Slovakia

Challenges for Prayer

Appropriate training for both leaders and believers is essential. The Slovak Evangelical Alliance’s programme that trains laity for church planting has now graduated over 140 people. The collaboratively-run Bible school and seminary in Banska Bystrica (KETM) is crucial for preparing pastors, evangelists, Christian teachers for schools and such, but wisdom regarding accreditation is needed. Shorter training programmes are run by SIET, the Baptists and a number of others. Pray that the cumulative effect of these programmes would be a new generation of well-trained, godly leaders.

Less-reached peoples:

a) Hungarians make up more than 10% of the population. Tensions persist over minority rights and language use; pray for fair and just solutions. A Hungarian-specific political party enjoys strong support from this community. Most Hungarians are Catholic, but with a number of Reformed congregations and a few evangelical groups. Pray that Hungarian Christians may be mobilized to reach their kin in Slovakia.

b) The Romani (Gypsies) are usually misunderstood and marginalized and suffer from low education and a high level of poverty – but they are the most responsive people to the gospel in all Central and Eastern Europe. Persistent efforts to reach them overcame resistance and now see encouraging responsiveness. Pray for those reaching out to them, for love that will overcome all barriers and stereotypes.

     For an additional 7 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.