CEE Story From The Mission Field
Partnering Together
March 12, 2007
Last week evangelical leaders from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) came together in Prague at the CEE Partner Consultation Meeting. A dozen organizations were represented--international mission agencies, national Baptist Unions and individual churches. Though the group was diversified in many ways, its members discovered a common vision and passion for planting churches.
“It is not possible to have this common idea among us unless God is in control,” said Greater Europe Mission representative Frank Zauflik. “The Holy Spirit is behind us in what we are thinking to do. He is already preparing a place where we can extend His kingdom.”
Rodney Hammer, regional leader of CEE, said he is very encouraged and excited about the way God is giving so many people a vision for church planting. The goal of the recent meeting was to bring together some Great Commission Christians (GCCs) at work in the region to impact the 234 unreached people groups in CEE with no intention to start a new organization or to mirror existing ones.
“This is about God and His plan and His ability,” he said. “We want to serve, facilitate, learn and encourage further work among these groups.”
Together these men shared their top priorities for ministry and their future plans for planting churches. Some realized how God’s leading is allowing their ministries to intersect.
Corneliu Boingeanu from Romania shared his vision for taking the phenomenal testimony of what God is doing in his country to other capital cities in CEE. His church was transformed when the believers began to catch a vision for missions. Now they see CEE as their Acts 1:8 “Samaria” and feel compelled to help win these countries for Christ.
“I’m coming to your city,” he told his colleagues. “It is very simple to take a group of people to a church to testify. It will help that local church have a vision for missions. Then they can take this torch to other nations.” Cornel said.
This sort of partnership was a trademark of the three-day meeting in Prague. Each representative shared the state of evangelical work in his country—the barriers and the victories.
Leonid Kartavenko, missions department director of the Russian Baptist Union, told of innovative ways Christians in his area are reaching unbelievers. In one strongly Roma (Gypsy) area, volunteers went out in horse-drawn wagons draped with signs proclaiming “Jesus loves Gypsies.” Among this rural people whose main form of transportation is the horse-drawn wagon, this was very effective.
In past years, volunteers have also taken bicycle expeditions over long distances. This helps change the public’s perception of believers.
“Their normal way of understanding of a true believer is old and hobbling along,” Leonid said. “When young sportsmen who are very strong come on bicycles, it was a different presentation.”
Valeri Ghiletchi, president of the Moldova Baptist Union, shared that in the last 16 years the number of churches has grown from 140 to 600. Recently, the growth has slowed some and believers in his area are praying for new doors to open.
“There are 1500 villages and towns in Moldova and we want to have a church in every one of them,” Valeri said. “God has also given us a vision to reach Central Asia with the Gospel.”
A leader from one of the Central Asian countries in our region spoke of the importance of reaching his country without delay. He fears the doors are closing quickly because of strong Muslim influence.
Others from countries with strong barriers against the Gospel shared their hearts, burdens and discouragements. Yet they also shared that this meeting has encouraged them to look at the big picture.
“It was a great benefit to see what is happening in other places,” said a representative from Latvia. “It was a good confirmation because in Latvia we have this vision and think it is from God and it can often be a lonely observation.”
This meeting clearly showed that God is visibly moving in four CEE countries. Russia, Moldova, Ukraine and Romania have seen phenomenal growth and maturity in their churches and people. Even better, they have a vision for partnering with other CEE countries and helping them win the lost.
“For me it is very important to see what is happening in other countries of Europe,” Kartavenko said. “Whenever when I am working by myself in Russia I only see our needs. But now I understand that we in Russia must begin to give to Europe.”
This type of revelation is a blessing to many countries across CEE, which have seen little to no new work in the past few years.
After the fall of communism, one local Baptist union created a mission board, but the vision waned. One representative from this union added, “We started a vision and we failed—there have been no results.”
This brother’s report served as a call to action for the others.
“We will go and partner with their church[es],” Corneliu said. “God is at work on our continent today. Many think Europe is a lost group of people. Satan seems to be in control of everything. That is wrong! God is in control of Europe. What we have to do is just to go and tell them about Jesus.”