Our Story
Because Europe has so few evangelicals, opportunities for leadership training are rare. This leaves the church weak and ineffective.
We offer training, networking and encouragement that ignites passion and strengthens the church.
We remember the surprise of learning how few evangelical Christians and churches there are in Europe. And how because of this, leadership development opportunities are rare. The resulting lack of competent and confident leaders weakens the church, decreasing its effectiveness.
Many of these leaders serve in small churches throughout Europe and do their best to lead with little training … all while working full-time jobs.
They are worship leaders, vocalists, techies, and creatives. And we understand them.
Many are insecure in their roles, feel alone, and without community … but their hearts burn to be encouraged, trained, and networked.
Our training ministry began as a one-off seminar in Brussels to encourage the few leaders we felt we could touch. We expected a few, but more than 125 showed up!
That was the beginning of a growing call on our lives to serve God’s purposes in Europe. Over two decades, it has opened doors to:
- Establish the European Worship Institute, through which we have organized more than 75 training events in nine European countries as well as Turkey, Morocco and Indonesia.
- Serve as worship pastor of a 500-member international church in Brussels, Belgium.
- Serve on the church planting team for a new international church in Paris, France.
- Tour with EXO, a popular French worship band, in Europe, Africa and the Caribbean.
Jeff and Kathy Slaughter, missionaries. to Europe.
Why Europe?
While Asia, Africa and South America have all experienced a spiritual awakening, the European church is in decline. Once a vibrant missions-sending continent, today’s Europe is a spiritual wasteland of agnosticism, atheism and a seedbed for other faiths.
In this environment, with the average church size just 40 members, leaders face daunting challenges.
Clearly, the European church needs our help.
Vision / Mission / Goals
Our Vision
We dream of a Europe overflowing with churches from every nation, tribe and tongue who worship God in spirit and truth and raise up the next generation of worshipers.
Our Mission
Our mission is to train, network and encourage worship leaders through events such as workshops, seminars, conferences, camps and mentoring.
Our Goals
Our goals for the next five years are to:
- Organize training events reaching 300-500 leaders a year.
- Raise up a team of teachers, speakers and songwriters to serve at training events throughout Europe.
- Recruit and train national organizers in at least five European countries who have a heart to carry on the work of the European Worship Institute in their countries.
We believe that accomplishing these goals will make a significant impact as well as provide a model for training, connection and encouragement for these leaders.
We’re excited about these goals but we know there will be challenges. And we know we can’t accomplish them alone.
Ignite passion and strengthen
the European Church with us!
Because Europe has so few evangelical Christians and churches, opportunities for leadership training are rare. This leaves the church weak and ineffective. We offer training, networking and encouragement that ignites passion and strengthens the church.
Would you be willing to pray and have God lead you to make the most sacrificial gift you can to provide training, networking and encouragement for European leaders?
For information on how you can ignite passion and strengthen the European church with us, please see below.
Your financial gifts Ignite passion and strengthen the European church in such countries as Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Kosovo,, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Morocco.
Your contributions are tax-deductible through our 501c3, Cornerstone International.
Stay Connected
However God leads, we would love to stay connected to you. The easiest way to do that is to register for our email newsletter which features stories and photos of what God is doing through Elevate Europe and how you can be involved by praying, giving and even going!