German Free Evangelical Churches Elect First General Secretary

The Federation of Free Evangelical Churches in Germany (FeG) has elected Sascha Rützenhoff as its first general secretary. The election took place during a special federal assembly in Coburg, Bavaria, and marks a significant step in the denomination's recent structural reorganization. Rützenhoff, who has served as a federal secretary for the organization's domestic mission department since 2013, will begin his six-year term on January 1, 2027.

This new leadership role is part of a broader transition approved by delegates in September 2026. The restructuring shifts the focus of national secretaries toward regional church development and establishes new ministry "focus areas" to streamline operations across the federation's 504 congregations and 40,933 members. Rützenhoff will join President Henrik Otto and Managing Director Guido Sadler to form a three-member executive leadership team.

In his address to the assembly, Rützenhoff emphasized a servant-leadership model, describing his role as an "enabler" for local congregations. He likened the national office to a support team, stating that the primary mission of the federation is to serve the life and ministry of individual churches.