by Ben Ingebretson
Imagine the land of Dr. Zhivago…. windswept planes interrupted
by lush forests and mountains.
Slovakia! INTERNATIONAL STEWARD was privileged to serve 20 ministry
leaders in a Basic Leadership In Fund Development Workshop in December
2001.
The psychology of leadership in Eastern Europe is a challenging hurdle
for ministries. Communism has created a culture of passivity and defeat
for so many. Churches are still in "holy huddles of secrecy"
though it is no longer against the law to worship or evangelize publicly.
Participants were noticeably reserved and hesitant to assert themselves
in areas of leadership related to fund development and future plans
for ministry … at first.
By Thursday the group opened up and began to engage their discomfort
positively. By week end comments were encouraging. "We need to
do this though it is not easy for us." One individual who is leading
the way in designing an internet site for all evangelical ministries
in Slovakia was particularly stimulated. Another young lady, having
recently been asked to accept the challenge of fund development for
a Christian school in Bratislava (to our knowledge the first Christian
fund development officer in that country), went home enthused with the
opportunities rather than frightened by the unknown.
Eastern Europe presents a unique challenge. Poverty and a history of
oppression are so familiar to these people but new leaders are emerging
with a bright vision for the future.
