But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary
greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.
2 Corinthians 4:7
How it all began...
The story of the founding of Friends of Jesus is a living testimony to the fact that God wants to make his power visible especially through our weakness. That he does not depend on human strength, but on the contrary, chooses the foolish to reveal his wisdom. Fragile vessels used to show what he is capable of doing.
Gunnar and Corinna Ahrend were such vessels when they were searching for the meaning of life in the 70s, like many other children of their generation. Various difficult circumstances in their childhood and teenage years left deep scars in their hearts, which they tried to overcome in different ways. Both went off the rails independently of each other, seeking satisfaction in drugs, alcohol and in people who felt just as lost as they did. They travelled the world and yet never arrived...
One day, after a failed suicide attempt, Corinna was at her wits' end and cried out to God in desperation. Shortly after, she met Christians who told her about Jesus and her life got a whole new perspective and hope.
Gunnar was dealing drugs and had a supernatural encounter with the Holy Spirit at a party one day - from one moment to the next he realised that Jesus was alive and he wanted to give Him his life. Gunnar was free of drug addiction afterwards, without any withdrawal. He realised that he didn't want to steal, deal or cheat any more. And that there would only be one woman for him.
Marcus and Karolina Ahrend,
Leaders of Friends of Jesus
Gunnar and Corinna Ahrend,
Founders of Friends of Jesus
Gunnar was dealing drugs and had a supernatural encounter with the Holy Spirit at a party one day - from one moment to the next he realised that Jesus was alive and he wanted to give Him his life. Gunnar was free of drug addiction afterwards, without any withdrawal. He realised that he didn't want to steal, deal or cheat any more. And that there would only be one woman for him.
Both found each other and, despite their brokenness, longed to follow Jesus and give everything for Him. Their path led them to a Christian commune in the Lüneburg region, where they lived on a farm with other former hippies and seekers - with a serious desire to live discipleship together in a very practical way. The motivation and love for Jesus were genuine, but they lacked grown Christians to take them by the hand and teach them along the way. When the relationships in the community slowly began to break apart, biblical foundations were abandoned and people became the focus. Gunnar and Corinna, together with their 3 children, left their home from one day to the next for a new start in the Westerwald region, where an old friend of Gunnar's - a believer in the Lord - lived.
From there, a rocky road began for the family, leading them through ups and downs. Financial hardship, human failure and a still unresolved past marked the next few years, but it was also characterised by a time of preparation and training for what God had in store for them. Throughout this phase of their lives, they never lost sight of Jesus and took his word, the Bible, very seriously. They always had a heart for plucking people out of broken circumstances who were in great hopelessness, taking them in and telling them about God. They were both imperfect, yet determined.
“Throughout this phase of their lives, they never lost sight of Jesus and took his word, the Bible, very seriously.”
After some time, Gunnar and Corinna were taken under the wing of a retired pastoral couple, Peter and Dorothee Gleiß. Here they experienced inner healing for the first time through a special coming to terms with their past and their relationship problems. They once again laid down their whole lives to God, cleared up false images and teachings of God, and learned what it means to shape their everyday lives in God's blessing and to grow spiritually. Yet they were always hungry for more. Their 3 children were closely connected to a youth and children's ministry during this time and God built a strong spiritual foundation in them as well. It was here that the whole family was exposed to musical worship, which would later become defining for the whole Friends of Jesus ministry.
“Testimonies were shared and the Holy Spirit touched the hearts of the guests, Christians and non-believers. Friends of Jesus was born at that moment.”
The 18th birthday of their daughter Lena marked a new phase in the family's life. That day there was a short sermon and Lena, her brother Marcus and some friends played for the first time with their recently formed band. Testimonies were shared and the Holy Spirit touched the hearts of the guests, Christians and non-believers. Friends of Jesus was born at that moment.
In the years to come, the focus was always on what Gunnar and Corinna had long carried in their hearts and had deepened through their time with Peter and Dorothee Gleiß: the teaching of discipleship and devotion to God. Young people who found faith through them moved-in together and lived out these values. Youth groups, church services, creative evangelistic children's events, the first worship songs recordings and outreaches at home and abroad all followed. The opening of a café in Altenkirchen enabled the group, which has now grown to about 50 people, to be there for people and to talk to them about God.
After a few years, they recognised God's heart for Israel and dived deeper into this subject. It was a time of preparation until finally, after years, they played their music for the first time on the streets of Jerusalem for the Jewish people. They reached the hearts of the people here as well. We are now regularly on the road in Israel with the message "Israel, we stand with you" as part of the project which shares the same name. We are allowed to be witnesses of God's great heart for his people.
In 2018, after almost 20 years of leadership, Gunnar and Corinna began a process of handing over leadership to their son Marcus and his wife Karolina, who now lead the Friends of Jesus ministry with a dedicated team. A church living in community probably best captures the Friends way of life. They long to live church as we read it in the New Testament: with plenty of fellowship, carrying one another, helping, encouraging, sending out and welcoming. Growing with each other, struggling, pressing on and sharing in joy and affliction. They want to prepare a place where people learn to live Spirit-filled and Spirit-led lives and where they mature into spiritual maturity.
Even today, many families live close to each other or singles live together in shared apartments. People should grow and prosper in soul, body and spirit through fellowship and biblically based teaching. From this place they are to be witnesses to the abundant life Jesus offers us, so that people can continue to experience how transforming it is to live as a friend of Jesus. Witnesses at home, in Germany, Europe, Israel and even beyond.