Central Church of God
5301 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270
Europe
Central supports ministries and missionaries in the following countries in Europe. Click on the countries below for more information:
Spain
England
Germany
Italy
Czech Republic
Scotland
Bulgaria
Jaume and Maricarmen Torrado
A little over seven years ago, Central decided to support the ministry of Pastor Jaume Torrado and to be a part of God’s plan in bringing light to nearly 7,300 towns and cities of Spain that don’t have the testimony of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Seven years ago it was all a dream. There were just over 25 believers meeting in two small places in an area where the gospel had the least impact. Today the ministry has grown and now has a presence in 11 towns, totaling more than 400 people that meet each Sunday to worship and glorify God.
In December of 2005 Pastor Torrado and his team inaugurated the first Christian radio station of the region. For the first time in history, this region’s radio waves carry the message of salvation. God has been gracious to allow them to broadcast 24 hours a day and to even have the support of a representative of the Catalan government. Almost seven hundred thousand people have the daily opportunity to hear the message of love and reconciliation of Jesus Christ in their own language.
The ministry's presence is reaching into all the areas throughout the region. They have opened a shelter where they assist marginalized people (homeless, alcoholics, drug addicts, the poor, immigrants, etc…). Today, there are more than 700 people who receive food on a weekly basis from the social center and dozens come daily to sleep in their shelter and most importantly, many of them have a transforming experience with Jesus.
In the last few years, Central has had the opportunity to reach out to the hearts of the people through the ministry of the Central Choir. What had been only a dream for many throughout the years started to become a reality in October of 2004. During that first concert tour more than seven thousand non-believers attended the Gospel Concerts, allowing the Holy Spirit to impact their lives with the presence of God. In October of 2006 the second tour in Spain saw an attendance of eleven thousand people as the choir ministered in different cities. Today, thanks to the Choir’s visit, a local Gospel Choir has been formed in Catalonia and they have performed in several different venues throughout the region. Central’s impact was such that they became the gateway through which many churches have started to develop faith to bring other gospel choirs to reach their towns with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Jaume and Maricarmen want to keep on dreaming about the 7,200 towns and cities that don’t have a testimony of the powerful Gospel of Jesus Christ and they would like to give everything they have to reach one more for Christ.
In 2005, Manuel graduated from the European Theological Seminary (Germany) with a Bachelor in Theology majoring in Pastoral and Music Studies and is currently pursuing his Masters Degree in Theology and Biblical Studies with Lee University and will graduate in the Spring of 2009.
Manuel is also the Director and a teacher of the European Theological Seminary’s (ETS) extension in Spain and the Education Coordinator of the Jericho Project, a church planting ministry in the area of Catalonia.
Central has been involved with the Peniel Christian Centre and the ministry of Elaine Whittingham in Leabrooks for the past 12 years. Further information about the church and its ministries will be posted at a later date.
Ina Steyn
.jpg)
Ina Steyn, was born in Namibia, but is a South African citizen. Ina has been involved in missions since 1992, working in Mozambique, Siberia, Scotland and several other African nations in Intercession. Ina is serving with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in the Western Europe Leadership Team, covering leaders and teams across 11 nations: Ireland and the UK (comprised by Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England), the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. Ina's main focus is to increase prayer and spiritual well-being in the workers in Western Europe. She travels on a regular basis to nations and teams to teach, encourage and bring prophetic understanding, helping leaders to process and implement this in their teams.
She is also serving alongside the International Chairman of YWAM in prayer, bringing prophetic insight for the Mission globally.
Blayne and Angie Waltrip are missionaries to the nations of France and Germany. As missionaries in Europe, they have a burden for church planting, teaching and training ministers for the Kingdom of God. For twenty years Blayne has had a burden for Europe. In order to prepare for a ministry in Christian education, Blayne left his career in international business to study at the Church of God Theological Seminary where he served in several leadership roles and graduated in 1999 with a Master of Arts degree in Discipleship and Christian Formation. After Seminary, he served as a youth pastor and evangelist in the Paris area.
Angie is a native of Georgia and felt the call to be a missionary when she was very young. Angie graduated from Lee University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and from the Church of God Theological Seminary in 1993 with a Master of Divinity. Blayne and Angie’s daughter, Angelina Noëlle Waltrip, was born on May 27, 2004! Now as a family they want to use their experience, education and gifting to serve the Lord together in Europe.
The Waltrips have been appointed to the faculty of the European Theological Seminary (ETS) in Kniebis, Germany. While teaching at ETS, the Waltrips will develop a team of students to pioneer an international (multi-cultural/multi-lingual) church in the nearby city of Strasbourg, France. On the border with Germany, Strasbourg is a historical city where there are several international organizations and three major universities. Consequently, there are thousands of workers and students from around the world living in Strasbourg. Blayne and Angie have a passion to reach a harvest of French youth, young professionals, families, immigrants, and college students.
Benson and Cathy Vaughan
Benson and Cathy Vaughan are missionary-teachers at the European Theological Seminary (ETS) in Kniebis, Germany. As partners they share a music, teaching, and preaching ministry as the Lord opens doors of opportunity.
ETS offers ministerial, pastoral, Christian education and music training to men and women from all over Europe, Africa, the CIS and the Middle East. These young people are the future leaders of the Church of God throughout the world. Benson is the director of all music activities at ETS, and teaches Christian education and multicultural classes. Cathy is the librarian for ETS, and teaches Library Research, Senior Paper Research Writing, and team teaches several other classes.
The Vaughans also lead a music and evangelism team throughout the year to local churches in Germany, and every Easter they take the ETS team to minister in other countries. The tour involves preaching and music ministry; however, it also includes practical ministry (cleaning, painting, repairs, etc.). In 2006 the team traveled to Portugal, where 15 people gave their hearts to the Lord. In 2007 the team traveled to Scotland, and 19 people committed their lives to Christ. In 2008, the ETS Singers traveled to the north and east of Germany, where the Holy Spirit used the group to minister to many hurting people; including: prostitues, the homeless, alcoholics, and drug addicts. God loves these people as well, and we are grateful that He used us to minister to them.
Benson and Cathy are grateful that God has called them to the ripe harvest field of Europe. Through the prayers and financial support of partners like you, they are able to continue their vital work in Germany at ETS and throughout Europe.
In July of 1993, Rande and Silvia Loucks moved to Schwäbisch-Gmünd, Germany with the vision to plant an International Church. Schwäbisch-Gmünd is located about 30 miles from Stuttgart, and has a multi-cultural population. A short time after this, Central Church stepped in and partnered with the Loucks and their fledgling congregation. Now the church averages between 80-100 people made up of a dozen or so nationalities.The Loucks family includes two sons, Simon (19) who is a student at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Jeremiah (14) who is completing the 8th grade in the German school system. Rande and Silvia are both graduates of Lee College, and Silvia has received additional training as a Christian Counsellor.
Pastor Loucks vision is to not only care for the local flock of believers, but to take as many as possible on to full maturity and eventually to leadership in the Kingdom of God. Silvia meets with people individually and in small group settings to deal with issues in life such as relationships, addictions, and becoming a truly free and blessed follower of Christ.
Central supports a young man named Stefano Cannioto who serves the Lord as a teacher and Director in the Italian Bible School, as well as the leader of his home church. Stefano is currently writing his Masters Dissertation for his MTh in Applied Theology at Mattersey Hall in England, which is the official college and training center of the Assemblies of God Incorporated. At the current time, there are about 30 students involved in the Bible School Programs for receiving training and preparation for their ministry. This year God has blessed the School by receiving approval to become an ESCM extension of the European Theological Seminary (ETS). This means that beginning in September the school can offer the students the Foundations Course Certificate, which is equivalent to the first year of study at ETS. This is only the first step as the goal is to continue to improve the school so that in the future the School may offer the ESCM second year Certificate in Christian Ministries courses.
Central Church has been involved in the Czech Republic for over 12 years, supporting several local and national ministries. We support a local chapter of Teen Challenge in Plzen, which reaches out with the Gospel to those in bondage to alcohol and drugs through rehabilitation homes, tea houses and education in the schools.
YWAM Plzen is situated in what is considered to be the most atheistic nation of Europe – the Czech Republic. All of our activities begin with the premise that life is better where relationships flourish and that where brokenness, ignorance and separation exist, life is less than God intended it to be. We fundamentally believe that people thrive best in an environment of love and acceptance. With this in mind, we invest our time, money, and energy into trying to build caring relationships with others - whether we are sharing a cup of coffee with a new friend, hosting a workshop to help strengthen marriages, hosting a concert, or organizing a fun event for the children of asylum seekers, we are committed to the promotion of healthy relationships. We believe that life can be better... that love is greater than hate... that giving is better than taking... and that with God’s help, we can help build a better world, one relationship at a time.Through various cultural activities, we are trying to help meet social, recreational, educational, and spiritual needs in the community in which we live. Some of our activities include: concerts and cafe nights, cross-cultural presentations, workshops & seminars, English movie nights, music recitals, benefit concerts, sports & recreational activities, garden parties, etc. These events are well-attended by a broad spectrum of people, including neighbors, people from the larger Plzen community, students, professionals, and internationals. As friendships are formed, people experience our love for God and the good news of the gospel. Providing salt and light in a society which is often skeptical or cynical about anything they consider to be “religious”, we are trying to form real relationships and enter into real dialogue with people about life-impacting and life-changing issues, opening up the door for the God’s spirit to touch and speak to them and transform their lives. The various presentations, forums, and benefit concerts we host not only increase public awareness of various peoples and nations of the world, but also provide a platform for discussion and dialogue, hopefully motivating some to go beyond their comfort zone and reach out to others in need around the world.
For many years Central has supplied support for a local church in Domazlice under the leadership of Pavel Faul. The church was planted in 1992 and now has 24 members, 24 children and approximately 15 additional people who attend services and participate in the church activities.
The church focuses on five key areas:
Prayer: Glorifying the Lord by prayer, praise and worship
Mission: Bringing God's Word to the people
Fellowship: Receiving the members of God´s family into our fellowship
Discipleship: Discipling Christians to maturity
Ministry: Serving the Lord and the people as a response to His love
In Scotland, Central supports 5 missionaries who minister through YWAM.
Michael and Esther Franklin
Michael and Esther believe that God has led them to be part of what He is doing in Scotland through Youth With A Mission (YWAM). They are part of the YWAM Seamill training base in West Kilbride on the west coast of Scotland. Michael began with YWAM Seamill in 1998 and Esther in 2000. Since then they have served in various training programs as well as local and international outreaches. Currently, Esther is leading a worship andintercession team called Levite and Michael is serving with community based discipleship and evangelism. Esther leads a team called Levite. Levite functions in an intercessory/watchman role for the YWAM Seamill base as well as throughout Scotland, focusing on leading others into worship and facilitating and releasing the prophetic and other gifts of the Spirit. Some of the key aims encompassed within this vision are to stimulate worship and intercession and equip others in it, to function in a watchman role for the base, to write new songs, to be a witness to the lost, and to working as team.
Michael ministers in community based discipleship and evangelism. Together with several other YWAM’ers, their aim is to bring discipleship to their community through supporting and helping to equip local churches as well as to reach out evangelistically and relationally.
Central supports and partners with Dinko and Petia Zlatarov, who oversee a multifaceted ministry called Care for All Ministries in
The ministry that really makes the College unique among the evangelical schools in
All this is a miracle come true, which no one would have even had the boldness to dream about during the time of communism. But God took a handful of enthusiastic and dedicated Christian ministries and made them a part of this wonderful multifaceted ministry which blesses not only the denomination, but also the local community. Dinko and Petia feel blessed and humbled to be made participants in God’s marvelous work in
The Church of God in the Balkans was started in the early 1930’s and, along with other churches, the church in Vinkovci was founded at that time. During the war in 1991 and the break up of the former Yugoslavia, the Church of God in Croatia had to be organized into a self-governing organization. Since the Pastor of the Vinkovci church left for Serbia at the outbreak of the war, Rev. Josip Jendricko took over as pastor of the church and as Overseer of the Church of God in Croatia. In the summer of 1993, a group of medical humanitarians visited Vinkovci and Porter Speakman was accompanying the group. That was our first contact with Central Church of God and in October 1993, Porter again visited the Church in Vinkovci with a few members of
the Central Missions Board. Central Church of God was involved in our new church building construction program. Once a year various Mission Teams visited our church not only to do the Mission work but also to help in the construction program. Central Church is also involved in our regular budgeting by helping various individuals to work full-time for the Lord.
Central also supports Christ Liberty Church and Mission in Samobar, which is pastored by Nenad Jambrovic. Christ Liberty Church exists to bring glory and honor to God, which is fulfilled through three basic functions: 1. Evangelism – reaching the world around us with the gospel of Jesus Christ (social work, childrens work, individual evangelism and publich evangelism).
2. Discipleship – teaching individual believers to become less self-centered and more like Christ – to become imitators of Christ and
3. Fellowship – building relationships within the local church body and creating unity and love for each other with the goal in mind to fulfill Jesus’ great commission to make disciples of all people, teaching them to observe all things God has commanded.
Don and Rajka Champion
Central supports Don and Rajka as missionaries to Rajka’s native country of Croatia. In the past they have served as church planters-- where from 2000 to 2006 they planted a Christian church in the city of Samobor. Since then, Don and Rajka have rededicated themselves to serving as evangelists to a broader mission field within Croatia. In 2007, they returned to Croatia making the area of Istra their base. They have a tiny home in the small seaside town of Peroj. There they are intent on ministering to the locals of the cities of Fazana and Vodnjan, as well as, to the natives and visitors to the historic Roman port city of Pula. In recent months, they have dealt with unique challenges because of Croatia immigration. However, they are still about their mission work (even from the USA), while being strongly committed as before, at continuing to serve as missionaries to Croatia-- for the rest of their lives. With Don’s ties to Charlotte, they are routinely back and forth between Croatia and the USA for 2009 and 2010 promoting their mission. Lord willing, they are hoping to settle in Croatia permanently in 2011.
Their present ministry to Croatia centers around tent-making mission work: Reaching the lost (primarily on the Istrian Peninsula) through friendship evangelism, discipleship, home fellowships, teaching, preaching, and select seminars held in secular settings for the purpose of wisely sharing the Gospel with the unchurched.