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Welcoming the Stranger, Building Christ's Family
- Cesar Sotomayor
- 11 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Celebrating God's Faithfulness Through Church Planting in Poland
"Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."
— Romans 15:7
There is something truly beautiful happening across Poland. Churches are opening not only their doors, but also their hearts, lovingly welcoming refugees and migrants from Ukraine as brothers and sisters in Christ.
We give all glory to God and extend our heartfelt gratitude to every church-planting family within the Polish Baptist Union faithfully serving among refugees and migrants. Through their compassion, courage, and unwavering commitment to the Gospel, they are embracing those who have been displaced, sharing the hope of Jesus Christ, and investing in the next generation.
What a joy it is to witness refugees and migrants coming to know Christ, finding a spiritual home, and becoming part of God's family through the local church. This is the Gospel lived out, where strangers become family, hope is restored, and lives are transformed by the love of Christ.
Please join us in thanking God for these faithful servants and in praying that He will continue to strengthen them as they proclaim His Kingdom throughout Poland.
In Christ,
Rev. César Sotomayor
Philadelphia Baptist Church
Serhii & Svetlana
Together with their family, Serhii and Svetlana continue to faithfully serve the Lord, making disciples and sharing the hope of Christ with many. Their ministry reflects a deep passion for seeing every believer become a witness for Jesus.
Serhii shares:
"I would very much like every disciple of Christ in our church to lead others to Christ. This is a labor-intensive process, but we strive to equip believers for evangelism so they are not afraid to share their faith in Christ."
Testimony of Restoration
Brother A., who is now preparing for baptism, experienced heartbreaking loss through the separation from his wife and three children. In the midst of his pain, he became convinced that only God could restore his life.
As he searched for a church, God graciously led him to this young congregation. Through faithfully attending worship services and fellowship gatherings, his faith has grown, and his understanding of God's love has deepened. The church has witnessed remarkable transformation as the Lord continues His work in his heart.
Even more encouraging is the restoration beginning within his family. His former wife has gradually regained trust in him and is now open to rebuilding their relationship. It is especially beautiful that after their divorce, God drew both of them to Himself—first his wife, and later A.
We praise God for this testimony of His amazing grace and pray that He will completely restore their family as they walk together in faith and follow Christ for the rest of their lives.
Prayer Requests
Pray for the upcoming children's camp for Ukrainian refugee children. Ask God to use this ministry powerfully to reach both the children and their parents with the Gospel.
Pray for renewed health, strength, and endurance for Serhii and Svetlana as they continue serving after the many challenges they have faced.
PIER Church
Illia & Valentyna
Illia and Valentyna are grateful to see God using their church as a faithful witness in their community. Many refugee families who have attended their children's programs and summer camps over the years continue to trust the church, even if they do not yet regularly attend Sunday worship.
This growing trust is a beautiful testimony of Christ's love. They continue to pray with confidence that, in God's perfect timing, these families will come to know Him personally.
Recently, two new women attended a worship service for the first time. God's Word touched their hearts deeply, and after the service, they expressed a desire to continue attending and learning more about Jesus.
Valentyna faithfully leads a women's Bible study and prayer gathering every Tuesday, intentionally inviting new women to join in studying God's Word and growing in faith together.
Looking ahead, the team hopes to begin visiting the city of Słupsk, located just over 100 kilometers away. With a population of approximately 80,000 people, there is currently no Baptist church or fellowship there. If the Lord opens the way, they hope to begin regular gatherings that could become the foundation of a new church plant.
Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
Illia shares:
"Our family and our entire church thank God for His incredible mercy in allowing us to officially become a church. He has faithfully sustained us every step of the way. I am also deeply thankful for the brothers who faithfully serve alongside me and help strengthen the ministry."
Please pray:
For Valentyna's health as she undergoes medical examinations after doctors discovered gallstones. She may require surgery.
For wisdom, unity, and God's blessing over the many upcoming ministry projects.
For the leadership team as they continue strengthening the church and prayerfully exploring the opportunity to begin a new work in Słupsk.
Grace and Peace Church
Mykola & Oxana
Youth ministry remains one of the most vibrant and impactful parts of Grace and Peace Church. Many of the young people attending have come directly "from the streets," while others are children raised in Christian homes who have not yet made a personal commitment to follow Christ.
For this reason, evangelism takes place in many different ways—through biblical preaching, personal relationships, and creative outreach activities.
One recent example was a sports outreach event where the games paused briefly so the Gospel could be clearly shared before play continued. These simple moments have become powerful opportunities for young people to encounter Christ.
Testimony
A young man named V. came to the church after searching for genuine faith. Although he had grown up in a religious environment, he had become discouraged by religious traditions that lacked a living relationship with Christ.
After attending the youth meetings and building friendships with believers, he sensed that God was calling him. He repented, surrendered his life to Jesus Christ, and is now preparing for baptism. His desire to understand Scripture and faithfully follow Christ has been an encouragement to the entire church.
Recently, V. invited his friend D., who had never previously been exposed to Christianity. After spending time with the church family, D. expressed a sincere desire to learn more about God and the message of salvation.
We rejoice in seeing the Gospel continue to spread from one transformed life to another.
Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
The church recently launched a new mercy ministry called "Provision." Through this outreach, they identify individuals and families facing significant financial hardship and provide essential food supplies.
They serve elderly people living alone, large families whose financial assistance has been reduced, people with disabilities who lack medical insurance, and others experiencing great need.
Although each food package is modest, every visit creates meaningful opportunities for fellowship, prayer, and sharing the hope of the Gospel.
Please pray:
We thank God that official permission has finally been granted to repurpose the building and begin construction of their long-awaited prayer house.
Pray for God's continued provision as construction begins.
Pray that every ministry opportunity would continue pointing people to Christ and that many more lives would be transformed through the Gospel.
To God Be All the Glory
As we read these testimonies from across Poland, we are reminded that the Gospel continues to transform lives, restore families, strengthen churches, and bring hope to those who have been displaced.
Thank you for standing with these faithful church planters through your prayers, encouragement, and partnership. May the Lord continue to build His Church, welcome the stranger, and draw many more people into His everlasting family through Jesus Christ.
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