Do you know the story of a small group of Christians who defied convention and started a spiritual revolution right here in Bremen? This is the story of Freikirchliche Baptistengemeinde.
The Freikirchliche Baptistengemeinde’s roots trace back to 1845. It was a time of great change and spiritual awakening in Bremen. Johann Gerhard Oncken, a key figure, baptized ten people in the Weser River. Among them were Daniel Zincke and his wife Catharina. Their home became the first meeting place for the church.
Imagine their excitement as they formed the Gemeinde getaufter Christen in Bremen. Johann Andreas Gülzau was appointed as the first Elder. The Freikirchliche Baptistengemeinde quickly grew. Oncken had already laid the groundwork through his work with the Continental Society. He had gained a good reputation among Bremen’s awakened circles.
He was friends with influential pastors like Friedrich Ludwig Mallet and Georg Treviranus. They were known as the “Dreigestirn der großen Eiferer für den christlichen Glauben”. Oncken also maintained close ties with the Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine. The Freikirchliche Baptistengemeinde even took over their chapel at the Ansgarikirchhof in 1895.
From its earliest days, the Freikirchliche Baptistengemeinde was deeply involved in missionary work. They were active in Bremen and the surrounding areas. Wilhelm Haupt joined Johann Friedrich Oncken in 1854. He served as a vicar in the mission field of the Hanseatic city’s Baptists. New congregations sprouted in Fischerhude, Verden, Elsfleth and Brake. Visiting pastors and missionaries also helped. Johann Ludwig Hinrichs and Julius Köbner were particularly important.
Over time, the work of the Freikirchliche Baptistengemeinde expanded. New congregations were established in Bremen-Walle and Bremen-Lesum. Also new congregations came to Bremen-Blumenthal and Osterholz-Scharmbeck. After World War II, further congregations were founded. These could be found in Achim, Rotenburg and Nienburg. The Philippusgemeinde in Lilienthal was founded in 1993. The Zellgemeinde Bremen was founded in 2005.
The oldest Baptist congregation in Bremen is now located on Hohenlohestraße. This is near Bremen’s main train station. Since 1942, Baptists in Germany have been known as Evangelisch-Freikirchliche Gemeinden. They received corporate rights for the state of Bremen on February 28, 1962.
Today, the Freikirchliche Baptistengemeinde is part of a network of six autonomous churches. One of these churches is in Bremerhaven. They work together and are members of the Evangelische Allianz. They are also members of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen. Within the Bund Evangelisch-Freikirchlicher Gemeinden, they belong to the Regionalverband Vereinigung Nordwestdeutschland. Since April 9, 2005, its official name has been Baptisten im Nordwesten.
The Freikirchliche Baptistengemeinde operates its own Diakoniewerk. This is the Evangelisch-Freikirchliche Diakoniewerk Bremen. It runs the Seniorenwohnanlage St. Catharinen on Hohenlohestraße. It also runs a family vacation center in Norden. A well-known activity of the Bremen Baptists is the annual Brot-für-die-Welt collection. It has been held during the Freimarkt since 1967.
Another focus of the Bremen Evangelisch-Freikirchlichen Gemeinden is ministry to foreigners. Church services are offered in Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese and Tamil. The International Baptist Church was founded in the early 1990s. It is the sixth Baptist congregation in Bremen. People from over 20 nations belong to it.
The story of Freikirchliche Baptistengemeinde is a testament to faith, community, and service. From humble beginnings in a carpenter’s home, it has grown into a vital part of Bremen’s spiritual landscape. It continues to spread its message of hope and love.