Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Canada (2017 Report)

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches Canada (2017 Report)

• Toronto (inactive since 2007)
• Good News Toronto/Slavic –  869 Pape Ave. Toronto, Ontario, ON M4K 3T7 (active since 2009)
• Montreal (occasional/inactive since 2010)

READ MORE:

• First Bulgarian Church in Chicago Opened in 1907
• Gateway Cities for Bulgarian Evangelical Churches
• How to Start a Bulgarian Church in America from A-to-Z
• Unrealized Spiritual Harvest as a Paradigm for Cross-Cultural Ministries among Migrant and Disfranchised Ethnic Groups in America Today

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Texas (2017 Report)

Dallas: 2435 East Hebron Parkway Carrollton, Texas 75010 (outreach of the Assemblies of God – Carrollton, TX)

Houston: 6400 Woodway Drive (building #C), Houston, Texas 77057 (inactive/occasional since 2012)

READ MORE:

• First Bulgarian Church in Chicago Opened in 1907
• Gateway Cities for Bulgarian Evangelical Churches
• How to Start a Bulgarian Church in America from A-to-Z
• Unrealized Spiritual Harvest as a Paradigm for Cross-Cultural Ministries among Migrant and Disfranchised Ethnic Groups in America Today

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in America (2017 Report)

CURRENTLY ACTIVE CHURCHES/CONGREGATIONS:

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Chicago (2017 Report)
Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Texas (2017 Report)
Bulgarian Evangelical Churches – West Coast (2017 Report)

• Los Angeles (occasional/outreach of the Foursquare Church – Mission Hills, CA)
• Las Vegas (outreach of the Foursquare Church – http://lasvegaschurch.tv)
• San Francisco (occasional/inactive since 2012, Berkeley University/Concord, CA)
• Phoenix, Arizona

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches Canada (2017 Report)

• Toronto (inactive since 2007)
• Toronto/Slavic (active since 2009)
• Montreal (occasional/inactive since 2012)

Atlanta (active since 1996)

CURRENTLY INACTIVE CHURCHES/CONGREGATIONS:

• New York, NY (currently inactive)
• Buffalo, NY  (occasional/inactive)
• Jacksonville, FL  (occasional/inactive since 2014)
• Ft. Lauderdale / Miami  (currently inactive)
• Washington State, Seattle area (currently inactive)
• Minneapolis, MN (occasional/inactive since 2015)

READ MORE:

• First Bulgarian Church in Chicago Opened in 1907
• Gateway Cities for Bulgarian Evangelical Churches
• How to Start a Bulgarian Church in America from A-to-Z
• Unrealized Spiritual Harvest as a Paradigm for Cross-Cultural Ministries among Migrant and Disfranchised Ethnic Groups in America Today

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Chicago (2017 Report)

Bulgarian Church of God in Chicago
2254 North Narragansett Ave, Chicago
GraceInternational.TV
Active since 1995

New Life Bulgarian Evangelical Church
1480 Oakton St – Des Plaines, IL 60018

Начало

Active since 1997

Word of Faith and Life
916 E Central Rd
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
http://www.bulgarianfamily.org/
Active since 1998

Bulgarian Baptist Church
6334 W Diversey Ave.
Chicago, IL 60639

Home

Active since 2005

READ MORE:

• First Bulgarian Church in Chicago Opened in 1907
• Gateway Cities for Bulgarian Evangelical Churches
• How to Start a Bulgarian Church in America from A-to-Z
• Unrealized Spiritual Harvest as a Paradigm for Cross-Cultural Ministries among Migrant and Disfranchised Ethnic Groups in America Today

The Unrealized Spiritual Harvest of Bulgarian Churches in North America

….A closer examination of the ministry and structure of the network of Bulgarian churches in North America will give answers to essential issues of cross-cultural evangelism and ministry for the Church of God. Unfortunately, until now very little has proven effective in exploring, pursuing and implementing cross-cultural paradigms within the ministry opportunities in communities formed by immigrants from post-Communist countries. As a result, these communities have remained untouched by the eldership and resources available within the Church of God denomination. There are presently no leaders trained by the Church of God for the needs of these migrant communities. Thus, a great urban harvest in large metropolises, where the Church of God has not been historically present in a strong way, remains ungathered. Although, through these communities, the Church of God has the unique opportunity to experience the post-Communist revival from Eastern Europe in a local Western setting… (p.84, Chapter III: Contextual Assessment, Historical Background, Structural Analyses and Demographics of Immigration in a Paradigm for Cross-Cultural Ministries among Migrant and Disfranchised Ethnic Groups in America Today) Read complete paper (PDF)

How to Start a Bulgarian Church in America from A-to-Z

Sanctuary Gateway Cities for Eastern European Slavic and Bulgarian Immigrant Churches in North America

Since 1994 Cup & Cross Ministries International has assisted churches across the United States and has strategically planned and developed a process which incorporates Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in North America. The first success of this endeavor was the establishment of the Bulgarian Evangelical Church of God in Chicago in 1995.

The Bulgarian Church of God in Chicago followed a rich century-long tradition, which began with the establishing of Bulgarian churches and missions in 1907. (read the history) Consecutively, our 1995 Church Starting Paradigm was successfully used in various studies and models in 2003. The program was continuously improved in the following decade, proposing an effective model for leading and managing growing Bulgarian churches.

Based on the Gateway cities in North America and their relations to the Bulgarian communities across the continent, it proposed a prognosis toward establishing Bulgarian churches (see it here) and outlined the perimeters of their processes and dynamics in the near future (read in detail). Since 1995 twelve more Bulgarian churches have been started in strategic immigration gateways across the United States and Canada. For the past four years our team have been involved in the process of establishing Bulgarian congregations in Atlanta, Phoenix and San Francisco. Read complete paper (PDF)

Toward Context of Ministry Applications
In the beginning of the 21st century the Protestant Church in Bulgaria is entering a new constitutional era in the history of the country. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the political and economic challenges in Eastern Europe have strongly affected the Evangelical Churches. More than ever before, they are in need of reformation in doctrines and praxes in order to adjust to a style of worship liberated from the dictatorship of the communist regime. In order to guarantee the religious freedom for our young, democratic society, the Protestant Movement in Bulgaria needs a more dynamic representation. Such can be provided only by people who will create a balance between the old atheistic structures and the new contemporary, nontraditional style of ministry.

Similar is the case among Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in North America which also share analogue dynamics with congregations of Latin American immigrants. Several facts are obvious from such comparison. It is apparent that Bulgarian immigrants come to North America in ways similar as other immigrant groups. Large cities which are gateways for immigrants are probable to become a settlement for Bulgarian immigrants due to the availability of jobs, affordable lodging and other immigrants from the same ethnic group.

The emerging Bulgarian immigrant communities share religious similarities and belongingness which are factors helping to form the communities. As a result of this formation process, the Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in North America emerge. It also seems natural to suggest that as this process continues, Bulgarian Evangelical Churches will be formed in other gateway cities and other large cities which meet the requirements to become a gateway city. Such has been the case with Latin American churches. If this is true, it should be proposed that the Bulgarian Churches in North America follow a strategy for church planting and growth which targets these types of cities.

It is encouraging, at the same time, to observer that one of the positive estimates provided by our doctoral project is also coming to reality. In 2002-2004, based on analyses provided by the New Religious Immigrants Project, our research suggested that the next Bulgarian Evangelical Church will be established in the last of the Seven American Gateway Cities which was still without a Bulgarian Church, namely the city of San Francisco. Our resent visit in the area of the Bay Area showed that this prediction is already progressing into a reality as the Bulgarian Diaspora there is already producing a Bible study group out of uniting Bulgarian college students from Barkley and young computer professionals in the area.

Geographical Location of Bulgarian American Churches and Gateway Cities.

Currently, Bulgarian Evangelical Churches are located in cities which have a high concentration of foreign-born immigrants. Such cities are called gateway cities, a large immigrant point-of-entry city to the United States. Immigrants typically enter the United States through one of these cities and settle there. Such cities contain over half of the foreign-born population in the United States. There are Bulgarian Evangelical Churches active in six of the seven gateway cities as follows:

Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in Gateway Cities

Gateway City	Foreign Born	Percent of Foreign Born	Bulgarian Church
1. New York, NY	3,657,269	18.7%	Yes
2. Los Angeles, CA	3,944,828	27.1%	Yes
3. Houston, TX	460,380	12.3%	Yes
4. Washington, DC	578,786	8.6%	No
5. Miami, FL	1,072,843	33.6%	Yes
6. Chicago, IL	914,58	11.1%	Yes
7. San Francisco, CA	1,250,693	20.0%	No

Several facts are obvious from the above comparison. It is apparent that Bulgarian immigrants come to North America in ways similar to other immigrant groups, channeled through the listed gateway cities. Large cities which are gateways are more probable to become a settlement for Bulgarian immigrants due to the availability of jobs, lodging and other immigrants from the same ethnic group. The emerging Bulgarian immigrant communities share religious similarities and belongingness which are factors helping to form the communities. As a result of this process of formation of Bulgarian immigrant communities, the Bulgarian Evangelical Churches in North America emerge. It also seems natural to suggest that as this process continues, Bulgarian Evangelical Churches will be formed in the remaining two gateway cities (Washington, D.C. and San Francisco) and other large cities which meet the requirements to become a gateway city (for example, the city Atlanta). If this is true, it should be proposed that the Bulgarian Churches in North America follow a strategy for church planting and growth which targets this type of cities. With all this in mind, the Unrealized Spiritual Harvest of Bulgarian Churches in North America remains unforgiving in history…

 

Resources for Further Study:

• Seven Churches of Revelation
• How to Start a Bulgarian Church in America from A-to-Z
• Bulgarian Churches in North America: Contextual Assessment
• Bulgarian Churches in North America: Statement of Problem

 

 

 

Bulgarian Churches in North America: The Unrealized Spiritual Harvest as a Paradigm for Cross-Cultural Ministries among Migrant and Disfranchised Ethnic Groups in America Today

….A closer examination of the ministry and structure of the network of Bulgarian churches in North America will give answers to essential issues of cross-cultural evangelism and ministry for the Church of God. Unfortunately, until now very little has proven effective in exploring, pursuing and implementing cross-cultural paradigms within the ministry opportunities in communities formed by immigrants from post-Communist countries. As a result, these communities have remained untouched by the eldership and resources available within the Church of God denomination. There are presently no leaders trained by the Church of God for the needs of these migrant communities. Thus, a great urban harvest in large metropolises, where the Church of God has not been historically present in a strong way, remains ungathered. Although, through these communities, the Church of God has the unique opportunity to experience the post-Communist revival from Eastern Europe in a local Western setting… (p.84, Chapter III: Contextual Assessment, Historical Background, Structural Analyses and Demographics of Immigration in a Paradigm for Cross-Cultural Ministries among Migrant and Disfranchised Ethnic Groups in America Today) Read complete paper (PDF)

How to Start a Bulgarian Church in America from A-to-Z

The Death of Dying Churches in the Context of Church Planting: 6 Reasons That Motivate us To Seek Church Planting Versus Church Rehabilitation

6 Reasons That Motivate us To Seek Church Planting Versus Church Rehabilitation

With the ever growing trend of Church planting, we have lost sight of the reality that too many churches are dying. We try to pretend that churches are not closing down everyday by creating hype with campaigns to rally around the numbers of new churches being started.

But if one church opens while another closes, what’s the benefit towards the Kingdom?  The math simply does not add up.  If a church is opened and has five people saved in the first service and 11 baptized the following week, but we close the doors of two other churches that same month, and this translates in an entire frustrated generation of youth exiting the church into a secular world of drugs and alcohol, then the Kingdom economics is lacking.

When there is a birth, we rejoice. When there is a death we cry.  Death is damaging, painful and entangles us in a multifaceted web of emotions and responses.  Sadly Christian churches today are dying for six major reasons:

1. The Bible has been abandoned: “Feel-good” preaching replaces fundamental Biblical principals, morals and truths.
2. We listen to too a multitude of church experts instead of hearing from one Divine voice.
3. We treat the Church as a social club paying our 10% membership dues.
4. There is more emphasis on evangelizing social media than the evangelizing the lost.
5. We like the church box and the comfort of the walls and forget about the hurt and dying world beyond.
6. It’s at times easier to close a church down to avoid dealing with the real problems.

Death is so damaging to the entire body of believers.  Should we not focus on church care rather than closing, and reevaluate the effectiveness of putting more money into opening new churches? What is it that motivates us to seek after church planting versus church rehabilitation?

1. Money is in church planting vs. debt is in church maintenance.
2. The honeymoon period of a new church is much more glamorous vs. the trials of a struggling church.
3. The problems of church planting are limited compared to the problems of dying church.
4. We all want to rejoice in a birth instead of caring for the sick or morning the dead.
5. A grand opening celebration is more appealing than a long and strenuous rehab process.
6. Positive reinforcement and recognition comes with church planting. Negative reinforcement, and at times rejection, is associated with church care and problem solving.

If you work with people you will have problems and the more people you have the more problems you will have.  And the more time you have these people, the more likely you are to have bigger challenges to overcome.  But this is no reason to give up and avoid the hard times.  Let us not let our existing churches dye while we have our eyes on starting new ones. It is when we embrace unification and restoration that bones come together, flesh develops out of past nothingness, skin covers the flesh out of former defeats, breath enters the bodies to all replace past failures and unforgiveness, and a vast army stands up stronger than ever.  What some see as a dying church, Christ sees as His resurrected and indestructible army!

Ministering to the Slavs

95 SLAVIC CHURCHES and 8 BIBLE SCHOOLS in the United States

1. House of Bread Church (Sacramento, CA) https://www.facebook.com/hofbchurch
2. Bethany Slavic Missionary Church (Sacramento, CA) https://www.facebook.com/bethany.slavicmissionarychurch
3. Bethany Youth https://www.facebook.com/BethanYouth
4. Missionary Gospel Church (Sacramento, CA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Missionary-Gospel-Church/151514864873051
5. House of Prayer, Rochester NY https://www.facebook.com/pages/House-of-Prayer-Rochester-NY/249103651804095
6. Living Stream Church (Jacksonville, FL) https://www.facebook.com/livingstreamchurch
7. Sulamita Slavic Evangelical Church (Portland, OR) https://www.facebook.com/sulamitachurch
8. Life Christian Church https://www.facebook.com/pages/Life-Christian-Church/350358664991387
9. SGC Youth (Federal Way, WA) https://www.facebook.com/sgcyouthpage
10. Light To The World, Bellevue WA https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithchurch
11. Awakening Church https://www.facebook.com/1awakening
12. Light of the Gospel Missionary Church, Sacramento, CA https://www.facebook.com/logmc
13. Bethany Church (Seattle WA) https://www.facebook.com/bethanychurch.seattle
14. Paradise Youth https://www.facebook.com/ParadiseYouthWA
15. Grace Slavic Church https://www.facebook.com/GraceSlavicChurch
16. Slavic Christian Church of Salem https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slavic-Christian-Church-of-Salem/573544672704540
17. Slavic Youth of Spartanburg https://www.facebook.com/Slavicyouth
18. Voice of Hope Church (Portland OR) https://www.facebook.com/VOHCC
19. City of Rain Church (Kent, Tacoma WA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Rain-Church/109176399100701
20. UFGPC Youth (Tacoma WA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ufgpc-Youth/160358890697017
21. Slavic Full Gospel Church https://www.facebook.com/SFGoneway
22. JC Healing House Youth https://www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Healing-House-Youth/395744683877949
23. Living Stream Youth (Jacksonville, FL) https://www.facebook.com/LSYJAX
24. House of Prayer (Utica, NY) https://www.facebook.com/houseofprayerutica
25. New Life Church (Atlanta, GA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Life-Church/181065961957787
26. Choose Life Church https://www.facebook.com/ChurchChooseLife
27. Upstream Youth Ministry https://www.facebook.com/upstreamyouth
28. Revelation of Jesus Christ Church https://www.facebook.com/cerkov
    First Slavic Pentecostal Church (Florida) https://www.facebook.com/fspcflorida
29. Voice of Hope Youth (Tukwila WA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Voice-of-Hope-Youth/102800069772958
30. Slavic Pentecostal Church (Ashville, NC) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slavic-Pentecostal-Church-Asheville-NC/202376667836
31. Messenger of Truth Slavic Pentecostal Church https://www.facebook.com/pages/Messenger-of-truth-Slavic-pentecostal-church-Весник-Истины/160101984021265
32. First Slavic Evangelical Baptist Church https://www.facebook.com/fsebc.org
33. Christian House of Worship (Chicago, IL) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christian-House-Of-Worship/244999968853222
34. Center of Life Youth (Spokane, WA) https://www.facebook.com/COLyouth
35. River of Life (Dallas, TX) https://www.facebook.com/riveroflifeDFW
36. Salvation Baptist Church (Edgewood, WA) https://www.facebook.com/salvationbaptistchurchWA
37. Good News Church, Tacoma WA https://www.facebook.com/GNCtacoma
38. City Youth (Sacramento, CA) https://www.facebook.com/CityYouthPage
39. Russian Church of Texas https://www.facebook.com/pages/Russian-Church-Of-Texas/177474895634789
40. Word of Grace Bible Church (Vancouver WA) https://www.facebook.com/islovo
41. LTTW Youth https://www.facebook.com/pages/LTTWyouth/123040017759998
42. Church of Truth (Vancouver WA) https://www.facebook.com/churchoftruth
43. Generation 4 Truth Youth (Vancouver WA) https://www.facebook.com/Generation4Truth
44. Reality Church https://www.facebook.com/pages/Reality-Church/150568224999961
45. NW House of Prayer Youth https://www.facebook.com/NWHOP
46. Slavic Gospel Church (Federal Way, WA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slavic-Gospel-Church-SGC/144695832250368
47. Ecclesia Church https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ecclesia-Church/139221649433334
48. LCC Youth (Federal Way WA) https://www.facebook.com/lccyouth
49. Marysville Youth https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marysville-Youth/152581284812247
50. The Slavic Church Orange County https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Slavic-Church-Orange-County/204476786293337
51. Bread of Life Christian Church (Springfield, MO) https://www.facebook.com/BreadOfLifeMO
52. Crosslight Youth https://www.facebook.com/CrossLightYouth
53. SGC Youth (Bellingham, WA) https://www.facebook.com/sgcyouth
54. Image Church (Lynnwood WA) https://www.facebook.com/imagechurchwa
55. New Testament Church (Seattle WA) https://www.facebook.com/NewTestamentChurchOfSeattle
56. Seattle Sulamita Youth https://www.facebook.com/SeattleSulamitaYouth
57. Bethel United (Everett WA) https://www.facebook.com/bethelunited
58. Harvest Christian Center, Everett WA https://www.facebook.com/harvestcci
59. The Reign Youth Ministry https://www.facebook.com/thereigntv
60. Pilgrim Slavic Baptist Church https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pilgrim-Slavic-Baptist-Church/191063207603466
61. Revival Christian Center https://www.facebook.com/RevivalChristianCenter
62. Church of the Living God https://www.facebook.com/churchofthelivinggod
63. Christian Faith Church https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithchurch
64. New Life Church, Sioux Falls https://www.facebook.com/NewLifeSF
65. Stream of Life Slavic Church, Salem OR https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stream-of-Life-Slavic-Church-Beaverton-OR/1562572783958882
66. Life of Victory Church (Renton, WA) https://www.facebook.com/lifeofvictory
67. LOV Impact Youth Ministry https://www.facebook.com/lov.impactministry
68. Russian Church of Atlanta https://www.facebook.com/pages/Russian-Church-of-Atlanta/118629801519020
69. Voice of Hope Youth (Portland, ORG) https://www.facebook.com/vohyouth
70. New Beginnings (Portland OR) https://www.facebook.com/ChurchNN
71. Slavic Church Emmanuel IGNITE YOUTH https://www.facebook.com/IGNITEYOUTHMN
72. Revival Youth https://www.facebook.com/pages/Revival-Youth/116468545048864
73. Христианская Церковь https://www.facebook.com/ztchurch.pp.ua
74. Sulamita Youth Boise, ID https://www.facebook.com/Sulamitayouth
75. SFG Youth Minsitries, INC https://www.facebook.com/pages/SFG-Youth-Ministries-Inc/104986232913764
76. Russian Church, NY https://www.facebook.com/RussianChurchNY
77. Russian Speaking Church https://www.facebook.com/ChurchNT
78. Russian Baptist Church of Auburn (WA) https://www.facebook.com/beinchurch
79. FUBC Youth https://www.facebook.com/FUBChurch
80. Spokane Slavic Baptist Church https://www.facebook.com/SpokaneSlavicBaptistChurch
81. Harvest Church (Atlanta, GA) https://www.facebook.com/sccharvestchurch
82. New Life Christian Center https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Life-Christian-Center/421531024606715
83. Youth of Grace Church MN https://www.facebook.com/gracechurchmn
84. Light of the Gospel Youth https://www.facebook.com/logmcyouth
85. New Life Christian Church (Mount Vernon, WA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Life-Christian-Church/125171360847142
86. Voice of Victory Christian Center https://www.facebook.com/VoiceofVictoryCC
87. New Life Youth (Mount Vernon, WA) https://www.facebook.com/new.lifeyouth.5
88. BYM Bethesda Youth Ministries https://www.facebook.com/pages/BYM-Bethesda-Youth-Ministries/146983352017824
89. Hungry Generation https://www.facebook.com/hungrygen
90. Spring of Life Youth (Mukilteo, WA) https://www.facebook.com/sol7pm
91. Zachary Worship Center https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zachary-Worship-Center/213673752032634
92. SBS Ministry https://www.facebook.com/pages/SBS-Ministry/107726752660587
93. Bryte Youth https://www.facebook.com/bryteyouth
94. Christian Cultures Center https://www.facebook.com/christiancultures
95. First Slavic Pentecostal Church (North Port, FL) https://www.facebook.com/fspcflorida

BIBLE SCHOOLS:

1. SMBS Jacksonville FL https://www.facebook.com/SMBSJax
2. Центр Христианского Образования https://www.facebook.com/ChristianEduOnline
3. Teens Bible School (Jacksonville, FL) https://www.facebook.com/tbsjax
4. Bethany Bible School, Sacramento, CA https://www.facebook.com/BethanyBibleSchool
5. Slavic Bible College, Tacoma WA https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slavic-Bible-College/232529120120565
6. God Will Provide Missionary Bible School, Portland OR https://www.facebook.com/GodWillProvideMissionarySchool
7.  Slavic Theological Seminary https://www.facebook.com/SlavicSeminary
8.  Light To The World Missionary Bible School, Sedalia MO https://www.facebook.com/pages/Light-to-the-Word-Missionary-School/181729235191926

15th Annual Conference of Bulgarian Churches in North America Building Bridges to Church and People in Bulgaria

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