When Tobias Maas spent two years questioning everything—God, faith, the entire foundation of his theological studies—he never imagined those dark nights of the soul would become his greatest ministry asset. Today, this 29-year-old Russian-German church planter is uniquely positioned to reach Frankfurt's skeptics, doubters, and intellectually curious students who struggle with the same questions that once kept him awake at night.

From Crisis to Calling

Tobias's journey to church planting began in the most unlikely place: a crisis of faith during his Master's degree at Bible Seminary. "I questioned everything—God, the entire faith," he reflects. "I thought, if I can't even imagine any of this being true, why am I doing this degree at all?" The process lasted two grueling years, a season of intellectual wrestling that would fundamentally reshape his understanding of both doubt and faith.

The breakthrough came through careful study and the profound influence of Timothy Keller's preaching. "I couldn't get past Jesus as a historical figure," Tobias explains. "That's clear, undisputed by historians. But then I had to grapple with the implications—if I can't get around Jesus, there must be something true here." Through philosophical reflection and honest engagement with his questions, he concluded that "the Christian worldview is the most logical and meaningful way to understand the world as I experience it."

This intellectual journey didn't lead to easy answers but to a deeper, more thoughtful faith—exactly the kind of faith he now wants to share with others navigating similar questions.

Ministry Among Frankfurt's Seekers

Tobias's vision is crystal clear: reach people who are church-distant, who have questions, who need space to wrestle with faith intellectually. "I want to reach people who have nothing to do with Jesus, who maybe haven't heard about Jesus, and especially those who are deconstructing their faith," he says. His approach recognizes that "many churches do good work, but I believe there's a legitimate need for a church built specifically with these question-asking people in mind."

Currently in the team-building phase, Tobias works alongside Julian, a 31-year-old he mentored after Julian unexpectedly showed up at church alone—one of the rare people who actually comes to church without knowing anyone. Their team has recently grown to three people, with potential to expand to five or six in the coming months.

Based in Bockenheim, where Frankfurt's students actually live (not just study), Tobias has learned through experience that authentic relationship-building trumps programmatic outreach. His initial attempts at campus ministry through auditing university courses proved less effective than simply being intentionally present in his neighborhood and workplace.

Authentic Relationship Building

Tobias's approach to ministry is refreshingly simple: "Church planting isn't some massive undertaking—it's just building relationships with people and sharing your life with them. And since faith is a big part of your life, you naturally share that too."

This philosophy plays out practically in remarkable ways. Shortly after moving to Frankfurt, he knocked on every neighbor's door, introduced himself, and invited them all to dinner. "My heart was racing, pulse at 190," he admits, "but people responded amazingly. I had all my neighbors over, and I'm still in regular contact with several of them." One neighbor, a philosophy student, spent four hours in deep conversation with him, leading to ongoing friendship and spiritual discussions.

His workplace at Elements fitness center has become a strategic ministry context where authentic relationships naturally develop. Recently, he invited two colleagues to a worship evening at his church—relationships built through months of genuine connection, not religious pressure. "It's exciting to see what encounters God gives me," he reflects. This bivocational approach provides consistent access to non-Christians who would never otherwise encounter church, embodying his philosophy that ministry happens through shared life rather than programmatic outreach.

Perhaps most encouraging was a recent campus encounter with a Syrian-Orthodox student who had grown distant from faith in Germany but recently began seeking again. "Only a few weeks after he started his faith search, I meet him on campus asking if he believes in God," Tobias laughs. "He just said, 'That's quite an interesting coincidence.'" This led to coffee conversations and plans for a faith basics course with this student and another seeker.

Real Challenges, Strategic Choices

Tobias embraces a bivocational approach as integral to his ministry strategy, recognizing that his workplace at Elements provides natural access to non-Christians who might never encounter church otherwise. However, balancing church planting preparation with a 20-hour-per-week personal training job and a demanding internship at FEG Oederweg creates genuine tension. "The balance is honestly pretty bad right now," Tobias admits candidly. "There are so many balls in the air, and the first thing that usually falls off the table is your relationship with Jesus—which is exactly what you need most for leadership."

The complexity extends beyond time management to practical logistics—taking vacation days for ministry conferences, constantly shifting schedules around multiple commitments, and finding energy for evening relationship-building after full days of work and internship responsibilities.

Team building presents another significant challenge. "People don't really understand what they're signing up for with church planting," he explains. "They hear 'church planting' and think it's some massive project they can't handle, so they retreat to what feels safer." This has led to several conversations and polite declines from potential team members.

Yet these challenges haven't diminished his conviction. A transformative 3.5-day silent retreat in February provided crucial confirmation: "God told me clearly: keep going, keep walking in this direction. It was exactly the encouragement I needed."

Vision Forward: Natural Gospel Movement

Tobias envisions a church where asking hard questions isn't just tolerated but welcomed—a community that offers "understanding and thoughtful, rational responses" to life's deepest challenges. His weekly prayer gatherings with 3-5 people intercede specifically for "God's heart for Frankfurt to become more and more reality."

The multiplication vision extends beyond his own plant: "I wish it would become normal for Christians—every disciple who understands what it means to be sent—to naturally go out, build relationships, and share life with people who need Jesus. That's what we're really here for as Christians."

Partnership and Prayer

Tobias's work thrives through both local and international support. His mentorship with Stephan Pues provides strategic guidance, while MainProjekt's collaborative network offers training through mLead and mLive initiatives. His integration at FEG Oederweg under David Schultze has provided preaching opportunities and leadership development that wouldn't be possible in isolation. Additionally, he participates in the Trainee modules of the Inlandsmission of the FeG, connecting him to Germany's broader domestic church planting movement.

Current Prayer Needs:

• Team building breakthrough—connecting with the right people at the right time

• Wisdom in balancing multiple commitments while maintaining spiritual vitality

• Continued relationship building with non-Christians and authentic faith conversations

• God's provision for the faith basics course

• Strength and energy for the strategic challenges of bivocational ministry

Partnership Opportunities:

• Prayer partnership for the unique challenges of reaching skeptics and doubters

• Resource sharing for apologetic and philosophical ministry tools

• Support for team development and leadership training initiatives

• Encouragement for the strategic complexity of bivocational church planting

"Prayer carries the work in God's kingdom," Tobias reflects, quoting his baptism verse from Isaiah 52:7: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'"

Through authentic relationships, intellectual honesty, and patient presence, Tobias is creating space for Frankfurt's questioners to encounter the Jesus who withstands every doubt and meets every seeking heart.