Kristian & Noelle Romer

Kristian grew up in Helsinki, Finland, whereas Noelle grew up in the Chicago area. They met while in college in Greenville, South Carolina, and married in 2020. Now they are raising their four young children. In partnership with Mission to the World, the Romers have been called to start a Reformed University Fellowship Global (RUF-G) ministry in Helsinki—the very first of its kind in Finland! It will partner with the first presbyterian church in Helsinki that Kristian’s brother Mikael Romer will plant in 2026. Kristian is also currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Old Testament, with the hope of teaching seminary students in Finland.

Finland is a gorgeous country with rich history. But it is exceedingly secular and marked by widespread nominal Christianity. Christ-centered, gospel-preaching churches are few. In addition, Helsinki has over 80,000 college students, including thousands of internationals, most of whom do not attend a church of any kind. Yet there is currently no Reformed university ministry in Helsinki reaching this demographic with the good news of the gospel.

A university ministry provides a vital opportunity to share the gospel; students are in the most formative years of their lives. Therefore, the Romers’ desire is not only to see students come to Christ in Helsinki but also to see them rooted in the local church. Through this RUF-G ministry, the Romers hope to disciple students in the Reformed faith, equip them to serve Christ in their vocations, and especially raise up future ministry leaders who will strengthen Christ’s church in Finland and beyond.