by Matthew Crouch
Looking at the highly secularized Europe of today, it is hard to believe that it was once the seat of a spiritual passion and vitality that spread the roots of the Christian faith to every corner of the earth. While a majority of Europeans today may identify loosely as Christian, when you walk the streets of London, Paris, Munich, Brussels, Zurich, Prague, and other cities, it soon becomes clear that few Europeans have a personal relationship with Jesus. Historic cathedrals and churches stand empty, sinful lifestyles are rampant, and multitudes wait in darkness for the message of God’s hope and grace.
That’s why Laurie and I, along with our TBN team, spent several days in Prague — to pray and strategize about revival in Europe, and to meet with some of the individuals from throughout this vast continent who share our vision at TBN to use Christian television to reach the nations and people of Europe with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Among the wonderful and visionary folks we met during our time in Prague were Beate Busch and Stephan Karl Gaatz, who are helping to turn the nation of Germany back to faith in God through the powerful Christian network Bibel TV. You might recall that in 1517 a German theologian named Martin Luther boldly tacked up his ninety-five theses to the door of All Saints Church in the community of Wittenberg, sparking the Protestant Reformation that turned the nation of Germany — and ultimately the world — back to a Christian faith based solely on God’s grace.
Nearly 500 years later that same clear message of hope and grace is reaching throughout Germany, along with neighboring Austria and Switzerland, via Bibel TV’s 24-hour life-changing programming — much of it enthusiastically provided by your TBN.
Bibel TV has been on the air since 2002, but it wasn’t until about three years ago that TBN’s relationship with this vital network began when I met Beate and Stephan in the U.S. at the annual National Religious Broadcasters convention. As we spoke it became apparent to me that the vision they had for reaching their nation with the Gospel through Bibel TV matched closely our global mission at TBN. That meeting prompted Laurie and me to fly to Hamburg, Germany in the fall of 2014 to see Bibel TV first-hand and to meet the team behind this strategic outreach. To say the least, we were extremely impressed with their knowledge, technical skills, professional outlook — and especially with their collective passion for loving and serving Jesus.
After a dinner meeting with Norman Rentrop, a noted German publisher and philanthropist who has taken a keen personal interest in the success of Bibel TV, Laurie and I returned to the U.S. and promptly signed an agreement making Germany’s Bibel TV an official member of the Trinity Broadcasting Family of Networks. TBN’s production department immediately swung into action, providing Bibel TV with a steady supply of our best programming, which Bibel TV’s staff translates into German and broadcasts throughout the country and region. And, as you might imagine, individuals and families are coming to Christ, lives are being transformed, and God is being glorified anew in the nation of Germany.
Bibel TV is reaching over 34 million television household — nearly 90 percent of Germany’s population — with life-changing Christian television, and at TBN we’re thrilled to be a partner in this vital outreach that is taking back Germany for Jesus. During our meeting in Prague, Beate and Stephan emphasized what a lifeline the programming we provide is to Bibel TV. “TBN gives us the great content we need to grow!” they told us. And grow they must! It’s no secret that, perhaps more than any other country, Germany wields an incredible amount of influence over the culture and direction of Europe. So effectively reaching this nation for Christ will have a tremendous impact for the kingdom of God across the entire continent of Europe.
Thanks for joining Laurie and me — along with our entire TBN family — in prayer and partnership to ensure that Bibel TV continues to shine the light of God’s grace and mercy, powerfully impacting Germany and Europe for God’s kingdom.