‘There’s nobody there to reach them’

It’s not often that a Berliner comes to Bardstown, Kentucky, the world’s bourbon capital. But if Berliners come, you’d probably expect to meet them at a distillery, not a worship service.

A few weeks ago, a friend of Lori and Tim Hawkins introduced them to Doug and Weilie Jeschke during Sunday worship. Weilie came to Christ in Berlin, and she and Doug want Christ’s people to increase in the city of four million.

“[Weilie] confirmed everything we’ve heard about the spiritual state of Berlin,” Hawkins said.

Little did the Jeschkes know that the Hawkinses, whom they’d never met, want the same achievement. Converge has appointed the Hawkinses for a new ministry in Berlin. 

You have a lot of unreached people groups there, but there’s nobody there to reach them.

Lori Hawkins

In November 2022, Lori and Tim visited Berlin, home to 170 people groups. Many of them come from least-reached nations. Less than 1% of the people in Berlin, whether Germans or immigrants, know Christ and have a church.

“You have a lot of unreached people groups there, but there’s nobody there to reach them,” she said.

Until August, no one could have imagined the four would worship in the same Kentucky congregation. That divinely planned connection encouraged and equipped the Hawkinses to go and share the gospel where disciples are strongly needed.

“It’s important to have Christians there who can disciple and teach people what it means to have a life that is consumed by the gospel and by Christ,” Lori Hawkins said.

Did you know that 70,000 people die every day without a chance to hear a credible gospel presentation? Converge International Ministries emphasizes fruitful, faithful and Biblical service to start a gospel movement among every least-reached people group — in our generation.