Orange County and Beyond
Making Disciples of All Nations
It’s easy to lose focus on the big picture. Often times, we are only looking at our situation, and we forget about all that the Lord is doing around the world. It’s both encouraging and edifying to habitually step back and look at the big picture.
Our family of churches, Sovereign Grace Churches (SGC), exists to plant and strengthen churches for the glory of God. Our partners are located all across the world. It’s a joy to see and hear the stories of the gospel message transcending cultures, breaking barriers, and changing lives. Below, you’ll find an excerpt from a testimony written by Jeff Purswell, our Director of Theology, about his recent trip to train pastors in Germany. We’d encourage you to check out the SGC Missions blog for more stories like this. You can also sign up for the monthly newsletter to make it a habit to see what the Lord is doing around the world and to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
When most Christians think of Germany, they think of Martin Luther and the birth of the Reformation in Wittenburg. As precious as that history is, my own thoughts of Germany run first to the city of Hamburg and the Arche Church, led by my dear friend Christian Wegert and his remarkable pastoral team. In early May, after 3 long years of Covid-delayed fellowship, I had the great joy of returning to Hamburg to teach a course in their Pastoren Kolleg (Pastors College) and to participate in the college’s second graduation ceremony. Of the many trips I have taken there, I don’t recall a sweeter one…
Of the 23 students who attended my course on Biblical Theology, 21 were from Germany and two were from Ukraine—both now living in Germany as refugees. Four more students joined us via livestream: two from Ukraine and two from Russia. The Arche has affiliated churches in both of these countries, although the Russian churches have had to break off all formal relationships due to government restrictions and surveillance. Despite this, the undaunted, unifying, and hope-giving power of the gospel was palpably present over my days in Hamburg.
I wish I could recount the harrowing stories I heard from the two Ukrainian students, along with our Russian translator, Marina, who has translated every course I’ve taught there. I wish I could introduce you to Michael Ostanin, a 2018 graduate of the Pastoren Kolleg and the pastor of Ark Church Dnipro, who remains in Ukraine, working around the clock to serve wave after wave of refugees with food, shelter, and the hope of the gospel. (SGC’s European fund has been a vital means of support for the work Michael and his church are doing).
More striking than the tragic details of these stories, however, were the heart-felt expressions of unwavering trust in Christ and hope in the promises of the gospel. As Marina told me, “We stand firm on the rock of the one thing they cannot take away.” I emerged from every conversation deeply humbled, but also inspired by the fortifying effects of God’s Word in the lives of these dear saints. It’s difficult to imagine a more rich context in which to explore the glories of Scripture together….