Mladen and his wife Dragica

Another recent event that has contributed to my feeling of this being a very surreal time was the death of our friend and brother, Mladen Jovanović. Mladen passed away suddenly at his home on Friday evening, September 6. His funeral was on Wednesday, September 11. Really all of last week was spent on the funeral and the accompanying preparations, comforting and helping Mladen’s family in various ways, and helping to host various American guests who came for the funeral. Among many other roles, Mladen was the pulpit minister for our congregation here in Zagreb, a teacher at Biblijski institut, a founder and former head of the Council of Churches of Christ in Croatia, and a founder and general secretary of the Protestant Evangelical Council of Croatia. Mladen loved Jesus and was a true ambassador for the Kingdom of God; in Croatia, central Europe, and around the world. Many have described him as a spiritual statesman. We celebrate his homegoing, but his departure leaves empty places in both our congregation and the institute. Please be in prayer for his family and for us in his loss. May our work going forward be a continuation of his legacy for the Kingdom.

Links to some good articles about Mladen:

http://balkanvoices.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/in-remembrance-an-interview-with-mladen-jovanovic/

http://emilyhegi.tumblr.com/post/60550847152/the-new-man-remembering-mladen-jovanovic