Sharing with expats

As we already got full-steam into this new year it is good to know that we serve a great God, who exists from eternity to eternity. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). With all the changes and challenges we face on a daily basis, as well as the fact that we don’t know what this year will bring or what the future holds for each of us, it is comforting to know that God is in control of our yesterdays and tomorrows!

Now that we are already a full month into 2018, I pray that the Lord would guide, protect and provide for you, as well as for our church in all that we need to bring Him glory throughout this year.

One of our biggest challenges and opportunities as a church is to reach the expat community of our city. More foreigners are coming to Slovakia each year, most of them to Bratislava. Many come to simply experience a different world, others to study at university, while some come to settle here for the foreseeable future, either because of a job offer or as a result of cross-cultural marriage. We need to identify these expats in our community, where we live, work and “play” to be able to invite them to join us as we worship the God of the Bible, the unchanging God who revealed himself to us through Jesus Christ. So, be on the look-out for people who speak English and are not fluent enough in Slovak to be able to join a Slovak church or be challenged to consider Jesus as Saviour.

Join me as we pray that God would open up opportunities to share the Good News of the Gospel with those with whom we rub shoulders on a regular (or once-off!) basis. Pray that God would use the website, Facebook and other forms of promotion to reach the many expats who live or visit our city.

Reflection!

Christmas 2017 has come and gone … always a great time of fellowship, family and (especially) an opportunity to remember and celebrate the greatest event in history – that “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14) to live with us and bring salvation to a dying world. I trust you had a great and joy-filled Christmas!

Christmas always reminds me that we are approaching the end of another year and that a new year starts soon. That time has arrived! Although some people feel sad and almost depressed, especially since it’s winter, cold and there is very little evidence of life in the outdoors, it can also be a great time to look forward to what will happen in the next season of our lives.

New Year gives us an opportunity to reflect on our lives, as we look back to what happened in the past year and then anticipate (plan) where we want to be in the next year. What did you miss or mess up this past year? How will you ensure that it will be better in the next year? New Year gives us a chance to make (and keep!) some resolutions, such as spending more time with God in prayer, Bible reading, church fellowship and sharing our faith. To give more attention to family, friendships and relationships. To pursue studies, career, health and fitness … and a host of other good things.

I encourage you to do at least the following:

• Take time to reflect. Don’t rush the process.
• Write down your wishes and dreams (be bold and “wild”!).
• Identify only those wishes that would make a real difference to you and your world (personal, family, work) and prayerfully commit them to the Lord.
• Write down a few simple resolutions, including how you are going to ensure that they are kept.