It is October 2023 and almost 13 years have passed since I graduated from SMBC. Without a doubt, my three years ‘Down Under’ were some of the most formative years in my life. I have learned that God’s word is absolutely reliable and indeed alive and powerful, that God is full of goodness and that He gladly and generously shares his goodness with his children.
After experiencing the fellowship at SMBC as a residential full-time student I could almost imagine what the harmony of the first church in Acts might have been like, and I learnt so much too!
“Without a doubt, my three years ‘Down Under’ were some of the most formative years in my life.”
My original motivation for studying theology was that I wanted to learn everything there was to learn about the Bible. It didn’t take long for me to see how incredibly big God is and his word so incredibly deep, that despite the three years of study, only the surface was scratched and the basics covered!
But those basics have become a solid foundation and I am literally eternally grateful to SMBC! And graciously, God continues shaping us – Sandra, my wife, and me – and providing us with new insights into his word.
As Austrians, we knew we would return there after our studies. Austria has been the recipient of missionaries from all kinds of nations for many decades, and it is a great concern for us that Austrians take responsibility for the church in Austria.
“But those basics have become a solid foundation and I am literally eternally grateful to SMBC!”
To remain internationally networked, we joined ECM (www.ecmi.org), who have been active in our region since the 1960s. This was a very good and totally God-led decision! This partnership with ECM and precious friends from Australia have made it possible for us to invest part time in Christian ministry, thus starting the annual kids’ camps – followed by youth camps in 2021.
Seeing God’s hand in and through our children’s and youth camps overwhelms me! Many things have happened that express God’s wisdom, faithfulness, power and goodness in different ways. This year, again, the summer camps went very well. We had 83 children at one camp (39 of them from outside the church) and 44 teenagers at the youth camp (18 of them from outside the church) – all incredibly valuable gospel opportunities.
A highlight from the kids’ camp week this year was seeing how God’s working became visible. In preparing some talks from Matthew’s Gospel I found a challenge in making the talks understandable to the children; yet every time (without exception) when we looked at the passages during the camp as a group together, I too was challenged, and felt God speaking directly into my life.
This happened many times throughout the week. The devotions were well received and good conversations arose with the children. I am amazed and thankful how good Jesus is – and my understanding of his goodness is only increasing.
“Seeing God’s hand in and through our children’s and youth camps overwhelms me!”
Camp weeks are not always easy. Almost every day there were special challenges that sapped our strength, but at the same time were miraculously resolved by God every time. One Wednesday evening, a boy was injured during one of the games. He managed to get his head stuck and hurt his back quite badly. We called the ambulance and off he went to hospital for a check-up. The result was no broken bones; the pain subsided quite quickly and no further treatment was necessary. What was particularly worrisome about the situation was that his parents are non-churched: we didn’t really know each other and their concern about the camp was already noticeable before we set off!
Nevertheless, this extra contact we had with them was helpful and the young boy wanted to rejoin the camp after he was released from hospital rather than go home! Just recently, these same parents have asked us about the date of the camp in 2024, because they want to plan their holidays so that their son can be at our camp again! We see God’s guiding hand in all of this and how he is working beyond the camp week itself.
Not long after the kids’ camp, we held the youth camp – this year at the seaside in the south of France. We spent a week camping, working through the Sermon on the Mount together alongside games, singing, having fun and city trips. I was nervous beforehand whether the 18 unbelieving teenagers who joined us would create problems; but the atmosphere of the campsite was good and the conversations were valuable – an extremely successful week.
“We forgot that we are not simply stewards and bearers of the best news ever for young people, but that God also wants and needs to apply his gospel to our own hearts.”
However, we did experience disappointments with some of the leaders on the camp and as I reflected on this a thought came to me: “Why am I disappointed with some of the them?” Then the answer came: “They are sinners, just like me.” I turned to praise God for the hope we have in our kind, merciful and gentle Father in heaven who gave his Son for us, who accepts us as we are (because of him) and makes us new people.”
Why was I disappointed? Because I actually (unconsciously) thought that we were doing quite well on the camp by ourselves. And in the process, I’d forgotten that our togetherness as leaders must be grounded in the gospel. We forgot that we are not simply stewards and bearers of the best news ever for young people, but that God also wants and needs to apply his gospel to our own hearts.
Ironically, this was exactly what we’d been talking about all week through the Sermon on the Mount: that our hearts are corrupt, and Jesus wants to get to our innermost parts to renew them. That’s how Jesus starts the whole sermon: blessed are the spiritually bankrupt – for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:3). We had opportunities to debrief as a team after the camp which was fruitful, and enabled us to see God at work.
“God is at work. May his kingdom come and change us Austrians!”
One of the biggest challenges for us Christians in Austria (and I invite you to pray for us) is not to see the gospel as a one-off and done with, but to continue getting to know Jesus better and better, letting his lifegiving word touch our hearts. God is at work. May his kingdom come and change us Austrians!
Editor’s Note: The Haemmerles’ church family is the CGD in Dornbirn, Austria where several SMBC graduates are involved. They would love your prayers for the church in Austria to grow and strengthen.