April 17th, 2010 by Zac

This is a question that is frequently on my mind these days. I’m not worried about IF the church will survive. Church has been around here for centuries. And I believe it will be perpetuated in its current form. But my interest is in the FORM in which the church will survive in the future. The historical church has become so institutionalized and heavily structured, that renewal seems complicated at best. And its not only here in Central Europe that many are speculating about these ideas. The church everywhere is facing challenging times.

Recently our staff at Kompas training center, along with some other church leaders from around Slovakia attended a conference on healthy reproducing churches in the Czech Republic sponsored by our mission Josiah Venture. The guest speaker was Alan Hirsch. Alan is the author of  “The forgotten ways” and “Re-Jesus”. His ideas that take us back to the principles of the early church have radical implications for the way church is done in this part of the world.

Everyone who attended came away extremely challenged by his teaching and asking God how we can be a part of nurturing a church movement for this generation. Please pray for the church in Central Europe and church leaders in Slovakia. The church will survive, but how will she look?

April 16th, 2010 by Zac

“I have prayed for two years”, one young woman said with tears, “that God would teach me what to do with the girls I am leading. And this conference has been the answer to that prayer. Now I know the specifics about how to disciple”!

Over 600 youth leaders from all over Slovakia gathered together for a four day conference of inspiration, help and training. As it seems to be every year, the auditorium was packed and overflowing with excited participants eager to learn.

To “pass the baton forward” was the challenge. Like relay runners, it’s our calling to personally hand off the life we have in Christ to another person through personal evangelism and discipleship. Everyone received their own baton and the spiritual tools to put the “hand off” into motion.

In one session, each participant was given a few minutes to write down names of specific people to whom their baton could be passed. In those moments, God seems to say to me that these moments of specific application were changing the spiritual landscape of Slovakia! Potentially thousands of young people will be raised up to run the race.

God is at work in this generation in Slovakia. Run!

April 10th, 2010 by Kim

Gwyneth continues to sing and train her voice weekly in lessons. Her teacher as well continues to enter her into singing competitions around our area. However, her last competition came as a bit surprise to us.  It was a competition Gwyneth entered herself in!

We didn’t know anything about it (nor did her teacher). Apparantly she heard about it at school, signed herself up, and  then one day, very casually, told me that she would be singing in it (the next day of course)!

I was elated that she finally felt confident enough in her ability and finds joy in singing (despite the nerves); almost as much as I did when I heard that she won 2nd place! That’s a photo of the award she received!

Her next competition is May 5 and there is a big 3-day competition in the East at the end of May. We thank God for this very special gift He has given to her. We continually pray that He will use her (and her gift) to reach people for Him.

April 9th, 2010 by Kim

“Mom! I can see things I never saw before”! That’s what Emili told me as we walked home from the city  Wednesday from picking up her new glasses!

I felt bad that I had put off taking  her to the eye doctor since the beginning of the school year.  Then one day after a science class at school, I asked her what the class was about. She told me that she didn’t know. Surprised, I asked her why? Did she not understand the slovak I wondered?  Then she said, “I couldn’t see anything the teacher was writing on the board”!

Needless to say, I made an appointment immediately.  Obviously, she needed glasses. Sounds easy enough. . .however, have you ever shopped for eyeglasses with a 12 year old? Oh my! It wasn’t as simple as I thought it would be.Many stores and one week later, here are the results! I think she looks even more like her dad! Which makes her happy too. She loves them.

Life with glasses comes with many learning experiences: Lesson #1: don’t wear your new glasses while in the car, it makes you car sick (her pop tells her that she’ll eventually get used to it). I’m sure there will be many more lessons for us all. For now, we’ll start with this!

April 9th, 2010 by Kim

click the image for a great video and link to the KPM webpage

Pass it forward…

…it’s our desire to see Slovak youth leaders make disciples who make more disciples as God commanded us to do. Beginning yesterday afternoon, our TCKompas (Training Center Kompas) team began the opportunity to inspire, train and equip over 600 Slovaks at our Annual Youth Leader’s Conference. The theme is “Pass it Forward” and will focus on the importance of discipleship.

Please join us in praying for…

Protection over our speakers, performers, volunteers and their loved ones

The leader’s hearts, minds and souls to be drawn to the knowledge of God’s truth

Teams to catch the vision to return home and make more disciples

Thanks for your prayers, and we look forward to sharing more with you after Sunday.

Please help us pray for the annual youth workers conference going on this weekend here in Zilina. Pass it on