‘Luxembourg International Christian Centre’, an independent, English-speaking Full Gospel church was founded on the 14th October 1991.
The church was born from a group of nine adult Christians [1] of four nationalities, who had been meeting for Bible study and fellowship for the two previous years.
In August 1991 an Australian Pastor, John Brown, and his family arrived in Luxembourg, believing the Lord had called him to start an English-speaking church. By the Lord’s leading, and the help of Pastor John Leese of ‘La Rencontre’ AOG Church, the two groups met. At this time, the church consisted of 10 members [2] from five nationalities, and nine young people under 16 years of age. John stayed a little over 10 months, then left for Scotland. Graham Kettle, who had pastored two previous churches, then took up the pastorate.
Though formed as an independent church, there was a desire to become accountable to a body outside the church, because of the Biblical principle of Matthew 8:9, “For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
Contacts were tried with the AOG fellowships in Luxembourg, but were fruitless. However, through contacts with a French-speaking Church of God pastor, Alexis Grosrenaud, negotiations were opened with the Church of God, Cleveland Tennessee. A visit to the Pastor by Brother André Weber, Overseer, resulted in an invitation to the church, to attend the June 1992 National Convention of the Church of God in France. In the end, the Pastor was invited to be the closing speaker. The Pastor and the Treasurer plus their wives finally attended the conference and knew that the church’s home was to be found in fellowship with the Church of God, Cleveland Tennessee.
The ‘Church of God Luxembourg a.s.b.l.’ began by formally adopting our present statement of faith on January 13th 1993. The initial fellowship comprised the ‘Luxembourg International Christian Centre’ (LICC) and Brother Grosrenaud’s French-speaking group. The first Annual General Meeting was held on the 11th November 1993; we were a combined body of around 50 souls. Unfortunately, Brother Grosrenaud withdrew his group on the 11th February 1995, as the a.s.b.l. law required the names of members to be deposited with the Luxembourg authorities, a matter with which he disagreed.
The remaining church, ‘Luxembourg International Christian Centre’ subsequently changed its name to the ‘Church of God Luxembourg a.s.b.l.’ (also registered as ‘Eglise de Dieu au Luxembourg a.s.b.l.’).
The fellowship moved into permanent premises in May 1997, which it called the ‘International Christian Centre’, in honour of the church’s first name. This building was dedicated on October 11th 1997, in the presence of Douglas LeRoy, Field Director CoG, John Sims, President of our European Bible Seminary (now called the European Theological Seminary) and representatives from many local churches and church organisations.
In October 2001, the church celebrated its 10th Anniversary in some style, at the International School (ISL), in the presence of present and former members, missionaries supported by the church, representatives from our Theological Seminary and local church representatives.
In October 2006, we held a lower key celebration for the church’s 15th Anniversary, with a special weekend ‘retreat’ for the ladies of the church, plus a Sunday celebration and lunch. The main participants were Grant and Janice McClung, our former Field Director and his wife.
Currently, there are two churches in the ‘Church of God Luxembourg a.s.b.l.’ The original, English-speaking fellowship was joined by a French-speaking body, pastored by José Franclin, which was formally brought into the ‘Church of God Luxembourg a.s.b.l.’ on the 27th February 2005. This took place in a service presided over by Bishop Martin Mutyebele, National Overseer for the Church of God in Belgium and Chris Swift, Benelux Education Director.
Following this dedication, in order to avoid confusion, the Anglophone church chose the name ‘Oasis Church of God’ and the Francophone church opted for ‘El Shaddai Eglise de Dieu.’ Together we are the ‘Church of God Luxembourg a.s.b.l.’
In the following years, El Shaddai lost its Pastor, who was forced to return to Portugal because his visa was cancelled. Thanks to the commitment of Bishop Mutyebele, Overseer of Belgium, Pastor Adama was able to come down each weekend to serve our Francophone congregation. His dedicated work has taken a handful of members to the effective congregation you see today. Not only that, but since moving to serve the church permanently, the Lord has given him a vision of a church of over 1,000 … I will sign up to that – Amen Lord Jesus!
On July 6th 2007, Oasis took the first steps to securing its first full time workers by starting a fund. Jan & Tineke arrived from South Africa in the late summer of 2008 and even though they were only with us for a year, they showed that the church truly needed full time workers. The search was on after they left and as you all know, we were blessed to receive Pietro, Giovanna as Assistant Pastors. They came to us with daughter Melody, and Timothy has very recently arrived.
For 2012 and beyond, with both congregations having full time support, we truly believe the Lord is preparing us for the next stage of growth and the first thing for growth is to make room and ‘enlarge our tent’ – i.e. a bigger building:
Isa 54:2-3 “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. 3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.”
It’s interesting to see that the Lord answered these needs in the first phase of the church – following a day of prayer and fasting on the 21st May 1995 – so He can do no less this time: “We need an immediate move; it’s confining to be in this room. The room discourages people from coming. We all will be more free.”
The focus for prayer is for space to grow.
[1] Paul & Caris Lim, Tom & Christa van de Klashorst, Bob & Angie Ezell, Graham & Chris Kettle, Ann Balsom (4 nationalities … colours, see below).
[2] Paul & Caris and Karene, Karl & Kerry Lim; Tom & Christa and Olaf van de Klashorst; Bob & Angie and Anne Ezell, Graham & Chris Kettle and Elizabeth, Jennifer & Allison; John & Jean and Janet Brown (5 nationalities … British, American, German, Malaysian, Australian … underlined shows adult members).