A Movement of God.

“One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness” 

(Psalm 145:4-6).

Over a week ago I attended a "vision night" to learn how God has been at work in the lives of thousands of youth in Eastern Europe through Josiah Venture (JV).  In the summer of ‘96, a team from my church joined with another team of Czech Christians from Havirov, Czech Republic.  We partnered together to serve for a week as we led an English camp for Czech youth who ranged in age from high school to early twenties.  Throughout the week we taught English to students with varied degrees of aptitude in speaking and writing the language.  Not only did they come to learn English, but were keenly curious to interact with Americans and learn more about our culture.

Each evening we met to worship the Lord and hear a message that focused on an aspect of the gospel:  Who is man?  What is sin?  Why am I created?  Who is God?  What prevents man from knowing God?  Why was it necessary for Jesus to die?  Where will I go when I die?

After the session was over, we discussed the message and what the students were learning.  For many this was the first time they had heard the gospel message.  Up until the Velvet Revolution in 1989, Czech was ruled by Communist ideology that included that God does not exist.

As the week went on, relationships with these new Czech friends blossomed.  Opportunities to share and show the love of Christ with them through athletic games, hiking mountains, and going for night walks to marvel at God’s creation under the stars.  Many of the youth began to see their sin and their need for the Savior, Jesus Christ.  For some, their time at camp changed their lives for eternity.  For others it was the start of knowing more about their need for a Savior.

Since the summer of ’96, when I think there only 4-7 camps occurred, now over 12,000 young people have been impacted with the gospel in 11 European countries.  God, for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom, is working in great ways through JV!

I am especially encouraged and excited by JV’s focus to work with nationals through the local church to equip and strengthen them for the ministry of the gospel.  I stay in touch with some of the dear Czech Christians that I met and served with in summer of '96.

JV now plans to double the kingdom fruit in the next three years. Thus, the 2x3 campaign logo at the beginning of this post.  I am excited and supportive of what God will do in the next three years as He works through evangelistic events, disciplemaking, leadership training and healthy reproducing churches for His glory!

Brothers that I met a few weeks ago like Lukasz serving with his wife in Poland, Tarmo in Estonia, and the rest of the JV Team along with us that prayerfully and financially support them have a great opportunity to invest in and see a movement of God in the next three years like never before as the next generation of youth in Eastern Europe are reached for His glory!  “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4)