A New Revolution in the Czech Republic
There are few things the people of the Czech Republic are as proud of as their Velvet Revolution. Through solidarity and determination the Czech people evicted the Communists and the Soviet Union in 1989 without a single bullet fired. While the history of the Czech people, known from 1918 until 1993 as Czechoslovakia, goes back thousands of years and places them at the absolute epicenter of much of European history, it was their bloodless embrace of freedom that most defines them in the modern era. Since the opening of the Czech Republic to resident missionaries in the early 1990s, several transformational TEAM projects have taken root in this decidedly post-Christian culture.
Located at the geographic center of the continent of Europe, the Czech Republic has been an important crossroads in European history since the time of Christ. Some of the oldest castles, encampments and trade routes in the entire continent can be found on Czech soil. The seat of the Holy Roman Empire for centuries, and the birthplace of Jan Huss, an important forerunner of Luther and the Reformation, Czech, also known as Bohemia throughout history, is a critically important link in the history and present-day chemistry of Europe. Its capitol, Prague, remains one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in the world, with numerous cathedrals and monasteries that survive architecturally because this is one of the few cities in Europe that sustained little bombing during World War 2. But while stones and iron still hold these ancient houses of worship together, decades of Soviet domination and centuries of religious politicization have left this thriving, modern city beneath a cloud of spiritual darkness.
Yet despite the cold spiritual climate, a new revolution seems to be brewing in the land. In homes, small churches and coffeehouses, Czech people are gathering openly to learn English (one of the most desired and sought after skills for the Czech people,) and to explore the life, teachings and relevance of the person of Jesus Christ. Several TEAM ministry initiatives have put down deep roots in the hard soil of central Europe that are beginning to bear exciting fruit for the Kingdom of God.
After nine years on the ground, TEAM’s ministry area leader for the Czech Republic, Tom Sampley, knows the challenges, and the opportunities that face the various missionaries and national church leaders. “The Czech people have been affected deeply by former Communism in their relationships (mistrust), unbelief, and an unrealistic view of God,” Sampley explains. “This makes evangelism difficult, but not impossible. We have seen God implant a hunger for change in the hearts of the Czech people. Once firm, loving relationships are built with them, they are open to hearing about God and considering the possibility of His existence. Relationships here are the key. They need to know we care about them as a person and want nothing in return.”
THE SEEDS OF REVOLUTION
TEAM’s involvement in the Czech Republic dates back to 1990, a few years before the peaceful split off of Slovakia. TEAM’s Field Chairman of the Eastern European Field was Mike Cochrane. Cochrane, who currently serves as TEAM’s Director of Communications, was then serving as a missionary to the Slavic people in Vienna, Austria with his wife Shelley and their family. Shortly after the Velvet Revolution, Cochrane began looking at Czechoslovakia as a new opportunity for missions work.
Through a friend and fellow missionary Cochrane found a “contact” within Czechoslovakia who was interested in evangelism as well. “She was an official of the legally recognized but persecuted Lutheran Church of Czechoslovakia,” Cochrane recalls. “She was also, however, a ‘member’ of the unofficial, illegal, unrecognized, and underground network of true Believers within Czechoslovakia.” The “official” Lutheran church contained a mixture of true Believers in Christ, and many people who had chosen to make religion their career. An ongoing concern was the presence of informers placed in the church by the communist government. Cochrane continues; “This woman, my contact, gave me a number of names of people who I could trust, true believers whose hearts belonged to Christ. She knew significant people of influence from this latter class of people in Slovakia, Moravia, Silesia, and Bohemia (the regions of national identity within Czechoslovakia). My initial interest for getting missionary feet on the ground was the city of Prague in Bohemia. She encouraged me that this would be a wise move. She gave me two names. I went to Prague and met those two men. When I discovered that the vision and strategy of these men and their church was compatible with the vision and work of TEAM, I volunteered TEAM’s future personnel to work with them and under their direction. They accepted my offer and so I placed our first worker Mark Potma, under the care and direction of these two men and within their local church, a member congregation of the Church of the Brethren in Prague.”
The vision was simple but formidable; to work side by side with evangelical Czech leaders to establish reproducing churches that will enable Czech believers to develop as pastors, teachers and evangelists, and to reach these people with the revolutionary message of Jesus Christ, devoid of politics and institutionalism. This vision is already being realized, from the urban centers of Prague to outlying country towns, Czech hearts are turning to God.
THE REVOLUTION IS NOW
Some sixteen years since the fall of communism the challenges in reaching the Czech people are different, but still considerable. “The shift in the Czech culture was not from Communism to Christianity – or any other spiritual or religious system,” Mike Cochrane adds. “The shift was from Communism to Capitalistic Materialism. Post-Christians believe that ‘Christianity’ defined a phase of European historical development beyond which they have now passed. There are plenty of Czechs that hold this view. Post-Modernism, which also describes many Czechs, means that they are not hospitable to any ‘ism’ or big explanation of life. That includes Christianity in the same category as Communism, i.e., a ‘big picture explanation,’ and as such it is rejected. Materialism, however, seems to set just fine for people who are hungry for a better house and a new car.” Bringing people who vividly remember the peaceful crowds of protesters chanting “Freedom! Freedom!” in 1989, into a place of understanding that real, radical and revolutionary freedom can only be found in Christ, remains the tall order facing Czech pastors and missionaries.
Mike Bowden sees the partnership with the Czech believers as the key to the success they have seen. “TEAM has developed a lot of credibility with our partnering national church,” Bowden says. “That does not happen overnight and it doesn’t happen by doing nothing. The results of TEAM’s presence are measurable: Churches exist where there were none. Thousands have heard the gospel in a culturally sensitive way. Men and women have come to faith through TEAM ministries who are now serving the Lord as leaders in the church.”
Tom Sampley adds, “We are all more energized than ever about the work here. We hold loosely to the plans we have,” he says, “to see if God is going to continue on this path or allow us to go in another direction. We don’t just want to do our thing. We want to do what God is leading us to do so that’s why we are continually meeting and praying and asking God. We don’t know how many people are still out there that God has gifted in different ways; that he’ll be bringing over to start a new area of ministry. It all feeds in to relationships, and it all feeds in to church planting and establishing and building up reproducing churches in the Czech Republic.”
Cochrane concurs. “It’s going very well!,” he says emphatically from TEAM’s headquarters outside of Chicago. “ We are delighted with our partnership with the Church of the Brethren. There are presently three new church plants underway and a fourth to start later this year.”
