Fifth Board of Directors

For every Chinese church in Europe to have its own pastor and for each pastor to be properly equipped.

In the early years, Chinese churches in Europe were mainly established by Christians from Hong Kong and Taiwan. During the 1970s and 1980s, increasing numbers of Christians from Mainland China immigrated to Europe in search of livelihood opportunities. Some joined the relatively few Chinese churches that existed at the time, while many others began forming small groups and fellowships in their homes, restaurants, and workplaces, hoping to preserve and nurture the faith they had brought from their homeland.

Around the year 2000, churches and fellowships began springing up across Northern Europe, the Netherlands, Germany, Eastern Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe, and many other regions. Seeing the needs of Chinese communities in Europe, numerous Chinese churches and seminaries from the United States and Asia came to engage in missions, provide theological training, and even establish denominational churches throughout Europe. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Chinese churches in Europe still lacked full-time ministers who had received formal theological education.

Recognizing that Europe at the time did not have a physical Chinese seminary capable of training local believers for pastoral ministry, the “Wu Yong Elder Talent Development Fund” responded to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in 2006. Elder Chien Li, Rev. Cheng Shen, Rev. Andrew Kou, Elder George Sung, and Elder Chen-yu Lin (the Asian initiators listed above) contacted key co-workers from churches in Southern Europe and specially invited Rev. Wang Chuansheng, who carried a deep burden, passion, and rich experience for theological education, to help establish a seminary together. Thus, the International Chinese Biblical Seminary in Europe, now accredited by ATA, was founded in October 2007.

Through the wholehearted dedication of the Board of Directors, the leadership of five presidents, and sixteen years of exploration, struggle, perseverance, and complete dependence on the Lord, the seminary has gradually grown into what it is today. We now have nearly 120 alumni serving in more than ten countries, along with outstanding leadership, qualified faculty, and well-established systems.

We firmly believe that under God’s guidance — for “the latter glory shall be greater than the former” — the vision that “For every Chinese church in Europe to have its own pastor and for each pastor to be properly equipped.” will gradually become a reality in the near future.