Czech Republic
Brief History
Often called a nation of musicians and poets, the Czech Republic has a long history of famous composers, thinkers, and innovators. In recent years Czech athletes have experienced unusual success in international sports for a country its size, particularly in hockey and soccer.
A rich spiritual heritage is also a part of the Czech history, including Jan Hus, a reformer who inspired Martin Luther, and the Moravian Brethren, who in a period of 20 years accomplished more missionary work than the entire Protestant church in the 200 years preceding.
In spite of this heritage, the forced domination of the Catholic church during the 1800’s and the powerful impact of communism during the 1900’s have produced a nation that is profoundly secular and quite skeptical of religion. Some say it is the most atheistic nation on earth, with the highest percentage of people convinced that God and a spiritual world does not even exist.
Demographic Profile
The evangelical church is tiny, making up only less than one third of one percent in a country of 10 and a half million. Most Czechs have no religious affiliation. Several cults have made significant inroads in recent years, particularly the Jehovah’s witnesses. They number close to 25,000, making them twice as large as the largest evangelical denomination.
Ministry Outlook
Still, the church is growing, and there is a renewed interest in spiritual things, especially among young people. A new generation of leaders has risen up since the revolution, and their efforts are bringing significant change to the spiritual climate of the country. Camps and relational evangelism have been particularly effective, since extended time is needed to break down the barriers of mistrust and give enough information so a challenge to faith in Christ can be made.
The greatest need is for evangelism of the lost while the doors of interest are still open, and for equipping a new generation of leaders for the church. The harvest is ripe, but the workers are very few.
Pray for courage and innovation in evangelism, and that the Church would not fall into complacency or be wooed by the god of materialism. Pray for an army of workers to be released into the harvest field, and for mobilization of young people for the task of building Christ’s Kingdom.
More official information about Czech Republic at http://www.czech.cz/
Rachel
Benesova
Raised in a Christian family, Rachel trusted Christ at the age of 12. more...
Jana
Biolkova
She graduated from university in 2007 and then came to work for KAM as an accountant. more...
Bonnie
Boyd
Bonnie is passionate about God's Word and loves to communicate His truth through various artforms. more...
Petr
& Lauren Bozon
Petr grew up in a non-Christian home in communist Czechoslovakia. more...
Rob
& Audrey Chestnut
Rob first visited the Czech Republic with his father when he was 12 years old, and returned numerous times as a teenager. After college, he moved to Prague to work with a local Czech church. more...
Jana
& Petr Coufal
Jana first came into contact with KAM in 1999 through the English camp ministry, in connection with her church in Pardubice. more...
Leah
Cox
Leah came to the Czech Republic for the first time as a summer intern in 1998 and fell in love with it. When God led her back in 2000, she thought it was too good to be true! more...
Kevin
& Daniela Dickson
Kevin and Daniela have been serving with Josiah Venture since June of 2010; however, their ministry in the Czech Republic started many years before that. more...
Dusan
& Dana Drabina
Dusan first heard about the Lord after the fall of Communism in 1989. more...
Jitka
Ehlova
It is Jitka’s desire that young people across the Czech Republic would put their faith in Christ after having attended English camps. more...
Terry
& Hana English
Aiming to reach the unchurched youth through music and performing arts. more...
Veronika
Fojtikova
Veronika comes from non-Christian family. In 2001 she met Christians for the first time and three years later gave her life to Jesus. more...
Tomas
& Miriam Galda
Tomas encountered Christianity through his brother and two scout friends when he was 15. more...
Lucka
Geldnerova
Through the witness of a friend, a friend’s mother who prayed for her, and the work of God in her heart, she put her faith in Christ. more...
Marci
Hajdova
Coaching the next genearation of leaders in the Czech Republic. more...
Karel
& Petra Hennhofer
Karel has the passion for serving those who are on the front lines, providing them with the support they need and with a personal passion for youth. more...
Nate
& Emily Hughes
They help to organize English Camps, recruit US churches and interns, and guide Czech youth leaders and their youth groups to be more effective in sharing the Gospel and reaching their friends. more...
Daniel
& Daniela Hurta
Dan grew up in a Christian home under Communism. The pressure on believers was significant and at one point Dan’s parents had the opportunity to escape to Norway and start a new life there. more...
Samuel
& Sarka Hust
Samuel took a step of faith into full time ministry in 2002. more...
Daniel
& Kimberly Johnson
Serving together to reach, train and disciple the youth of Orlova. more...
Jirka
& Jana Kantor
A heart for young people and a love for teaching the word. more...
Brad
& Lucie Kaspar
Serving together for the youth of Vsetin, Czech Republic more...
Ales
& Lenka Kratochvil
A part of reaching out to the generation in the Czech Republic. more...
Mark
Krupa
Mark has been serving in Czech with KAM since 1999. He is the leader of the Staz (the nine month internship program) and is involved in his church in Frydlant where he serves as chairman of the Elders. more...
Jan
& Nada Kuklinek
After eight years with HP, Jan accepted his call to full time ministry. more...
Bogdan
& Martina Lach
Bogdan and Martina’s vision is for youth to grow in faith and go out with the gospel more...
Pavel
& Anna Lauko
A man of many talents serving the KAM team. more...
Michal
& Sona Malina
Michal trusted Christ during his teenage years through the ministry of a young church plant in Havirov. more...
Milan
& Zdenka Michalko
Milan Michalko is a loved son of his heavenly Father and this fact affects all of his life! more...
Tomas
Nevrela
Reaching Czech teens with the Gospel through soccer camps. more...
Dave
& Connie Patty
Dave and Connie Patty moved to the Czech Republic in November 1993 to begin the work of Josiah Venture. Dave leads the Josiah Venture team and invests special attention in the country leaders of JV. more...
David
& Lucie Rajcovi
Raised in a Christian family, David graduated from the KAM internship program in 2000. more...
Lucie
Rehorova
Lucie grew up in an atheistic family, never having considered faith as a way to live her life. Though she was not interested in Christianity, God was merciful and through the witness of a friend, came to Christ in 1999. more...
David
& Jindriska Riman
David found what he was missing and put his faith in Christ in 1996. more...
Honza
Spacil
When Honza was looking for purpose in his life, he found it when he put his faith in Christ. more...
Jirka
& Majka Stanislav
Helping churches use sports to share the Gospel. more...
Greg
Strock
When a JV missionary visited Greg’s youth ministry class in 1997 and said, “come, do an internship in the Czech Republic this summer,” he did. Now he is a part of Josiah Venture's staff in the Czech Republic. more...
Autumn
Sutton
After visiting the Czech Republic in the summer of 2005, Autumn joined JV and moved to Czech in December of 2005. more...
Ondra
Svatos
Ondra is a talented young man who has a heart for reaching his youth in Pisek. more...
Zuzi
Vackarova
God put into her heart a desire to counsel young people with broken hearts who need restoration, encouragement or just someone to listen to them. more...
Katka
Vlnova
Walking alongside nationals throughout JV to care, train and support. more...
Melissa
Wilson
God gives His people the desire to serve Him and is faithful to fulfill that desire! more...
Szymon
& Kate Zagora
His desire is to develop new IT systems and technologies that enable his team to have more time and a greater impact for the Gospel. more...
Lucie
Zagorova
When she was 16 years old, Lucka attended her first English camp with Josiah Venture. more...
Zach
Zegan
After a short trip to the Czech Republic in March of 2008 that Zach fell in love with the Czech culture and saw Josiah Venture's passion to reach Eastern Europe through music and evangelism. more...
Vladimir
& Kveta Zeman
Born and raised in Vysoke Myto, Vladimir became a Christian while studying at university in 1996. more...