‘Stay’, a café opened in 2024 by an evangelical church in the city of Leipzig (population of 630,000), will close at the end of June. The reason is the ongoing attacks and acts of sabotage by extremist groups, explained René Wagne, the pastor of Zeal Church.

Up to 26 attacks have been carried out against the small business linked to this evangelical church, which is conservative in its theology yet postmodern in its forms. A report in 2025 already mentioned more than a dozen incidents allegedly caused by far-left groups who, on social media, called for action against the Christian congregation for its supposed “queerphobia” in preaching the Christian view of human sexuality.

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The attacks include smashed windows, threatening graffiti and the use of toxic substances against the premises. At Christmas, an attack on the café with butyric acid cost around €20,000 in repairs.

The pastor to the congregation: ‘Extremists cannot our mission’

During the service on 31 May, Pastor René Wagner explained that responding to this constant hostility had posed a financial challenge that was difficult to bear. Following discussions with the team, it had been decided to bring the project to an end, despite the “sadness” this entailed after a period of “sleepless nights” and jobs that would be lost.

However, he emphasised on several occasions that the decision to close the project does not change the mission of a church. “The far-left extremists in Leipzig have not won. I want to emphasise this once again. The far-left extremists in Leipzig have not won”, Wagner insisted before the congregation.

“They have not shut down a single church; they have not stopped a single congregation. They have not prevented a single revival. They have not deterred a single soul from encountering Jesus. What is coming to an end is a business operation, our coffee shop. What remains is this church”.

 

 

 

 

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The fact that the café has been a constant target of hate messages on social media and physical attacks is part of a broader context of increased visibility for evangelical churches in Germany. This, Zeal Church believes, is not bad news.

“Churches in Germany are back in the spotlight. For decades, nobody talked about conservative Christians in Germany; we were irrelevant. We posed no threat to certain groups”, said the church’s pastor. “Last year, there were over six documentaries on all sorts of TV channels about conservative Christians. And I could get absolutely livid that something like that is even funded by my TV licence fee. But can I tell you something? We’re back in the public eye. Now, we are noticed, we are heard, we are seen”.

“We do not look back with bitterness or hatred”

In his seven-minute reflection, the leader of the local church—which, like many others, holds Sunday services, weekday Bible study groups, discipleship programmes and other ministries—emphasised the need to respond to attacks with an attitude that reflects the gospel.

“Our future lies in God’s hands, in the hands of the Holy Spirit. And that is why we do not look back with bitterness, unforgiveness, or hatred. We do not respond with hatred; we do not strike back”, said Pastor René.

“Yes, we insist on our rights, rights that the state also grants us”, he continued. “And we do everything we can to ensure that people who do such things in our country are held to account. Because things like this must not be allowed to happen. And the good news is, politicians are taking notice”.

Bad publicity? “Jesus is building his house”

But Christians in Leipzig should “not strike back”, he emphasised.

“Instead, we look forward with faith and hope, because our Lord Jesus will return and judge the living and the dead. And one of the greatest preachers of all time, Billy Graham, said there is no such thing as bad publicity for the Gospel”.

“If you are shocked by negative newspaper articles about us, brace yourselves. These will not be the last”.

Conversions to the Christian faith like those happening at Zeal Church and other free churches, the pastor said, “shake the spiritual world”, and attacks should not be unexpected.

He concluded: “Jesus is building his house, his church, and that won’t change”.

In recent months, dozens of people have supported a fundraising campaign for the ‘Stay’ café, raising over 31,000 euros.

Local authorities: Not a religious freedom attack

In January 2026, the local government of the city of Leipzig received questions about the attack occurred on Christmas against the café run by Zeal Church, urging the authorities to protect constitutional rights and freedoms.

In its response, the local government, said: “The attack – at least according to the claim of responsibility – does not constitute an attack on religious freedom. The target was a commercially run café used to fund a religious community. The attack is further motivated by the attitude of the operating association towards homosexuality”.

The official position of the City of Leipzig is that “regardless of the reasoning given in the statement of responsibility, the attack constitutes a criminal offence which must be condemned accordingly and for which there can be no justification. The City of Leipzig condemns violence and damage to property in all its forms, particularly against establishments that offer people a space for meeting, exchange and community. Such attacks are directed against the safety and peaceful coexistence of all people who work or spend time there. Accordingly, the City has a preventive interest in clearly condemning such incidents, ensuring they are investigated by the police and strengthening the protection of all religious communities”.