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 Special Edition For Boomers and Legacy Adults
ARE CHURCHES ASKING THE TWO MOST
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT MINISTRY TO PERSONS 50+?
Pastor Dan Allen |
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In this Issue:
- Czech Republic Letter
- Sunday School Spotlight: Lyle Smith
- Opryland Trip
- Sunday School Schedule
- and more
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A Letter from the Czech Republic - Monday, April 21, 2008
Wade and Pastor Powell,
Greetings from Olomouc, Czech Republic! I hope this email finds you both doing well today.
Wow, what an amazing time we had with Dan and Blanche Allen, Scott and Val Hardin, and most importantly, the 12 students who served with us last week. The work here in Moravia (Eastern Czech) is tough. We liken it to plowing concrete. It takes time to see Czechs trust us and open their hearts and minds to even consider the possibility that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. This was not the case with your students. Almost immediately they had the hearts of Czechs, young and old. I've seriously never seen anything like it. They would stop men and women in the park and hand them a free frisbee and the next thing I know they were either deep in conversation or tossing the frisbee back and forth with the Czech. Incredible!
Over the past four years we have realized that reaching University is not the key to reaching all of Moravia, but reaching high school students is. I realized last week that if you put an American high school student in the midst of
10-12 Czech students, the American holds the key to their trust and attention.
Last week the students sang two hours worth of praise and worship music in front of over 400 students in a strategic school near our home. This is the FIRST time this school has ever allowed anything remotely spiritual through their doors. Not only did they allow us to sing, but the principal asked us to sing one final song after we presented his school with a gift of appreciation. The principal later invited us (April and myself) to form a partnership with the school and asked that more students from McGregor come back next year.
Last week the students spoke English and taught about various aspects of American life and culture. As soon as the classes were over one of the English teachers asked Scott to bring students back next year.
Last week we held 3 nights of English Conversational Courses in what's called a culture house. We have done this before, and have never had more than 12 people attend. Because of the students’ presence in our city and in the school, 44 attended the final class on Wednesday night. The gospel was shared with a number of Czechs, and others showed an interest and were invited to our weekly Bible discussion group. We believe that we are on the verge of seeing our first church planted through this discussion group.
I have already mentioned the students passing out the frisbees, but I must share more about this. These frisbees have the gospel in Czech on the inside of them with contact information for those who want more information. Without speaking a word of Czech, each student would walk right up to people and give them a frisbee. I'm going to say that we had a 90% success rate. It was incredible. Not only did they give away Frisbees, but they would then attempt to engage in conversation and many times began tossing the frisbee with the Czechs.
This was an extraordinary week where we saw the Lord move mightily before us. We now have the trust and credibility with a strategic school in our city, many contacts to follow-up with, and feel as though the students punched a hole in the ice and the warm, life-changing waters of mercy and grace are beginning to flow.
I have never worked with a better bunch of teens than the ones from McGregor.
Scott Hardin and I talked frequently throughout the week about more Student Worship Arts teams coming each Spring Break for the next several years in order for McGregor to partner with us to build on the foundation that we laid last week.
I would like to propose that McGregor commit to bring one Student Worship Arts team to work with us each Spring Break for the next 3 years.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. I would also ask that you hear firsthand from Dan, Scott, Blanche, Val, or any of the students about their time here. It was truly life changing for Czechs and also ourselves. Many students repeatedly said that their lives have been forever changed through this mission trip--I believe it.
From what we witnessed, American high school students are the key to reaching Czechs and church planting throughout Moravia.
Thank you for your time.
Go Moravia!
Steve Brown
Strategy Coordinator-Moravia
International Mission Board
PS. Dan and Scott (and their wives) did a remarkable job leading this team. It was my honor and privilege to work with them last week. Not only did they minister to Czechs, but to us as well.
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Read the more in the full version of the newsletter. Click the link at the top to get the PDF. |
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Legacy Living Newsletter 
