CEE Story From The Mission Field
Participating Bystanders
October 16, 2003
Living Water Baptist Church in Czestochowa, Poland recently accepted two new members through baptism. Marc Byrd, Strategy Associate for the Baltic Region, was able to perform the baptisms in a local lake. He and his team of missionaries in Czestochowa are rejoicing at what God is doing in their midst. He is changing people and calling them to Himself. Team Czestochowa are the “participating bystanders” in this arena of grace, but what a privilege it is to be allowed to watch Him work.
A lot of this work is being done in and through a coffee house for students that the team established called STUDNIA. Team Czestochowa staff the coffee house and host singing groups, English classes, and anything else they can think of that will draw the Polish students into their world. In the Month of October alone they have planned four Friday night concerts, Filmfests each Saturday night, a Mexican fiesta, an Avon party, an Art day, and a Drama Day. All of these events are for the express purpose of presenting the gospel, and the Polish students are responding.
Newly baptized Przemek Plaskacz is just one example. He was introduced into Living Water Baptist Church through one of the English classes they offered, and his life was changed forever. Przemek said that, although he had grown up in a Catholic Church, he never really understood the gospel until he visited the Baptist Church in Czestochowa. There, the joyful atmosphere made it obvious to him that there was something different about worshippers of God, and something in him began to change.
"It didn’t come from me, “ he said, “I simply realized that I was a sinful person, and I had to give my life to Jesus.” Baptism was the next step for Przemek because he “wanted to show others [his] faith in Jesus.”
Please pray for Team Czestochowa as they continue to reach students for Christ. Their team is growing! They have just welcomed 4 new short-term missionaries who are adjusting to life in Eastern Europe and trying to learn a little Polish. This month the team will host a music group from Woodridge Baptist Church called Power Wind. They will hold concerts, lecture at the University, and prayer walk in Czestochowa.