What is Europe City Partners?

 

ECP was started by Walter Wood in April, 2020 to advance the church planting movement in the cities of Europe through coaching, church plant training, network development, and equipping pastors for long-term effectiveness. After nearly 40 years as an associate pastor, church planter, lead pastor, and Catalyst for City to City (redeemercitytocity.com), Walter embarked on a new ministry to continue to share his passion for church planting and experience with church planters and pastors in Europe. Walter has been involved in the European church planting scene since 2008, and is the ECP Director and sole staff at this time.

 

Why Europe?

  • Europe’s population: 741 million

  • Professing evangelicals: less than 5 million, or 0.7% (from European Evangelical Alliance).

  • The startling contrast between the vibrant, packed churches of the developing world and the empty cathedrals in Europe is widely known.

  • Europe is the leading educator of the world’s youth.

  • Europe is the source of the fastest growing religion in the world: atheism.

  • A battle for the gospel is ongoing in universities, seminaries, and churches throughout Europe.

  • Europe offers direct contact with millions of displaced people and groups. (Source: Greg Pritchard, Director, European Leadership Forum)

 

Why Cities?

The world is moving to cities. By 2050, 70% of the world’s population will be in cities. The critical importance of cities is prominent throughout the Bible. Cities have outsized importance for the advancement of both good and evil. To reach the world for Christ, we must reach the cities of the world with the gospel. And we believe that church planting is the most effective, sustainable method for reaching our cities for Christ.

 

Which Cities?

Walter is currently involved in the coaching and training of church planters in these cities: Dublin, Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Perugia, Athens, Tirana, Zagreb, Budapest, Vienna, and Prague. Many of these cities have active church planting networks of like-minded pastors that are cooperating to see new churches planted each year. Walter helps these networks develop and mature. Currently new church plants are underway in Dublin, Lisbon, Rome, Perugia, Tirana, and Athens.

 

How is the work of ECP carried out?

Walter makes 6 trips to Europe per year, usually for 10 -14 days. He will visit church planters in 3-4 cities on each trip, doing the vital work of searching out how each church planter is faring regarding their implementing of training they have received and the ministry plans they have crafted. In between trips he is in correspondence with church planters, meeting virtually with the City to City Europe leadership (of which he is still a ministry partner), making preparations for the next trip over, and developing the support base for Europe City Partners.

 

How is ECP funded?

ECP is funded by individual donors and churches.

Our annual budget needs are as follows:

  • Salary, Housing, and Benefits- $160,000

  • Travel Expense - $24,680

  • Administration - $9320

  • Total - $195,000

Europe City Partners is a 501(c)(3) corporation and all contributions are tax deductible.

Checks should be made payable to Europe City Partners and sent to:

 

Europe City Partners

156 Archie Way

Woodstock, GA 30188

Contributions can also be made on our website www.europecitypartners.org

 

Europe City Partners Leadership: 

Director: Walter Wood, Jr.

Board of Trustees:

Jay Bennett, Oxford, OH

Steve Brown, Mason, OH

Mark Coleman, Nashville, TN

David Dupee, Cincinnati OH

Mark Krone, Mason, OH

Ted Phelps, Loveland OH

Jim Taylor, Cincinnati, OH

Administrative Assistant: Jodean Yancey, Cincinnati, OH