(written by Pastor Doug Sandy)
“The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it,” 1 Thessalonians 1:8 (NIV)
Paul wrote this message to the Church in Thessalonica not long after he was forced to leave due to persecution. He left behind a small group of believers that were facing the prospect of living out their faith in an environment that was hostile to their beliefs. Yet in the midst of these difficult circumstances, the church thrived and was an example for everyone.
Today, we are blessed to serve alongside the Brethren Church in Český Těšín to help them with their mission to make disciples in the region. They are a solid church, faithfully serving Christ. Their people are warm, hospitable, and love Jesus with a passion. Like the Thessalonian church of long ago, they are living out their faith in a culture that is against them, and their faith is an example for everyone to see.
The Czech Republic is a country of vast natural beauty and a rich history of Christianity, but its witness for Christ was virtually eliminated due to communist rule. Today almost 80 percent of the population is agnostic or atheist and less than 1% are Christians. Most people have never heard the good news of Jesus. The need to share God’s grace is huge.
This summer Family Bible Church will again be partnering with Josiah Venture and the Brethren Church in Český Těšín to help share the Gospel to the eastern region of the Czech Republic. Josiah Venture’s vision is to build disciples among the youth in Central and Eastern Europe in such a way that whole societies are transformed.
Who is Going?
The FBC team consists of nine people (Pastor Andrew, Aidan Carson, Andrew Mickey, Carolyn Slater, David, Caleb and Sarah Sandy, Betsy Sullivan, and me). We will be meeting up with more Americans from Lifepoint church in Minden Nevada and the team of Czech leaders from Český Těšín in the Czech Republic.
What will We be Doing?
We will be assisting in running a summer camp for Czech youth. The camp will feature English language lessons, American sports, and a systematic way of introducing campers to Jesus. The FBC team will be responsible for helping with music, devotions and teaching by embedding ourselves in the life of the camp and pointing people to Christ at every opportunity. The program has been very successful in the past, and many of the Czech team point to English camp as the reason for their salvation. The theme of this year’s camp is “Part of the Plan”. It underscores both God’s sovereign rule over everything as well as his plan of salvation for everyone who believes.
When is the Trip?
The team will leave on July 10 and will return on July 25. This might seem like a long time from now, but there are a lot of preparations between now and then.
How Can You Help?
There will be more information forthcoming on how you can give financially if you are blessed to be able to do so. More than anything else, we desire your prayers.
Specific Prayer Requests:
- Preparation for the trip goes smoothly.
- Health of the mission team.