CROATIA
Located in Europe's Balkan region, the former Yugoslav Republic of Croatia shares its borders with Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Hungary, and Slovenia. A little smaller than West Virginia, Croatia has a population of around four and a half million.
Although populated from the thousands B.C., Croatia's written history began with the Greeks and continued with the Romans through the time of Christ and in the centuries following His birth. Today, many Roman ruins lie scattered throughout the country, and the coastal city of Split is built both in and around the walls of a palace built in the third century by the emperor Diocletian.
Croatia has experienced many changes in leadership. Both national and foreign kings have sat on the country's thrones throughout history. After becoming an independent state during World War II, Croatia fell under communist rule as part of the Federative Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia.
However, in the late 1980s, a divided Yugoslav government with conflicting ideas set Yugoslavia's people groups at odds with one another. Due to many disagreements within the government, Croatia and Slovenia declared their independence in June 1991. In the four and a half years that followed, the Yugoslav army took over 1/3 of Croatia in an attempt to reclaim it by force. This war continued as Croatia recaptured its territory and ended in December 1995 with the signing of a peace accord. One of Europe's most devastating conflicts, this war resulted in around 37 billion dollars in damage and incalculable loss of human life.
Around 85 percent of Croatia's population is Catholic. Eastern Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish, and fewer than one percent Protestant complete the religious mixture of the population. Today nearly all Croatian social life centers on the church, but though Croatians consider themselves religious, only 30 percent of the people attend services regularly.
CURRENT CROATIA TEAM
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Pastor Vladimir & Stana
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Matt, Ellen, and Christian Bjerk
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BMW seeks to expand its team in Croatia. Will you consider joining us to help reach the Croatian people for Christ?
VISION AND MINISTRY PLAN
We aim to advance the cause of the gospel in Croatia through relationship evangelism and organized evangelistic outreaches; to promote spiritual growth and leadership in new believers through discipleship; and to assist Croatian nationals to start new churches by discipling new believers and encouraging them to share the gospel with their fellow countrymen.
We are targeting two small towns about 40 minutes apart on the Croatia-Bosnia border. There is no evangelical witness in these towns or in the small communities between them. The primary evangelistic outreach in the region where we serve is Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). English language skills are greatly desired in Croatia, but many schools cannot afford to have English teachers on staff, and private tutoring is not affordable to most Croatians. We plan to organize TEFL classes through local primary and secondary schools whose leaders have requested that we provide these classes for their students.
Offering free TEFL courses gives us the opportunity to introduce the gospel to students of all ages while also giving them instruction in the English language. The TEFL classes use HIS English, a special curriculum developed by missionaries to be used on the field. HIS English is Bible-based and includes readings and memory verses from God's Word. Journals written by the students often generate questions about God, salvation, and other spiritual issues. The teachers respond to these questions both in the journals and in personal meetings with the students outside of class. Journaling has proven to be very effective in the TEFL classes, and many students have come to know Christ as a result.
We plan to conduct personal Bible studies for students who desire more spiritual teaching and to hold weekly Bible studies in each of our target towns. Our long-term goal is to establish a national-led church in each town.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are praying for long-term team members to assist BMW's Croatia team with church planting in villages along the Croatia-Bosnia border. Would you please consider joining our team?If you would like more information on this exciting ministry, please see www.bjerkmissions.com or contact Matt Bjerk or Dale Fries, BMW's Area Director for Europe.
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