Around 250 Christian leaders from across Europe are at the Hope for Europe 2026, organized by the European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) in Golem (Albania) from 5-9 October, under the theme Hope In Uncertain Times.

“Hope for Europe is not a slogan for us. It is a testimony. If God can bring hope to a land that was once called the first atheist state in the world, he can bring hope to every nation in this room”, said Alesio Sema, general secretary of the Albanian Evangelical Alliance (VUSH) in his welcome speech.

All Evangelical Focus news and opinion, on your WhatsApp

“The seed was never lost”

Commenting on Romans 15:19, Sema recalled that the Apostle Paul writes that he had fully proclaimed the gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum, which “for many it is just a name in a footnote, but for us here in Albania, it is our home”, news website Christian Daily International reports.

The VUSH leader explained that churches were shut and Bibles were hidden in Albania for decades. Furtheremore, under that regime, the state declared itself atheist.

However, “the seed planted in Illyricum was never lost”, and thirty-five years after the country opened, “Albania has active churches, young leaders and a new generation looking for hope”, he added.

That is why holding the gathering in Albania at this moment carries particular weight for the country's evangelicals.

Sema asked participants to listen and learn from one another during the week. He also urged them to let the Holy Spirit renew their vision for “your own Illyricum, the place that God has sent you”.

From 20 to 13,000 in one generation

Jan Wessels, co-general secretary of the EEA talked after Sema, pointing out that the same chapter of Romans records Paul's plan to travel to Spain, which means that "Paul was actually looking at the whole of Europe, long before Europe was even on the map”.

According to Wessels, there were only about 20 evangelical believers in Albania in 1991, and now the country has about 300 churches and church plants and roughly 13,000 believers.

He said that Albania officially recognized the Albanian Evangelical Alliance in 2011, and many Albanian Christians who emigrated now serve in churches elsewhere in Europe.

“From fewer than 20 people to 13,000 in one generation. That is a testimony of the faithfulness of our God”, added Wessels.

[photo_footer]Connie Main Duarte and Jan Wessels, co-general secretaries of the European Evangelical Alliance at the opening of Hope for Europe 2026 in Golem, Albania. / CDI. [/photo_footer] 

Identity, hospitality and living abroad

VUSH president, Erion Sylari described Albania as a nation that struggled over its identity, mainly due to about 500 years of Ottoman rule and around 50 years of communism.

Sylari highlighted the country’s reputation as a welcoming place which, for example, took Jewish people into their families during World War II and gave them food, shelter and clothing.

The evangelical leader also underlined the growing number of young people who are leaving Albania because of a weak economy and a lack of hope.

He called on church leaders from other countries to “take care” of Albanians who have settled abroad, and “pray for them and invite them to come to your churches, because they belong to us”.

“Hope is a person and his name is Jesus”

Co-general secretary of the EEA, Connie Duarte, explained that they chose the theme of the gathering based on the story of Job and the Bible passage in Hebrews 6:19-20.

“What Job faced in his life, we are watching and living on a European and global scale”, she said, giving examples such as the war in Ukraine; the recent droughts, floods, earthquakes and fire; school violence; youth suicide; mental health struggles, among others.

Duarte also warned about “a surging polarization that has seeped into all of society, and the church has not been left untouched”

Amid that scenario, “hope is not just a word, and it is not just a concept. Hope is a person and his name is Jesus”, she concluded.

“A network of networks”

Wessels also took some time during the gathering to tell the story of Hope for Europe.

He recalled that it started after the collapse of communism, when a group of leaders that included Jeff Fountain of YWAM Europe “instead of asking what each of us can do, they asked what God is doing in Europe and how we can do it better together”.

The first gathering was held in Budapest, Hungary, in 2002, with about 1,000 people from 20 networks. Other gatherings followed in 2011, 2018 and 2022.

For Wessels, Hope for Europe is “a network of networks” and “a family gathering rather than a conference”, with the conviction that there is hope for Europe.

“It isn't a nostalgic hope or a political one. It is hope rooted in the God who raised Jesus from the dead”, he added.

“When believers from the east and from the west pray together, when the Baptists and the Reformed break bread together, Jesus himself is put on display before a watching Europe” said Wessels.

Lord's Supper to finish the day

The opening session ended with the Lord's Supper, “to express unity and obedience to Christ's command”, pointed out Duarte.

The service was led by Andreas Wenzel, chair of the EEA board, who described communion as “a meal of hope, fellowship, belonging, forgiveness and God's grace”.

[analysis]

[title] Do you see a need for this kind of journalism? [/title]

[text] Evangelical Focus is a network of many people in Europe and beyond who strive to bring a uniquely Christian perspective to the big issues of conversation.

Through news, interviews, opinion and analysis, we seek to build bridges between evangelical churches and the societies in which they live.

As a non-profit entity, the big challenge is to be sustainable, month by month. We invite you to make a difference! Join the readers who make Evangelical Focus possible.

[/text][/analysis]