the Call to Münster...
Full Story...
First, let me remind "all" just what/why we were in Croatia (for): I (Chris) had been serving at the Bible College in Germany for some years and been involved with many churches throughout Europe. During those years I had gained a greater desire to become a church planter "if the Lord would call me to do so", but I did "personally" expect it to be in our future! I was just waiting for the Lord to call us! I also had planned to go out and work full-time in a newly planted church to gain some more experience while we would wait upon the Lord's leading to a specific city.
From 2006 to 2008 I was involved in one specific church (in Germany) that I thought would be the perfect place to gain that experience, but that door unexpectedly closed on us. So then we pursued another church in 2008 (also in Germany) which ended again with the door closing. So I decided to not pursue working with any more churches inside of Germany, and instead, look abroad to gain this experience somewhere else who also had a great need for help in the ministry (while waiting for the Lord) . We chose Split, Croatia and all pastors, churches, supporters...were on board with this step of faith!
So we moved to Split and plugged right in to the church to help wherever given opportunity. This was a great time for us as a family and we learned more about church ministry.
In October we flew to Germany on our way to Ireland and we stayed a few days there before continuing the journey...
While there I was asked to teach a class for David Guzik called "preparing for pastoral ministry"...and I had thought it was a class called "preparing for ministry". So there I was with little to no time to prepare teaching a class with 25 students and 3 real pastors listening (lol)_it really was ironic!!! This is where things began...leading up to our new calling...
I was reminded through this: the importance of the local church for other ministries! I began praying about it more "specifically" since I knew that the Lord had told us one day we should start an orphanage. I struggled with the church planting plan...because I didn't want to be doing my own thing for God without Him choosing this for us. I was unable to reconcile the two together, but the Lord opened my eyes through this class that I was asked to teach!
Then we went to Ireland and this is what happened:
I began feeling more and more the call to pastor on a long-term basis and not just a short-term (filling in, basis). So I would tell Nada every so often when it would be on my mind. I did not want her to be suprised by a drastic change in ministry when the Lord might call us to step out and start a church, so I tried to keep her informed of the way I felt He was leading (and we actually had begun asking the Lord what city he would want us to move to in Croatia)!
But also, strangly, during every bible study that I was teaching Simeon would go to sleep, which enabled Nada to really tune in to all the bible studies and sit under my teaching. And this, plus all the hours spent counseling the people within the church opened Nada's eyes to the call of Pastoral Ministry upon my life! She didn't comment until later though...
Then the Lord spoke to us AGAIN through His Word...
Nada was reading in Ezra ch.7 about how Ezra was a priest and scribe skilled in the Word, called to read and explain the scripture to the people. As Nada was reading this she immediately thought of me, "because" this is how she admits getting to know "me" while serving in Ireland: in a way that she never really had the chance to, before.
So Nada called me to sit down and look at Ezra ch.7 with her later that day. She began to exclaim the connection between myself and Ezra and while talking to me about it she said, "the Lord has confirmed to me that you are called into pastoral ministry, to do exactly what Ezra was called to do and he was going to return to Jerusalem to do it... where is our Jerusalem"? As I was listening to her share, I was so encouraged that God was really confirming His call...and then when she said to me, "where is our Jerusalem", it was if a truck had run it to me. I immediately felt the call was for us to return to Germany. Without manipulation of thought, God placed Germany in my mind and I blurted it out to Nada, "wow, this is such a powerful passage for us! And the Lord has not only confirmed the call, but also the place, to where He is calling us"! This was the specific call we had been hoping and praying for: And God spoke "personally" to us! This was one of the most radical moments we have ever experienced in our lives.
All details from this passage: The king ordered the decree; God was ordering us. Ezra's journey began on the 1st day of the 1st month; when we looked at the calendar it was Dec. 1st. The journey was completed for Ezra on the first day of the 5th month; God told us we would be in our new home by April 1st. Ezra did not go alone; we always desired and prayed for a team to go with us. Absolutely, crazy....but shows an awesome God!
So next question: WHERE in Germany...
We had been praying for several cities in Ireland, Croatia, and Germany BEFORE we knew where the Lord would want us to go. One of those cities was Muenster, Germany. Nada had been drawn to this city some days before, while looking over a German map online. Neither had ever been there before but something was rather iintriguing about it...
Then, a few days after speaking with Nada about this city...I found out that the south western province we were staying in was called Munster. I laughed and told Nada about what I had learned. It seemed though that this city just kept coming to my mind, I couldn't seem to forget about it...unlike other cities, this one kept attracting my mind to think about it. Or was it God?
When we arrived to Germany on Wednesday night (the 2nd) and I was laying in bed I was thinking about Muenster and so I asked the Lord, "Lord, what is it about this city, I can't seem to stop thinking about it...will you please tell me"? And then the Lord spoke to me, "I have people in this city, and they need a place to worship Me and someone to teach the scriptures to them". CLEAR AS DAY!! In other words, He said, Muenster needs a church! I was like okay Lord...I will keep it in mind!
So I told Nada on Thursday about what the Lord had told me.
On Friday morning, one of Nada's friends came over to have breakfast and visit with Nada. I joined them later that morning and joined in the conversation... Nada's friend began to talk about what she and her husband would be doing that upcoming weekend and she said to Nada, "guess where we are going tomorrow?" Nada replied, "where"...and then she said, "Muenster"...and then I tuned in a little closer and smirked a bit. She stopped and asked why we had made such a face when she said that she was going to Muenster. We told her, to continue first and we would explain afterward. And so she continued to explain that they had friends up in this city that they had kept in touch with for some years that they were going to visit. Then she said the unexpected, "yes, and they have actually been praying for some time now that some one would come up and start a church there like Siegen's." Then I smiled real big and explained to her all the Lord had been doing in our heart, drawing us to this city. She was very excited and further exclaimed to us that she and her husband had been praying for this city for years...and that they never felt called to start a church, but just support a church. They both lead worship and have full-time jobs so it was never there intention to do more than just ministry on the side. It was a huge surprise, but again...just God working in His ways!
The final things that happened to us while we were in Siegen:
I had a dream that next week (which kept me from sleeping that whole night) that I was in Muenster, and the whole time I was meeting people and every hand I shaked and person I talked to...the weaker I felt. And it continued all night long. I woke up and the Lord spoke to me concerning this dream... You will meet many people and minister to many people, and you MUST rely upon my Spirit, because you empty your physical strength. And I was reminded of that passage in Zech. 4:6 that says, not by might, nor by power,but by My Spirit, says the Lord.
And then the Lord told Nada one night while she was laying in bed... that as we would be telling people about our vision, that many would come up to us and tell us of friends and family that they know live there in Muenster. And sure enough...just in the few days we spent in Siegen, a few people told us of people they knew there, and the mission pastor told us that even people were traveling down on Sundays to come to church in Siegen! We believe that this is only the beginning of its fulfillment!
So after all these things... we are simply obeying the Lord by going. And I would not be able to sleep at night if we ignored the Lord's call to go!!
Sincerely,chris waldrop
