Check out the following important information, take your team through it, and if you are interested, fill-in the application to a chosen place where the training takes place, or if you want to organize it at a new place let us know in the last field of the application form („Tvoje poznámky, otázky, návrhy…“).
The training is held in the Czech language.
If you live in the Czech Republic or Slovakia or you have friends there, please, recommend it to the local Christians around you.
From observations collected so far, we are very sure they will benefit from it vastly.
For whom is the training designed
The live training Mosty k lidem (Bridges to People) is designed for believers who do not have the gift of evangelism and are helpless in searching ways to their friends living without Jesus. In the training they learn simple and straightforward tools for their personal ministry to Czech people, they experience inner transformation and recognize spiritual empowerment.
The prerequisite for starting this training at a particular location is a group of at least twenty devoted followers of Jesus, who are determined to develop their skills and use them immediately in their normal contact with unbelievers. In general, a larger group has stronger „juice“; so try to invite Christian friends from other churches, youth groups or ministries, even in wider area. Send them a link to this page. (Don’t post it at social media, please.) We also may help with inviting Christians from a larger circle around your place.
Sometimes people ask if it’s just for youth; no, the training has no age limit. We have great experience with active teenagers, as well as with people older than seventy years of age. (See responses of the previous participants – in Czech.)
What does it usually do with the participants
More than 300 believers of all generations from various denominations have passed through the live training (Třanovice, Vsetín, Nové město pod Smrkem, Olomouc, Ostrava, Brno, Bratislava, Písek, Nový Jičín, Karlovy Vary). It is very practical training where the participants instill basic skills for effective contact with their unbelieving friends and acquaintances. (See responses of the previous participants – in Czech.)
The benefits of the training are mainly in two areas:
a) very practical skills tested in the Czech environment
b) liberating spiritual experience or literally inner transformation.
As for the PRACTICAL SKILLS:
− Everyone creates their own „relational map“, which will be a great subject for prayer and an indicator of whom to address.
− You develop and practice your so-called „flash story“, a version of your personal „testimony“ that fits in 15 seconds and draws attention. (Yes, 15 seconds, not minutes! :-))
− You learn the skill to briefly and clearly explain the Good News, invite a non-believer to Jesus, and then to help him/her to take the next steps with Him. You will learn what to do in typical situations.
− Graduates who have completed the entire training and practiced individual instruments are able to invite their unbelievers to their own Discovery Bible study many times tested with completely unbelieving Czechs or Slovaks.
− You will learn the principles of dealing with common situations in meetings with non-Christians. Understanding different „levels of connection“ with the unbelievers will free you up and you will get ideas for the next steps in your contacts.
As for the SPIRITUAL DIMENSION:
− The participants will embrace their own identity in Jesus, as well as the identity of unbelieving people out there. This section has transforming power for some students.
− With many graduates, we observe significant break-througah of their internal barriers. After the training, some managed to go out and, besides their acquaintances, kindly and successfully addressed even strangers!
− You will look at the principles of the spiritual movement (generational thinking and other important approaches).
How does it work
We call it TRAINING, because all the participants are „on ice with their own skates on“. (There is no room for mere visitors.)
In the CONTENT, we focus mainly on personal ministry to unbelievers, whom we know at least a little: relatives, colleagues, neighbors, other acquaintances… (This is not about street events.)
In terms of methodology, the training sessions include the following main elements:
− Biblical foundation
− Inspirational stories from recent Czech/Slovak experience
− Brief explanation and demonstration of the key skills and important tools
− Immediate practicing in small groups with support of the experienced trainers
− Personal reflections and prayers in groups, including personal planning
− Each participant is continually working on their own skills, in particular through their own practice, to be equipped and empowered to connect with their unbelieving friends; to invite them for their Discovery Bible study, to effectively share their personal story and Good News; they will learn a number of other practical steps and experience transformational spiritual touches.
− Our trainers alternate in coaching individual parts, so it is diverse in terms of personalities and styles.
− An important part of the training is regular contacts of the local missional teams, for mutual sharing and encouragement, prayers for each other and for their people, and so on. Over skype or phone. One meeting may be not longer than half an hour.
− At the end of the first day, we offer the participants a voluntary bonus to go out with us and talk with strangers. In the second weekend, a short walk is a part of the main program. Initially, participants can just watch the trainers. (For the fearful ones, there is an option of walking and praying from a distance.)
What are the prerequisites of the training
− A local coordinator is important for the training, organizing the sessions, communicating with the local participants and with the head trainer, finding the right place, taking care of the refreshments and providing everything needed. Of course, all the tasks can be delegated to other participants in the training, or even to believers outside who want to help.
− The training requires two weekends; usually Saturday afternoon and a piece of Sunday and in two or three weeks again Saturday afternoon and a piece of Sunday; each day about 5-6 hours.
− As for the place, the participants should sit at tables, in groups of 4-6 people. At each of the tables there is one of our trainers present.
− We’ll use a flipchart. (In need we can take our own with us – let us know if we should take it.)
− The participants should have their own notepads and pens.
− Important notes are handed out on small cards (A6) that the students take with them.
− Another very high requirement for effectiveness of the training are your prayers. More detailed suggestions are given in a separate paragraph below.
− In order to take the necessary number of trainers and to bring all the important tools, we need to know in advance how many participants will be committed to attending the whole training. The entry minimum is twenty; the practical maximum is about fifty!
− Because of the total time of each meeting (5-6 hours) some soft drinks and simple refreshments are highly recommended (fruits, sweets, or so).
− The financial cost of the training usually consists of these items:
o- Materials for participants
o- Refreshments during the training
o- Travel cost of the trainers
o- Accomodation of the trainers at some places
o- Rent or other costs of the place
o- Voluntary contribution to the „Training Fund“
The total cost is usually covered by voluntary collection or the local organizers recommend a fee per person. Nobody receives wages or personal benefits from the collected funds. If finances are a problem for you or your group, let us know in advance, we will seek help from other resources.
Here is and option to support live trainings Bridges to people: account No 2400882996/2010, variable symbol 103.
(or IBAN: CZ2620100000002400882996, BIC/SWIFT: FIOBCZPPXXX)
It is an account of the Christian non-profit association Inspiration, that sponsors the whole project. More info about finances you can find HERE.
− The training brings real fruit only when the participants practice their new skills in their regular lives. Therefore, we highly recommend that after the main training the local participants continue in brief meetings as „missional teams“ – for sharing, prayer, mutual support and reporting.
How to organize the live training at your place
Check this information out with your team and fill-in the application for a chosen place where the training takes place. If you want to organize it at a new place let us know in the last field of the application form („Tvoje poznámky, otázky, návrhy…“). If your team is too small for a selfstanding training try to invite friends from other youth groups and nearby churches. If even that is not possible register just your group. We will let you know as a nearby place will be organized.
The next scheduled live training events
All sessions of the training are mutually interconnected and follow each other; for real benefit each one needs to be attended and applied in real life.
For the following months, we have planned several places and dates – see the Czech version of this page.
Let your Czech friends know!
How to pray
We encourage those who are interested, the participants, graduates and supporters of these trainings to personally pray for at least 15-20 minutes a day (about two hours per week in total).
– Pray for yourself and for everyone else in your local team; for their hearts, that the Lord Jesus would open them and set them in relation to himself and to the unbelievers; to make you clean and efficient tool in his hands; so that your approach to the unbelievers will be joyful, natural and effective.
– Pray that around each of you or around your Christian co-workers new Discovery Bible study groups with unbelieving friends over God’s word would raise up; to be the place where your people will personally meet and receive living Jesus and begin to follow Him.
– Pray for next generations of disciples that these new people would immediately bring their friends to the Lord Jesus.
– Intercede for our trainers as well, that they would understand your situation correctly, listen to the living Lord Jesus and bring the content of the training in a truly effective way that truly connects you with your unbelievers, so you would joyfully bring the living Lord Jesus to them. (Ephesians 6:18-19 Pray every time with the spirit and watch with all perseverance and plea … for me to be given word when I open my mouth to boldly announce the mystery of the gospel…)
– Pray for massive blessing of the training for your entire city, district, region… We want to see thousands of rescued people in our country and discipleship for them so that they could immediately serve their own friends and acquaintances.
Everyone applies personally to the training.
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