by Craig Waddell

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Which approach to Christian mission is closest to God’s heart: “working for” others, “working with” others, or “being with” others?

With this reference to the work of Sam Wells, David Bunce greeted BGAV staff at a recent Team Day. Bunce, general secretary of the Baptist Union of Austria, offered a glimpse into his vision for churches who cherish people for who they are and journey together toward flourishing in God’s love.

Field Strategist Jody Faig captured the impression of many staff members: “David’s emphasis on ‘being with’ one another resonated with me.”

Bunce, together with Baptist Union President Dietrich Fischer-Dörl, visited Virginia congregations engaged in church-to-church partnerships in Austria. Bunce began at First Baptist Church of Gretna, which has partnered for several years with Graz International Baptist Church.

“Our Graz team was excited to hear firsthand about our partner’s work in Graz, as well as to learn more about the bigger picture of Baptist witness in Austria,” said Ann Brown. “After meeting with him, our team was inspired to go back, and a few new people joined the team.”

Bunce then traveled to Winfree Memorial Baptist Church, which partners with his own Bad Ischl Church near Salzburg. Together, they are exploring the question, “How can we be a witness for Christ in a post-Christian environment?” In May, a Winfree team will participate in Bad Ischl’s “Long Night of the Churches,” a hospitality event involving churches from multiple denominations across the city.

Fischer-Dörl’s Mollardgasse Church in Vienna, Austria, is partnered with Old Town Community Church in Alexandria, Virginia, where he participated in several community ministries, including Wednesday morning breakfast. Fischer-Dörl reconnected with OTCC team members who served in Austria last year, helped lead Sunday worship, and “planned with our staff about how to be unified on mission going forward on both sides of the Atlantic,” according to Brian Hoysa, associate pastor. Conversations also included the possibility of planting an Arabic-speaking church in Vienna.

Lastly, the Austrian guests visited Manassas Baptist Church, which partners with projekt:gemeinde (Project Church) in Vienna. Manassas has supported projekt:gemeinde’s refugee ministry for many years and currently has a BGAV Venturer serving in Vienna. The churches are deepening conversations about relevant ways to work with and learn from one another.

One highlight of the visit was a cookout with former BGAV Venturers to Austria. Will Cumbia, Emily Niehoff, Olivia Haynes-Ansari, Justin Pierson, and Maggie Beth Miller joined other partnership veterans for a reunion around the table. It was a visible reminder of the mutual encouragement and far-reaching impact of partnerships centered on “being with” one another.

As Sam Wells writes, “Our job as Christians is to imitate the life of heaven.” Mission, then, is not simply about fixing needs and leaving people in isolation. It is about cultivating relationships in which connections with God and others can be healed. These partner churches are seeking to learn together, in real time, how to live that out authentically in their communities.

Rev. Craig Waddell is BGAV’s partnership coordinator for Impact Missions.

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