Metrics of Renewal, 4: Seemingly Vibrant Churches in Unexpected Places
Liberec, Czech Republic. Not a highlighted spot on most people's maps. Certainly not a well-known place. But I lived in the Czech Republic for the better part of a decade, and I know its regions and cities. This article tells the tale of one church I encountered that displays all the characteristics of a seemingly vibrant church in an unexpected place.
Communism decimated Czech churches. It's hard to destroy 1100 years of Christianity, and Communism wasn't the only philosophy to mount an assault on belief in the modern age. But Communism managed to finish off an entire generation of believers.
When I moved to Prague, conservative Protestant or "evangelical" churches could claim maybe 50,000 people out of a population of 10 million. And many of those churches were demoralized after discovering that the fall of Communism didn't bring the masses flocking back through their doors. Czech churches certainly needed renewal, but I didn't see much sign of it.
One major exception was a church in Liberec. It is a city of 100,000 people in northern Bohemia. Nestled below the Jizera Mountains, it's not exactly known as a bastion of
Christian churches, at least not now. You've likely never heard of Liberec. The
local soccer team has had a few good years lately, but there's not much of note
that comes from this provincial town. As the gateway city to the ski resort of
Harrachov, Liberec hosted the World Cup in Nordic ski events (cross-country, ski-jumping, biathlon) back in 2010. The city was also home to many prominent Sudeten Germans who were expelled
after World War II.
I went to Liberec at the invitation of a friend. Zdeněk had come to Christ in 1990 when I lived in Prague for a year. He had grown in his faith by leaps and bounds. In our absence, he had connected with some active Christian groups in Prague and eventually moved to Liberec to train for ministry! When I moved back to Prague and reconnected, Zdeněk invited me to come up with my wife for a visit.
I didn't know his church. It was a Moravian Brethren (Unitas Fratrum) congregation. From what I knew, that denomination was dying in the Czech Republic. A tiny flock of widows was the only MB church left in Prague. A few other insignificant congregations soldiered on. How could this Liberec church actually be strong enough to provide training for aspiring ministers? I wanted to know. I had my doubts. I just hadn't seen vibrant Czech churches with trustworthy and honest leaders.
My short glimpse into the Moravian Brethren Church of Liberec convinced me that I was wrong. We saw a church that had been renewed in the Spirit of God. I later discovered that some old-timers in the denomination were complaining of a charismatic takeover. But in comparison with the lack of life in other Czech MB congregations, this church seemed on fire for the Lord.
Young Christians gathered for daily prayers. Aspiring ministers such as Zdeněk were in daily classes with church leaders. They were providing social services for elderly members of the community. They had an active teen ministry. The church launched a Christian elementary school and day-care program. They did all this while meeting every Sunday in the city's civic center (photo at left).
The Czech Republic is a country filled with skeptics who aren't interested in church. It's also got a plethora of dying churches that have mostly lost their mission. But I discovered in the Moravian Brethren Church of Liberec a congregation that experienced unbelievable renewal. This Czech-led church has gone on to produce an awakening in the entire denomination. My friend Zdeněk now preaches in Ivančice, a small town 4 hours away.
What happened in Liberec? Can we find some measurements of renewal in examining this story? Here are three interesting things that strike me as I look back:
(1) Renewal requires passion. For the MB church of Liberec, this passion manifested itself in spiritual renewal and in an outpouring of charismatic gifts. It produced on-fire believers who shared many things in common and met daily for prayer and ministry. This charismatic outpouring troubled the old-timers in the denomination, but their voices of concern were eventually drowned out by the flood of passionate young Christians and ministers sent out to help dying churches.
(2) Buildings & church property have to become tools rather than focal points. The MB church building in Liberec was tiny and decrepit. After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, most Czech churches turned all their energy and attention to reclaiming buildings & land from the government and restoring them to their former glory. In doing so, however, they wasted an amazing window of openness and lost out on the chance to build vibrant communities of faith. The MB church in Liberec avoided that mistake. They ignored their property and created a people of faith. They rented facilities and later bought multipurpose properties that supported their new ministries. They didn't worry about adapting their work to their outdated facilities.
(3) Church giving and spending have to be clearly defined and purposeful. In most European countries, church pastors are paid by the government. Churches that receive official recognition also receive state support. So church giving in Europe isn't the same as giving in US churches. Still, there are interesting lessons to learn from their giving and spending. Their first offering of the month pays their rent. The second & fourth offerings support the church's activity center Konopná that provides a range of activities for the community: exercise classes, parenting groups, a coffee house, etc. The third offering of the month supports their work among senior citizens. Fifth Sundays go to help foreign works. This allows people to know exactly where their money is going, and helps them connect their giving to real acts of outreach and service.
Communism decimated Czech churches. It's hard to destroy 1100 years of Christianity, and Communism wasn't the only philosophy to mount an assault on belief in the modern age. But Communism managed to finish off an entire generation of believers.
When I moved to Prague, conservative Protestant or "evangelical" churches could claim maybe 50,000 people out of a population of 10 million. And many of those churches were demoralized after discovering that the fall of Communism didn't bring the masses flocking back through their doors. Czech churches certainly needed renewal, but I didn't see much sign of it.
I went to Liberec at the invitation of a friend. Zdeněk had come to Christ in 1990 when I lived in Prague for a year. He had grown in his faith by leaps and bounds. In our absence, he had connected with some active Christian groups in Prague and eventually moved to Liberec to train for ministry! When I moved back to Prague and reconnected, Zdeněk invited me to come up with my wife for a visit.
I didn't know his church. It was a Moravian Brethren (Unitas Fratrum) congregation. From what I knew, that denomination was dying in the Czech Republic. A tiny flock of widows was the only MB church left in Prague. A few other insignificant congregations soldiered on. How could this Liberec church actually be strong enough to provide training for aspiring ministers? I wanted to know. I had my doubts. I just hadn't seen vibrant Czech churches with trustworthy and honest leaders.
My short glimpse into the Moravian Brethren Church of Liberec convinced me that I was wrong. We saw a church that had been renewed in the Spirit of God. I later discovered that some old-timers in the denomination were complaining of a charismatic takeover. But in comparison with the lack of life in other Czech MB congregations, this church seemed on fire for the Lord.
Young Christians gathered for daily prayers. Aspiring ministers such as Zdeněk were in daily classes with church leaders. They were providing social services for elderly members of the community. They had an active teen ministry. The church launched a Christian elementary school and day-care program. They did all this while meeting every Sunday in the city's civic center (photo at left).The Czech Republic is a country filled with skeptics who aren't interested in church. It's also got a plethora of dying churches that have mostly lost their mission. But I discovered in the Moravian Brethren Church of Liberec a congregation that experienced unbelievable renewal. This Czech-led church has gone on to produce an awakening in the entire denomination. My friend Zdeněk now preaches in Ivančice, a small town 4 hours away.
What happened in Liberec? Can we find some measurements of renewal in examining this story? Here are three interesting things that strike me as I look back:
(1) Renewal requires passion. For the MB church of Liberec, this passion manifested itself in spiritual renewal and in an outpouring of charismatic gifts. It produced on-fire believers who shared many things in common and met daily for prayer and ministry. This charismatic outpouring troubled the old-timers in the denomination, but their voices of concern were eventually drowned out by the flood of passionate young Christians and ministers sent out to help dying churches.
(2) Buildings & church property have to become tools rather than focal points. The MB church building in Liberec was tiny and decrepit. After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, most Czech churches turned all their energy and attention to reclaiming buildings & land from the government and restoring them to their former glory. In doing so, however, they wasted an amazing window of openness and lost out on the chance to build vibrant communities of faith. The MB church in Liberec avoided that mistake. They ignored their property and created a people of faith. They rented facilities and later bought multipurpose properties that supported their new ministries. They didn't worry about adapting their work to their outdated facilities.
(3) Church giving and spending have to be clearly defined and purposeful. In most European countries, church pastors are paid by the government. Churches that receive official recognition also receive state support. So church giving in Europe isn't the same as giving in US churches. Still, there are interesting lessons to learn from their giving and spending. Their first offering of the month pays their rent. The second & fourth offerings support the church's activity center Konopná that provides a range of activities for the community: exercise classes, parenting groups, a coffee house, etc. The third offering of the month supports their work among senior citizens. Fifth Sundays go to help foreign works. This allows people to know exactly where their money is going, and helps them connect their giving to real acts of outreach and service.
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