Hundreds of thousands of immigrants and refugees have flooded into Athens, Greece. Families and individuals arrive with nothing and have no means to support themselves, so they are always in need of necessities like housing, food, clothing, and medicine. Many flee from countries such as Syria, Iran, Congo, Nigeria, Morocco, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh because of persecution, war, or economic need. Your gift will facilitate ministry to these refugees living in camps, parks, and on the streets by providing basic living necessities.
Your gift will also support a ministry team of six local believers who make disciples and plant churches among Muslim refugees and local Greeks from Orthodox backgrounds. These men, four of whom were refugees, sensed God leading them to stay in Athens to minister to Muslims and plant healthy churches in refugee communities. Your partnership will enable these national believers to fully engage in ministry, which includes travel to other European countries to minister to their flock who have been granted asylum there.
The Athens team operates a training center focused on church planting. Ongoing classes on evangelism and discipleship are offered, and many new believers from the refugee community are discipled there. Four churches worship at the center throughout the week, enabling believers from different people groups to worship Jesus in their own language. The focus of the training center is on planting healthy churches and training new believers in church planting, so they can plant churches wherever they are granted asylum. Prayerfully consider giving to the Athens Church Planting and Refugee Aid ministry to change the immediate life story and eternal future of thousands of refugees.
Opportunities abound. Greece is home to roughly 250,000 refugees. As the primary entry point into the European Union (EU), immigrants arrive in large numbers from North Africa and the Middle East (NAME), Sub-Saharan Africa, and South and Central Asia. Whether they come with large families or alone, with the hope of reuniting with their families, these refugees desperately need hope. That’s where your partnership makes a difference!
The United Nations, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) provide housing in 30 refugee camps across Greece. We currently work in four camps. These camps, however, serve merely as entry points for these refugees. Many seek asylum in or immigrate to other countries in the EU, while others remain permanently in Greece or eventually return to their homelands when conditions improve.
Investing in eternity. We aim to impact the world for Christ by investing in refugees who come to Greece on their journey to other locations. We have five national partners who speak numerous languages and reach out to refugees of the same languages. When refugees hear the gospel in their own language, the huge obstacles of language and cultural differences immediately erode. This God they are hearing about knows their language and customs!
These national partners work directly with existing churches. For example, your generosity provides roughly 100 food bags a month given out by Urdu-speaking, Arabic-speaking, and Kituba-speaking churches. Recipients receive more than food; they receive the Bread of Life. As a result, many are coming to faith in Christ. Small groups for evangelism and discipleship develop, and churches are formed.
As refugees move on, they bring their newfound faith with them, literally to the ends of the earth. We have started at least seven churches in three EU countries working with Northern Africa and Middle Eastern (NAME) peoples who moved there after being ministered to here in Greece. God is using your gifts to this ministry around the world.
There are no “chance” meetings. Several years ago, one of our national partners heard a familiar language as he walked down the street. He stopped and introduced himself to Adel*, one of the men talking who was from North Africa. A friendship developed, and our national partner shared the gospel. Adel became a believer and grew quickly in his faith through regular discipleship. He began training in church planting and heard God’s call to return to his homeland. Despite dangerous conditions, Adel followed God’s call and returned to his homeland. He has already planted two churches and led many people to Christ. Your investment in this project enabled Adel to find Christ and bring others into the kingdom as well.
Please join us in prayer.
Pray for the unity of the team. With many different cultures, languages, and backgrounds, our unity is in Christ alone.
Our team persevered through COVID, personnel changes, and several ministry obstacles. In unity and partnership with you, we continue to proclaim that God is our refuge and strength; we have seen God’s mighty hand at work. Praise the Lord with us!
A Greek church and a church of South Asian refugees were planted through the work of our national partners.
Shortly after through his local church, he heard about our ministry in Greece and connected with our church leaders. He asked us to visit his family and disciple them. After several visits, his family asked us to baptize them in the sea. We were able to facilitate their baptism, and everyone was blessed by seeing God’s faithfulness.
Thank you for your prayers and faithfulness to support what God is doing here in Athens! Your generosity is truly changing lives! 
With 810 million people, 51 sovereign states and 200 spoken languages, Europe is rich in diversity and character. These distinct cultures create a continent of global influence through language, politics, finance, fashion, and food. Though diverse, the peoples of Europe do have one thing in common—more than 98% do not follow Jesus.
Instead of seeing Europe’s decidedly post-Christian culture as a hindrance, IMB teams see the potential of what God wants to do on and through this influential continent. Not only do Europeans need the hope of the gospel, making it a primary place for ministry, but the global reach of its cities also makes it a strategic place as well. Immigrants comprise more than 15% of the population of gateway cities such as London, Paris, Madrid and Vienna.
Through dreaming big and taking faith-filled risks, IMB teams are connecting with European nationals, sharing the gospel and training local leaders. Their aim is to develop strong local leadership in every city and province who will lead biblically faithful and reproducing churches. Churches that plant new healthy churches will send the gospel to the nations of the world from every borough, town and village of the beautifully diverse continent of Europe.