By: David Stahl
On 23 July 1996 (at 11:00) my family and I landed in Stuttgart, Germany where we lived for exactly (the jet way pushed back at 11:00) seven years leaving on 23 July 2003. When I think of this period when we arrived life was magical I was working at US European Command (USEUCOM) a four star headquarters as a Joint Medical Planner, but within less than one week upon arriving God was able to place the keys and the responsibility of the Pentecostal Chapel service at Robinson Barracks within my hands. Life was exciting, bright, a new, like I have never felt or experienced. The word “responsibility” took on a whole new meaning: family, work, and now a small Chapel service of about 30 to 35 foreigners, mostly Africans from West Africa. Suddenly, without any formal training, I found myself leading the service on Sunday morning and Wednesday evening. What a time it was. Everything was so different to my thinking, my relationships with my family and at work God touched my life and enabled me to be used beyond my abilities and skills. When we allow God to run the show He will step in and make all things beautiful in our time. I remember thinking that my office mates (really cannot use the word friends) would come to our service and get involved with what God was doing, but boy was I wrong. But that was okay a man cannot give what they do not have. The first year we stayed at the Chapel and the small service grew and grew in numbers as God added people to positions needed for the work He was doing in us first and then out from us. Then on Easter week-end 1997 I found out the US Army (6th Area Support Group had base support for installations) was closing down our Chapel service to save money, but in reality our service was bigger than the Protestant (9 to 10:30) and Catholic (11 to 12:30) services combined with only a hand full of Americans. This was God ‘s way of kicking us out of the nest. On 27 April 1997 (on Karen’s birthday) we started Christliche Gemeinde Stuttgart (CGS) at the Dorint Fontana a five star hotel. So out from CGS and the US Navy I started traveling to the nations. When God wants something to happen He will move mountains seemingly working in the supernatural. I cannot begin to tell you of the times I represented USEUCOM in the day and God at night. God used the US military to move us around the world to share His wondrous Gospel message first in the States while in training then to the nations in 1996.
So I began to travel to the nations. My first trip was to Opel, Poland about 7 to 8 hours from Stuttgart by car. The trip was exciting and full of newness for me. There in Opel I meet Pastor Piotr Cieslar, his wonderful wife Kristina, and their three kids. Pastor Piotr’s church was small, but packed to the rafters with hungry hearts wanting to know God in a greater way. I really liked Pastor Piotr. Now it has been some time since I stopped by Opel, but Pastor Piotr really influenced my life in so many ways. Over the years while living in Germany I made many trips to Opel and had the unique opportunity to watch his kids: Thomic (Thomas), Bashua (Barbara) and Oliver grow up and something strange his church began to empty out. I remember Poland in 1996 everything was gray or brown and everything seemed dirty. No one seemed to laugh maybe that is why I liked Pastor Piotr so much he had an unusual sense of humor. I can still hear him say, “LORD move the sinners so the saints can find parking.” You see over the years with the integration of NATO and the European Union (EU) money the country of Poland got richer. Coupled with open border immigration (no visa was needed to travel to other EU countries) the Polish people started the exodus west looking for employment. When you have little to nothing to live on your future looks bleak and hope seems to disappear right before your eyes. So as the people moved west for money I watched the churches empty out. Finally another church merged with Pastor Piotr’s church (the other church had a bigger building, but no people), but in time things really got small. I remember in 2003 right before we left I made a trip to Opel with a friend and they had a big beautiful church, but no people. Not only in Poland, but I have seen this scenario play out in Czech Republic, Romania, Moldova, and Bulgaria. As the countries got richer the people moved west looking for comfort, money, and security. One thing for sure once you get the taste of the “good life” nothing else will satisfy this human, basic hunger. Now do not misunderstand me here I am not beating up my friends in these countries (I have some dear dear friends in these countries), but what I am saying is more money does not mean one is wealthy and secure. The title of the first story in my book “Adventures with God” is taken from the words of Pastor Jacob from Constanta, Romania (who I dearly love). “No Money No Problems.” In 1998 when I made it to Constanta this was the way they dealt with having no money, “No Money No Problems.” Not only in Romania or other Eastern European countries, but also in counties in Africa, Asia, even in America I have seen as comforts and wealth increases churches decrease. Once we can do for ourselves we seem not to want to know God to seek His guidance and help. The end result is our absence from our brothers and sisters (notice I did not say absence from church), we seem to walk away from the things of God and our relationships with God. Strangely, it seems like we have walked away from those things that has enabled us to be able to move away from God. All of our early learning and teaching (as a child) that was our bedrock, our foundational principles, but once we get old enough to strike out looking for our fame and fortune all of our earlier teaching seems to vanish before our eyes. You know I have seen this in my life at times. I am sure this is no new revelation to most people who love God and want to do His will. The world is an exciting place for the young and adventurist at heart. This is why John warns us of this great danger, “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:14-16) Here the word of God is abiding in the young men to overcome the wicked one (not sure who the wicked one is certainly not the devil) , but John still directs them to, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. John even goes on to define those dangers in the world, “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” So too today. One thing for sure if we are running after the world we cannot be running after God. And for all of those seeker sensitive church leaders (which makes up the majority of churches today in the world) if the world is running after you God is not. I could go on and on, but I need to get to the heart of what I would like to share. Many popular world preachers and teachers in the church today say (so they can deceive you into giving more money to them) there will be a great end-time revival, well that is not what the Bible teaches, oh no. Paul in 2 Thessalonians tell us the truth so that we will be able to withstand the great deception and evil in the world “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) You may need to read these verses again, but this time not the words in the brackets. “Let no man deceive you by any means: [for that day shall not come,] except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” That is right not a big time revival, but a falling away. Let no one deceive you (on Christian TV) my brethren there is a “falling away” that is happening to fulfill God’s word. I have seen this “falling away” from the start in the mid 60s with the feel good Jesus hippie movements that deceived people. In the 70s this deception continued with the word of faith movement “plant your seed (money) in my ministry and God will bless you” (thank you Oral Roberts and his ilk) into the 80s where the humanistic teachers (man is a god) started spinning their deception and outright lies. In the 90s it got worse with the prosperity teachers (giving to get), if a Christian God wants you to be rich, influential, and powerful. The message was for earthly riches (because I really believe they do not believe in our next life) and not eternal riches. And in the 2000s the deception (reached new heights) was mixed more with the truth (which stills makes it a lie) with the seeker sensitive message where everyone is welcome (no one gets offended) and accepted no matter what. Yes my friend there is a “falling away” going on right now and with the increase of comforts and technology it will be expedited faster and faster. Paul in his epistles again and again warns of this “falling away” so it should not take us by surprise lest we too be deceived. And strange as it may seem, whether we get deceived and fall away depends not on the deceiver, the devil, or even God, but on us. The “falling away” is here and has been here for a long time and yes God is here warning us of our fall. Make no mistake my friend God is shaking the tree not to see who He can shake out but, to see who is holding on to His unchanging hand. When we were at a Church in Greece after the service they had a time of eating before everyone headed their way. We were sitting at a table and a young lady came up to me and said, “Pastor Dave is that you?” I said “yes.” And the lady said, “This is Monica, Koko from the Mission Bible School (Class of 2005) in Romania.” Now I will be honest at first I did not remember her, but as she talked I began to pick up her voice. She said I made a statement during class that only with time has come true. She said I said, “In time you will see many of your class mates walk away from the calling God has on their lives.” I remember making that statement. Koko thought, that would never happen with her class mates, but one by one many have walked away from God. Over the years many of the Mission Bible School students (that God is still using) have come to me and recited my words back to me and said, “your words were true’ and began to name person after person who has walked, fallen away from their calling and God. Sadly I too can name people who were once walking with the LORD, but now have loved this present world and walk no more with God. Take heed my brethren.
