Last weekend we presented a seminar, Teenagers and the Challenges of the Modern Age: Communication, Encouragement, and Discipleship, in cooperation with the Zagreb Bible Institute (I still serve on the Management Board). We had about 45 people in attendance. We heard research both from the USA and out of Poland, the findings of which were the same: The main issue of teens in this age is high anxiety, brought on by the barrage of information coming at them through technology, combined with the high pressure on them through constant exposure to social media at too early an age. Solutions presented are highly relational, especially with trusted adults in their world, both including, and in addition to their parents. We talked about the importance of mentoring and discipling teens, encouraging them about their identity in Christ, their belonging with His people, and God’s purpose for them. We had special guests who helped present the seminar. The Southside Church of Christ, in Lexington, Kentucky supports us and they sent Joshua and Susan Samples, and Jeremy and Suzanna Stewart. Joshua and Susan are their missions committee’s Croatia liaisons, and Susan is one of their children’s ministers. Jeremy is their youth minister. We also had our friend, Andrej Lovše, who is a church planter and leads a country-wide network of youth ministers in neighboring Slovenia. And Johann Go, the youth pastor at the Baptist church in downtown Zagreb also joined us a presenter.

Last week I attended the Family Bible Camp of the Churches of Christ in Croatia (the 4th camp of my summer, whew!), along with others from our church in Zagreb. For me there were three highlights. One was Tesa’s baptism. I have know Tesa all her life and over the last year she has been involved in our youth ministry activities. Another highlight was that our church hosted at the camp all eight of the Ukrainian orphans we have been helping. They are in the photo above, in front of their cabin at the camp, along with our co-worker Iva, who has been working closely with them. These kids got to see and experience life inside a Christian community that week, in addition to receiving great teaching, such as: “You are worth the life of Jesus.” Some of these kids came away from the experience wanting to know more about what that means, and what it means to follow Jesus. Another (unexpected) blessing for me was the two young men who came from Kansas with the guest speaker for the camp. They are with me in the last photo above. Micah is 20, Daniel is 25. I spent quite a bit of time with them throughout the week. They both told me they came that week expecting to give and to serve, but that they did not expect to grow spiritually so much themselves. They said the time spent with me during the week resulted in a large part of that growth. Praise the Lord for unexpected opportunities like this.

Earlier this month we had our Youth Camp. A lot of preparations went into the camp, along with God’s help, prayers, and volunteers. We had 36 teens and 14 volunteers. Steve’s friend, Joel Butts from Tennessee, brought a team of four Ukrainian ladies from his Twelve3One ministry in Ukraine. They also do work in mentoring and discipling young people. Steve’s “sisters from another mother,” Jan, Jayne, and Jill, also came from Abilene, Texas to help out in the kitchen. We are proud of our younger camp volunteers, Lana, Ivana, and Danijel. They were campers before and now they are college students. They all asked if they could come to the camp and help as volunteers.

The theme for this camp was UNO (The One). We were talking about how Jesus as our Savior is the one. Our friend Joel presented the first evening’s lesson and talked about fearless Jehosheba from the Old Testament. The ladies from Ukraine presented the second evening’s lesson and talked about Queen Esther. Jehosheba and Esther were presented as two individuals whom God used in significant ways. They were both only “one,” but as a result of their obedience, God used them in mighty ways to save their people. Mateja presented the third evening’s lesson, about how Jesus is “the one.” Mateja invited the teens to follow Jesus more, and for the kids who were new to us at this camp to study with us more about Him. I presented the last evening’s lesson, about how You are the One. I was talking about how the teens as individuals have a place in God’s story, and how Jesus died for each one of them. I shared photos of each teen on the screen and addressed each one individually about how they are the one for whom Jesus came. I also talked about how Jesus waits for each one to open the door of their hearts and let him in.

The Abilene “sisters” (photo above left, with Joel) were a tremendous help in the kitchen, and more. At one point during the week, they shared their testimony of God working in their family. They also spent time praying with various groups of the kids at different times. The group of ladies from Ukraine were invaluable in interacting with and ministering to the 16 Ukrainian kids who were at the camp. They also brought a unique and interesting aspect to the camp. They are from a Messianic Jewish congregation in Ukraine. They recognize, trust, and worship Jesus as messiah and savior, but with a Jewish/Hebrew style and flavor. They showed us what their times of worship sound and look like. Our teens enjoyed this very much. In the photo above right, with Mateja and myself, are these ladies, Zina, Liza, and Karina, in their traditional Jewish costumes.

Every morning, we had “Experience” Time, in which we gave our youth time to think and reflect, and also gave them a special task. One of the tasks was to create videos showing where they see God. They did this in groups. We then enjoyed watching their videos. One morning they wrote their life story and then they shared it with each other. The most special time was when we asked the teens to write their prayers, and for what they are grateful for. We then took two hours and with each of them we went to a private place and we prayed with and for them. Joel and Danijel are praying for Lovro in the photo at left. We were amazed how they opened their hearts and wanted to share even more than what they had written on their papers. Some even wanted to have further discussions with some of us after this time.

Our emphasis at camp was spiritual things, but we also had a lot of fun in games, sports, nature, sharing our meals, a talent show, a campfire, and in talking and fellowship together. Praise God for this great week together!

Last week the Srcokret Christian Youth Festival was held on the Croatian coast, near the town of Primošten. This is an event that happens every few years and involves youth not just from Croatia, but from all over the region. “Srcokret” is a play on words that means, “turning of the heart.” And that is what we did. For six days, over 1,200 young people gathered from all over the former Yugoslavia to turn their hearts toward God together. It was a great time of camping, fellowship, learning, worship, and prayer. There were daily morning and evening times of worship; afternoon small group workshops; and a prayer tent was kept going 24 hours a day. My friend, Andrea Gelemanović, and her band led worship one evening, using some of her original worship music. I took and shepherded seven teens at the festival.

Last week we held our first camp of the summer. Champs Camp is a day camp for children 6-12 years old. We also have a number of teenagers who help with the camp. Most of them were campers in the past. Many of these teens also come to our youth camps, and some hang out with us throughout the school year. The Saturday before Champs Camp we had training for the teen volunteers. We had a blessed and joyful week with the kids, and we are proud of the 13 teens who were serving every day with us. We also had with us Mike Donahoo, from Pond Springs Church, my sponsoring church in Austin, Texas. Mike did a great job with both kids and teens.

The theme of the camp this year was, Created by God, Built with a Purpose. The main memory verse was:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that very well.
Psalm 139:14

Each day we had a Bible lesson, crafts, sports, games, food, and we watched a short Christian children’s video. That was very special for most of the kids, and they asked if they can watch something like that next year. We are grateful to our Lord that the kids responded well to Mateja’s Bible lessons. Some of the kids next year will be teens and they already asked us if they can join us in our youth camp next summer.

After the week with kids, we took our teen volunteers to Terme Tuhelj, a water park about an hour’s drive from Zagreb. We spent there a nice two days with them. The first evening Mateja had a short lesson just for the girls, and Steve and Mike had a lesson for the boys. The second evening Mike shared a brief lesson and testimony. We finished our evening with some social games.

I have been connected with the Kušlanova Church of Christ in Zagreb for a long time. The church in which I grew up in Texas was involved in mission work connected with our congregation here in Zagreb for many years, and I began coming to visit and to help with camps back in 1996, before moving here in 2010. At the beginning of this year, our minister took a sabbatical for the first three months of the year. During that time, I filled in by coordinating worship services; doing most of the preaching; and meeting regularly with our elders, in addition to my work with our youth ministries with Nešto Više. Then upon returning from sabbatical, our minister announced his resignation, and that he was leaving the congregation. Needless to say, the last several months have been a time of challenge and transition for our church. After a period of prayer and discernment, I accepted a role as co-minister, along with Ivan Karadža. Ivan is handling church administration and coordinating our children’s Sunday School. I am coordinating Sunday worship services and the preaching calendar. We are both preaching (me above) and pastoring people. The two of us, along with our two elders, are now serving as the leadership core of the church. A very timely encouragement to us at the end of the summer was the return of Goran and Maja Medved’s family to our congregation (photo below), after being away from us for several years. Goran is a professor at the Zagreb Bible Institute, Bible translator, and also a good preacher. He is offering his talents to the church in this way as well. I am involved in discipling relationships with Goran and Maja’s sons, Adam and Noa, as well as the grandson of one of our elders.

I am currently involved in discipling three young men. We usually talk about life, and read a chapter of the Bible together, and discuss it. Two of the boys are shown in the photo at right below, reading their Bibles on their own this summer. Adam (14, in the photo with me at left below) and I finished the book of John this summer, and now we are working through the book of Acts. We continued our meetings through the summer, on Adam’s request and initiative. Adam was baptized a year and a half ago and is developing a deep love for Jesus and a desire to live his life for God. Adam’s family this fall returned to our church, after being away from us for several years. Adam’s parents told me that one of the reasons for this is that their boys have me as a teacher and they want them growing up in a church body where I am. Noa (12) is Adam’s brother. We are also reading through the book of John. Please pray that through our time together, he will experience Jesus and want to follow Him. Ivan (13), like Adam, is part of most everything we do in our youth ministries. I also work with Ivan in the same way as Adam and Noa. Please pray that Ivan will come to see the great love of God for him, and choose to follow Jesus with his life. I hope Marko (14) will also start meeting with me soon.
 

This fall we are having good size groups for our youth meetings, between 15-20 teens each time. More are coming regularly this school year than last year, and a few new ones as well, both Croatians and Ukrainians. As usual, we had Bible lessons and discussion groups, games, food, fellowship, and worship. At the end of the meetings this fall, Igor is talking with them about why worship is important (photo above). I am teaching below.

Since summer of 2023, Iva Matijević, a Croatian, has been working alongside us with the Ukrainians we are assisting here. Iva has been invaluable in this role, as she is fluent in Croatian, English, and Ukrainian.  As such, she has been able to help the Ukrainians in ways the rest of us could not. In the process, she has been a recipient herself of the teaching offered by our ministry, as well as of my preaching in the church. She has also been studying the Bible with my co-worker, Sandra Sibley. In Iva we see a tender and open heart to God, and a genuine desire to serve. She has studied with Sandra this year and she decided to be baptized this fall. I was privileged to assist her in taking this step. Please pray for Iva as she begins her walk with Jesus; as our faith community walks alongside her; and as she continues to seek out ways to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others.

School started again in Croatia on September 4. With the start of school also comes the start of our regular youth meetings for the school year, after the summer break when everyone flees to the coast. We kicked things off with a great gathering at my house the Saturday after school started. The photo above shows us praying over the 18 teens who came that evening. We are so excited that after summer activities and camps, we have more teens in these gatherings than ever. Last Friday evening we had close to 20 teens. Praise the Lord! We had a great lesson about how we know what love is (Jesus showed us this); how we know that somebody really loves us; and how others know we really love them. We had great discussion groups, worship together, food (of course), and in the end a time of fellowship. Pray for this group to be consistent in coming throughout the year, to bring their friends, and ultimately to be drawn to Jesus through these times together.