Foundation
The "Orientdienst" (i.e. Middle East Services) was founded in 1963 by Rev. Willi Höpfner as a free association of churches and missionary societies, which saw themselves confronted with the fact that many people from Muslim countries (Turkey, Middle East, and North Africa) were coming to Germany as guest workers and students. Those involved wanted to find ways for the church of Jesus Christ to respond to them in the spirit of the Gospel. In 1975 "Orientdienst" became an independent registered society whose members at present consist of 60 private individuals, missionary societies and churches.
Staff
Today "Orientdienst" has more than 20 full-time or part-time workers. In addition there are other people who are not employed by us, but as volunteers or employees of other missionary societies work closely with us. 16 of our staff members are German, 6 come originally from Turkey, 3 from Switzerland, one from Sweden and others from Far East countries. There are several teams in different major cities in Germany.
Main areas of work
According to the Statute the purpose of the "Orientdienst" society is to show "missionary and humanitarian care towards various people groups from Moslem countries (i.e. Turkey, Middle East, and North Africa), particularly in Germany, as well as the coordination of such work." From time to time individual coworkers also take on assignments in Turkey (visiting believers, teaching at Bible Schools etc.) or among Turkish-speaking minorities in Bulgaria and Macedonia.
1. Information Service
Since its foundation one of the tasks of "Orientdienst" is to provide German-speaking Christians with information.
Our aims in this regard are:
- to help others gain a differentiated view of Islam and a Bible-based spiritual assessment of same;
- to encourage having contact with Muslims in the love of Jesus Christ; this involves teaching an understanding of the religious background of Muslims and acceptance of their cultural characteristics;
- to offer suggestions on how to witness intelligibly (without attacking Islam nor concealing the offense of the cross).
The methods involved are our magazine "Orientierung" (Orientation), lectures in churches, Seminars (e.g. Islam courses at the Academy for World Missions in Korntal), literature tips on the subject of Islam and Conferences for Christians who have contact with Turks and Kurds.
2. Media work
The work of the "Orientdienst" staff includes producing radio programs in Turkish and Kurdish, which are broadcasted in cooperation with Evangeliumsrundfunk (Gospel Radio Broadcasting) and Trans World Radio, Publishing an evangelical tear-off calendar in Turkish (which is also sent to many prisons) and sending Bibles, Christian literature, audio and video cassettes in various languages.
3. Meeting with people from Middle Eastern countries, especially Muslims
Almost all of our workers know one or several Middle Eastern (Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic) languages and have gained personal knowledge of these cultures by living in the countries concerned. They meet with Moslems in various situations:
a) social work: translation Services, assistance with homework, social counseling etc.
b) personal counseling of asylum seekers, Moslem married couples and families, sometimes of bicultural marriages,
c) missionary work: distribution of calendars and New Testaments (so that Muslims may have access to information on the Christian faith), personal contacts and conversations on matters of faith, follow-up of believers in doctrine and pastoral counseling, Church Services and conversational Bible study groups in Turkish and Arabic, children's meetings, church planting and teaching on personal involvement, Conferences for Turkish families.
Klaus Mulch
Head of "Orientdienst"
Orientdienst e.V.
Postfach 4546
65035 Wiesbaden
Germany
e-mail:
info [at] orientdienst.de