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November 20, 2023

Thankful for Thirty

We have been celebrating the 30-year milestone of Josiah Venture all month long with various stories, videos, and social media posts that remind us of God’s goodness and provision for all of these years. With Thanksgiving around the corner, it is also that time of year when we naturally lean into thankfulness and gratitude. We sure have a lot to thank the Lord for, so to further the celebration, here is a list of 30 things we are grateful for and want to remember as we look back and see God’s faithful hand over the last three decades of ministry.

1. We are thankful for the one vision that inspired this whole venture. “A movement of God among the youth of Central and Eastern Europe that finds its home in the local church and transforms society.”

2. We are grateful for the first two couples, Dave and Connie Patty and Dan and Laura Hash, who stepped out in obedience and followed the call to move to the Czech Republic and Poland.

3. We praise God for the Bride of Christ, the local church. Everything we do must cause her to prosper. Leaders transformed into the image of Christ will transform the world around them.

4. It’s incredible to look back and see 30 years of God’s faithfulness through our four active evangelistic highways of music (Fusion), Language (camps ministry), Schools (EXIT), and Sports (EDGE)!

5. Our five core values: the bold faith we see modeled in the book of Acts, a dynamic community that functions as the body of Christ, excellence that draws attention to God, the kind of integrity that permeates unseen corners, and the empowering of indigenous leaders to reach their own people.

6. We believe a week at camp can truly change a young person’s life. The first summer camp was in 1994. Since then, there have been 1,985 evangelistic summer camps, the gospel has been shared with over 106,000 young people, and there have been 8,350 professions of faith. Praise God!

7. Our team is now actively partnering with over 750 churches across the region to reach the next generation with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

8. 2008 marked the year of the first EXIT Tour, where the gospel is declared in schools. In 2022, there were 20 events in which over 8,150 people heard the gospel.

9. In 2009, the first Fusion launched in the Czech Republic. Currently, 27 Fusions are functioning in various countries, and six are in the pipeline to launch.

10. In the Czech Republic in 1998, an old hotel called Malenovice was purchased in the mountains of northern Moravia and renovated into a first-class training center with 110 beds, meeting rooms, translation equipment, and sports fields. Ongoing training of JV staff occurs in this facility, and a wide range of conferences and training events serve the entire region.

11. In 2011, Camp and Conference Center h2o in southern Poland opened its doors for summer and winter camps, conferences, leadership-training programs, and retreats. As one of Poland’s few year-round Christian camp facilities, h2o has an excellent platform for training the next generation of leaders.

12. We have experienced the joy of partnering with short-term workers. There have been 11,521 short-term workers since the beginning. If you are among that number, thank you!

13. We also praise his name during the trials and suffering that life brings. Jesus is with us, and he sees our battles and heartache. We do not walk alone.

14. The first EDGE sports training event was in 2014, and there are now 86 EDGE teams in various countries.

15. We currently have over 5,400 followers on our Instagram account. This is one of the ways we bring awareness to God’s movement in this region. Follow along for some amazing content!

16. Our organization has grown from the initial two countries to 16. We are so thankful for the people, ministries, and local churches represented in these countries.

17. Every major spiritual movement in history has been fueled by passionate, persistent prayer. In January 2017, the Josiah Venture Online Prayer Room went live. Thank you for joining us in prayer!

18. Over the years, there have been 1,382 different training events with a total of 86,339 participants.

19. In 2019, ForMission College partnered with Josiah Venture’s Higher Education department to open a campus dedicated to equipping students from Central and Eastern Europe. Their vision is to encourage and equip Christians to transform the world through missional presence and action. The first graduating class received their diplomas in November 2022.

20. We are thankful for all our staff members who serve from our mobilizing countries of the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom. These teams serve the Josiah Venture family by providing access to care, support, and resources. We have incredible people serving the wider JV family in several important categories: HR, finances, and partner relations.

21. April 6, 2021, was the day our podcast, “Josiah Venture Stories,” launched. This podcast is about sharing life-changing stories from on-the-ground missionaries and the local people they work with to inspire and fuel the movement of God in Central and Eastern Europe.

22. In 2022, we developed “Share,” a new program to equip young people to communicate their faith. This seven-week small group experience is accompanied by a mobile phone app to help youth pray for their lost friends and take the next steps in communicating the good news.

23. We are thankful for the mission of Josiah Venture: To equip young leaders to fulfill Christ’s commission through the local church.

24. We continue to be thankful for our team in Ukraine and for the ways they have clung to Jesus since the war escalated on February 24, 2022. This war has produced an abundance of suffering and loss, and we will continue to stand with Ukraine, pray for peace, and be grateful to our good God in all circumstances.”

25. The international office team exists to serve, empower, and equip all 16 JV countries by developing systems resources and offering support.

26. We get our name from the Biblical King  Josiah. By the time he was 26, God had used him to bring revival to the land, rebuild the house of God, and restore the Word of God to its central place (2 Chr. 34). Central and Eastern Europe desperately needs its own Josiahs, young men and women who lead the way spiritually, as this young king did. We are thankful for the young Josiahs whom God has already raised up, and we believe he is raising up more.

27. We are thankful for every JV team member personally involved in regular small group or one-on-one discipleship in their local context.

28. We are grateful to the eight individuals who comprise the Josiah Venture Ambassador team. This A-Team is a unique group of highly mobile, part-time staff who work to advance the JV vision through encouragement and special projects.

29. We are thankful for you! We thank each person who has prayed, given financially, gone on a short-term mission trip, or served as an intern. You have helped fuel this movement.

30. For all the ways that the Lord grows our faith on a daily basis as he reaches with his light into the darkest circumstances and brings salvation and growth to people of this generation.

And now we look forward to the next 30 years. We will continue to carry on this vision, this movement of God, with a renewed commitment, and we invite you to join us. What do you believe God for, and what could he do through you over the next 30 years that lay ahead?

Gwynne Gardner International Team

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Sajmir just wanted to belong. As the youngest son in a Muslim family of eight children, he was expected to serve everyone. Sajmir’s family was oppressed in Albania because they were dark skinned Gypsies. On top of that, during the difficult time after the revolution, his father began drinking and beating his mother. “My father never beat me,” Sajmir said, “but he never showed me love. He never hugged me or kissed me. I never saw a father figure. I was afraid of him. Also, outside in the city, people were not very close to me. I spent most of my time alone, playing soccer alone, or basketball alone.” There was only one soccer field in his village, and when Sajmir tried to join a game, the other kids would kick him out. One day, a group came toward the field and Sajmir began to back away, sure they would ask him to leave. “Will you play with us?” they asked. “You want to play with me?” Sajmir replied. For the first time in his life, someone invited him in. After the game, they invited him to church. “What is a church?” he said. Running home, he asked his parents if he could go. “Don’t go to church,” they answered sternly, “you will shame us.” But the next day was Sunday, and he snuck out when no one was looking. “When I stepped into the church, at the door, someone gave me a hug for the first time in my life,” Sajmir said. “They put me in the first row. I felt like a celebrity. Then I heard the story that someone loves you just as you are, that is, Jesus—as I was, dark skinned, rejected. But still, there is someone who died for me.” “I ran and told my family, but their response was: ’If you go one more time, we will tell your brother to beat you up.’ I went again. My brother beat me up. For three months, I was beaten every week. I was loved and accepted in church, while suffering and being beaten in my family. Then my mom said, ‘Let him go.’” Filled with joy, Sajmir fell on his knees and said, “God, I will serve you wherever you want me to.” That was 25 years ago, and today Sajmir and his family are part of our Josiah Venture team in Albania. Through youth ministry, he recently planted a church called “Mosaic,” which has grown to over 100 people. Every day, young people come after school and in the evening for tutoring, children’s meetings, youth meetings, small groups, discipleship groups, and a very lively Fusion choir. The church is open every day, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, and there is always something happening. “Our building is a daily home for everyone; it’s a family,” says Sajmir. “I always remember what God did for me in my youth. My heart is burning to see more young people come to Christ and find that they are loved and belong.” During this Advent season, we remember how Jesus left his home to make a home for us. He was sent to find us, where we play our games alone, and to invite us into his family. He found Sajmir, and you, and me. Thanks for helping us share this good news with young people who are still without a home. Dave Patty President, Josiah Venture
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Philippians 4:4-7 states, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Two things stand out to me from this verse: a challenge and a promise. The Challenge: Christians are commanded to not be anxious about anything. Instead, we are to be thankful. Paul wrote this letter as he was in prison, preparing for his martyrdom. He acknowledged that his entire ministry was in the Lord’s power and he had nothing to be anxious about. Furthermore, his friends were not supposed to be anxious either. Rather, they were to thank the Lord for his provision and truth. In this situation, Paul was not instructing his friends to deny that there was hardship. He admitted that there would be pain in the future. However, with that, the Church was to devote all troubles to the Lord. How would this play out in a modern Thanksgiving Day context? Jenny Llamas was born in the Czech Republic, so she did not grow up with Thanksgiving. Landen, her American husband, did and has had so much fun introducing the holiday to her. From American football to turkey trots to sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, Landen and Jenny love getting to spend Thanksgiving either with their family or at Josiah Venture’s conference center in Malenovice, Czech with Josiah Venture missionaries. One challenge for Jenny, though, has been when people are asked to share what they are thankful for. It’s not the mental search for thankfulness that’s difficult for Jenny. Instead, it’s all the other thoughts that come to her mind too. It’s “the hard things in my life that sometimes even seem louder than the things I’m thankful for,” Jenny said. During these times, she wants to find ways to process and acknowledge times of hardship while also remaining thankful. So, how does Jenny do that when she is reminded of hard times during Thanksgiving? How does she process both pain and thankfulness? Jenny’s favorite part of Thanksgiving is the meal preparation. She has her own quiet time in the kitchen. As she experiments with all sorts of traditional American recipes, she reflects on how God has worked in her life over the past year. She recalls the exciting times of blossoming relationships with friends and the painful memories of things uncertain and hurtful. It’s in these moments that Jenny brings everything to God, both the good and the bad. That’s where the promise of Philippians comes into play. The Promise: In response to giving thanks, the Lord will surround us with his peace. When we submit to the Lord in thanksgiving, he places a spiritual shield around our hearts and minds. He takes us out of a state of fear and provides us with the ability to give thanks in all circumstances. When the meal preparation is complete and Jenny steps out to celebrate with friends, she reminds herself that God wants her to have peace. God has given her a spiritual family with whom she can process heartache and pain. He also provides her with the time to journal, writing down her thoughts as a way of acknowledging hardship and giving it to the Lord. Then, he gives her rest. “I say a quick prayer to the God who sees me,” she said. “I give myself permission to rejoice in what God has done and … take a break from the hard things knowing that God sees them and he holds them.” This Thanksgiving, I invite you to recognize the trials in your life and give them over completely to God. Replace the state of anxiety with the action of thankfulness, preparing your heart for worship as we enter into this holiday season. “The Lord is at hand.” (Phil. 4:5b)
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When you’re used to leading, serving, and pouring into others, what happens when you suddenly can’t? What happens when the person who normally encourages everyone else wakes up and realizes she has nothing left to give? That’s where I found myself last year. I’m naturally a driven person. I love to see progress—to watch people grow, ministries flourish, and God’s work move forward. But last year, right before a major conference I had been preparing for—a mental health summit for nearly 700 youth leaders and church leaders—everything stopped. I got sick, and my normal pace of life vanished overnight. Suddenly, I couldn’t do what I thought I had to do. At first, I tried to stay positive, to find purpose in the pause. I told myself God was teaching me patience, humility, or to delegate better. But underneath those thoughts, a more dangerous narrative started to form: “God is disappointed in you.” “You’re not strong enough.” “You’re failing as a leader.” “Maybe God is holding back because you don’t deserve his help.” Those are the kinds of lies that can take root quietly—and quickly. It’s the same old whisper the enemy used in the Garden: “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1). The serpent’s goal was never just to tempt Eve; it was to make her question God’s heart. And he still uses that same strategy today. He wants us to believe that God is distant, that we’re alone, unseen, and unloved. I’ve seen this pattern not only in my life, but in the lives of so many young people and leaders I’ve walked with. The moment things get hard—disappointment, exhaustion, relational conflict, failure—the enemy twists the truth. He tells us we’re forgotten, that our prayers don’t matter, and that no one really understands. And slowly, we start to isolate ourselves. But isolation is one of his most effective weapons. Once we withdraw, our vision blurs. We stop hearing the truth clearly. We start interpreting everything through the lens of fear, shame, and self-pity. Even Scripture is full of people who felt this same ache. David cried, “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted” (Psalm 25:16). Elijah, after a great victory, ran into the wilderness and said, “I have had enough, Lord” (1 Kings 19:4). Job sat surrounded by friends who misunderstood him. And even Jesus—our Savior—experienced complete abandonment in Gethsemane and on the cross. Loneliness and lies are not new, but neither is God’s response to them. In my own season of weakness, when I couldn’t find the strength to pray, others prayed for me. When I felt unseen, people showed up with meals, with text messages, and with quiet presence. Even my unbelieving neighbors said, “We think someone up there cares about you.” That was God reminding me: You are not forgotten. You are not alone. The truth is, the Body of Christ was never meant to function in isolation. Strength in God’s kingdom doesn’t mean independence—it means connection. It means letting others carry you when you can’t walk and trusting that God is at work even when you can’t see progress. This experience also helped me recognize a pattern: the enemy always attacks identity and connection first. He wants to disconnect us from God’s truth and from God’s people. But the way we stand firm is by returning to both. When I start to spiral now—when I believe I have to prove my worth or carry everything alone—I stop and remind myself of what’s true. I reach out to trusted friends and ask for prayer. I ground myself in simple spiritual and physical practices that bring me back to reality: breathing deeply, reading a psalm, or stepping outside to notice beauty. These small moments become declarations of faith. Romans 11:33-36 says, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” That verse anchors me. I don’t have to understand everything; I just have to trust the one who does. Maybe you’re in a similar place right now. Or maybe you’re walking with young people who feel lost, invisible, or stuck in lies about who they are. The battle is real, but so is our victory in Christ. So, here’s my invitation to you: Would you take a moment to pray—for yourself, for your friends, and for the next generation—that we would recognize the lies of isolation, stand firm in truth, and live connected as the Body of Christ? You’re not alone in the battle. And neither are they.