European Leaders Conference – Poland – June 2009

This event has been taking place for several years now and we thank God for the opportunity to meet, pray and look to God for direction together.  As LHM has grown, the possibility of being in Romania, Poland, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Moldova and the Ukraine every year is so remote.  Moldova has never had a visit at all yet.  However, our commitment is firstly to the people we have come to know in these places, then to their country.

Andrzej, Lola, Julian, Asa, Željko, Lela, Ioan, Fevi, Pepi, Nevena, Ivan, Natalah and Uri are very special servants of God and all are significant people in their nations.  We enjoyed excellent fellowship, prayer and discussions about the ongoing work in the various countries.  The ministries of Andrzej (currently President of the Evangelical Alliance in Poland), heading up a movement of 50+ churches; Željko, with several churches in Bosnia but also co-coordinating work in Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia; Ioan caring for 18 churches in Romania and Pepi caring for the Vidin church and a village church plant in Bulgaria, demonstrates the privilege LHM has in gathering such people.  Although we help these delegates with the cost of their travel, it is still a great sacrifice of their time and the journeys can be very long and tiring. Ioan drove for 15 hours!

Another key purpose of our meeting, is to encourage the pastors and churches in Poland.  We had an excellent meeting with Andrzej Braieleski’s church, where one man gave his life to Christ.  The time with Pastor Julian’s church in Kolo was also very encouraging.  The inspirational worship always blesses us and so many there are good friends.  The Saturday conference with Pastors was again a valuable time and they very much appreciate hearing live reports from the other European countries, together with updates on LHM Africa and Asia.  Sunday ministry took place in several churches and Elaine and I were in Warsaw with Andrzej.  This church is a wonderful work of God.  The vision and energy of the people is very encouraging and they are very blessed with Andrzej’s leadership.  An unexpected visit to Pastor Zion’s church in Warsaw was great and one professed faith in Christ.  The enthusiasm and love of these people was so touching and their respect for Andrzej gratifying.

The generosity of the Kolo and Warsaw churches too, was very wonderful.  The several Balkan churches in friendship with Željko are supporting Pastor Isaac in the Congo and now our friends in Poland, Bulgaria and Romania are part of that project.

 

We must reflect on how we can plan better and increase the effectiveness of these times but this is what Lela wrote afterwards, “It is great when we are together in Jesus.  The last conference was beautiful and we believe that many good things will grow out of the seeds, which were planted during the last week.  Thank you for your friendship, love and care.”

Nigel and Val observed, “Earlier in the year, we had a text message from Pepi in Bulgaria, asking about the conference, saying how much he valued it, as he had no other contacts with Christian brothers and sisters in the same way.  So it was with joy that he was able to attend this year with his wife Nevena.  We are privileged to experience the sense of friendship, fellowship and the joy of being together that our brothers and sisters from Eastern Europe feel.  They are also grateful for the teaching they hear from Richard, as many do not have the privilege to hear from other speakers and rely on their own study of the Bible.  It is a time of building up and then sending them back with new zeal.”

God willing, next year we plan two conferences.  After this year’s conference, Andrzej wrote, “We would like to try to organize a small conference on Mission values, based on LHM values.  We will do some research in this area and, of course, we are willing to be involved in Balkans Conference with Polish attendance. With blessings, Andrzej.”  So, God willing, we will be in Poland in May and a Balkans+ conference will take place in November 2010.

PRAISE THE LORD!


Richard Brunton