In the summer 1999 after the Kosovo war, a mission’s team from The Gospel Church in Stuttgart Germany, was invited to come to Albania and work with the refugees. Helping people they were also declaring proclaiming the grace/forgiveness of Jesus. They were giving newly published Albanian Bibles in the town and do “street evangelism and house visits.”Soon, many came to faith in Jesus and house churches began in Shkodra.
Denis KOPLIKU, a student of the University of Shkodra, began to provide pastoral care & leadership in this church together with German missionaries.
The number of believers grew so the church rented a tavern for worship and fellowship. In early 2001, the church received a new direction from missionaries to unite with another group of believers in another church in town called Disciples of Jesus Church. For several years, believers and short-term American teams walked and prayed over helping the church.
A desire was growing to Denis’s family to reach out more on missions among Muslims in the city. This calling together was affirmed also among the leadership team. In 2014, contributions enabled the beginning of a new church in Shkodra reaching out Muslims for Jesus where it was possible to rent a place for fellowship and buy equipment to by materials so we could start worship services. On those days they were around 15-20 people coming together for regular home bible study at Kopliku Family house.
In 2014 our family (or group) was released by the Disciples of Jesus Christ Church in order to carry out our calling. But, because of their present commitments were unable to join us in this new church-planting venture.
We are grateful to them for their prayers and encouragement. The church continues with an enthusiasm to reach out people in an unreached area of the city of Shkodra.