelical community in preparation for our anticipated launch in our second term.  Gregory has met with key leaders to discuss possibilities for future partnership, and has already identified ready and willing long-term partners, as well as potential projects in partnership to aid in church planting. It seems evident that God is already preparing the hearts of those who will serve with us during our second term and beyond!
7. Ministering Among our Immigrant Population
God connected us with a mother and two daughters from our focus immigrant population, who became followers of Jesus just before we relocated to Vienna in 2012. Â Since their baptism in 2013, Kim has met regularly with the mother for prayer, discipleship, and accountability. Â The number of known believers in Vienna from this people group is around a dozen, and we are grateful for this intimate connection to one family. Â Not only do we pray with them for the rest of their family to be called of God in Christ, but we also seek to actively encourage and join them in this ministry of evangelism in their social network.
8. Mentoring a new Follower of Jesus
God connected us with a retirement-age, former Roman Catholic who was curious about the burgeoning Evangelical community in Austria.  Gregory was blessed to accompany her through the process of responding to God’s grace in the Gospel , and he has worked with her one-on-one to discuss Evangelical understandings of the the Gospel, the Lord’s Supper, Baptism, and Scripture study methods.  In this process God has moved her to seek to share the Scriptures and the Gospel therein with others, and she plans to be baptized in our local church in the summer of 2016!
9. Responding to the Influx of Refugees
In early September 2015 the massive influx of Syrian refugees began to pour into Austria, which occupies a strategic land crossing into Western Europe. Consequently, God intersected our lives and our home with four groups of Syrian refugees in September, 21 people in all. We were moved by the urgent needs for housing, showers, and supplies for the tens of thousands of refugees flooding into Vienna weekly. When hosting these people, we sought not only to meet their tangible, temporal needs, but also their spiritual needs, praying with and for them and distributing New Testaments as gifts to our guests. We still have contact with some via social media and pray God connects them with other followers of Jesus wherever they may be in Europe.
10. Engaging in Relational Evangelism
In the midst of life and vocational ministry, God has given us many relationships in which we have been able to point to or share the Gospel naturally and in casual relationships.  Some contexts include our neighbors in our apartment building, connections with parents in our children’s Kindergarten, language school, and language conversation partners.  We trust that God's Word will not return void, but will accomplish the purpose for which it was sent.  We also look forward to continuing forward in these relationships, seeking to love these people with the love of Christ.