Christ Forum Germany
| Basic data | |
|---|---|
| Official name | |
| ChristForum Germany in the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany K. d. ö. R. |
|
| organization structure | |
| membership | BEFG , Association of Evangelical Free Churches (VEF) |
| Regions | 13 |
| Local communities | 145 |
| Parishioners | approx. 9000 baptized (without children, relatives and friends) |
| address | |
| ChristForum Germany in the BEFG, administrative office Leipzig Schiebestrasse 32 04129 Leipzig |
|
| Official website | |
| christusforum.de | |
The Christ Forum Germany (proper spelling Christ Forum Germany ) is an association of congregations from the tradition of the Brethren Movement , which belong to the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches ( BEFG ). Within the BEFG, which is composed mostly of Baptist congregations , the Christ Forum Germany forms a relatively autonomous association with independent structures.
Until 2019 the organization was called Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Brüdergemeinden .
history
The history of the Christ Forum in Germany goes back to the worldwide Brethren movement, which originated in England in 1827 and has also been represented in Germany since the middle of the 19th century. One of the founding fathers, to whom the congregations united in the working group particularly refer, is Georg Müller , the well-known orphan father of Bristol in England . After John Nelson Darby and part of the Brethren movement (the "Darbysten" or "Closed Brothers") separated from Müller for theological reasons in 1848, the group around Georg Müller was called "Open Brothers" (also "Free Brothers"). The “Open Brothers” only gained a foothold in Germany at the end of the 19th century.
The "closed" congregations were banned on April 13, 1937 by the authorities of the Third Reich . However, in May of the same year they succeeded in reconstituting themselves as the Federation of Free Church Christians (BfC) with the permission of the authorities . The "Open Brothers" also joined this union in November 1937. 1941/42, the United BfC with the Baptist Union of Federation of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany .
While in the years after the National Socialist rule numerous “closed” brother communities left the BEFG , a large part of the “open brothers” remained with the Baptists in the common federal community. In order to preserve and promote the identity of the brothers' congregations, structural possibilities were repeatedly sought to open up their own space within the covenant, which was dominated by Baptists. In 1980, therefore, the working group of the Brethren in the BEFG was founded . This working group is now not only open to congregations that also belong to the BEFG , but is also an offer to all congregations of the Brethren Movement who are looking for a supra- local roof for their activities and needs .
At the beginning of 2020, the working group of the Brethren was renamed ChristForum Germany .
Teaching and practice
The theological agreement of the Christ Forum in Germany is shaped by the key words biblical fidelity , general priesthood and the absolute necessity of evangelism and diakonia . At the center of parish life are the Sunday supper and the adoration of the crucified, risen and coming Lord Jesus Christ .
What is important for the congregations of the Christ Forum in Germany is not only openness to other congregations of the Brethren movement (including those outside the BEFG ), but also to all who - regardless of their denomination - are members of the body of Christ .
In its understanding of Scripture, the Christ Forum Germany adheres to the salvation-historical vision of the Bible ( dispensationalism ) and essentially shares it with the other wings of the Brethren movement. Their preaching is usually Christ-centered .
In order to make their teaching views widely available to the communities and employees, the working group has developed a manual and put it online. A three-year biblical-theological course is also offered with this manual, which includes various learning modules.
Organization and statistics
The Christ Forum Germany has 145 parishes with around 9,000 members (excluding children and friends). The so-called annual meeting , to which the member congregations send one or more members depending on their size, is the decisive body for the internal affairs of the working group of the brother congregations.
Board of Directors and Management
The annual meeting appoints the board of directors, which - corresponding to the number of Christ Forum Germany regions - consists of thirteen honorary members. In addition, there are five other board members from among the full-time AGB employees. The board of directors appoints a management team that is responsible for the implementation of the resolutions and the ongoing work. This committee consists of the managing director, the head of the administrative office and the heads of the various working groups.
The member congregations of the Christ Forum Germany are also represented in the top management (legal representation and presidium) of the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches through their board .
Working groups
In order to work in a more targeted and practice-oriented way, the Christ Forum Germany has set up five working groups (abbreviated: AK), which offer training and practical support for their communities and their employees.
- AK 1: Community counseling & pastoral care
- AK 2: Training & Theology
- AK 3: Evangelism & New Land Mission
- AK 4: Full-time employees
- AK 5: Working with children, teenagers and young people
A further working group has recently been set up to deal with “community-based diakonia”.
Branches of work (in selection)
Special branches of work are the tent mission and two traveling exhibitions, one of which deals with the history and content of the Bible and the other with the world religions . The accompanying book Phenomenon World Religions belongs to this exhibition .
literature
- Ulrich Brockhaus: “30 years of the 'Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Brüdergemeinden' (AGB). The history of the 'Working Group of Brethren in the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches' ". In: Perspektive 10 (2010), Issue 5, pp. 37–40 (also online ; PDF; 59 kB).
- Gerhard Jordy : The Brothers Movement in Germany (3 volumes), Wuppertal 1979–1986, ISBN 3-417-24060-3
- Gerhard Jordy (Ed.): 150 Years of the Brethren Movement in Germany , Dillenburg 2003
- Andreas Steinmeister: … but you are all brothers. A historical account of the "Brethren Movement" , Lychen 2004, ISBN 3-935955-34-0
Individual evidence
- ↑ Our story. In: christusforum.de. Christ Forum Germany, 2020, accessed on April 21, 2020 .
- ^ The Brethren Movement: Brothers Congregations in the BEFG ; Accessed February 6, 2010
- ↑ AGB-Handbuch Hören - Understand - Leben ; Accessed February 6, 2010
- ↑ Biblical teaching for the church. A modular three-year concept ; Accessed February 6, 2010
- ↑ AGB: Regions ( Memento of the original from September 2, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Accessed February 6, 2010
- ↑ AGB: Work areas ( Memento of the original from April 12, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Accessed February 6, 2010
- ↑ This working group is discussed in the previously unpublished Powerpoint presentation: What are the terms and conditions? (2009) mentioned.
- ↑ AGB: Bible exhibition ( Memento of the original from April 12, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Accessed February 6, 2010
- ↑ AGB: Exhibition "World Religions" ( Memento of the original from April 12, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Accessed February 6, 2010
- ↑ Ulrich Neuenhausen: The phenomenon of world religions. Ask. Facts. Answers , Dillenburg o. J.
