The story of St. Luke’s Church is one only God could write. St. Luke’s is located in Berlin, Germany. Like many churches in Germany, St. Luke’s is a story of death and rebirth. During WWII, St. Luke's pastor was removed and another pastor, more sympathetic to National Socialism (Nazism), was installed. The building itself was destroyed as the Russians closed in on Berlin in 1945. Over the following six decades, congregations disbanded and were merged at St. Luke's. Now there are three congregations in the building: a new church plant led by Resonate missionaries David Kromminga and Mary Buteyne. This new community is made up of Germans, Iranians, Syrians and a potpourri of other travelers and immigrants. Two other congregations--one Eritrean and one Turkish--make their home at St. Luke’s as well. The work at St. Luke's is a collaboration between the Berliner Stadtmission (a ministry of the German Protestant Church) and Resonate Global Mission. In addition to the work of church planting, David, Mary and their team are also hosting a German-language learning coffee shop where many Muslim asylum-seekers learn to integrate into their host country. This is a great opportunity to build relationships and share the love of Christ. The most amazing thing is that immigrant and refugee believers are leading the way in mission, sharing God’s love with new arrivals from their countries and ethnic groups. The Holy Spirit is doing an amazing thing in mission and we give thanks that Resonate and the Christian Reformed Church can be part of it.
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| David and Mary hold language cafes in the Refugio, a coffee shop where immigrants and refugees can socialize and access services. Teaching refugees and immigrants German is a great opportunity to share God's love. |
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| St. Luke's Church in the heart of Berlin provides space for three churches to meet and houses a host of other important ministries. |
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| St. Luke's spire reflects off the facades of office buildings. Surrounded by powerful German media companies, midweek worship and outreach is another opportunity for the congregations meeting in St. Luke's to share Christ. |
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| A vibrant Iranian Farsi-speaking congregation hosted by the Berliner Stadtmission in Berlin is evidence of the the great Christian awakening among Iranians. Interestingly, the Gospel first penetrated Iran soon after the close of the New Testament period by Nestorian Christians whose mission work took them as far as Japan and China. Today, despite persecution and opposition, the church in Iran is growing again by leaps and bounds. |
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| David and Mary hold church services twice a month for their growing church plant made up of Iranians, Syrians, Germans and a handful of Americans. |
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