After our 3-month time out (break), my wife Marion and I are now safely back in our ministry at Tauernhof. 

The term “time out” is certainly not to be taken literally. Just because we weren't working at Tauernhof on a daily basis, life didn't stand still. The time was well filled: Mountaineering, climbing, spending quality time with Jesus, with family, with friends and of course with my wife. These were the most valuable elements of the past months.

A highlight was our trip to Uganda (Africa), where Marion and I participated in a Christian organization called “God Remembers.” Our two weeks there were filled with manual work, helping shape the school classes, playing with the pupils and orphans, and preaching services and Bible studies. Our time there passed far too quickly. Nevertheless, it was good to be in a place where we had to learn to cut back. It was eye opening not knowing when you will have electricity or whether it will fail again, whether the drinking water will be available or not, and building doors, windows or a stage for the church with a blunt handsaw and rusty nails. These experiences were a good reminder to me personally to concentrate on the essentials and learn to make do with what you have available. For the 200 or so children and 30 employees on site, this is their regular rhythm of life. For me, it was a gentle reminder.

Isn't that exactly what the verse of the year for 2025 expresses? Dealing with the essentials? To reduce and learn to live with what you have available? Isn't Christmas also a time when we should learn to deal with the essentials in the midst of the hustle and bustle?

When God led the people of Israel through the desert for 40 years, he commanded them to gather only as much bread (manna) as they needed for the day (Exodus 16). David confronts Goliath with only a slingshot and 5 stones instead of a whole suit of armor (1 Samuel 17). Mary and Joseph took only the child and what they were carrying with them on their flight to Egypt (Matthew 2). And Jesus commanded the disciples not to take any unnecessary luggage with them on their "official" journeys (Matthew 10).

I am always amazed at how many unnecessary things accumulate in my life over time. Things that I like to have but don't really need. Even as Christians, it can happen that we neglect God himself out of a desire to be even more "spiritual." We search for spiritual "experiences," seek courses, books and further training that we hardly have any time left for Jesus alone!

Perhaps this Christmas can once again be a time to reflect on the essentials.

“Test everything; hold fast what is good" also means letting go of the unimportant, reducing it and concentrating on the good. And the essentials are that a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us, and the government is on his shoulders; and his name is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:5-6).

I wish you all a peaceful Christmas and that His reign will be great, not ours.

See you again soon at Tauernhof,

Your Martin Buchsteiner (Director)

Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

These words from 2 Timothy 2:1 formed the motto verse for this year’s Fall Bible School. What does it mean to be rooted in grace, to be living by grace, and to be empowered through grace? We asked each other this question from the start, and reminded each other of it throughout the semester. Can one ever think too much about Grace? 

Now, the students are gone. As we look back over the last 12 weeks, we cannot but marvel that God, in His abounding grace, allowed us to have a blessed, fun, deep, unique, and heartwarming time. We started our Fall Term with a record total of 94 students. And no, we can’t attribute it to more or better advertisements from our side.  God simply sent these young people, some of whom had never even heard of Torchbearers before, let alone Tauernhof. 

This was indeed our biggest school, but also our youngest - most of the students having just turned 18. So much life, so much energy! 

With a fantastic team of Resident Assistants (volunteers helping us with Bible School), we managed to keep a healthy balance between Teaching, Discipleship, Outdoor Activities and Social Events. It takes a lot of energy, yet the reward of seeing God at work in the lives of so many people is always worth the effort. 

One thing that had a great impact on the students was a voluntary week-long abstinence from smart-phones. It felt like life grew exponentially all over campus. People were sitting, talking, playing sports and, at times, simply enjoying being bored together. Students reported that they slept better, felt better, and were able to think more clearly. It felt like community was what we all long for it to be. 

Another highlight was our Christmas Concert on the first of December. Our student choir was 50 voices strong, we had a band, and everything was beautifully decorated by our creative team. About 250 guests filled our Lecture Hall to the very last seat, listened to the songs, heard about God’s offer of peace, and joined us for our small Christmas market on campus afterwards. 

Astonishing what God can do with people who are willing to give themselves to Him. 

—David Hines (Bible School Principal)

We look back with great gratitude over the past few years, a time during which we have implemented a number of necessary projects at Tauernhof. 

We would especially like to thank all those who have supported us in prayer and/or financially, or who have lent a hand in practical ways - especially with our last project, the design of the inner courtyard and parking lot.

We have been blessed by several significant updates to our site since 2018: Renovation of the guest house, construction of a new lecture hall (the Ark), purchase of the property and design of the courtyard. We can only marvel at God's guidance and clearly see that these projects were built at the right time. Already, we have been able to enroll 10 more students this fall thanks to the new lecture hall. What a tremendous testimony of God's provision and care. 10 more lives that have been shaped for eternity. We praise God for each and every one of them.

While all of these projects are physically finished, they are not yet financially complete.

In order to be able to build these projects, it was necessary to take out loans (partly private, partly from our bank), which still need to be repaid.

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Here is an overview of the amount that is still outstanding:

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We are deeply grateful to God that our Bible schools and retreats continue to be filled and that many people take advantage of our offers. Nevertheless, large investments can only be financed through donations. This is true for all 25 Torchbearer Centers worldwide.

So if the Lord puts it on your heart to help us pay off our loans, and partner in our ministry in this way, praise God!

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have already supported us financially in the past and are therefore a great blessing for all the students and guests who come through our doors. Thank you very much!

Missionsgemeinschaft der Fackelträger Tauernhof, Coburgstrasse 50, A-8970 Schladming
Tel.: +43 3687 22294, E-Mail: info(at)tauernhofaustria.at

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