Scroll Signing Service in Stara Zagora
25 years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall, people in Eastern Europe are still haunted by the spirit of communism. The Regime robbed them not only from happiness and freedom, but from their deep human ability to even imagine a better and free world. For this very reason, we wrote the book “Looking over the Wall” as our prayer for a new prophetic re-imagination of the present reality. After laboring in Bulgaria for over 25 years, in 2014, we were thrilled to minister to churches and people that are dreaming and re-imagining God’s purpose for Bulgaria along with us. Join us in re-imagining imagination anew:
1. Purchase the book from Amazon
2. Read it with your church family
3. Help us pray for a renewal of a new prophetic re-imagination in the minds and hearts of the people in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe
Revival Harvest Campaign 2014 in Stara Zagora
Missional & Apostolic in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
In the past month, the Lord has brought our focus of ministry on the city of Stara Zagora. Although, we had often preached and taught there through the recent years, this time we felt called to fulfill a strategic spiritual mission. Our first ministry visit was at the Awakening Church of God which is pastored by our long time friend and partner in ministry Rev. Jimmy Luchev. The message we felt burdened to deliver was one on the sovereign sameness of the unchanging God. A fortnight later, our team was back in Stara Zagora to minister at the Mega Youth Rally organized by local churches and brought a very special message from the book of Nehemiah, which urged some 300 young people from a dozen local churches in attendance to rebuild the spiritual walls of their local churches. And finally, another two weeks later, we returned to Stara Zagora at the Apostolic Christian Center, which occupies a large newly built complex in the west suburbs of the city. We spent a special day of training with their ministry team after which we were able to minister on Sunday morning, speaking on the principles of Freedom in the Spirit.
Having followed the direction of the Spirit for this location of Bulgaria, we are aware that a new season is coming to the area expressed through a new appointment for the churches in Stara Zagora. And since appointments are always opened through renewed relationships, we are thankful to the Lord for allowing us to rebuild relationships among the churches and people in the city. As the year 2010 nears, we are expecting the final clarification of this new strategic position in the city of Stara Zagora in the divine plan of God for a strong missional and apostolic local church.
Rebuilding the Walls in Stara Zagora
This month the city of Stara Zagora remains in the focus of our ministry, as our travels across Bulgaria took us there several times. First, we were present at the opening of the new auditorium of the Apostolic Christian Center in the city, which has a special objective for ministering among the Romany Gipsy population of the region. Then, we were blessed to return to the Awakening Church of God in Stara Zagora for a powerful and blessed Sunday morning service. And finally, we were invited for a city-wide youth rally with all local congregations in attendance.
Our team held our first Mega Youth Rally in Stara Zagora over three years ago. It was a service one can never forget, for the presence of God was so heavy, that people literally left puddles of tears on the floors at the altar. We have often asked ourselves since then, why the Spirit had such a grave burden for Stara Zagora, expressed through the tears of the young people in attendance. But God had even more in store for this year.
Youth groups with their leaders representing some dozen churches came to the meeting this past Saturday evening. These were church from Stara Zagora and the surrounding villages, as well as from the cities of Plovdiv, Kazanlak, Chirpan and Radnevo. People kept on coming until the building of the hosting Messiah Church was literally slam packed. We delivered a message from the Book of Nehemiah on “Rebuilding the Walls of the Church.” The Word was essentially connected to the historical development of the church context in Stara Zagora, challenging the young people to advance to a new level of their vision filled life, Biblical holiness and unity in the Spirit. What a thrill it is to see God rising a new generation of young people out of the valley of dry bones of the past!
He Remains the Same in Stara Zagora
This past Sunday we were able to return to the Awakening Church of God in Stara Zagora with Pastor Jimmy Luchev. Last year, when we ministered together again, we were lead by the Holy Spirit to deliver the words “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with them”. This time we went to Stara Zagora under the same anointing and preached a message entitled “He remains the same”.
After the Word, all in service gathered at the alter. It was a time of peace and contemplation, as a special prayer of healing was given over the people. Although the church was full, there were several families absent due to the flu epidemic which has spread across the country effecting over 175, 000 people with 8 deaths already accounted for. But during this time when the government is closing down schools and people are wearing masks for health reasons, the Lord’s healing power remains the same and we are reminded of His promise that He will protect His people and “it shall be well with them”. We ask that you and your church continue to pray for Bulgaria during this time for a special hedge of protection during these cold months awaiting us.
Among all these dynamics, we were encouraged powerfully by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our meetings. After all the changes and transformations the Stara Zagora church has gone through during years past, it was encouraging that God remains the same. The people who are faithful to Him can trust in His ever-sameness with their lives and future, for His promises to us change not. Our team is planning to return to Stara Zagora before the end of the month for the next leg of our National Mega Youth Rally in Bulgaria.
Preaching in Stara Zagora Again
Our next stop was the Awakening Church of God in Stara Zagora with pastor Dimitar (Jimmy) Lutchev, where we ministered during the communion service on Sunday morning. We were also able to schedule to speak at a national pastoral meeting, which will be held in Stara Zagora on August 22-23, 2008. This meeting is part of our ongoing strategy to minister among the Church of God congregations in the region as follows:
Bourgas: August 23rd, 30th (Art Festival)
Sliven: August 7th (Karandila Youth Camp), 31st (Regional Church Leadership Seminar)
Stara Zagora: August 3rd, 22nd-23rd (Association of Roma Pastors)
Yambol: August 6th, 13th, 18th (Jesus Film Project), 20th, 24th, 27th
We are now ready to proceed to the Karandila Youth Camp in the mountains where we will minister and promoted our next “X-Event,” which will be held on the 8th, 9th, and 10th of August. We will then return to the Gabrovo Church of God for the final preparation of the X 2008 Event. Please, pray with us that the local city authorities will not only grant us the necessary permits, but will also participate and support our event as a ministry event which will gather believers from all over Bulgaria to unite in calling on the Heart of God in the Heart of Bulgaria.
