Christusbund

The Christusbund (until 2022 known as Württembergischer Christusbund, and until the end of 2011 as Württembergischer Brüderbund) is a Christian community association within the Protestant Church in Württemberg, operating as a free work (freies Werk) in the legal form of a registered association (eingetragener Verein). It traces its origins to the Reichsbrüderbund founded in 1878 in Lissa near Posen, and was decisively shaped by Johannes Seitz from Neuweiler in the Black Forest, who organized local Bible circles into a Brüderbund. After political reorganization in 1933, the Württembergische Brüderbund was formed in the Remstal and joined the Evangelical Gnadauer Gemeinschaftsverband. After World War II, it continued the tradition of the eastern associations. The Christusbund is active locally in Christian community work, with a strong emphasis on children's and youth ministry. Its work is largely carried by volunteers, supported by employed youth leaders and community pastors. As a travel operator, it offers around 100 Christian retreats and trips annually under the name Leuchtfeuer Freizeiten, along with seminars and short Bible schools for various target groups. It operates its own retreat centers and guest houses in Friolzheim, Pellworm (North Sea), Allgäu (at Forggensee and in Oberstdorf), Carinthia (Schlossvilla at Millstätter See), and Croatia. These are managed by full-time staff together with young people doing a Voluntary Social Year or Federal Volunteer Service. Theologically, the Christusbund is based on the Evangelical Alliance, emphasizing the inerrancy of the Bible, corresponding proclamation, and prayer. It is recognized as a pietistic group within the Evangelical Regional Church in Württemberg. Organizationally, it is divided into six districts: Enz, Filder, Remstal, Schönbuch-Alb, Schwarzwald, and Teck. Local fellowships, with 10 to 200 attendees, are autonomous but cooperate on district tasks such as concerts, training, evangelism, youth and women's groups, men's dinners, and tea rooms. Larger events include annual district and association conferences, the youth meeting Younited #weekend (formerly dynamis until 2020), and the annual Christustreff conference. Today, the Christusbund includes fellowships in 41 villages and cities in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Leadership is provided by chairman Matthias Köhler and his deputy Klaus Eberwein. Notable past chairmen include Friedrich Hänssler, head of the Hänssler publishing house, and Pastor Heiko Krimmer. The Christusbund continues to offer a range of activities, including the Cannstatter Volksfest Bible and book stand, the Christustreff 2026, seminars for workers, the Back to the Fruit WhatsApp action, short Bible schools, Leuchtfeuer retreats, and a podcast.

The Christusbund traces its origins to 1878, when the Protestant Reichsbrüderbund was founded in Lissa near Posen. The community association was decisively influenced and shaped in its early phase by Johannes Seitz from Neuweiler in the Black Forest, who had organized local Bible circles into a Brüderbund. The Brüderbund initially spread in eastern Germany. It called itself Reichsbrüderbund because its members believed in the imminent return of Jesus Christ to establish His kingdom. In 1933, a politically forced reorganization took place. At that time, the Württembergische Brüderbund was formed in the Remstal and was accepted into the overarching Evangelical Gnadauer Gemeinschaftsverband. After World War II, the Württemberg Brüderbund took over the tradition of the eastern associations. In 1934, Bußtagskonferenzen (Day of Repentance conferences) were begun, a tradition continued since 1995 as the Christustreff, moved to a Sunday due to the abolition of the legal holiday. The organization was known as Württembergischer Brüderbund until the end of 2011, then as Württembergischer Christusbund until 2022, when it adopted the shorter name Christusbund. Since the 1960s, the Christusbund has held week-long Kurzbibelschulen (short Bible schools) for volunteer workers and other interested parties, usually around the turn of the year. The youth meeting dynamis was initiated in the early 1950s by Friedrich Hänssler and was renamed Younited #weekend in 2020. Today, the Christusbund includes fellowships in 41 villages and cities in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, organized into six districts: Enz, Filder, Remstal, Schönbuch-Alb, Schwarzwald, and Teck.

• 2022

  Name changed from Württembergischer Christusbund to Christusbund.

• 2020

  Youth meeting dynamis renamed Younited #weekend.

• 2011

  Name changed from Württembergischer Brüderbund to Württembergischer Christusbund (end of 2011).

• 1995

  Christustreff continued as the successor to Bußtagskonferenzen.

• 1960

  Kurzbibelschulen (short Bible schools) started (since the 1960s).

• 1950

  Youth meeting dynamis initiated by Friedrich Hänssler (early 1950s).

• 1934

  Bußtagskonferenzen (Day of Repentance conferences) begun.

• 1933

  Württembergische Brüderbund formed in the Remstal and joined the Evangelical Gnadauer Gemeinschaftsverband.

• 1878

  Reichsbrüderbund founded in Lissa near Posen.

A pietistic community association within the Evangelical Church in Württemberg, emphasizing Bible-based faith, fellowship, and volunteer-driven ministry.

• Leuchtfeuer Freizeiten

  Christian retreats and trips, around 100 annually, for children, youth, families, singles, and seniors.

• Kurzbibelschule

  Short Bible school for those who want to realign with God's Word.

• Christustreff

  Annual conference for members and friends.

• Younited #weekend

  Youth meeting (formerly dynamis).

• Christusbund Podcast

  Podcast with impulses, Bible teaching, sermons, and interviews.

• Back to the Fruit
• Cannstatter Volksfest Bible and book stand

1. 1Christusbund – Gemeinschaft, die trägt.christusbund.de
2. 2Württembergischer Christusbundwikidata.org
3. 3Christusbundde.wikipedia.org