A substantial shift is coming about in the fulfilling of our Lord ́s prayer in John 17 when he prayed “May they be one, so that the world may know”. Over the past few years we have heard reports of how the church in France has reached a new level of unity around the concept of church planting having agreed a common vision to reach every town of over 10,000 inhabitants. We have also heard how 100% of the Norwegian churches are working together to see a new church planted each week. God is doing great things.

In fact we are now networking with some 18 national committees around Europe who are seeking church planting impact through interdenominational collaboration. One of the most recent countries to take a further step in this direction has been Croatia and I am so proud to say that it has been our own ECM team members Stephen and Tabitha Bell, Emanoel and Francine Santos and Carla Lima who have been at the head of that vision.

Fuelled by the banner of the Lausanne Church Planting Issue Network and the training of the European Leadership Forum church planting track, they have held 6 church planting consultations around the country between May 2016 and January 2017. The outcome has been an agreed national vision statement to ‘Reach the whole of Croatia with the Whole of the Church’. The last meeting held in January brought together 40 key influencers from about as many denominations and mission organisations. One national leader stated, “We would never have been able to do anything like this a few years ago.” Another told me. “I feel a sense of unity at a regional level like I have never seen before.” To God be the Glory!

- By Ron Anderson, Senior Associate for Church Planting at The Lausanne Movement, and member of ECM

If you are inspired by what is going on in Croatia, find out more about the opportunities there and across Europe by clicking here.