News from the Tiews Family

Sharing the Gospel in Germany

Latest posts from on 04/26/2022

Lent and Easter 2022

By Rev. Tiews on 25/04/22

This Lenten season especially, we were reminded that sin and evil in this world are real. We repent of the sin in our own hearts and are so grateful that our Lord Jesus Christ took not only our sins upon Himself but also the grief, sorrow, and fear that has spread across much of Europe, as we witness a major war being waged only about 800 miles east of our current location.
The comforting and encouraging Word of the Gospel is necessary now more than ever—and thanks to your continued support of the Tiews Family’s ministry, you are allowing us to share Jesus Christ not only with the migrants from Iran and Afghanistan but now even with the new waves of refugees arriving from Ukraine daily.
Thank you for your prayers and support and may the Risen Lord continue to bless you all! 

Lenten Veil in St. Clemens, Telgte

Just Tell the Good News

By Rev. Tiews on 21/04/22

What can be finer than getting up at 3:20 AM to catch a 6:00 AM flight? Well, that’s exactly what I got to do recently, flying from Hamburg, Germany, to Riga, Latvia, to attend a one-week in-person Intensive with our international seminary students at Luther Academy. So, I climbed into my taxi. At that wee hour there was no traffic whatsoever. The cabbie wondered whether I was flying for pleasure or business. I told him I am a missionary and work with migrants from Iran and Afghanistan. “Hmm…,” he replied, “there are certainly enough of them around.” “Yes,” I answered, “but I’m not a social worker. My job is to tell them about Jesus Christ. And many of them are embracing Christianity.” “Hmmm….” “Islam is a very legalistic religion, and many people are fed up with it, especially Muslim women who are treated like third-class citizens. Germany is doing a great job providing Persian migrants with shelter and funds—in addition to now helping hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees. But what’s amazing about the Persians is that here in Germany they have access to churches that proclaim the liberating message of the Gospel. Jesus says, ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’ [Jn 8:36].” “Hmm…” After a long pause, “What airline are you flying?” “Lufthansa.” “That’s Terminal 1.” A few seconds later he pulled up to the curb. “Credit or cash?” “Credit,” I replied. “Have a good rest of your shift.” “Thanks, see you next time,” he replied. To be sure, this cabbie was not extremely talkative, nor did he not pick up on my Christianity topic. But that’s irrelevant. As Christians, our job is not to sell the Gospel but simply to tell the Good News. Any “selling” is up to the Holy Spirit. But we can be sure that whenever the Holy Spirit prompts us to share the Gospel, “the Word shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in that thing for which I sent it” [Isa 55:11].

The Average Lutheran

By Rev. Tiews on 12/04/22

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod supports Riga Lutheran Academy, Latvia—an online seminary offering a four-year Bachelor of Theology program in the English language. As one of RLA’s docents, last week I had the privilege of attending the semi-annual one-week Intensive in that Baltic country. 26 students from 13 different countries are enrolled in the rigorous program, studying to become pastors or deaconesses. However, a few of the students are already ordained and have been serving as pastors for decades, taking these classes as continuing education. One of them is Rev. Davis Wowa of the Lutheran Church of Malawi. He shared some unique insights on ethnic relations from his African perspective, explaining to us that he and his fellow Malawians are extremely grateful for the “white man” for two reasons. First, the “white man” brought the Good News of our Lord and Savior to his land—also called the “Warm Heart of Africa”—several centuries ago. It made me recall that wonderful statistic that the average Lutheran today is not an older person from northern Europe or from Minnesota or Michigan, but is 19 years old, female, and black (namely from central or eastern Africa). In fact, there are more Lutherans on the island of Madagascar than in all of North America! But then the Reverend added his second point: “We are also grateful to the ‘white man’ for coming to our land because that stopped the slave trade that had been going on for centuries, with Arabs stealing our people and shipping them across the Indian Ocean.” We praise God that Rev. Wowa (pictured, along with LCMS missionary Hayden Renser) is in our Riga Luther Academy cohort—a strong Lutheran pastor in the heart of Africa who shares his love of Christ with everyone he meets and even provides us white folks with historical facts that are like a breath of fresh air.

Welcoming Strangers as Family

By Rev. Tiews on 30/03/22

The Church is a body, working *together*. Today I was privileged to meet yet another mother and daughter from Ukraine. A few weeks ago, LCMS had informed me that they were headed towards Hamburg. Where to find housing? I contacted a local Lutheran (SELK) pastor who emailed his congregation for help. Many replied. At first, mom and daughter spent a week in the apartment of a young German Navy officer and church member several hours away from here, and today they arrived in Hamburg. The officer and I were waiting at the station to pick them up. The four of us took the light rail to the apartment of Iranian church members who had opened up their home. Sitting next to the mom on the commuter train, I said, “So, I understand you are Lutheran…?” “Lutheran?” she replied with a sparkle in her eye. “I am the most Lutheran of all Lutherans in Ukraine. Lutheranism is the most faithful expression of Christianity there is. Why would I want to be anything else? Our daughter here was baptized in the Lutheran Church and our Lutheran bishop in Ukraine is my former pastor. Changing the subject, she added, “But the situation in Ukraine is horrible. So far, our town has been spared, but I have seen Russian tanks rumble down our street. Please pray that they do not destroy our town, too.” Our Persian hosts greeted our little group with flowers and then invited us into their home, where we were welcomed with traditional Persian hospitality. As we enjoyed tea, coffee, and snacks, I noticed that we were two Ukrainians, two Iranians, one German, and one German-American—all united in the blood of Christ, doing our best to love our neighbors as ourselves. And as St. Paul says, “If one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Cor 12:26). Ukraine is suffering. Ukrainian Christians are suffering. And with them, so do we Christians all around the world suffer. Kyrie eleison.

Recent Articles:

Ukrainian Refugees Arriving in Germany
The Lord’s Work
Evening Prayer at Zion, SELK Hamburg
The Persian Copy Shop
The Word Never Returns Void

Thank you to all who have already supported the wonderful mission work that is being done by our many LCMS missionaries in Eurasia and around the world. Thank you also for partnering directly with us—the Tiews family. If you are not yet partnering with us, below are various ways in which you can do so.
Praise the LORD that
Jesus took a sinful agnostic guy, forgave him, and is now using him to bring the Gospel to a land in which so many people do not know Jesus Christ.

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Giving by Check: You can also make a donation towards the Tiews’ ministry by check. Mail your check, made payable to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and designated with their last name, to: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod P.O. Box 66861 St. Louis, MO 63166-6861
(Or call 888-930-4438 to speak with someone.)

Another option is giving through:

Mission Central
40718 Highway E16
Mapleton, IA  51034-7105
Include “Tiews-Germany Support” in the memo line or give online at Mission Central.

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