Josiah Venture Council meeting

Whan a honor to be invited to such meeting where there is so much wisdom and experience in walking with God. As We just finished next 3 years future plans and direction. We also had to read to books on which we have done some discussion and study. “Movements that Change the World” and “Brucko”. 

My faith has been really challenged.

We spend in much of prayer and celebrating upon what God is doing throughout JV European countries.

God is good and we are commited to press on in His strength.

As I write we are praying for wisdom for our country Slovakia as to how approach some opposition from the leadership of the laregest Evangelical denomination in our country (Lutheran church) in the light of starting EXIT 316 project as evangelistic tool that has potential to reach thousands and thousands of students in our country for Christ.

Camps preparation for 9 Slovak churches.

All of the people on this picture are 85 camp leaders that came to prepare their hearts and soul for what God is going to do in the summer months with 9 Slovak cities.

Our training is happening as you read this. 

Please pray for Gods Spirit to teach and lead these leaders.

Please pray for our team as we explain descipleship and evnangelism and all the practical things for camp.

Please pray for these 9 churches from Zilina, Roznava, Presov, Bardejov, Kosice, Dolny Kubin, Bratislava, Levice.

37

God is Good to me. I praise Him for the gift of life and all the past 37 (10 april 1974) years of life.

Am I prepared ENOUGH?

Last 18 years GOD has allowed us to have major and significiant influence on Youth work and their key people in Slovakia. This year has been just amazing to observe the fact that God is in move in Slovakia.

It is humbling for me to call myself director of this conference because it is really truth that GOD is the Director and orchestraitor of all of it. With this email I just wanted to remid myslelf and you my dear friends that Glory belongs to God and that He is Great God.

This year we have had trill in making decision on what should be the THEME of 18th conference. Soon enough we realized that major issue in youth leaders ministry is knowledge of the Word of God. Many times these leaders in last moment of hurry reach for some old personal rememberings but not deep personal study of the Word. We have invited Dave Patty (Josiah Venture) as a main speaker that is by now well known and favorite speaker even in Slovakia. The theme was "Grip - Strengthen your hold on the Word of God."

Time to prepare whole conference is around 5 months and yet day before the conference started I have had basic question on my mind "Am I prepared enough?". There is always more to be done but really this question is directed to my heart. Am I ready to listen and then react, do what God will speak. It is so easy to be coat up in all the work and not on what God is doing. For this awearness on one of the evenings I sat down in the big conference cafe room and observed all the 700 people talking and having great fun after the main evening program... Suddenly God opened my eyes and I saw future ministers, pastors, mission workers, fathers and mothers leading next generation in to the relationship with living GOD and realized how is this amazing place to be. My heart jumped out of joy and really I knew that this is the moment God wanted me to see. Now in the light of our theme I have imagined how will spiritual surface of our country change when these 700 youth leaders will start to open the word of God and speak truth and invite young generation to the Word of God. This will have great future impact on our country. Praise GOD.

See some photos here

Thankyou for rejoicing with me and praying for my family as we can be experiencing amazing Gods activity in Slovakia. 

Next step

- Handing leadership over the youth workers conference to next person in our team.

- Moving our family to different city (Banska Bystrica) with the need of selling our flat apartment and possibly of building a small house.

- Starting new mission tool FUSION in churches around Slovakia. These tool helps churches to start youth work in churches that there is none. It trains leaders in local church. It helps churches start to reach unchurched youth. It helps local church have great influence on local schools and even city hall.

- Increase our regular support base from 65% which is 800$ monthly at the moment to 100%. (One US donation has promised matching grant worth 12500$ in 1:1 proposittion. So if I gain 1 $ they are giving us their 1 $ up to mentined amount. So now your gift can be doubled now. God is Good.) 

JOY

My heart is filled with simple JOY.
Joy to belong to GOD, Him personnaly directly in His arms.
Joy to be living in this time in  Slovakia and seeing so much of what God is doing. Joy to know that if tomorrow I dont get up that means I am in His presence for ever.

4 days from now the 18th youth workers conference begins and cca 620 people are preparing to come. Please pray for those precious people. Pray that they will be willing to learn how to use word of God better in their ministry.
3x times through the program I lead worship pray that the time spent together would be in Gods presence.

7 days ago I had privilage to speak at one of our churches that we do our school of leaders. Levice is the biggest evangelical church around Slovakia and it is allways so sweet to be around them. For the first time they joined their club where nonbeliever where going with their teenager church group. What sweet energy there was that evening... I spoke on Wise man building house on rock... I took my family with me.

Day after this conference I will be going to Banska Bystrica church for elders meeting to discuss the continuation of FUSION in their church.

And now there is so much more to prepare for conference... broshures (500 pcs), name tags (650 pcs), few videos to edit, practise for worship, stage creation,... and so much more... 

Fusion

The primary aim of Fusion is to help local churches reach out to un-churched youth through a network of youth rock/gospel choirs and performing arts groups, each which is based in and run by a local church. During weekly rehearsals, the youth hear the gospel message and see Christ at work in the leaders and other Christian members. This ministry is already helping 8 local churches in the Czech Republic and Latvia reach over 280 teens every week. Many of these have already put their faith in Christ and become active members of the local church community. God is now leading this ministry to expand all through Eastern Europe, including both year-round projects and music/performing arts "rock camps" and workshops.

Fusion - A choir with a difference

For a start, it sings rock and pop music. There are no pre-requisits to joining, it is open to all teenagers. It is a place where youth can not only learn to express themselves, but also learn new skills and abilities. In every concert there is usually somebody singing a solo, playing an instrument in the band, or even conducting the choir for the first time. The dramas and dance are written by the teenagers themselves. The concerts are a means to an end, not an end in themselves.

Key Attributes of Fusion: 

• Church - each Fusion group is based in and run by a local church community with the help of the Josiah Venture Fusion team.

• Culture - we reach unchurched youth through music and other media which are a part of their everyday lives.

• Creativity - we are all born with creativity. Fusion seeks to enable youth to draw out hidden abilities and use their creativity to the full.

• Community - each Fusion group should be a place where youth are loved and accepted for who they are, but challenged to look to someone higher for a true and full life. 

• Christ - the primary aim of Fusion is to share the Gospel in a relevant and life-changing way so that the youth can make an informed decision for Christ.


Tonight I have took 4 man from Banska Bystrica at one of the Rehersals in Czech republic. This is the church we will be moving in July, and they are too hoping to start Fusion in their church. My job will be to lead this Fusion for 2 years and also search and start these accros our whole country.

23 days before our KPM starts.

The time for preparations is nearly over. And yet there is so much to do. One thing we are excited about is that this year we will be taking Bible as a topic. We will be encouraging all 600 of youth workers to take a good GRIP on the word of God in all they do in their ministry and everyday life. They all will get great instruction on how to use Bible to prepare the talk but mainly how to study it for them selves.
Please pray for protection over my family and myself, our small team and lots of volunteers.

This is my 5th year leading KPM and it has been a great journey of God's faithfulnes. I have learned big lessons of trust and faith. I believe He has done a lot work on my heart. But now it is time to pass it on to someone else. Please pray that I will have good passing on proces. Instead of my role as Executive director of this conference I am entering to new role and that is Fusion ministry.