News at ABWE
Moving toward Missions Movements in Central and Eastern Europe
Pastors and ABWE missionaries from seven Central & Eastern European countries descended upon Budapest for our region’s first ever "World Missions Forum" in early May of 2008. The desire was to bring pastors together from across the region, share a few insights, and get them thinking and praying about their church’s role and responsibility in the world-wide spread of the gospel. As one of our ABWE missionaries put it, "It was as though lights were going "on" in the minds of the pastors, believing that together... 'We Can Do This!'
Despite having six different language groups present, the Lord broke down language barriers! The almost deafening noise level at the restaurant on the final evening was a testament to the fact that these men had bonded and were communicating with each other without ANY problems!
God moved during the three days of meetings.
- Pastor Vitaly decided to hold a multi-church missions conference in Kiev inviting five other churches to join them.
- Pastor Petya invited Romania's Alex Vlasin to participate in their church's upcoming missions conference.
- Pastor Aleksandr added a segment on "Missions" to a ten-church conference that had already been scheduled.
- Pastor Malancea discovered how God is working in the Muslim areas of the Balkins. Both Pastor Malancea & his Bible College in Moldova have a burden for reaching the Muslim people throughout Europe and Central Asia.
- Another pastor wrote: "I am thankful for the effort, energy, and resources you (ABWE) and your staff put into the Global Forum. It was a privilege to be able to participate there and come to know you and others working with ABWE and partnering with ABWE. You have done a fantastic job. Your heart for us and your desire to serve with us for the benefit of His Kingdom was very obvious. I was leaving really encouraged and blessed. My vision was enlarged, and I have a better understanding of what God is doing in the other countries and better awareness of the needs and prayer requests."
Commitments made by those attending the forum:
- Send 144 new missionaries from the 10 churches represented
- Enlist 6,000 individuals to pray for missions movements in the region
- Meet in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2009 for another World Missions Forum, and invite other pastors to participate