On a hill high just off the Elbe River sits a mighty fortress. Towering above the skyline a pillar of All Saints’ Church peers down at the old town below. The words “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” inscribed among the clouds. After a speedy drive on the speed limitless autobahn, we stood like ants in the face of a giant on Wittenberg’s cobblestone streets. Wittenberg, the home of the protestant reformation, where Martin Luther lived and studied the Word of God. We had the great privilege to visit the very spot where Luther nailed his 95 theses. Yes, we know there is no specific power in that plot of land, but it does seem to cause a stir in my heart and soul to ponder how this small town in the German countryside has played a major role in the history of the church and the spread of the Gospel globally.
Our morning was occupied by exploring the grandeur of this beautiful church inside and out. The stained glass to the massive pipe organ. The intricately engraved woodwork of the pews to the towering concrete pillars and ceilings. We let our praise fill the room in song as we sang Amazing Grace and the Doxology. We climbed the dizzying stairs of the mighty fortress’ tower to overlook the quaint town. All of it is so beautiful and a reflection of our Maker. I believe I can speak for the whole team when I say we are so thankful for the opportunity to be here in Germany. An opportunity from God first and foremost, but an opportunity made possible by many of you reading this. God is so good. God is so kind. God is so gracious. He is the giver of such good gifts one of which being his grace. His grace is unfathomable, just ask Martin Luther. It truly is not by anything we can buy or earn, but it is by grace through faith; a glorious gift from God!
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10
We spent lunch and a large portion of the afternoon meandering around the town. Finding local eats and searching for souvenirs. One of our objectives was to meet up with a friend that Todd, Brad, Dan, and I met on our trip to Wittenberg two years prior. When we met her she was a relatively new believer and as we sat in the bakery where she worked sheover heard us talking and asked, “Do you love Jesus?” From there she connected with Dan and Debbie, in fact we even brought a long a book Debbie had been meaning to give her. She is yearning to find a good local church around where she lives in Wittenberg, so we would encourage you all to be praying for her and her family. Pray for Wittenberg too. You would think that the home of Martin Luther would have more solid churches, but that is seemingly not the case.
Our evening concluded with a cookout with our grill master Florian (Dan and Debbie’s son-in-law). Meats, pretzels, and special Saxony delicacies filled our bellies. The heat finally subsided the day before, so we enjoyed a cool glorious Berlin evening on the newly restored back patio. Florian also took time to share his testimony with the team. A testimony of God drawing Florian to himself through a fiery middle schooler named Lydia Willoughby. It was so encouraging to hear the way God has moved in his life. We are so deeply thankful for the way Florian, Lydia, and their three girls have made us feel like family as 20 some people trampled around their house all day and night. We also apologize for the loud chaos from the game Moose Master while the little girls slept.
Would you pray for us as we seek to put a bow on all of our work projects at the Willoughby residence? Pray for lasting impact from our trip and that it would be a door opener for the Willoughby’s and Schoffke’s to have conversations about Jesus. Pray that the testimonies the teens have heard would cut to their hearts and encourage their walk with Christ.
Thank you all for tracking with our journey! We will see you all so soon!