In 2011, around ten people from Germany spent a couple of weeks on the beaches of Mallorca. This is not surprising, as it is one of the favourite destinations for hundreds of thousands of Germans who travel there mostly searching for sun, beach and leisure.

But those people were there for another reason: to share about Jesus with people who, in a more relaxed atmosphere, seemed more willing to listen to a very different message from the night life offerings that abound in the more touristic area of the city.

"At the beginning we just walked around to talk to people, give them some material, ask them if they wanted to pray", says Gernot Elsner, the director of Reach Mallorca.

The movement has grown and this week, this group has the support of over 160 Christians from Germany and Switzerland who join in carrying the gospel message, mainly among German-speaking tourists.

Worship services on the beach

For the past five years, the organisation has had permission from the authorities to hold small meetings on the beach.

"We do something with music, theater, we share testimonies, all in a very positive atmosphere", explains Elsner. in conversation with Spanish news websiet Protestante Digital."Sometimes hundreds of people come, some with real curiosity, and many of them even repeat the evenings we are there".

Reach Mallorca organises these meetings on a beach very close to a very popular night club among Germans, the Mega Park.

"It's like some kind of 'cathedral' of leisure tourism, music and alcohol", points out Jordi Odriozola, one of the leaders of the youth group of the Centre Cristià de Mallorca (Christian Center of Mallorca), one of the largest evangelical churches in Palma, which is collaborating with the group.

The beach worship services are held twice a night. They started on Sunday 31 July and will continue until Monday 8 August.

Elsner says that "maybe 90 % of the people in this place are German". The team also has people who speak English, Spanish and other languages, since opportunities for sharing can arise with people from different backgrounds.

Testimonies and Bibles

After several years working in this place - with a two-year break forced by covid - the organisers are very excited about what this week will bring.

"For us every year is a big surprise, and it's really by God's grace. When we are on the beach, there are some who don't want to listen, others who say that this is not a place for the church, but many others open their hearts and share about their lives", underlines Elsner about their experiences.

Furthermore,"there are some who, although they are not Christians, even organise their holidays to be at these meetings. There are many who make a decision for Christ.

Elsner told Protestante Digital, that they “have thousands of Bibles that are given out during these ten days. We have made a booklet called Mallorca Miracle, where we talk about the island and also, in an evangelistic way, show that God wants us to enjoy, what is the problem of sin, the gift of the cross and the salvation".

Local youth collaboration

Every year local Christians who share the vision and mission have joined in spontaneously. But this year they are also organising something very special for Saturday 6 August.

"We are going to spend a day together with the young people, we expect about 200 young people from the churches of Mallorca to come to a day called 'From Mallorca to the nations'", explains Elsner.

The meeting will take place in the facilities of the Centre Cristià de Mallorca, starting in the morning. "It will be a time to get to know each other, to encourage each other and also to receive training", stresses Odriozola.

“The language distance is big, but it is always positive to meet with brothers and sisters who want to share the message", he adds.

According to Odriozola, "the need to share the gospel will be emphasised, and we want to know how this group does it so that we can encourage each other".

The meeting will end with a day of evangelism on the beach. " We hope to have the services also in Spanish that day, taking advantage of the fact that there will be many Spaniards with us", points out Elsner.

The event is open to the whole evangelical community, from the age of 18 upwards.

Furthermore, during this week a group of Christian bikers will also tour different parts of the island sharing the gospel message.

Training school

Reach Mallorca plans not only to continue coming every summer, but also to increase its implantation on the island with a school that will offer a five-month training course in missions, discipleship and evangelism, which will be launched from Easter 2023.

Elsner believes that Mallorca, with its great variety of nationalities and continuous mobility of people, is a strategic location for the mission.

The school is supported by three entities: Gospel Tribe, JMG Bielefeld and The Four Switzerland.

"2019 was the last time we had the beach services and the conflict with the night clubs was big. So we need the favour of God, the police and the authorities, and that this fight does not happen. May the power of God be present and may many people hear about Christ, and give their lives to Him", concludes Elsner.