Pastor Jerzy speaks about his ministry and how Lifewords' resources help him to reach the lost and homeless people of his community:
Every Friday you’ll find Pastor Jerzy in Nowa Huta, a massive communist-era housing estate in Krakow. His church has a mission to reach the poor and homeless – providing hot soup and friendship to all, along with the word of God. The church is a place of acceptance for those with broken lives; a place where people are prayed for; a place providing lasting friendship.
Jerzy really knows the value of such ministry, because he was once homeless himself.
“My marriage had broken down, I was a drunkard, a deceiver and was jailed for stealing,” he says. “In 2001 I was released from prison and had nowhere to go. I slept in a shelter at night and hung round the streets during the day. When I was in the train station, someone gave me a sandwich and a Bible booklet, and encouraged me to come to a meeting.”
Although Jerzy was interested, it was Christmas that proved a turning point.
“It was very near Christmas, and I so desperately wanted to give my two children a present, but I had absolutely nothing. A Christian couple from the local church gave me two big bags of Christmas sweets, and said that God had told them specifically to give the bags to me. I was really shocked that God knew my thoughts, as I had told no one. Since that day I have trusted God.”
Since then God has set Jerzy free form his addiction to alcohol and cigarettes, healed broken relationships with his wife and daughters, sent him to Bible College and empowered him to preach and lead a church.
A gift today will help Lifewords resource this amazing work in Poland, and other ministries like it throughout Europe.
Jerzy is a great advocate for Lifewords resources.
“We have been using Lifewords resources form the beginning of our ministry. It’s simple to order them online and always a blessing when they arrive. We don’t always know how people will respond to the booklets, but I do believe that people find Jesus through them. And as we put our address in the booklets, people come to our church to find out more.”
Please pray for Jerzy, the other pastors, and all those who attend street churches in Poland. Pray for encouragement and for open hearts to receive God’s word.
And if you can, will you consider making a regular gift to ensure that pastors like Jerzy can receive the Bible resources they need, when they need them, for years to come.