Czech Republic Work I went to the Czech

Czech Republic Work • I went to the Czech Republic around 13 years ago, just before Slovakia and the Czech Republic split (1993). • Leon Mauldin and I spent a month in Ceske Budejovice preaching and teaching.

• Lonnie Oldag was located in CB at the time, and we worked closely with him. • Lonnie and we used a translator named Jan Novak. • We got very close to Jan, and Lonnie particularly had a great impact on him. • Shortly after Leon and I returned to the US we learned that Jan had been converted.

• We also used a translator named Mira Vokal. He was already a Christian. • During our studies we had several classes with a very sweet girl named Rose. • Shortly after we came back Rose was converted, and some time later she and Mira were married.

• During these years, although I had kept up with the work, I had not been able to go back. • Last year Mike Morrow asked me about coming to present lessons of Psalms and Minor Prophets. • He felt the Christians had grown to the point they needed to begin studying the Old Testament more intensively.

• Each year Christians from all over Eastern Europe meet for these lectures. • The lectures are arranged by individuals, and individuals pay all of their own expenses, travel, lodging, and food. • I therefore accepted the opportunity to go.

• I arrived on Friday. • Saturday Mike Morrow and I got out and toured Prague via shoe leather. • Sunday I preached at the services at Prague. • Sunday afternoon I traveled with two brethren from Prague and Kesutis, a brother from Lithuania, to Kamenice where the lectures would be held.

• Kamenice was located between Prague and Ceske Budejovice. • Each morning, Monday through Friday, I spoke from 9 until around 11: 45. • In the afternoon, from 2: 30 -4: 30, Buddy Payne and I had a question and answer session, Monday through Friday.

• Bill Bynum and his wife Nancy and their children were there from Budapest, Hungary. • Lee Fenner and his wife Sondra were there from Lithuania. • Rudolph and Christina were there from Bratislava, Slovakia.

• Jindra and Mysha and their children were there from Ceske Budejovice, and Mira and Ruzenka were also there from CB with their two girls. • There were three Honzas: Honza Novak, Honza Vlcek, and a third Honza whose last name I did not remember. • They were there with their families.

• A Czech named Robert was there. He married Tommy Andrews’ daughter Tammy. They were both present. • The former first chair violinist with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra was there with his wife. • Steve Baxley and his family were there from Litomysl.

• Of course Mike Morrow and his wife Tatiana were there with his wife’s mother and a niece that they have adopted after the tragic death of her mother. • One lady was there with her quite old mother from Slovakia.

• There were many others whose names I cannot recall. • We probably had up to 60 or so at some services. • One of the comments heard in a prayer was “help us to show the face of God to the people. ”

• The church does not have a legal status in the Czech Republic. • This does not mean it is illegal. • It means that the church cannot incorporate, cannot build a building or own property.

• The place where they meet is of little interest to the brethren. • They do not view it as any problem that they do not have legal status. • If they did have it, for one thing, then they would receive state funds, and they do not want that.

• Their worship is scriptural, although more informal than ours. • Part of that has to do with the difference in number. • We have more people here at Eastside than are Christians in the entire Czech Republic and probably Slovakia, Lithuania, and Hungary thrown in for good measure.

• The situation in Romania is probably the best of all Eastern European countries. • In many places these brethren meet week after week to worship with absolutely nobody to encourage them to do so but themselves. • Some of them have no preachers and there are no elders.

• They also are always on the lookout for people with whom they may study. • They are capable students. • Sometimes they show immaturity and a lack of experience, but most of them are still relatively babes.

• Immodesty is without a doubt a great problem, but it does not compare with the problem in most European large cities, such as Prague. • But I found the Czech Christian women modestly dressed. • It can be done even when surrounded by wickedness.

• After the lectures I went to Ceske Budejovice and stayed until Wednesday. • I had studies on Saturday with Mira and Ruzenka. • Mira wanted to know how one found the right balance between a hypercritical attitude that is never satisfied with the evidence and an attitude that never seeks solutions to difficult questions at all.

• We had services at 8: 00 am on Sunday morning with 11 present. • After church I spent the day with Jindra and Mysha. • I studied some of the Psalms and talked about how to study with Jindra. • I attempted to advise Mysha about problems with her family.

• Monday I had more studies with Myra about freedom, a sort of philosophical discussion. • Then we had a fairly extensive discussion of the canonization of the Bible. • I also had studies with Ruzenka, one of which was a fairly detailed story of Balaam, because she did not know why he was considered such a bad guy.

• Tuesday I drove up to “the cottage” with Jindra and Mysha and their two precious girls. • There I gave Jindra a most thorough history of the times of the prophets and a summary of every one of the written prophets.

• Wednesday I studied with Ruzenka, and she took me on a historical tour of Ceske Budejovice. • Wednesday evening we had a study with the church members except for Mira who had to miss because of a business trip.

• Thursday I got up at 4: 45 and traveled to Prague on the train. • Mike and I then went by Delta and got my corrected tickets. • I spent the rest of the day getting ready for the lecture that evening. • I put it on power point, and Tatiana translated it.

• We probably had 20 visitors at the lecture. • Tonight you will get to hear that lecture yourself. • Several Bible studies were signed up as a result.

• At 7: 30 Friday morning, I got up and we went to a nearby museum located in the old house of an aristocrat. • He had allowed Mozart and his wife Constanza to stay there while Mozart finished his opera Don Giovanni. • I saw pianos Mozart played on, and I enjoyed that experience immensely.

• We got to the airport at about 11: 00, with departure at 12: 45, and it was one of those fairly rare times when I wished I had gotten there 15 minutes earlier. • I made every connection, and 21 or 22 hours after I woke up that morning, I got to go to sleep.

• After a trip like this, one thing I do not have to feel guilty about is the use of my time. • I could not tell you the total of lessons and studies presented during the time. • I think there is no doubt that the brethren were profited and built up by the work we did.

• We need to be conscious of our brethren and sisters in far away parts of the world. • They have their problems and concerns. • I am still not convinced by any means that the pump has been primed. • It is still necessary to work hard to establish the cause of Christ in these places.