Missions Textbook Epilogue

We Never Saw It Coming: An Introduction to Christian Missions (textbook)

Our Christian songs are filled with that joyous anticipation of the things we will see and do when we stand before the throne and cast our crowns – given by Him – at His feet. We know that when we all get to heaven, seeing Jesus will be the greatest joy. One of the things we will praise Him for is for the chain of faithful people who led up to each one of us giving our life to Christ. Missionaries don’t always have the blessing of seeing that chain in this lifetime, but we were allowed to see it as we spent four weeks in Austria this past summer. We were overwhelmed with the bountiful grace of God and the faithful work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer.

But first a summary: In February of 1980, Christine and I moved with our two young sons, Erich and Michael, to Graz, Austria, in the province of Styria. I enrolled at the University and studied translation and interpretation for five years. I studied because an elderly missionary had told us not to tell people in Europe we were missionaries, if we wanted to have a chance to speak to them of the gospel. In my classes, I met young men and women and invited them home to supper. I was able to convince a few of them to read the Bible with me, and the Holy Spirit through God’s word convicted some of “sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). Eventually, we were able to teach them about the local church, and in 1984, we planted our first church in Graz, meeting in our apartment for 14 months until we outgrew the space. Bernd and Karin Flock arrived around that time and were a tremendous encouragement and help in discipling new believers and training them to lead their own church.

Through a believer in Graz, we were able to begin a Bible study in the small town of Mureck, and in another couple of years, there was a small church there, as well.

We left Graz in the spring of 1988 so we could spend a year in Portland and so our boys could work on their rusty English. Of course, we knew we were loved, and no one wanted us to leave, but we knew from Scripture that the Holy Spirit would continue to grow them, even if we left.

In fall of 1989, we moved to Lower Austria, starting in Vienna and ending up living in a village about an hour west of Vienna. This time, our co-worker was a multi-talented organic gardener, Walter Mauerhofer, from Switzerland. He had the idea to appeal to the Austrians’ love for their land and nature as a tool to introduce the Gospel. He held meetings promoting organic gardening in all the larger towns in the northern and western portion of Lower Austria. He was very open about his faith, and although there was much opposition, Floyd eventually had many Bible studies to lead. At one point he was teaching ten evangelistic Bible studies within each two-week period, some two hours away from our home. From the converts, Walter and Floyd were able to start a church in the capital city of that area, St. Pölten.

When our younger son was finished with high school in 2005, the political scene had changed, and Floyd saw an opportunity to fulfill a life-long dream: to bring the gospel to Russia in the Russian language. So, we said our good-byes, and left Austria.

We have not lived in Graz now for many years, but that is where our trip to Austria in the summer of July 2014 began. In some ways, it was like a home-coming – except better.

We were invited to hold meetings in Graz-East (that’s the name of the church), and we were also invited into the homes of our dear friends for incredibly delicious lunches and suppers and coffee times.  Wienerschnitzel and apple strudel and pork roast with dumplings and Austria’s famous Sachertorte. If we hadn’t been walking so much, we probably would have gained ten pounds!

One of the great joys for us was to see how much the believers as individuals had grown. Sometimes we missionaries get the idea that we are vital to God’s plan. God, however, allows us to be a part of His plan when we long to serve Him, but His plan will go forward because it is His plan. Our dear friends and siblings-in-Christ have grown in their faith because the Holy Spirit lives within them, and it is His job to grow believers. After we left, God brought other believers into their lives to teach and encourage them. Churches in other areas of Austria invited them to leadership seminars. Organizations such as Operation Mobilization and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship also contributed to their growing love for Jesus Christ.

Years ago, as we were preparing to leave, the believers didn’t want us to go. They thought they were too young in their faith and that things would slow down or stop. However, most of those students have grown up and gotten married and had children, raising them in the churches in Graz and Mureck. Most of the marriages have hung together, and many of their children have become believers and now they are reaching out to students at the university as Floyd and their parents did. Naturally because of work and family obligations, many have moved into other towns and villages in the area and have begun Bible studies there. In Deutschlandsberg, southwest of Graz, there is a large Bible study, with the potential for beginning another small church. We also visited a new church (new for us; it’s actually about 10 years old) in Gleisdorf, east of Graz.

After we left Styria, we were able to visit – much too briefly – our Swiss co-worker, Walter Mauerhofer and his wife, Esther. Walter now lives in Burgenland, which is roughly southeast of Vienna. It too is a very needy area, and Walter continues to hold gardening seminars, assisted by photographers and gardeners and his now-grown children from the church in St. Pölten. Please pray for the work in Eisenstadt, Burgenland – that the Holy Spirit will soften hearts and bring many to the knowledge of the truth of the Gospel. Perhaps someday, there will be a new church in Burgenland.

Our second two weeks were spent in Lower Austria. The first week was more relaxing, as we knew we would see almost everyone from the church in St. Pölten the following week at a week-long family retreat. Max, an elderly gentleman who came to the Lord through our ministry at the age of 60, treated us to an all-day ship excursion on the (flooded!) Danube River – something Christine had always wanted to do.

The family retreat was held at a youth hostel almost on the border of the Czech Republic. During that week, Floyd preached 14 sessions mostly in Second Corinthians – all in German of course – and we had many wonderful conversations with old friends. Everyone’s children are all grown, and in some cases, their children look like their parents looked nineteen years ago. We sang together, prayed together, laughed and cried together. We heard so many testimonies of the grace of God in their lives. And we met people for the first time who had been led to the Lord by someone we had taught so many years ago. What a joy!

Many of you who are reading this prayed for us many years ago, as we shared individual stories and asked you to pray for salvation and healing in the lives of our friends in Austria. Thank you for praying and supporting us. When we obey God by going or by praying or by giving or by writing encouraging letters to the missionary, we are all allowed by God to take part in His Grand Plan. Someday, when we are in heaven, we will rejoice to discover how many people had a part in bringing us to our meeting with Jesus Christ. And we will also rejoice when we meet so many people who are grateful for our faithfulness as we tried to serve God by praying for the missionaries.

Returning to the States was difficult this time. The believers in Austria knew Christine and I have been instrumental in planting a church in Spokane, WA, and Floyd was teaching Theology, Bible, and Intercultural Studies at a Bible college. In spite of that knowledge they wanted to know if the church was far enough along to do without us, and if someone else couldn’t take my place at the Bible college. One couple even offered to help us find a place to live and a car. There are so few workers there, and the need is so great. Returning to the States was difficult this time. Maybe in a couple more years . . .

Back in the States, we wrote thank-you notes to all the believers in Austria who showed us such warm hospitality. We were bursting with joy at all that the Lord has done. Over and over again, we wrote them Paul’s words: “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy” (First Thessalonians 2:19-20).

We Never Saw It Coming: An Introduction to Christian Missions (textbook)

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