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All across Western Europe, the ancient churches stand... beautiful, majestic, sad reminders of a distant time and a forgotten faith. They stand empty, unused and neglected, ignored by a people who have “gone their own way.” Visited only by tourists, they have been transformed from houses of Christian worship to museums housing religious relics.
All across Western Europe, missionaries report that this once Christian continent is now one of the hardest areas of the world to reach for Christ.
A generation of young adults is rejecting Christianity and embracing the godless religion of secular humanism. By the time they reach 18 years of age, they have made up their minds... and they have hardened their hearts.
All across Western Europe, the light of faith, hope and love is slowly dying out as this young generation turns from God... denying His Ways... ignoring
His Word... rejecting His Lamb of Salvation.
But... if you look to the east, you will see the flame of hope burning brightly
... in a land once devastated by wars... among a people once held captive by godless oppression...
POLAND... Where God’s Spirit is moving in a mighty way!
In 1998, I went on my first mission trip to Poland. Our team presented a VBS Clinic at the Baptist Seminary in Warsaw. During that project, and the one that followed the next summer, I fell in love with being on mission with God... I fell
in love with Poland... I fell in love with the children of Poland.
The children I met in 1998 were part of the first generation too young to remember the suffering experienced under Soviet communism. They displayed a wonderful blend of humility and gratitude. They also exhibited a fresh sense of hope for their futures unknown to previous generations. Open to change, they were growing up with a “western” perspective.
During these first two mission trips to Warsaw, I felt God’s call on my life to invest more into this “first western” generation in Poland. From 2000 to 2004,
I led five IMB-sponsored mission teams to the Oasis Baptist Church in Wisla, Poland. Our teams did construction. We also presented VBS Day Camps for the local children.
In December 2004, I made the move to Wisla to do full-time mission work. Beata and I married then and began serving together. I continued to coordinate construction teams. We continued to host VBS Day Camps. But we also continued working with this “first western” generation as they became teenagers.
In 2004 and 2006, Beata and I helped present the Wisla Festivals of Life. Thousands from this “first western” generation attended these four-day Christian music festivals. Hundreds went beyond ritual and religion and accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!
Today, many members of this “first western” generation I encountered in Poland in 1998 are becoming young adults. Many are marrying and starting their own families. Many have picked up western attitudes over the years, including a sense of independence. As a result, many have stopped attending church.
They believe it is irrelevant for their lives.
But unlike their counterparts in Western Europe, these young Poles are not hardhearted... yet! Though secular humanism is advancing in Poland, this generation is still very open to the Gospel. And once they encounter the revolutionary new concept of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, they embrace it passionately!
I believe there is a unique, God-given opportunity to reach this “first western” generation in Poland as they become young adults and start families.
I believe there is a five-year window of opportunity to harvest this field for God’s Kingdom before secular humanism takes over Poland.
I believe that Beata and I have been uniquely gifted, called and prepared by God to work this field and help bring in a bountiful harvest.
I believe that God has called faithful believers to join us in this work... through prayer support, financial giving and missions’ participation.
In June 2008, God gave Beata and me a new vision for expanding our Polish ministry. The vision is to reach this “first western” generation of Polish young adults and their children. The vision involves two evangelistic efforts... Children’s Vacation Bible School and Music Evangelism.
Children’s Vacation Bible School read more...
Music Evangelism read more...
The new vision called for Beata and me to make some important changes.
We moved from working with the Oasis Baptist Church in Wisla to working with churches all across southern Poland. We relocated our family and much of our ministry operations to Murray, Kentucky in August 2008. We’ve also changed our ministry’s name from “Wisla Ministries” to “Across Ministry”, a name which better describes our taking the message of Jesus Christ all across Poland.
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