History
Germany is home to one of Europe’s oldest cultures.
Its traditional name is “Deutschland.” A land of proud people
and traditions, it is known for beautiful forests, mountains and rivers.
The countryside is dotted with scores of castles from Medieval and Renaissance
times. The people enjoy working, eating, and spending time outdoors.
Germany’s history is scarred by feudal strife, devastating wars and
religious conflicts. Germany was united in 1871 under King Wilhelm I of
Prussia who became Emperor. The German Empire peaked before World War I
and went into decline after its defeat in 1918. The 1930s were years of
short-lived prosperity that ended with World War II. With help from the
West, Germany recovered and today is an economic success story. Its government
is comprised of an elected president, prime minister and parliament.
Church
History
The Catholic Church was the largest influence over Germans
until the 1500’s. But Martin Luther resisted the Church, preaching
that "the just shall live by faith" and that all people could
read the Bible and receive the Holy Spirit. These teachings began the Reformation
and the birth of evangelical movements.
The German Pentecostal movement began in 1907 when Norwegian missionaries
visited en route to India and ministered in several cities. Many Lutherans
received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and then met in Hamburg the following
year to establish biblical guidelines and doctrine for their church. The
Pentecostal movement in Germany exploded and spread into neighboring countries.
Many believers were imprisoned or killed during the Nazi regime. But the
movement survived Adolf Hitler’s persecutions and continued growing
after WW II. Evangelical pioneers John and Ella Mae Lindvall came to Germany
in 1948 to assist Pentecostals there, but were restricted to West Germany
after Communism took over in the East. Evangelism continued in the West
and the Berean Bible School was founded in 1951.
The
Movement Today
Today, many Pentecostal fellowships work together
for evangelism in Germany. The oldest is the Muehlheimer; others include
the Union of Free Pentecostal Churches, "Bund Freikirchlicher Pfingstgemeinden"
(BFP) that operates the Berean Bible School, and the Volksmission.
Approximately 50 Assemblies of God missionaries and missionary associates
work with these groups in the areas of church planting, family counseling,
children’s ministry, evangelistic literature distribution, community
outreaches, Teen Challenge and campus ministry.
The BFP reports 528 churches and outstations with nearly 50,000 members
and adherents, and 840 ministers. During the 1970’s, two churches
were planted through the efforts of the BFP, four churches in the 80’s,
while the decade of the 90’s saw an acceleration of growth with 60
churches being planted. (Thirty more churches were planted by other Pentecostal
groups). Currently, there are 32 extension Bible schools in Germany, with
more than 500 students enrolled.
Additional
Facts About Germany
Capital:
Berlin
Area:
137,803 square miles
Population:
82,079,454
Urbanization: 87%
Education: Compulsory from ages 6-15; Literacy rate is 100%
Agriculture:
Grains, potatoes, sugar beets.
Economy: Steel, ships, vehicles, machinery, electronics, coal, chemicals, iron, cement,
food and beverages. |
