Celebrating Ten Years in Austria
April 2022
On April 23, 2012, we moved from the United States to Vienna, Austria to pursue the following vision:
Austrians and our immigrant population following Jesus, being formed, educated, equipped, and sent out for missional living in community, locally and globally.
We celebrate God's work these ten years and want to share with you ten brief snapshots of how we have seen this vision becoming reality.
1. A fantastic network of partners
Thank you for how you as a community pray and give financially to advance the work towards our vision among Austrians and our immigrant population!
2. Language learning and acculturation
We use our knowledge of the German language and Austrian culture to connect and serve in ministry!
3. Bureaucratic sustainability
Although navigating the Austrian and American bureaucracy has been challenging, we believe we have found sustainable, long-term solutions.
4. Short-term trips in Austria and Central Asia
We have hosted short-term teams in Austria and sent Gregory to our immigrant population's country to support church planting in the largest city there.
5. Church planting among our focus immigrant population
We’ve laid important ground work. Gregory and a team have nearly finished a website to reach this immigrant population in German-speaking Europe, scheduled for release soon!
6. Mobilization
We’ve had dozens of conversations with individuals wanting to increase their engagement with God’s purposes among our people groups and are supporting efforts hopefully to bring GEM’s first-ever unit to Austria from a Muslim-majority context!
7. Campus Danubia (CD)
Through Gregory’s role as lecturer in New Testament Theology, he has taught half a dozen course offerings, instructing some of Austria’s present and future leaders!
8. Project management
We use our aptitudes and gifts in strategic planning and administration to serve; for example, Gregory has supported CD’s advancement and fundraising campaigns.
9. Local church ministry
We value partnership with local ministries and have invested in preaching, teaching, evangelistic outreach, starting two small groups, and one-on-one discipleship and mentoring!
10. Songs of worship in German
Kim has written songs for the church. God is using these songs to challenge and encourage our local church; eight of her songs were sung a total of 58 times in the last three years!