Europe Update

2006 was a year the European Churches faced challenges and trials but have grown in faith, which has resulted in a strengthening of character and joy. The Wooten family is personally grateful that we were hired in the beginning of the year to work full time for the IMS. We were hired to work along side the Operations Team - Valdur Koha, Thierry Fender, Mirko Russo, Christian Herbst, and Peti Szabad. It has been a blessing to get to know, and to serve God and his Kingdom with these brothers.

For the last few years, Thierry Fender and Mirko Russo have organized the European Bible School (EBS). Last year there were two life-changing sessions held, that helped deepen convictions and strengthened the Unity of the Brotherhood. The first in May was on Church Governance. Andy Fleming taught on leadership and how to build leadership in our churches. David McAnulty then taught on Group Dynamics and on working together. In October there was an amazing retreat in the Alps where Fred Faller and Mirko Russo taught on being still before God, and on God’s character, and on prayer! Once again the Churches were strengthened and unified.
Over the summer disciples attended several singles’ events. The Eastern European churches held a summer conference that saw disciples travel for hours to be together. It was also joined by families from the New England churches. More than 200 disciples from 10 countries spent three days studying the Bible and praying - sharing in fellowship and reviving their vision for God’s Dream for their life. Mike Fix, Lowell Hoover, and Jimmy Allen where keynote speakers and inspired the Christians to grow and persevere!
Some of the highlights in Bullet form from the Year:

• February – Shawn Wooten starts working for IMS
• May - EBS on Church Governance
• June – Christian Herbst Moves to Zurich
• August – Eastern European Conference in Budapest.
• August – New England Missions Conference
o Jesus Yesterday, Today, and Forever!
• September - Shawn Wooten Appointed Executive Director of IMS
• September - Valdur Koha Elected President of IMS.
• October – Several Europeans Attend International Leadership Conference in Viriginia.
• October – Campus Outreach in Budapest with more than 240 Visitors!
• October – EBS on Being Still Before God.
• October – Blood Drive in Budapest
• November – European Woman’s day, “Beauty Unveiled,” in Budapest.

The European churches where not without our challenges, and Satan had a victory over the majority of our fellowship in Warsaw. The leadership of the Warsaw church decided to accept an evangelical doctrine and to abandon the teaching that the church was planted with. Although the practices in many of our churches have needed change and repentance, our fundamental doctrine and our teaching on salvation has not. The teaching of a different conversion and a different baptism is unacceptable. There is a remnant that has held to their convictions and remains in Warsaw. Please pray for them, and for us to be able to send support in the near future. Those who have stayed faithful through this trial are to be commended, and we pray for the repentance of those who have wandered from the faith.

New England Churches
It was exciting to visit so many of the New England churches and many of the regions of the Boston church. We were greeted warmly and shown Christ- like hospitality. The clear desire of our fellowship was to support missions, not only at a financial level but at a relational level. I am inspired to see some of the partnerships that have developed over 2006. The Granite State Church has been involved with the church in Budapest, Hungary. The Worcester Church is involved with the church in Tirana, Albania. The Hartford Church is involved with the church in Bucharest, Romania. The Groton church is similarly involved with the church in Zagreb, Croatia. These partnerships have connected the churches in a special way with much mutual spirituality.

Vision for 2007

We are all very excited as we start the New Year! This year we have 3 goals as the IMS.

#1 To help raise up Evangelists who can work full time in the churches who do not have full time ministers. These Evangelists will then work to build up the gifts God has already placed in the membership to mature the church in Christ. A mature church can then raise up leaders - Elders, Teachers, Evangelists, and Deacons, who will then go out and plant more churches – till their entire country is filled with the Gospel! To do this we are starting an Evangelist Training School that meets 7 times a year to help contribute to the group, as well as receive from the group, encouragement, inspiration, training, and biblical instruction on how to serve and lead their local congregations. This year we have already added two Evangelists full time to the current leadership: Frank Gloßklaus from Düsseldorf, Germany, and Oleg Sirotkin, from Kiev, Ukraine.  The Sirotkins will be moving this month to serve with the church in Zagreb, Croatia!

#2 OPS Team
The OPS Team is the IMS operations team focused on facilitating the financial and spiritual resources of the IMS. This team currently consists of Shawn Wooten, Valdur Koha, Christian Herbst, Mirko Russo, Thierry Fender, and Peti Szabad.

#3 Giving Churches
The vision is that every church that has been given to will one day be able to give to other churches. As with Disciples – so it is with churches. There are already several churches in Europe that can help out with other congregations. We hope to strengthen those and assist them in their service to the other congregations, and God willing, this year we will be able to add to the number of Giving Churches!

A special thanks to all of you who have prayed and sacrificed and have loved God in such a way that has allowed him to save souls all over the world! This year is going to be an exciting year for all of us as we see new souls added, new churches planted, and the Good News being spread in many nations! Thank you for your sacrifice and your partnership in the Gospel!

Shawn Wooten                   
IMS Executive Director