Connecting with the Global Church
![Croatia.jpg](/l/en/library/download/urn:uuid:25d9aa26-e703-46e7-a2e7-b04bfa6e19ad/croatia.jpg?scaleType=6&width=555&height=310)
What does it mean for Stephen and Tabita Bell to connect with the people around them in Croatia and in...Brazil?
The challenge of church planting and evangelism in Croatia can sometimes feel quite daunting. So much so that, after ten years there, I knew that I needed help.
A lightbulb moment came when a senior ECM leader asked me, “Could you use 12 Brazilians?” My mind started buzzing. This was a great challenge — something quite out of the ordinary.
At first, I felt intimidated because I realised that I would have to travel to Brazil to meet with important pastors and denominational leaders in order to mobilise missionaries for Croatia. “Who am I?” I thought. “How am I worthy for such a task?”
Also, I thought I’d better have a ‘Plan B’ in case Brazilians didn’t come. I decided to also travel to Ukraine and mobilise there. Brazil and Ukraine were both nations well acquainted with the “Revival” and “Faith” that I was convinced Croatia needed.
As part of this I realised I needed to also visit Croatian churches in search of ‘vision-minded’ church leaders who could effectively use these dynamic new missionaries when they came.
Has it worked? Yes! Some 20 missionaries have now come from Brazil and Ukraine. There have been new churches planted, new ministries begun, and new converts made. The current leader of ECM’s work in Croatia even came as part of this initiative.
But God has also sent us workers “by surprise”. This January a pastor from India came seeking work, due to his father’s business collapsing. He is now organising Croatian lessons and a gospel service for immigrants. God certainly does move as we seek to connect with His Global Church!
To find out more about Stephen and Tabita click here
To discover more stories of God at work, read our latest magazine here
Archive > 2023
December
- December - 31 - 2023 12/31/23, 11:30 PM - Happy New Year from ECM!
- December - 19 - 2023 12/19/23, 10:15 AM - Connecting with the Global Church
- December - 12 - 2023 12/12/23, 10:00 AM - Connecting across Europe
November
- November - 28 - 2023 11/28/23, 12:39 AM - Christian or Kingdom?
- November - 20 - 2023 11/20/23, 4:20 AM - Why Pray for Mission? | Sam Boog
- November - 14 - 2023 11/14/23, 9:55 AM - New book dealing with rest and recovery
- November - 08 - 2023 11/8/23, 12:59 PM - Christian leaders gather from across Europe
October
- October - 27 - 2023 10/27/23, 10:44 AM - A Great Book: "Church Planting in Europe"
- October - 24 - 2023 10/24/23, 2:28 PM - Insights into ministry in Greece
- October - 17 - 2023 10/17/23, 1:08 PM - Sharing the vision for European ministry in… Uruguay?
September
August
- August - 25 - 2023 8/25/23, 12:44 PM - News from Ukraine
- August - 16 - 2023 8/16/23, 2:01 PM - A Summer's Story
- August - 04 - 2023 8/4/23, 11:09 AM - Wild at Heart, a Testimony
- August - 02 - 2023 8/2/23, 5:07 PM - "Camino Antiguo" Guesthouse in Spain
July
- July - 21 - 2023 7/21/23, 3:19 PM - Trauma Healing Small Groups in Slovenia
- July - 14 - 2023 7/14/23, 3:06 PM - Church Planting in Slovenia
- July - 06 - 2023 7/6/23, 2:54 PM - Equipping a New Generation
- July - 03 - 2023 7/3/23, 2:02 PM - Mum & Baby Club in Spain
June
- June - 28 - 2023 6/28/23, 4:00 PM - Life and Ministry in Times of War
- June - 06 - 2023 6/6/23, 11:05 AM - United in Prayer, discover Mahabba
- June - 02 - 2023 6/2/23, 1:34 PM - Camino Guesthouse in Spain
May
- May - 25 - 2023 5/25/23, 5:54 PM - Elena's short-term mission trip to Romania
- May - 22 - 2023 5/22/23, 3:23 PM - Greenhouse Repaired!
- May - 15 - 2023 5/15/23, 11:00 AM - Freedom in Christ: a testimony
- May - 08 - 2023 5/8/23, 12:42 PM - The Irpin church: a testimony of love and service
March
- March - 15 - 2023 3/15/23, 10:04 AM - Angry and Grateful
- March - 13 - 2023 3/13/23, 9:37 PM - Living through the war
- March - 07 - 2023 3/7/23, 10:07 AM - Let's walk!
February
- February - 24 - 2023 2/24/23, 11:34 AM - They were living in a 15m2 hut...
- February - 02 - 2023 2/2/23, 5:57 PM - The war has torn down many houses, we are building them up.