Croatia
‘Champs’ meet Christ at Croatian camp
ZAGREB, Croatia — For nine years, members of Churches of…
Why one minister is passionate about what God is doing in Croatia
'The good news is that when the Croatians actually hear the Gospel and learn the story of Jesus, they are often open.'
CRIKVENICA, Croatia — I am passionate about the work in Croatia because of the huge door that God has opened there to work together to share the gospel.
Two years ago, we visited Croatia on a joint venture with Next Generation for Christ and Let’s Start Talking.
Related: ‘Champs’ meet Christ at Croatian camp
There we met Jura Lazar, director of Croatia for Christ, and many of the wonderful Croatian church leaders. Croatia for Christ was transitioning from a radio ministry to a TV ministry and asked to broadcast our Story of Redemption Film Series with Croatian subtitles. They have been doing this broadcast now for about a year, covering 75 percent of Croatia.
More than 1,000 people have called in from this series, receiving a wonderful Croatian Bible from Eastern European Mission and an invitation to a local church.
This month, we had a mission team of 23 from the Fairfax Church of Christ in Virginia along with two representatives from Let’s Start Talking (Craig and Leslee Altrock) spend a week at the Croatian coast at Crikvenica, going through the English learning version of the Story of Redemption Film Series with about 45 Croatians.
Working with and through the Varazdin Church of Christ, we were able to share the Gospel with this group of mostly seekers, who came from Let’s Start Talking contacts, the Croatia for Christ Story of Redemption broadcast, Facebook advertising and personal contacts. It was a fantastic experience, and about 30 seekers came from the camp joined us for worship that Sunday morning at the Varazdin church. They received free Bibles from Christ for Croatia for Christ and Eastern European Mission.
The overwhelming majority of Croatians identify as Roman Catholic. However, for most, this functions more as a national identification card, with being Catholic equated with being a good Croat.
Leaders of the U.S. mission team with Mladen Dominic, far left, preacher for the Varazdin Church of Christ.
What is missing is a personal and communal relationship with Jesus. But the good news is that when the Croatians actually hear the Gospel and learn the story of Jesus, they are often open, which is exciting to see. Mladen Dominic, preacher for the Varazdin church, said after our mission team came that he had never seen so many open people. This is the power of God’s story and God’s work when we actually enter into relationship and share it.
This is what I am excited and passionate about!
JAMES NORED serves as executive director of Next Generation for Christ. He is the author and producer of the Story of Redemption and the Story of Redemption Film Series. He lives in Chantilly, Va., a suburb of Washington, D.C. Contact him at [email protected]
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