The second distinction: This was the first main conference that didn’t include a well-known guest speaker from the United States or the United Kingdom. Nonetheless, 1,100 attendees packed the room and another 2,000 joined on the live stream. I think it was one of the best E21 conferences yet. It’s certainly great to benefit from the gospel ministries of renowned preachers and authors. But the depth and clarity of the talks from ministers throughout German-speaking lands displayed encouraging fruits of God’s work over recent years to multiply laborers for the gospel harvest in Europe.

Here are some highlights from those plenary talks.

God the Holy Spirit

“We Christians are in danger of grieving the Holy Spirit by not giving him the place he deserves,” declared Daniel Knoll, pastor of Immanuel Church in Wetzlar, Germany. The Holy Spirit is truly God and thus equal and one with the Father and the Son. He is due our worship and honor.

Yet in his work, the Spirit doesn’t put himself in the limelight but rather exalts the Father and the Son in our lives.

“The Holy Spirit uses the truths of the Bible to make Jesus Christ glorious in our hearts,” emphasized Knoll.

The Spirit in the Old Testament

Larry Norman, copastor of Leipzig English Church, examined the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and his divine work in creation, revelation, and new creation. Norman emphasized how the Spirit uses human weakness throughout the Old Testament to achieve great redemptive aims: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 4:6).

The Spirit spoke through the prophets of old to point God’s people to Christ, and he still speaks through them today to point us to Christ.

The Spirit as Helper

Theology professor Philipp Bartholomä from the Free Theological University in Giessen, Germany, examined the Holy Spirit’s role as Helper based on John 14:15–26. Jesus told his followers from the start that their path would be difficult. But he sent the Holy Spirit as the Helper to give Christ’s followers assurance against accusations, intercede for them, unite them intimately with Christ’s heart, encourage them in their weakness, and work through their weakness to magnify God’s strength.

“Gospel-centered living,” says Bartholomä, “is Spirit-filled living.” We must rely on the Helper to follow Christ in faithful discipleship.

Jonathan Edwards and the Holy Spirit

Felix Äschlimann, director of the Seminar für biblische Theologie Beatenberg in Switzerland (Seminary for Biblical Theology), drew lessons from Jonathan Edwards’s theology of the Holy Spirit for today. In particular, he emphasized Edwards’s reliance on the Spirit for a spiritual knowledge of Scripture, the Spirit’s work in revival, and the authentic marks of the Spirit’s work in the Christian’s life.

“For Edwards, it was not the ecstatic experiences or even the countless converts that counted as signs of genuine devotion,” Äschlimann said. “Rather, it was faithfulness to God.”

Testing the Spirits

“We live in a deeply religious world full of prophets who want to sell us their particular version of the good life, with or without Jesus,” warned pastor Rudolf Tissen of the Evangelisch-Freikirchliche Gemeinde Unna in Germany.

That’s why the gift of discerning the spirits, which Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 12:10, is relevant and urgent in our time. Only the Spirit of truth enables us to discern the truth of God and love of Christ in a world full of deceit and lies.

The Gifts of the Spirit

Those truly gifted by the Spirit are called to be humble, submit themselves under the church’s leadership, and edify the church, said pastor Christian Wegert of Arche Congregation in Hamburg.

“Unfortunately, this is not always the case,” Wegert observed. “That is why Paul has to point out the true motive of the gifts of the Spirit, namely love (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1–13).”

If you’re wondering what your gifts are, the best way to discover them is through faithful and humble service in the church.

The Fruits of the Spirit

Pastor Matthias Lohmann of the Freie evangelische Gemeinde Munich showed from Galatians 5:16–26 that the apostle Paul counted the fruit of the Spirit more important than the gifts of the Spirit.

At first glance, the fruit appears less spectacular, and it often grows slowly. But the Spirit’s long-term commitment to grow Christ’s people in holiness is a work of far greater beauty than temporary experiences. The Spirit bears fruit such as love, peace, joy, and kindness in Christians to build up the church in love, witness to Christ, and glorify God.

The Spirit Outpoured

Pastor Wolfgang Wegert from the Arche Congregation closed the conference with instruction, warning, and encouragement based on the Spirit’s outpouring at Pentecost (Acts 1:4–8). He charged listeners to beware of misusing the Spirit’s ministry to manufacture religious spectacles and artificial experiences.

Rather, genuine revival occurs when the Spirit works through the Word of Christ to awaken and grow living faith in Christ. If ministers desire the Spirit’s outpouring for spiritual renewal today, then they must devote themselves to proclaiming God’s Word.

Please join us in praying for God to pour out the Spirit in German-speaking lands for a rich gospel harvest, and to use the ministry of E21 and the regional and annual conferences to build up healthy churches.