DESCRIPTION
When you share the Gospel, how do you begin the conversation and how do you gain a person’s trust? In Poland, English conversation is a valuable entry to relationship and Gospel witness. In Katowice, the team has been organizing an English Conversation Club, with native English speakers dialoging with individuals who often have spiritual questions. It has been Missions Residents who have been the driving force to invite people and facilitate these events. Team SW Poland envisions their Gospel conversations focusing ten years beyond a person’s salvation, focusing on Christlike believers leading in new churches. To begin the Gospel conversations, our English Club is the entry point, and the club has two goals, first, an engaging and high-value conversation where Poles to practice their English—just what is needed to encourage participants to return many times. Second, relationships built in club conversations build trust and enable deep Gospel conversations. These are challenging goals, needing believers who are native English speakers, who love university students and young professionals, and who desire to use friendships as entry to Gospel conversations. The missions resident will serve by initiating Gospel conversations whenever possible, jumping into friendships through common personal interests, leading and promoting English events, meeting with club participants outside of club events to answer deeper questions, praying for the city the IMB team is engaging with the Gospel, and learning about Polish culture. Katowice, Poland (kat-o-VEE-seh and it rhymes with "pizza") is known for being the largest metro complex in Poland. It is a city with a history of coal mining and industry which means it isn’t as “beautiful” as other historic Polish cities, but it is a major urban center, and it is situated among parks and forests. With several universities and a growing global presence, this city needs spiritual answers. Poles are nearly 90% Roman Catholic and less than half a percent Evangelical. The younger generations in Poland increasingly question the Catholicism of their parents while also seeking spiritually. Come spend a semester to one year reaching out to Poles on the streets, in coffeeshops, and academic spaces of Katowice. Not only is the United States a place most Poles want to work and travel, English language proficiency can be critical to career success in tech, medicine, tourism, and other fields. Poles have been known to stop Americans in public, asking, “You’re speaking English with an American accent, why are you here?” Or they will gladly switch to English for a chance to polish skills from school. English can be a good starting place, so it is very possible to quickly build trust and deeply share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our goals will follow this outline: - To be out in the community as much as possible finding places where your peers congregate to make friendships and share the Gospel. - To engage the local student population through conversation, English Clubs, and holiday events. - To partner with local churches in outreach. - To learn and understand European urban life to minister here. - To learn and use evangelistic tools like the Three Circles, The Four, and your testimony.