In the early 1980s, Joe and Jenny Mifsud brought the gospel back to a land that was among the first to receive it: Malta. Long ago, the Apostle Paul’s shipwreck brought Christianity to this island. Sadly, through the centuries, the Maltese people lost sight of salvation by grace and began relying on works-based religion. In places like Malta, where the gospel message has long lain dormant, church planting can be challenging. Yet through the Lord’s miraculous intervention, Joe and Jenny planted Bible Baptist Church of Malta.

In 1990, the church constructed its own freestanding stone building, the only such building among the few evangelical churches now on the island. In the years since the Mifsuds established Bible Baptist Church, God added four new missionary team members: Josh and Erica Burrill in 2017, and Luke and Anna Tanis in 2022. 

Growing needs

The team has been excited to lead the congregation’s growth through spiritual rebirth and discipleship. It’s the best part of any missions endeavor, but missions also encompasses practical realities. In recent years, the Malta team’s workload included major renovations to update their aging church building and to ensure it met new European Union codes. This involved an accessibility elevator for the church’s multiple levels, electrical wiring updates, an AC system for the glass-windowed auditorium (Malta’s temperatures can exceed 100ºF), and many more improvements.

Joe had worked for years to secure permits and find a contractor—a very difficult task during Malta’s building boom. He also led the congregation in saving enough money for the initial phase of elevator installation. With the arrival of the Burrills, Joe turned over leadership of the renovation project to Josh.

As with most renovations, the project soon escalated in complexity and cost. The elevator required adding a fourth story to the building and chiseling into the rocky hill behind the church. Additional needs surfaced as the project went on, and the expense grew beyond what the congregation could manage on its own. Thankfully, with the addition of the Tanises in 2022, the missionary team had three sets of supporting churches who stood with the church financially.

“I will build my church”

Even so, at times the project seemed impossible. As the missionaries and church kept looking toward the Lord, He showed them a greater reality of Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church.” Throughout the seven-year renovation, the work occasionally paused when the contractor was needed elsewhere, and it screeched to a halt during the pandemic. Amazingly, those moments came when the church’s funds ran out, and the delays bought them time to replenish their resources. As expenses escalated, the BMM Global Ministry Center shared the project with people able to make larger donations. Even though they had never met the missionaries, several donors upheld the project with gifts that greatly pushed the construction forward. A spirit of sacrificial generosity grew within Bible Baptist Church as well. Toward the project’s end, a man in the church offered a sizable matching gift that spurred other church members to meet the match. When the construction was finally completed, all bills were paid in full, leaving the church with no debt burden. 

Worldwide impact

What was the impact of so many people financially upholding Bible Baptist Church of Malta? We can truly say it is global. Bible Baptist Church reaches not only the Maltese people but also people from across the world who come to Malta for work or education. Among the growing number of attendees (150-170 each week), the majority are internationals. Through the church, they find Christ, receive discipleship, and take God’s truth back to their homelands. From this one location, the Malta team is literally reaching the entire world with the gospel. The church’s better facilities create more of a draw for visitors. And because of improved auditorium acoustics, it’s much easier to make out the multitude of accents as people talk!

One of the biggest blessings of the remodel has been its relational impact. Formerly, the church was so crowded that people quickly left after the services. Now there is space for fellowship. New friendships are developing among adults who linger over coffee, while their children run and play with other kids. Families with small children are better accommodated through the new nursery, and those with disabilities appreciate the accessible bathrooms, close parking, and easy access to any floor of the building.

Looking to the future

In November 2025, Bible Baptist Church will celebrate its 40th anniversary. One aspect of celebration is that—because so many donors large and small upheld the church in its season of need—the church will soon be financially independent, able to support its own pastor. Although no pastoral candidate is yet in sight, the missionary team is now free to pour greater energy into discipleship. Josh, Joe, and Luke are holding a monthly men’s mentorship group. They are praying that the Lord will raise up a leader from this group or elsewhere. Once that happens, Bible Baptist Church will continue as a lighthouse of Truth. Then the Burrills and Tanises, as the next generation of missionaries, can expand the gospel into new areas of Malta.

It would be hard to estimate how many additional years, perhaps decades, it may have taken to bring Bible Baptist Church this close to autonomy. Church planting in Europe carries unique challenges that can prolong the process. Although these difficulties are multiplied in a nation like Malta, the long-term impact of missions investments are likewise multiplied. Never underestimate the long-term impact of upholding a ministry in its time of need. When people help carry the practical realities, missions can expand much further and faster!