Josiah Venture is a non-profit mission organization all about equipping young leaders in Central and Eastern Europe to fulfill Christ's commission through the local church. We want to see passionate followers of Jesus Christ with a vision to reach and dis
Jesus was more than just a good teacher or an amazing leader. He embodied all he taught and put flesh on all he communicated. He was (and IS) the Word, Light, Life, and so much more. When people encountered him, they were changed in a manner that was hard to explain. Can we be transformed today in similar ways? The theme of our 2025 Spring Conference was "Jesus Stories: Transformative Encounters with Christ." We were led by Peter Mead, a gifted Bible teacher, author, and pastor from the UK. He guided us through six stories of Jesus from the Gospel of John. This specific talk is called "Alive." Prepare yourself to be surprised and changed through these "Jesus Stories." Get to know Peter More: pouredout.org www.cordeo.org.uk Biblicalpreaching.net The Biblical Preaching Podcast - On Spotify The Biblical Preaching Podcast - On Apple Podcasts Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: social@josiahventure.com Subscribe & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you, friends, and have a blessed day!
Peter Mead is the director of Cor Deo and part of the leadership team of Trinity Chippenham, a church in the UK Peter helped to plant back in 2014. Peter shares his background, including being raised in a missionary family, his initial resistance to ministry and preaching roles, and how his faith journey led him to embrace these callings. He discusses the inspiration behind the ministry training program Cor Deo, his involvement in church planting, and his approach to preparing sermons and teaching. Peter also talks about his recent venture into podcasting with a focus on preaching and provides insights into his writing process. The episode concludes with Peter's message of hope for the younger generation, emphasizing the transformative power of Jesus. Peter was the main speaker at our annual Spring Conference and his teachings on "Jesus Stories: Transformative Encounters with Christ," will be released on the podcast over the next month. We invite you to listen to these teaching episodes and explore the gospel of John more deeply. Get to know Peter More: pouredout.org www.cordeo.org.uk Biblicalpreaching.net The Biblical Preaching Podcast - On Spotify The Biblical Preaching Podcast - On Apple Podcasts Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: social@josiahventure.com Subscribe & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you, friends, and have a blessed day!
In this conversation, Josiah Venture alumnus Susan Ellis shares her remarkable journey from a life-changing trip to Europe in 1985 to becoming a Josiah Venture missionary in 1995. She discusses her deep emotional connection with Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland, where she served for 20 years. Susan's work spanned youth ministry, discipleship, marketing, and program development. In 2015, she returned to California to support her aging mother and now serves as the Director of Local Compassion Global Outreach and Congregational Care at her childhood church. Susan underscores the enduring impact of bold faith and discipleship, both of which are cornerstones of her life's work. She also shares insights on being single in ministry and encourages others to take steps towards missions, highlighting the transformative power of serving God full-time. Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: social@josiahventure.com Subscribe & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you, friends, and have a blessed day!
Get to know Baška Benešová from Slovakia and be inspired by her incredible journey of faith. She gave her life to Jesus at a youth church camp at the age of 13 and has been involved in ministering to teens and young adults ever since. She currently leads the English camp at her local church and works as the director of pointonline.sk for TCK (Training Center Kompas), providing resources and support for youth leaders. Baška also shares insights into her participation in KPM, the Annual Youth Leaders Conference, and her experience with the School for Youth Leaders. The episode ends with a heartfelt message on trusting God's plan and the importance of community support. Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: social@josiahventure.com Subscribe & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you friends, and have a blessed day!
In today's special episode of Josiah Venture Stories, we're live from the Digital Missions Summit in the Czech Republic! This incredible event brings together content creators, influencers, and storytellers from Central and Eastern Europe who are passionate about sharing the gospel in the digital space. Joining me are three amazing guests who are pioneers in using their creative gifts to advance the Kingdom of God online. With a live audience submitting questions, this episode dives deep into the challenges, joys, and strategies of being a Christian content creator in a world dominated by screens. If you're passionate about using your digital presence to inspire and connect others with the gospel, this episode is packed with insights, encouragement, and practical advice. Guests: Aaron Bratcher, Germany: Pastor & YouTuber / IG: @aaron.bratcher Helenka Ukropcová, Czech Republic: Social Media Manager for Josiah Venture, Czech - @kam_cz / IG: @heliiinka Sven Muller, Croatia: Youth Pastor and Content Creator / IG: @sven.marko.muller Key Takeaways: The importance of being a Christian content creator in the digital space. How to balance creating vs. consuming and when and how to rest Why collaboration and community are essential for Christian content creators. Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: social@josiahventure.com Listener Challenge: What's one step you can take this week to share the gospel through your digital platform? Whether it's posting a story, creating a video, or connecting with a follower in need, take the leap and make an impact! Subscribe & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with other creators who might be inspired to join the mission of sharing Christ in the digital space.
Mark Krupa has been a Josiah Venture missionary for 26 years. He currently works as a Christian coach to young people and youth pastors and serves as the Josiah Venture country leader for Croatia. He discusses his ministry work dedicated to youth ministry and church leaders in the Czech Republic and Croatia. Mark shares his passion for seeing spiritual growth among youth and church leaders, emphasizing the importance of healthy leadership and vibrant youth groups. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Mark also talks about his personal interests, including working on old cars and exploring Europe. He explains his transition to Christian coaching after a decade of traditional ministry, outlining how coaching helps empower leaders by asking the right questions and providing support tailored to individual needs. Mark also gives insights into the spiritual climate in the Czech Republic, the ongoing prayer for revival, and his current responsibilities supporting the Josiah Venture team in Croatia. He ends with an encouraging message for young people to explore the transformative power of Jesus in their lives. Learn more about Josiah Venture Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
Faith Child is a multi-award-winning rapper, presenter, and one of the UK's top Contemporary Christian Artists. Born and raised in South London, his music is an eclectic blend of Rap, Electro, and Pop. Putting his life experiences into music, Faith Child has a remarkable story that dates back to his birth. His consistent message is, " You are not a mistake. God has a plan and a purpose for every single person." Being a seasoned performer, he has performed in over 20 countries, in intimate settings of 50 people, and to larger audiences of more than 50,000 across Europe, America, and Africa. Faith Child has partnered with Josiah Venture multiple times for Exit Tours for over a decade. We are so thankful for his ministry partnership and for inspiring the next generation with God's love through his music. faithchildmusic.com Faith Child - Artist Profile on Spotify Listen to "Holy Place" with Faith Child, Joe L Barnes Learn more about Josiah Venture Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
How do you hold onto hope in the midst of war? In this episode, Kristy shares how the team in Ukraine is doing after three years of full-scale, active war. At the end of the episode, she also shares specific ways you can continue to pray as we ask the Lord to bring peace and end the war. You can also support Ukraine by clicking on the following links: Help Ukraine - General Fund Get to Know Our Missionaries in Ukraine Help a Frontline Worker in Ukraine Send a Ukrainian to Summer Camp Kristy and her husband, Ben, have served in Ukraine for 18 years. Their first introduction to Josiah Venture was when they served as high school students in the Czech Republic at English camps. That exposure to peer evangelism started them on a journey with Josiah Venture to share Christ with the youth of Central & Eastern Europe. In 2002, they served as summer interns in Czech before marrying in January 2003. For the next three consecutive years, Ben and Kristy led short-term high school teams from southern New Jersey to the Czech Republic for camp ministry. During these summer trips, they felt God calling them into full-time missions. Josiah Venture suggested that they help launch a new team in Ukraine, and in January 2007, they moved there. After serving as camp directors and in a local youth group for several years, they began leading the Josiah Venture Ukraine team, Epokha, in 2011. Ben and Kristy serve in a dynamic local church, train Ukraine's youth, volunteer with the Department of Education, and teach and equip leaders across Central and Eastern Europe. They live in Lviv, Ukraine, with their children, Marissa and Dylan. 00:00 Introduction to Christy Williams 00:37 Journey to Full-Time Missions 01:07 Life and Ministry in Ukraine 02:19 Family and Personal Background 04:00 Passion for Youth Ministry 05:20 High School Sweethearts and Early Missions 06:09 First Mission Trip to the Czech Republic 09:59 Transition to Ukraine 13:45 Early Days in Ukraine 17:05 Impact of the Ongoing War 27:11 Holding on to Hope in the Midst of War 27:30 The Power of Psalms and Prayer 28:05 Eternity and the Life of Christ 30:13 Team Ukraine's Mission and Resilience 31:33 Stories of Resilience and Transformation 32:41 Challenges and Opportunities in Ministry 37:30 Mental Health and Trauma Care 42:02 Unity Among Churches in Ukraine 45:50 Prayer Requests and Final Thoughts Learn more about Josiah Venture Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
In this episode, John and Erin Kloosterhuis share their journey into missions, starting from their college years, where they felt called to a life devoted to missions and relational evangelism. They discuss their move to the Czech Republic and later to Slovakia to support Josiah Venture's international communications team. John, an assistant communications director and UX design director, and Erin, who works in digital marketing, elaborate on using their skills and passions for God's kingdom. They reflect on the significance of media in missions and share their personal experiences and challenges. They currently live and work in Bratislava, Slovakia, with their two sons, Nathan & Ezra, to continue supporting a growing movement of God among the next generation in Central and Eastern Europe. CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE: JOSIAHVENTURE.COM Learn more about Josiah Venture Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
Get excited for new Podcast content in 2025! For January, we will take a break from the interview-style episodes to share the main talks from our last fall conference, "Word Formed." The fourth and final episode of our "Word Formed" conference series is “Sacred Rhythms, Atomic Habits” with Landen Llamas. In this episode, Landen explores ways to develop consistent, sacred habits of encountering God and His Word. He discusses the struggle of maintaining good habits and introduces insights from James Clear's book 'Atomic Habits,' focusing on how to incorporate these principles into spiritual practices. Landen examines how to cultivate a lifetime of following God through consistent engagement with His Word, drawing lessons from Scripture, such as Psalm 119 and Deuteronomy 6. Thank you for joining us for this teaching podcast. Watch/Listen to more teaching from the "Word Formed" Fall Conference. Follow @formissioneu on Instagram Praxologie Podcast Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
Get excited for new Podcast content in 2025! For January, we will take a break from the interview-style episodes to share the main talks from our last fall conference, "Word Formed." The third episode of our "Word Formed" conference series is "Word Formed Hope" with Tyler Patty, Director of the ForMission College EU Campus. In today's world, young people face a constant barrage of conflicting messages about identity, truth, and relationships. But where can they turn for real answers? Our annual Fall Conference was dedicated to helping young leaders engage with the transformative power of Scripture in fresh, meaningful ways. The theme of the conference, “Word Formed,” focused on helping young people transition from seeing Scripture as an obligation to embracing it as a source of light, life, and clarity. Through this shift, they can better understand their identity, convictions, and relationships, preparing them for a hopeful and resilient future. Thank you for joining us for this teaching podcast. Watch/Listen to more teaching from the "Word Formed" Fall Conference. Follow @formissioneu on Instagram Praxologie Podcast Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
Get excited for new Podcast content in 2025! For January, we will take a break from the interview-style episodes to share the main talks from our last fall conference, "Word Formed." The second speaker you will hear from in this episode is Landen Llamas, a teacher for the ForMission College EU Campus. In today's world, young people face a constant barrage of conflicting messages about identity, truth, and relationships. But where can they turn for real answers? Our annual Fall Conference was dedicated to helping young leaders engage with the transformative power of Scripture in fresh, meaningful ways. The theme of the conference, “Word Formed,” focused on helping young people transition from seeing Scripture as an obligation to embracing it as a source of light, life, and clarity. Through this shift, they can better understand their identity, convictions, and relationships, preparing them for a hopeful and resilient future. Thank you for joining us for this teaching podcast. Watch/Listen to more teaching from the "Word Formed" Fall Conference. Follow @formissioneu on Instagram Praxologie Podcast Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
Get excited for new Podcast content in 2025! For January, we will take a break from the interview-style episodes to share the main talks from our last fall conference, "Word Formed." The first speaker you will hear from in this episode is Sean Smith. He is the Research Director for the Josiah Venture Research Institute and a Formation Tutor for the ForMission College EU Campus. Video clip Sean mentions at marker 30:30 to help demonstrate “Selective Attention.” In today's world, young people face a constant barrage of conflicting messages about identity, truth, and relationships. But where can they turn for real answers? Our annual Fall Conference was dedicated to helping young leaders engage with the transformative power of Scripture in fresh, meaningful ways. The theme of the conference, “Word Formed,” focused on helping young people transition from seeing Scripture as an obligation to embracing it as a source of light, life, and clarity. Through this shift, they can better understand their identity, convictions, and relationships, preparing them for a hopeful and resilient future. Thank you for joining us for this teaching podcast. Watch/Listen to more teaching from the "Word Formed" Fall Conference. Follow @formissioneu on Instagram Praxologie Podcast Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
Landen Llamas is originally from California and now lives and serves in Olomouc, Czech Republic, alongside his wife, Jenny, who is a Czech national. They first met in 2005 at a Josiah Venture English Camp. He came to serve with his short-term missions team, and Jenny was the Czech translator and a summer intern with Josiah Venture. As their own relationship grew, so did their love for ministering to Czech young people. It was clear that God was bringing them together to be a powerful team that would use their intercultural marriage as a tool to share the love of Christ with Czech people. After years of serving in their church in California with student ministries, Landen and Jenny moved to the Czech Republic in 2014 to bring encouragement, resources, and skills to the local church and build relationships with the Czech people. They hope that many will find salvation in Jesus Christ. They now live and serve the youth in the city of Olomouc. In 2020, Landen joined a new initiative within Josiah Venture to bring theological education to emerging Christian leaders in Central and Eastern Europe. Through a new partnership with ForMission College, which is based in the United Kingdom, Josiah Venture is able to offer an accredited bachelor's degree in Theology, Mission, and Ministry, and Landen is serving on this team as a teacher. Learn More About ForMission Follow @formissioneu on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
David & Katka Bordner share their profound experiences of suffering, faith, and community as they recount their journey through various health challenges while serving in Slovenia. Their story begins with a transformative trip to Slovenia that led to a lifelong commitment to youth ministry and missions. From David's persistent health issues starting in 2004 to Katka's own health struggles amidst the global pandemic, the couple discusses how they navigated suffering together. They explore themes of biblical lament, the power of community, and the importance of maintaining faith during difficult times. The episode underscores the profound impact of suffering in deepening one's relationship with God and highlights the delicate balance of celebrating and lamenting life's hardships. Katka grew up in Slovenia and began serving with Josiah Venture back in 2001. After graduating from Multnomah Bible College in 2003, David joined the team in Slovenia as a one-year intern. His passion and love for the people of Slovenia quickly grew, and that internship turned into a long-term commitment. After working together for 2.5 years, David and Katka began dating and were eventually married in September 2006. After serving 15 years together in their local church in the capital city, Ljubljana, with David as the youth pastor, and Katka leading the worship team, they felt a clear call to a new city. In 2018, they moved to the coastal city of Koper, where they are passionate about helping grow the local youth ministry, continuing to train and equip worship leaders around the country, and developing a new songwriting ministry for Slovene churches. Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
Happy Thanksgiving! It's that time of year to express gratitude. This is the third year that we have put out a special Thanksgiving episode of the Podcast. It is so encouraging to hear from Josiah Venture missionaries, who live across Central and Eastern Europe, sharing what they're grateful for in this season. Get ready to discover their favorite aspects of this holiday, including a meaningful Bible verse about thankfulness. These 11 missionaries are featured in this episode.
Part 2 of Fall Conference interviews! Please enjoy getting to know these guests: 1. Diana from Ukraine, interviewed by Tadej from Slovenia 2. Lote from Latvia, interviewed by Tadej from Slovenia 3. Katka from Slovenia, interviewed by Tadej from Slovenia 4. Adina from Romania, interviewed by Tadej from Slovenia 5. Andre from Romania, interviewed by Kate from the USA 6. Nia from Bulgaria, interviewed by Kate from the USA 7. Dorka from Hungary, interviewed by Kate from the USA Amazing things happen when 400+ youth leaders from 21 countries come together to dive into God's Word! The Josiah Venture annual Fall Conference, which took place at the end of September, is always a highlight of the year. The theme for our 2024 Fall Conference was "Word Formed," and we focused on the significance of scripture. What do you feel when you read God's Word? A recent study of Gen Z youth in Germany found that while over 70% of responders felt loved when they read the Bible, 50% also said they felt guilty; that is a huge contrast! Our hope for this conference was to look at scripture in a new light and use that new reality to be "Word Formed." We hope that as young people come to love the Word more completely, their attitude towards scripture shifts from seeing it as an obligation to embracing it as a source of light and life. This change in perspective encourages consistent and thoughtful engagement with the living Word, allowing them to see their world and choices differently. While at the conference, we set up the podcast equipment in a vintage trailer parked inside a hang-out area where people mingled, ate dessert, and engaged in conversation. With the help of Tadej from Slovenia and Kate from the US, we interviewed various attendees to hear their thoughts about the conference, being Word-Formed, what their daily time in the Bible looks like, and more.
Amazing things happen when 400+ youth leaders from 21 countries come together to dive into God's Word! The Josiah Venture annual Fall Conference, which took place at the end of September, is always a highlight of the year. The theme for our 2024 Fall Conference was "Word Formed," and we focused on the significance of scripture. What do you feel when you read God's Word? A recent study of Gen Z youth in Germany found that while over 70% of responders felt loved when they read the Bible, 50% also said they felt guilty; that is a huge contrast! Our hope for this conference was to look at scripture in a new light and use that new reality to be "Word Formed." We hope that as young people come to love the Word more completely, their attitude towards scripture shifts from seeing it as an obligation to embracing it as a source of light and life. This change in perspective encourages consistent and thoughtful engagement with the living Word, allowing them to see their world and choices differently. While at the conference, I set up the podcast equipment in a vintage trailer parked inside a hang-out area where people mingled, ate dessert, and engaged in conversation. With the help of my friends Tadej from Slovenia and Kate from the US, we interviewed various attendees to hear their thoughts about the conference, being Word-Formed, what their daily time in the Bible looks like, and more. This episode is part 1 of the interviews we did during Fall Conference. Please enjoy getting to know these guests: Valere from Montenegro/France, interviewed by Gwynne Tom from the Czech REpublic, interviewed by Gwynne Adka from Slovakia, interviewed by Gwynne Kate from the USA, interviewed by Tadej from Slovenia
New teaching podcast!
New teaching podcast!
New teaching podcast!
New teaching podcast!
New teaching podcast!
In this special 100th episode of Josiah Venture Stories, host Gwynne Gardner interviews Josiah Venture alumni Lauree Austin. Originally from Boring, Oregon, Lauree now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, working as a DJ for K Love radio. During the conversation, Lauree recounts her unexpected journey from the U.S. to serve with Josiah Venture in the Czech Republic, her diverse roles and experiences, and her impactful moments in ministry. Lauree's story touches on themes of personal growth, cultural immersion, navigating challenges in singleness, and recognizing God's provisions and guidance throughout her missionary journey. Lauree also discusses the importance of embedding oneself in the local culture as a missionary and the deep, transformative lessons she learned during her time with Josiah Venture. This episode is filled with inspiring stories, valuable advice for potential missionaries, and heartfelt encouragement for all listeners. Listen to Lauree on K-Love! Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Social Media: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room: pray.josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP: josiahventure.com/prayer-room-app
Amy Moore has been leading and serving on short-term mission teams to Slovenia for the past eight years. She lives in Nashville, TN, where she works as the Director of Connections for Fellowship Bible Church in Brentwood, TN. Amy's deep love for youth ministry and her extensive experience volunteering with her church's student ministry sparked her passion for Josiah Venture's vision and mission. In this episode, she shares how she got involved with going to Slovenia, stories from her years at camp, advice to someone thinking about serving on a mission team, and more. More Summer Ministry Resources "Two Thousand Camps" Blog by Dave Patty "Summer On Mission" Blog by Rachael Davison Summer Internship Opportunities Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com
Josh Nelson grew up in Hawaii and was first connected with Josiah Venture through a trip with Moody Bible Institute. He has lived and served in the Czech Republic for 12 years and lives in Ostrava with his wife, Zuzi, and their daughter, Valentina. Josh and Zuzi serve together on the Camps team, equipping local Czech churches, mission Teams, and interns to reach out to their communities. In addition, Josh serves as a Ministry Partner Development Coach, while Zuzi serves as a StrengthsFinder coach. Josh has interned five times, run the Amazing Race ten times, and been to countless camps. In this episode, he discusses what he most enjoys about serving the summer camps ministry in the Czech Republic. More Summer Ministry Resources "Two Thousand Camps" Blog by Dave Patty "Summer On Mission" Blog by Rachael Davison Summer Internship Opportunities Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com
Julia Budd has been the International Summer Ministry Coordinator for Josiah Venture since 2021. She first came to the Czech Republic in 2013 as an intern. That summer, she saw how camps could be a powerful tool for discipleship as young people encountered Jesus for the first time and young leaders grew as disciple-makers in their local churches. Her internship, semester in Lithuania, and short-term trips to Poland and the Czech Republic confirmed her desire to make disciples in Central and Eastern Europe. She is thrilled to live in the Czech Republic while serving locally and internationally. Julia shares her passion for missions, what her role on the international team looks like, details about our summer internship, and the camp theme “The Original.” More Summer Ministry Resources "Two Thousand Camps" Blog by Dave Patty "Summer On Mission" Blog by Rachael Davison Summer Internship Opportunities Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com
Dóra Klauz, known to many as Dorka, was born and raised in Hungary. She serves in a youth group in Győr and has been a Hungarian Summer intern three times. A Formission graduate, Dorka now works part-time with the new Research Institute of Josiah Venture and manages the JVHungary Instagram account. She loves traveling and learning about new cultures and is constantly seeking new experiences and knowledge. In this episode, she shares her faith journey, about her three summer internships, her experience with the ForMission Program, and more. Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com
Summers are always exciting throughout the 16 Central and Eastern European countries Josiah Venture is located in as local churches prepare for camps and missions teams to arrive. Another cause for all the excitement is our summer internship program. Each summer, we invite college students and young adults who love Jesus and want to share the gospel with others to join us to help impact the next generation. This episode, hosted by Ruthanne Chadd, features nine of the 35 2024 interns. We encourage you to listen to the entire episode to hear all of the different stories and perspectives, but here is the time stamp for each interview. [2:30 - 10:07] Chloe Brandow, American interning in Slovenia [10:08 - 16:18] Tadej Ogorevc, Slovene interning in Ukraine [16:19 - 22:35] Jake Herrington, American interning in Estonia [22:36 - 28:43] Nia Stoitseva, Bulgarian interning with the Fusion International Team [28:44 - 35:09] Aidan Carson, American interning in the Czech Republic [35:10 - 39:23] Vika Mamchur, Ukrainian interning in Ukraine [39:24 - 45:40] Martin Toomet, Estonian interning in Estonia [45:41 - 51:24] Mallory Neebes, American interning in Poland and with the Fusion International Team [51:25 - 56:24] Jackie Fitzgerald, an American doing an Extended Stay Internship in Hungary Ruthanne has been on staff with Josiah Venture since 2014 and currently serves as the Intern Coordinator stateside. Each summer, she recruits, prepares, and sends college-age students from across the US, Canada, and the UK to serve alongside us. Enjoy hearing Ruthanne's passion for ministry as she guides the conversations with these interns. You will hear why they decided to intern, how they heard about the internship, what the amazing race was like for them, and more! Please also join us in praying for summer ministry. Our online prayer room has specific prayer requests for each of the 35 interns serving with us. Thank you for listening! Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com
Ranno Seppel has worked with Koma, Josiah Venture's partner organization in Estonia, since the Fall of 2017. He has been the Edge Sports Director there for four years and has been involved in soccer camps for eight years. He recently accepted the Director of Edge Sports International role, which is very exciting!He desires to equip churches and leaders to use sports as a tool in their youth ministries. Ranno is married to Kristiina and they have three beautiful sons named Noah, Benjamin, and Joosep.
This episode is all about Sports! The first-ever EDGE GAMES International sports tournament was recently held in Rumburk, Czech Republic. 340 people from 9 Central and Eastern European countries gathered to compete in floorball and football, or soccer, for all the Americans listening.The EDGE SPORTS ministry currently involves 1000 young people and tends to impact teenagers in a deeper way than typical traditional church programs.Our hope with EDGE GAMES was that lives would be changed and momentum would be created for this ministry. Enjoy listening to this episode, featuring:
Bartek Wilkosz has been a Josiah Venture missionary in Poland for the past three years. His first involvement with Josiah Venture was in 2014 when he took part in a camp called Growth Academy, organized by El Dorado—one of JV Poland's national projects. The goal of El Dorado's activities is to help young people discover Christ and his calling for their lives, as well as equip teenage leaders to serve in their local youth ministries. Bartek's service with the project has continued to grow, and in 2019, he became a part-time Coordinator. In July 2021, he became a full-time JV missionary and now serves as the Director of El Dorado.Bartek's dream is that Poland will one day be known all over the world as a nation of followers of Christ that sends hundreds of thousands of missionaries to other countries. Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
Tino Peste and his wife live and serve in Constanta, Romania. Tino met and married Cristiana while they were studying theology in their country's capital and attending the same church. After finishing their education, both felt God's calling to serve the young generation in Constanta. They have two girls, Amanda & Haria. They believe that the best way to serve the church of today is actually to serve the church of tomorrow by ministering to the young generation. Together, they are implementing and leading Exit Tour in Romania while actively serving in their local church. Tino also leads the youth and student ministry there, and Cristiana works with children and teenage girls. As a couple, they believe that by communicating the great message of the Gospel in a relevant way, the church will be active in the lives of young people through discipleship. Give to Tino's ministry/donate to raising an Exit Tour Van Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
This episode features three individuals who are bringing the gospel to today's public square of social media and powerful online platforms. Alex Ralevic is a 16-year-old Serbian with over 40k followers on TikTok. He made his first video on a broken phone, using an orange as a stand. Janči Máhrik is a pastor in Slovakia and has a podcast in Slovak called "Zabudnuté Cesty," which translates to "Forgotten Ways." He and his co-host, who is also a pastor, use this podcast to show people how Bible truths apply to the modern world. Abel Aronica is a Hungarian who lives in Romania. He uses his knowledge of all things technical to help churches livestream their services. Over 50,000 people have access to sermons through these live streams. We hope you enjoy these stories. Please pray for the Christian influencers across Central and Eastern Europe who are carrying the gospel to today's public square. @aleksa.ralevic on TikTok @zabudnutecesty Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
Paul Williams serves as the Vice President of Finance & Operations for Josiah Venture. In this capacity, he works alongside the President and other executive team members to provide leadership, support, and strategic thinking in the operations of JV. Paul lives in the Czech Republic with his wife, Molli, and their daughter Mae. They have three additional young adult children (Tate, Claire, and Grant) who all live in Texas. In this informative episode, Paul shares how God called him to move from the business world into serving as a missionary, the humbling journey of support raising, his philosophy of living generously, and more. Shortly after the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe, Paul, his wife Molli, and their new baby moved to Prague, Czech Republic, for a two-year work assignment. The year was 1996, and during that time, they fell in love with the Czech Republic and its people. In 2009, while attending a home gathering, Paul and Molli were introduced to the ministry of Josiah Venture and were overjoyed to know that God was working in a place they had grown to love so much.In the summer of 2019, Paul and Molli helped lead a team from their home church in Texas to serve at a Josiah Venture English Camp in Poland. Through that time, God began to capture their hearts with the vision of Josiah Venture. Soon after that, they believed God was leading them to join JV in the Frydlant office. Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
Zuzi Džubakovska decided to follow Jesus when she was 10 years old at a camp organized by Child Evangelism Fellowship. Since then, her life has been one big adventure. During her management studies, she started working in business and continued in marketing and customer success for a few years. Meanwhile, she served in her home church—Bratislava City Church—where she became a member of the worship band and helped out with the Josiah Venture young adult ministry called EXIT. In 2019, she answered her calling to join full-time ministry. The Lord directed her to TCKompas (Josiah Venture Slovakia's partner organization) and their EXIT Tour ministry, which brings evangelism to high schools through a prevention program. She currently works with the Point Online team on their website and helps with internal human resources for the JV team in Slovakia. Zuzi lives in Bratislava, Slovakia, with her husband, Feri—who also came to Christ through TCKompas. They continue to serve together in her home church and serve other people with their open home. They never turn down an invitation for good coffee! They love to laugh and enjoy spending time with people and praying for them. Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
Liuda Rubtsova has served at her church in Lviv for 10 years and recently joined Epokha, JV's national organization in Ukraine. She currently coordinates the work of the Communication Team in Ukraine and strives to capture and tell the stories of God's amazing work, even amidst the war. She is one of the key youth leaders at her church, serves on the worship team, and participates on the church council. Liuda especially enjoys organizing large Christian events, meetings, and conferences for young people. Mentoring teenage girls has a special place in her heart. In this episode, Liuda shares about joining the team in Ukraine just over a year ago, her love for discipleship, and how she has felt God's nearness during times of war. She also encourages everyone to keep praying for Ukraine. You can still give to our Help Ukraine Fund. War is still going on in Ukraine, and you can stand with us as we pray for peace. Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
Ben Robertson and his family have lived and served in the Czech Republic for five years now. Ben met his wife, Sarah, in 2012 while they were both serving as Josiah Venture summer interns in the Czech Republic. During that experience, they developed a deep desire to serve full-time in Czech as they witnessed young people being deeply impacted by Jesus. Ben and Sarah now live in Ústí nad Labem with their children, Phoebe, Jadon, and Khloe. They serve on the regional team, helping to equip, train, and disciple youth leaders in their city and the northwest region of the Czech Republic. Ben and Sarah desire to come alongside the churches in their region to see disciples multiplying, leaders strengthened, and the churches empowered to live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. Ben completed a Masters in Transformational Leadership from Bethel Seminary before starting his service with Josiah Venture. He is passionate about equipping, training, and coaching transformational leaders. Follow @ben_the_coach for more! Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
For the month of January, we invite you to listen to the main talks from our annual 2023 fall conference. The theme was "Lifeline: First Responders and the Anxious Generation." We brought in Dr. David Van Dyke, a marriage and family therapist, and professor at Wheaton College, to speak and train us all in what it looks like to be like Jesus for people in need. Our goal was to equip youth leaders across the region with practical tools to respond to the ever-increasing mental health issues among the youth in their ministries. Thank you for listening, and please continue to pray that we will be first responders for the anxious generation who are fully present, ask good questions, listen well, and point them to the love of Christ. Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
For the month of January, we invite you to listen to the main talks from our annual 2023 fall conference. The theme was "Lifeline: First Responders and the Anxious Generation." We brought in Dr. David Van Dyke, a marriage and family therapist, and professor at Wheaton College, to speak and train us all in what it looks like to be like Jesus for people in need. Our goal was to equip youth leaders across the region with practical tools to respond to the ever-increasing mental health issues among the youth in their ministries. Thank you for listening, and please continue to pray that we will be first responders for the anxious generation who are fully present, ask good questions, listen well, and point them to the love of Christ. Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
For the month of January, we invite you to listen to the main talks from our annual 2023 fall conference. The theme was "Lifeline: First Responders and the Anxious Generation." We brought in Dr. David Van Dyke, a marriage and family therapist, and professor at Wheaton College, to speak and train us all in what it looks like to be like Jesus for people in need. Our goal was to equip youth leaders across the region with practical tools to respond to the ever-increasing mental health issues among the youth in their ministries. Thank you for listening, and please continue to pray that we will be first responders for the anxious generation who are fully present, ask good questions, listen well, and point them to the love of Christ. Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
For the month of January, we invite you to listen to the main talks from our annual 2023 fall conference. The theme was "Lifeline: First Responders and the Anxious Generation." We brought in Dr. David Van Dyke, a marriage and family therapist, and professor at Wheaton College, to speak and train us all in what it looks like to be like Jesus for people in need. Our goal was to equip youth leaders across the region with practical tools to respond to the ever-increasing mental health issues among the youth in their ministries. Thank you for listening, and please continue to pray that we will be first responders for the anxious generation who are fully present, ask good questions, listen well, and point them to the love of Christ. Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
For the month of January, we invite you to listen to the main talks from our annual 2023 fall conference. The theme was "Lifeline: First Responders and the Anxious Generation." We brought in Dr. David Van Dyke, a marriage and family therapist, and professor at Wheaton College, to speak and train us all in what it looks like to be like Jesus for people in need. Our goal was to equip youth leaders across the region with practical tools to respond to the ever-increasing mental health issues among the youth in their ministries. Thank you for listening, and please continue to pray that we will be first responders for the anxious generation who are fully present, ask good questions, listen well, and point them to the love of Christ. Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
For the month of January, we invite you to listen to the main talks from our annual 2023 fall conference. The theme was "Lifeline: First Responders and the Anxious Generation." We brought in Dr. David Van Dyke, a marriage and family therapist, and professor at Wheaton College, to speak and train us all in what it looks like to be like Jesus for people in need. Our goal was to equip youth leaders across the region with practical tools to respond to the ever-increasing mental health issues among the youth in their ministries.Thank you for listening, and please continue to pray that we will be first responders for the anxious generation who are fully present, ask good questions, listen well, and point them to the love of Christ. Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
Happy New Year! For the month of January, we will be sharing the main talks from our annual 2023 fall conference. The theme was "Lifeline: First Responders and the Anxious Generation." Dave Patty kicked off the conference by talking about the anxious generation and ways we can respond. Our goal for this conference was to equip youth leaders across the region with practical tools to respond to the ever-increasing mental health issues among the youth in their ministries. We invite you to join us for this teaching podcast.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and thank you for tuning in to this special Christmas end-of-year episode! This will be short and sweet as host Gwynne Gardner recaps the year, remembers God's faithfulness, and gives you all a few important announcements for the year ahead. Consider this your audio Christmas newsletter from Josiah Venture! Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP Summer Internships If you are interested in knowing more about ForMission, you can email: formission@josiahventure.com How to leave a rating & written review on Apple Podcast: 1. Go to the “Josiah Venture Stories” show page. 2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to the “Ratings & Reviews” section. 3. Select a star rating! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4. Tap “Write a Review.”5. Give the review a fun title along with your description. How to rate a podcast on Spotify: 1. Open the Spotify app on your device. 2. Tap the Search tab, then type in “Josiah Venture Stories” into the search bar. This will lead you to the podcast's show page. Yay, you found us! 3. Tap the star icon immediately underneath the podcast description. 4. Drag your finger or tap on one of the five stars to leave a rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5. On Spotify, you need to listen to at least one episode before you can give a rating. *Currently, you can only rate a podcast in the Spotify mobile app and not on web players. *You can also follow the podcast on Spotify so you never miss an episode.
Kilian Špiess grew up in Germany, and during his childhood, he attended an Evangelical Lutheran Church where he heard about God and faith. At the age of 12, he discovered the heart of the gospel and God's love at a camp, and since then, he has desired to follow Jesus. After years of serving at camps and being discipled, Kilian explored his heart for missions during internships in Manchester and Chemnitz, Germany at the age of 19, leaving him with the desire to reach people for the sake of the gospel.In 2020, he started studying Theology, Mission, and Ministry at ForMission College. Studying the depths of God and his word, Kilian focused on missional leadership in his dissertation, proposing new ways to combine leadership styles in ministry. After finishing his Bachelor's degree in 2023, Kilian took on the role of an academic administrator on the Higher Education team for Josiah Venture. In this role, he supports students and staff of ForMission College in order to enhance their college experience. His goal is to develop existing processes and pave the way for new experiences, equipping Christian leaders in Central and Eastern Europe for effective missional ministry. Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
Happy Thanksgiving from the JV family! This episode features 12 of our missionaries serving across Central and Eastern Europe (Ermal Bimaj - Albania, Katie Humerian - Ukraine, Ross Nielsen - Bulgaria, Ellie Mouchet - Poland, David Kingdon - Latvia, Sarah Ward - Czech Republic, Indrek-Eliel Tambek - Estonia, Trisha Wynn - Slovenia, Kilian Spieß - Germany, and Judita Kočiš - Croatia). They share what they're grateful for this season, their favorite Thanksgiving foods, and a meaningful Bible verse about thankfulness that holds a special place in their hearts. We pray you have a truly amazing Thanksgiving wherever you may be celebrating. This holiday is a beautiful time to cherish the presence of loved ones and to reflect on our blessings and God's unwavering faithfulness. Thank you so much for listening! "May your thanksgiving be regular, loud, and unifying, declaring the goodness of God and how his steadfast love is so very real and present and deep and luxuriant." - Dave Kingdon
Dan and Laura Hash are founding members of Josiah Venture and have served in Poland for 30 years. They live in Mikołów, Poland, and are blessed with a son, Jacob, and his wife, Becca, and granddaughter, Clara, who also serve in Poland with JV. In this episode, you will hear their faith journeys, how they were first connected to Josiah Venture, what life was like in Poland during those early years of ministry, what they are involved in now, words of wisdom, and so much more. They are now on the member care team responsible for marriages, counseling, and counseling resources and developing the member care people in each country. Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP
Dr. David Van Dyke, or DVD, serves as Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program and Associate Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy at Wheaton College. His areas of expertise are working with adolescents and their families and integration of Christian faith and systems thinking. He's a Fulbright Scholar in Hungary, and he's also started "With U Projects" with his wife Tara. It aims to strengthen the understanding of life's big transitions and learning better skills for healthy connection. DVD has spent time each year in Prague, where he supervised, trained, and consulted with mental health professionals from nine Central and Eastern European countries (Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Serbia). He also developed g a post-master marriage and family therapy certificate that is culturally appropriate for Central and Eastern European professionals and meets EU regulations, which is set to launch in the Summer of 2024. In his personal time, he likes traveling, being with his family, kayaking with his wife, and exploring family history. This episode is hosted by Rob Chestnut, Director of the Training Team and International Team for Josiah Venture. He also recently helped lead the 2023 Fall Conference team. The theme for the 2023 Fall conference was "Lifeline: First Responders and the Anxious Generation," and DVD was our guest speaker. Learn more about Josiah Venture Website: www.josiahventure.com Instagram: @josiahventure Contact: social@josiahventure.com Josiah Venture Prayer Room Josiah Venture Prayer Room APP