Church-Planters of the Union of Baptist Churches in Serbia, part 1

I was blown away by the vision and urgency of our Serbian Baptist brothers and sisters to start new churches.  Astonishing commitments are being forged by the Holy Spirit in the lives of young couples to plant  Christ-honoring, gospel-centered churches in this nation.  The Union of Baptist Churches in Serbia will train and support couples sent by their home churches who sense God has called them to plant churches where there is no evangelical witness.  Seven new churches have started in the last couple of years, and they have a vision to start over a dozen more.  

When I asked Ondrej Franka, president of the Union of Baptist Churches in Serbia, what they mean by "support," he said that the sponsoring church must be willing to give $75 a month to the couple, and then the Union will give another $675 a month.  So, the couple gets a total of $750/month for 3 to 5 years, or longer if necessary, until the church can support its own pastor.  I had already heard that the average salary for employed people in Serbia is a about $475/month, so I thought this sounded pretty generous.  

But then Ondrej explained that this $750 is everything the couple receives.  Not only do they have to rent a place to live, and feed and clothe their family, but also must provide all the ministry expenses the church plant may have:  rent and utilities for a place to meet (house-churches typically don't go over well in that culture, but that's another blog), literature for distribution, travel expenses (gas is $8.00 a gallon), Bibles, children's ministry materials, etc.  

We talked with a couple in Paraćin who rent a 500-square-foot store-front that holds about 30 people for Sunday mornings.  It costs about $160 a month.  They're trying to get the two rooms above the storefront for children's ministry, but they just didn't have the funds, so they were asking God for help.  It would take about another $100 a month. Here are some pictures of this facility.  It's just the front part of this building.

They were just thrilled to be sharing the gospel, seeing souls get saved, and loving the community to which God has called them.  I was deeply convicted.

With so little, they do so much for the gospel and God's glory.  

With so much, what are we doing? 

Up to Rilski Monastir

The Rila Monastery, a couple hours south of Sofia, Bulgaria, is the heart of the Bulgarian Orthodox church.  It was founded in the middle of the 9th Century by St. John of Rila, an eremite monk ("eremite" means one who lives alone -- we get our word "hermit" from it) whose call from God focused on prayer, holiness, and spreading the gospel.  Though he lived alone for years at a time, his reputation for purity and prayer drew people to come to him.  This is how he shared Christ with them.  Before his death he had unintentionally attracted so many followers that a small monastery was founded, dedicated to his principles of holy living, intercessory prayer, and evangelism.

It is clear that in the intervening 1150 years, most of John's vision has been lost.  Though his testimony and instructions for prayer focus primarily on spreading the gospel through intercessory prayer and evangelistic service, this rich guide is neglected or openly scorned.  Today, the monks and leaders of Rila Monastery do not, in my estimation, share God's Word; instead, they hide it. They discourage members of the Orthodox church from reading Scripture, and they do not read it themselves.  They read only the prayer books and the liturgies of the church.  As you may have seen from some of the pix I previously posted on facebook, many of the doctrines depicted in the frescoes painted inside and outside the monastery chapel are not only extra-biblical, but patently anti-biblical.  Some blatant and horrifying examples are below.

The journey up the mountain to this spot was gorgeous, and the buildings and compound of the monastery are stunningly beautiful.  This is, however, a place we need to pray for, asking God to return His Word to a monastery that has neglected and suppressed it for centuries.

It makes me wonder how much like them we are.

Think about it.

The main chapel of the Rilski Monastir compound.

Looking into heaven, the New Jerusalem -- see the twelve gates -- with souls exiting purgatory waiting to get in.
Jesus (left) is depicted as a wimpy dude without a robe, while Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are robed and seated on clouds.
Meanwhile, giganto-Peter (i.e., the Orthodox church) stands outside, holding people back:  see how his left hand is turned back.

On the outside of the chapel, a series of frescoes depicts the "20 levels of purgatory" the monks teach.
This is the 20th and deepest level, reserved for those who leave the Bulgarian Orthodox church.

Really?  They have the nerve to depict Jehovah God with an image?

Sunday, September 30, 2012, in Bulgaria, part 2

It was a glorious day.  Perhaps you've already read part 1; but if not, you may wish to.  Go ahead.  I'll wait.

 . . .

 . . .

There, now you're up to speed.

The rest of the day made the morning, rich as it was, seem a bit impoverished by contrast.  After rather forgettable lunch at KFC inside the huge and very-American style Mall of Sofia, several of us got into the church van from Purva Baptistka Tsyrkva (PBT) of Sofia and rode with Pastor Teodor ("Teddy") Oprenov  about 100 miles or so southeast of Sofia to the town of Pazardjik.

On the drive, Pastor Teddy shared with me the story of the efforts of Bulgarian Baptists to recover from 45 years of communist oppression, as well as the brief history of the Pazardjik Baptist Church.  Just four years old, it has outgrown the home in which it began and only lately moved into a rented store-front location, a tiny spot of about 300 to 350 square feet.  He told us how the church has struggled, but now has several new people.  Six different men from PBT go to Pazardjik to preach on a rotating basis.  Three willing folks from the church lead the worship.  He expected a couple of down to be there.

As we entered the town from the north, we passed Pazardjik Prison, built by the communist regime just after WW2 (and still operating, though torture is no longer used) for political and religious dissidents.  Almost all of the Baptist pastors in Bulgaria during the 1950s and 1960s spent time there, some up to 8 years, including Pastor Teddy's father.  It was chilling to drive by the walls just a few feet from the road, knowing that behind them, dozens of protestant pastors were tortured or starved to death; and yet, not a single Baptist pastor died while imprisoned.

The next substantial building we passed was a mosque.  Most of Bulgaria's Muslims (who make up about 10% of the population) live in the south, and Pazardjik is over one-third Muslim.

We arrived at the church just minutes before the 5:00 p.m. service was to start:  Pastor Teddy plus seven American church leaders and pastors.  When we walked in, there were only 4 empty seats.  Some folks moved, some stood, and some chairs were found.  It was packed.  Within minutes the service began.  Pastor Teddy assisted by playing guitar, and we sang a Bulgarian hymn plus three hymns that I've known since childhood:  "I Know Whom I Have Believed," "He Hideth My Soul," "My Jesus, I Love Thee," all in Bulgarian, of course.

We read several passages of Scripture, and each of the guests was given a chance to introduce himself and share remarks.  As I stood up to introduce myself, I looked again at the little congregation, mostly over 50, without a single child in attendance, and thought, "Lord, did I miss something?  I've got a message that end by saying, 'Your attitude toward Jesus can be measured by your attitude toward children.'  There are no children here at all."  But Pastor Teddy had told me, "Just share with us whatever the Lord lays on your heart," so I forged ahead.

As I spoke, Pastor Teddy stood just to my left.  It was hot.  It was close.  I couldn't see everyone, because some were seated behind a little partial wall that separated the "kitchen" from the "sanctuary."  Because Pastor Teddy was to my left, I could not see out the door, but others apparently could, because they kept looking out.  I wondered if my sermon was so bad, they were losing interest.

What I couldn't see was that about the time I was starting to tell them that their attitude toward children revealed their attitude toward Jesus, a little girl had walked up to the door and was looking in from time to time.  As I found out later, her grandma had invited her to come, but she forgot what time the service started, since she had never been there before.    As the message came to an end and we closed in prayer, someone invited her in.

You may reach your own conclusions, but I think God sent little Simona to Pazardjik Baptist Church at just the right time, when her arrival would illustrate the point of the message more clearly than any words I could speak.

I am praying for Simona and the Baptists in Pazardjik.  I hope you will too.

Simona

Sunday, September 30, 2012, in Bulgaria, part 1

It may take me a long time to integrate my experiences of Sunday, September 29 (was that really only yesterday?!) into my life, and I certainly won't be able to adequately encapsulate them in this blog, but here is a start to the first part of the day.

Along with my colleagues, I attended the 11:00 a.m. service at Purva Baptistka Tsyrkva ("First Baptist Church," formally called "Sofia Evangelical Baptist Church") in Sofia, Bulgaria.  (BTW, a note on pronunciation.  If you say "so-FEE-uh," it is a girl's name.  If you say "SO-fee-uh," it is the city.)  Here are five impressions.

First impression:  no parking.  Well, let me correct that.  The church, all 450 members, has 2 -- count them, TWO -- off-street parking spaces.  The new building, still under construction down the street, with 50,000 square feet on six floors, has six off-street parking spaces.

Second impression:  this church is alive with love.  Little kids, teens, 20's, 30's, every decade is represented up the most senior of members, and they all quite obviously love each other.  Who wouldn't want to be a part of this?

Third impression:  this place is tiny.  Two hundred seats are packed into about 2,000 square feet plus balcony.  The seats themselves are small, and spaced tightly together; my knees touched the seat in front of me, and my hips smooshed against the person next to me.  It was stuffy -- remember, there had already been a previous service, and it was 90 degrees outside -- but it was okay, because these people love being together.  There is no fellowship space, but they fellowship anyway.  There two toilets -- apparently most folks either go before they leave for worship, or they just hold it -- one of which is what we would call a real toilet, and the other of which is a "squatty potty."

Fourth impression:  nobody gripes.  Nobody.  I didn't hear the slightest hint of a grumbly tone.  I didn't see a frown.  Smiles.  Laughter.  Attentiveness.  Warm conversation before and after.  The most frequent phrase I heard was "Slava na Boga," which means "Praise the Lord."  (As an aside, you have to pray for me as I return home, because if I hear anyone at FBC, Sterling whine about "It's too hot," or "It's too cold," or "It's too loud," I may smack them.)  These people know it is God's church, not theirs, and so what they want and prefer doesn't matter as much as what God wills and commands.

Fifth impression:  this church is aligned with God's mission, which drives both vision -- they want to win their deeply hardened neighbors to Christ -- and patience -- they've been working on their new building for EIGHT years, and are not finished.  As Robin Stoops succinctly stated last night, this is not a church that has "found a mission statement," but rather "God's mission has found this church."

It was a profound experience.  The children's sermon was deep with content and fifteen minutes long.  The children heard and heard and heard again the gospel.  There was a baby dedication.  There was engaging, lively worship.  The sermon, preached by ABCUSA Director of International Ministries Reid Trulson, would have been a normal length except that it was translated by lead Pastor Teodor Oprenov.  The service ended at a little about 1:00; and after the closing song was done, nobody rushed out.  We were in a hurry, so we got away about 1:20, and there were still about 80 or 90 folks just standing around chatting.

And that was just the start of the day.  More in part 2.  Some pictures are below.

The children's sermon: counter-clockwise from the top left of the card,  1600,66,39,27,40,5,4,3,2,1.

Amazed by God's Vision

Current home of First Baptist Church, Sofia.  The name above the entrance is "Christian Baptist Church."

Murals in progress in main room of the youth and children's area.

The sanctuary from a corner of the balcony.

Looking up at the balcony of the sanctuary.

I am amazed.

Today we worked in the new and as-yet unfinished building of Sofia Baptist Church, or Purva Baptistka Tsyrkva, priming the walls of about 8 rooms on the fifth floor of six..  Currently this church meets in two services on Sundays in a cramped, over-used, over-worked building that is beyond its last legs.  Three staff members share an office about the size of a walk-in closet.  The first picture is of that building.

Yet this  church and staff, led my Dimitri Oprenov, possess a gospel-driven vitality and God-sized vision that amaze.  For eight years they have been working on a building a block down the street from their current facility that will seat many hundreds, host ministries of every imaginable kind, and serve as a beacon of gospel light for much of central Sofia.  They hope to be in the building by Easter.  The pictures above give an idea of the size of this facility, which, though it seems immense compared to the current facility, is small compared to the church's vision.

Please keep this church in your prayers as they seek to reach out to an unbelieving society.  Pray that the power of the gospel will pierce the post-communist darkness that pervades the nation.

Reboot the Airplane . . . and Our Hearts

So, here we are at the Frankfurt Airport, waiting for our final flight to Sofia, Bulgaria.  Some of us were questioning the wisdom of having a four-hour layover in Frankfurt, but now it’s feeling pretty good, after our 2.5 hour delay waiting in the airplane as we sat at the terminal at O’Hare.  Seems that the FAA’s ACARS system (I’m going to look up that acronym) down for a while, which meant that all planes flying overseas could not upload their flight data.  I messaged that to my daughter Laura, and she replied,”21^st Century problem – they have to reboot the airplane.” 

Aaaannndd . . . we’ve just been told that our flight out Frankfurt is also delayed.  So, we’re   three for three in delays.  Denver to Chicago was delayed 1 hour; Chicago to Frankfurt was delayed two-and-a-half hours; Frankfurt to Sofia, who knows?  The plane we’re supposed to leave out of here on has not arrived yet.  (Later edit:  We departed from Frankfurt 90 minutes late for a VERY bumpy flight to Sofia!)

Apparently, we’re already being taught some lessons, if we care to take them:  how to be patient with technology, for example, especially those technologies to which we have become accustomed or on which we have come to depend.  Could we worship on Sunday morning if the power went out?  It might stretch our capabilities.  It also would raise the question: “What, in fact, are we worshiping?  Is it the music?  Or are we truly worshiping Almighty God?"  Maybe we need to reboot our hearts!

Но иде час, и сега е, когато истинските поклонници ще се покланят на Отца с дух и истина; защото такива иска Отец да бъдат поклонниците Му.  Бог е дух; и ония, които Му се покланят, с дух и истина трябва да се покланят. John 4:23-24 in Bulgarian

Words and Stuff

My seat mates on the Chicago to Frankfurt were young German couple returning from a vacation in California and Las Vegas.  As I tried to speak German with them I realized how quickly I had forgotten what I had brushed up on just a few years ago during a family vacation in Germany.  Struggling and stumbling through old language pathways in a brain apparently stiffened with its added burden of years, I wondered how in the world I am going to make myself understood in Bulgaria and Serbia.  I don’t want only to be heard through an interpreter.  I want to convey my love for my Bulgarian and Serbian brothers personally, directly, not, so to speak, second-hand – or should that be “second mouth”?

So once again, I find myself retreating to God’s Word.  I will be able to open my Bible to passages that speak not only God’s love my mine, and then ask my brothers and sisters to open their Bibles to the same passage, then simply add what Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace;” which they can then read in Bulgarian, “И право е да мисля това за всички вас, понеже ви имам на сърце, тъй като вие всички сте съучастници с мене в благодатта,” or Serbian, “Kao što je pravo da ja ovo mislim za sve vas, jer vas imam u srcu u okovima svojima i u odgovoru i potvrđivanju jevanđelja.”

Should we not always go to God’s Word; and not only when we have no other language in common?  For in His Word alone is life.

Third re-packing means I'm done.

So, I left out a sweater, a second Bible, a pair of  jeans, the American snack food I was gonna pack (box of "whales" cheese crackers), a couple of pairs of socks, and a neck pillow. So now, my suitcase weighs 43 pounds instead its previous tonnage of nearly 50 pounds.

One precious item that has been added to my bag is a zip-lock bag containing one card or gift for each day of the trip, made for me by my sweet grandchildren, Jacob, Quinnlyn, Katie, and Emma.  Liam probably helped in some mysterious way -- maybe he spit up on one of the cards in a strategic position.  Anyway, I will have eleven gifts or cards crafted by the grands, one for each day.

With everything packed, it's about time to hit the hay before my 3:30 a.m. alarm goes off.  Perhaps I'll be able to get wifi at DIA or ORD and bring you who are following up to speed.

За всичко имам сила чрез Онзи, Който ме подкрепява. -- Philippians 4:13 in Bulgarian

Ready to Go, Not Ready to Leave

Everything is packed, and repacked.  So, in that sense, I'm ready to go.

What I'm not ready to do is leave my wife, or leave my church family, or leave my grandchildren, or, in view of the tragedy that befell an eighth-grade student in our community this morning, leave my middle school guys in Awana.  So, in a sense, my heart is torn.  I want to go.  I don't want to leave.

I think it will always be that way for believers in this world.  C. S. Lewis described this feeling of wanting to go but not wanting to leave as an indicator of the longing all believers have, not far below the surface of our hearts, to go home and be with Jesus; and yet, we don't really want to leave the ones we love in this earth.  Paul expressed it this way.  "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account." (Philippians 1:21-24)

So, as my body takes flight tomorrow, I'm sure I'll leave a chunk of my heart behind in northeast Colorado.  Then, some days later, it will happen again:  I'll fly back home, and a piece of my heart will remain in Bulgaria and Serbia.

And one day, all of our hearts will be home and whole, as Christ gathers us finally around His throne.  The fractures of life in this transient planet will be no more.  What a day!

Until then, there's a gospel and a world in need to it.  Staying or leaving, we go with that gospel.

What to Take With Me

I'm trying to decide what I can leave out of my suitcase, which weighs approximately 47 pounds.  Yes, I weighed it.

I know, on international flights, you're allowed 50 pounds.  "Allowed" doesn't mean I want to lug 47 pounds around for several hours over 11 days.  And what about the room I'm going to need to bring some gifts home?  Hmmmm?

So, I'm praying over a final sort-out.  Maybe I won't need all of it. How many of those shirts can I leave out?

All of which makes me wonder about why I need (read "want") so much stuff in my life anyway.  Jesus said, "Watch out for every form of greed.  Life does not consist of what you have, even if you have a lot." (my translation of Luke 12:15). And Paul talked about contentment with much or little.

By contrast, what do I talk about?  What do you talk about?

Защото се научих да съм доволен в каквото състояние и да се намеря. Зная и в оскъдност да живея, зная и в изобилие да живея; във всяко нещо и във всички обстоятелства съм научил тайната и да съм сит, и да съм гладен, и да съм в изобилие, и да съм в оскъдност. - Philippians 4:11b-12 in Bulgarian

"I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need." Philippians 4:11b-12 in English

Preaching Possibility

In a few days, some of the pastors on the trip may get the opportunity to preach in some of Baptist churches in and/or near Sofia, Bulgaria.  I volunteered.

Which is another way of reminding myself that I need to be prepared to preach, anywhere, any time, to any group, in any setting, as Paul urged Timothy:   "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." (2 Timothy 4:2).

Will I get to preach?  I don't know.  What will I preach about?  Too easy, drill sergeant!  Jesus Christ and Him crucified!  May I always be ready to point to my suffering, dying, rising again, reigning Savior.

а ние проповядваме разпнатия Христос -- 1 Corinthians 1:23a in Bulgarian

Packing

Wow!  This packing feels more like sorting through my life than sorting through my closet and dresser.  We've been instructed to pack light, and plan to wear each piece of clothing multiple times.  I'm not sure how to do that.  I've got my super light REI towel, guaranteed to absorb 8 times its weight in water and dry out in a few hours.  I've got my little packets of "personal tissue" and wet wipes, because the word is that you never know when you'll need these in eastern Europe.  I've got everything I can think of in small and light and easy-carry.

However, some of the important stuff is bulky, like my shoes (twelve-and-a-half, D) and my voltage converter.  I really wish I had room to take a fan (it helps me sleep through unfamiliar night noises), but instead I've downloaded a fan app to my smart-phone that sounds sort of fan-ish, and I'm giving it a try tonight.

As to the *really* important items, do I take one Bible or two?  How many other books will I have room for? ( I have 3 I want to read while flying.)  Can I fit one full change of clothes in my carry-on/back-pack, or should I try for two?  What about my Bulgaria-Serbia info notebook (as in a real, three-ring binder, not the electronic gadget):  should it be in the suitcase or in the carry-on?

Oh, and please, Lord, in the midst of all this, help me remember my passport and boarding passes.  When it comes to flying, you can get everything packed and ready, but without a ticket, it's no go.  And that's about more than airline travel; it's about salvation as well.  Think about it.


Защото копнея да ви видя, за да ви предам някоя духовна дарба за вашето утвърждаване, то ест, за да се утеша между вас взаимно с вас чрез общата вяра, която е и ваша и моя,  - Romans 1:11-12 in Bulgarian

Getting Ready to Fly

So, it's Monday night, and in less than 60 hours, I'll be getting on a Boeing 777-200 and heading for Sofia, Bulgaria.  Along with several other pastors and church leaders, we will be visiting and praying with existing and potential Baptist churches in central Bulgaria and throughout Serbia.  You can obtain
a Word document with a daily prayer guide and itinerary via email by requesting one from Becky at fbcsecretary@bresnan.net.

I may have an opportunity to preach at a Baptist church in Bulgaria, and with that in mind, I have been trying to learn a few Scripture passages in Bulgarian.  I'm finding it astonishingly difficult.  While I am perfectly confident that God understands Bulgarian, it's coming along pretty slowly for me.

The effort to learn a bit of the language proves to me how desperately beyond my natural abilities I will be operating in the next few days.  And, frankly, as uncomfortable as that makes me in the flesh, it's a wonderful gospel-centric thing. It serves as a hearty reminder that there is no genuine ministry that can be accomplished in the power of human nature.  Not only is there nothing I can do without the Holy Spirit's help while in Bulgaria and Serbia, there is nothing I can do without His help in Sterling.

So, if you're reading this, please pray for me (and for the entire team).  Pray that I resist the temptation to rely upon my training, my background, my education or my experience, or to think of myself as having any competence for this work other than the power of the gospel and the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

We've been told we'll usually have web access throughout the trip, so I'll try to update this regularly and add photos from time to time during the trip, as well as afterwards.  Hope you keep in touch; but I hope even more that you pray for me.


Благодаря на моя Бог всеки път, когато си спомням за вас, винаги във всяка моя молитва, като се моля за всички вас с радост, за вашето участие в делото на благовестието, от първия ден дори до сега -- Philippians 1:3-5 in Bulgarian