Fusion presentation in Banska Bystrica

Yesterday we have been presenting FUSION ministry at Cirkev Bratska in Banska Bystrica.

In the service Josh Howard (our new missionary that will work with me on the natinal fusion) and My family were introduced as the ones who are comming to help with this ministry in their church. As the answer of this churches prayers. We have had 50 minutes to present the FUSION.
I started with the passage on great commision from Mathew 28:18-20 and ended Mathew 9:9-13 as the motivational preaching and than we took turns on explaining the pieces of Fusion.
After church ended we had "only members" meeting and explained more in details and had question and answers time. There where good questions for some no answers... like who will be another 2 memebers (except Draho) of the leading team. They decided after few another questions about timings and "rushing" but also understanding the right time in to united decision that church sees this direction as the answer from God for this church. The lack of workers is just the matter of 3-6 weeks and that if we do not have enough workers now then we might start Fusion in Januarry 2012.
On their voting (cca 27 people out of 48 BB mamebers) all voted FOR Fusion in thier church. No one against.
I already have 3 people for first training that will be in czech 24-26 june. This week I need to work on more people to be able to attend the training even if they will just be volunteers.
So this is all good news and this has been just another moment of "aprooval" that God is leading us in this way.

We also looked the house in Salkova (BB) and we feel with Zuzka that it is the right place to be moving twards. This house is for sale with the property of 800 square meeters and it has great potential. The house is old as I (37) and is in good condition. We could start living in even right now but needs some work to adjust for our needs. Well the main part that we are praying now is the price. They ask for 120.000 EUR. We could get around 80.000 EUR for our flat but we are short of 40.000 EUR plus 15.000 extra for new windows, floors, kitchen, bathrooms etc... This house came after us looking for flats and apartments and many visits and frustration where we decided that we will stop searching "it" but will wait that God would send something in our way. After fast and prayer God has sent one man to paint the CB BB church as he is a friend of one of the peopole from that church and Slavo the pastor found out that he is selling the house. So that is the house we have been looking at. (If you have questions ask me more) We are praying and have to make decission till this wednesday (8. june) then there are a lot of other people who wold like to buy it even for the price of 145.000 EUR.

We did went to BB a day before Sunday and the main reason was that Johanka would meet all her new school friends and her teacher as she will start in her first grade at Narnina elementary school.

So these are some news from this past weekend.
Pray for the workers in CB BB church. Specificaly for 2 main leaders.
Pray for the rest of the church in entering as needed voluntaries
Pray for the house decision, the wisdom in understanding Gods leading. And to see how would God want to provide for this need.

Draho.

3 weeks ago we held our annual JV Spring Conference in Malenovice, Czech Republic. We had 207 participants from 11 Eastern European countries, US and Canada. The theme was, Faith that Amazes, with guest speaker, author, and pastor Erwin Lutzer.

Highlights from the week were...

1. •  5 Faith Killers | Worry (Matt. 6:30), Fear (Matt. 8:26), Doubt (Matt. 14:31), Forgetfulness (Matt. 16:8), & Passivity (Mark 9:14)
2. • Faith that confronts Satan | the worst decision that was ever made was not ours, it was made in Eden. Satan cannot do anything that God doesn’t allow. God uses him for God’s purpose. If we are walking in the Spirit, Satan cannot read our minds. All he can do is put ideas in our minds.
3. •  Faith for Perilous Times | did a study on Habakkuk. Prayer is easy, all it’s doing is asking God to help in the predicament. The hardest part is trust.
4. •  Faith for Personal Storms | studied Peter walking on water in Matt. 14:22-33. Jesus sent them into the storm (v.22). Even when we cannot see Jesus, He sees us. (v. 25). He came at the right time (v.25) Our fears might be Jesus in disguise.  That which filled them with fear was Him coming towards them. (v.26) The water that threatens to be over our heads is actually under His feet. (v.26). Our ability to walk depends on the focus of our eyes. (v. 29) Jesus is with us Immediately (v. 22, 27, 31).
5.  •  Personal story of Faith. My great friends Korban and Tanya Miller came to this conference to help work with the children that came to the conference. Well they did outstanding program in just 3 days with those children. Full musical with drama and so much passion and strong message. But as we have been spending time together and laughing and talking about their and our future they shared most strongest message about their baby that is to be born in just 3 months. In tears they told us that their baby (Zoe - Hope) has no brain and that at her labour she will have probably few minutes or seconds to live. They found this news just a week before this conference and still decided to come. Their joy is in these 3 months is that they get to be with her for this time before Lord would take her home. •  Another Faith story was told by Husband and Wife who lost their 6 younger children in their burning car and that now after 16 years they are rejoicing to be able to see them soon in the Lords presence. At the moment God has blessed them with 31 grandchildren which comes from the 3 older children who were not in the car at the accident on the highway 16 years ago. They serve faithfuly even today and are saying that if they would not be standing on the WORD of GOD at those times they would not survive it all.

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...