Slovakia – A Unique City with a Unique Church
View a panoramic image of Bratislava
Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is a city with friendly people and many unique features. One of these is its location of 34 miles from Vienna, Austria. This ranks them as the two closest capital cities of completely sovereign countries in the world.
Another unique feature is the design of its castle. The view from the castle is absolutely breakthtaking, but many will say that a view “of” the castle is quite a unique sight in its own right. The castle looks like a table turned upside down, with the four corner towers of the castle being the legs of the table.
One other feature that is entirely unique to Bratislava is a church called “The Church of Bratislava.” This vibrant, growing church meets in what was once a communist union center. Its leadership is strong and the people are dedicated to reaching the city and the world with the truth of the Gospel.
AGWM Area Directors for Central Europe, Jim and Sherry Sabella, visited the church recently and were struck by the friendliness and warmth of the people. The ministry leader’s prayer session before the service was a powerful start to an anointed service. The worship time was exciting and contagious. Being in the front row of a theater with five hundred people worshiping God in Slovak is always an exciting experience.
As Jim Sabella stood to speak that morning, he noticed the wonderful mix of people of all ages. There was a sizable number of young people. This was unique in itself as many churches in Central Europe are void of young people. The pastor, Pavol Zsolni, says that since its inception, the church has had a heart for youth, and is having a great impact on young people’s lives.
One of the highlights of the church ministry is the Monday evening gathering of young adults, university students and youth. An average of 250 come together for worship, fellowship and relationship building. The music and messages are exciting and new, and the impact is felt in the hearts and lives of those who attend.
Following the Sunday morning service, Sabella had the opportunity to talk to a young man in his mid-twenties names Tomas. Tomas related how he was invited to the youth gathering by a friend. There he was confronted for the first time with the reality that God exists and the fact that God wants to have a personal relationship with us. Tomas didn’t accept Christ that first evening, but it sent him on a journey that brought him to the United States for the summer. It was there that he met another “believer” and there that he gave his life to Christ. He returned to Slovakia a changed person. He is now a leader in the young adults outreach with a deep desire to see others find the truth, even as he has.
There is something happening in the spiritual realm in Central Europe. There is a new understanding of spiritual freedom, especially among the young adults, university students and youth. God is beginning to raise up the next generation of leaders who understand their culture and are able to impact Slovakia, Europe and the world with the Gospel.