2014 Montenegro Mission Team Report

Final Night – “How many of you would like to walk with Jesus faithfully now so we can meet in Heaven at the Southeast gate at 3pm our first Sabbath there?”

From April 9-22, 2014 I had the privilege of going on a Mission Team to Montenegro (former Yugoslavia) to preach God’s Word, invite people to surrender fully to Him and unite with His final movement.

I am thankful to retired Pastor Rade Milosavljevic, a leader in the Richardson Seventh-day Adventist Church, for putting together this Mission Team that included several pastors preaching in various parts of the former country of Yugoslavia (Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro). All meetings have been arranged with the wonderful and dedicated leaders of the South-East European Union of Seventh-day Adventists.

During this time I preached an evangelistic series of 10 presentations, made many visits to homes and a tuberculosis hospital, mentored young pastors, and learned more about the trying times believers faced during communism and other conflicts. I was inspired by the faithfulness and resilience of God’s work and leaders.

Here are links to pictures (with captions) telling the story as well as resources used and/or recommended during our time there.

Pictures/Stories & Presentation–

1. Pictures & Stories
   • Montenegro #1 – Flight & Belgrade, Serbia
   • Montenegro #2 – Belgrade to Zelenika
   • Montenegro #3 – Sabbath with New Friends
   • Montenegro #4 – Walking Along the Coast
   • Montenegro #5 – Meetings, Visits, Transformation
   • Montenegro #6 – Kotor World Heritage Site
   • Montenegro #7 – Herceg Novi Old Town
   • Montenegro #8 – Visit in Bosnia & Herzegovina
   • Montenegro #9 – Dubrovnik, Croatia
   • Montenegro #10 – Last Sabbath with New Friends
   • Montenegro #11 – Podgorica to Belgrade to Home
   • Albania – April 20, 2014

Resources–

1. Living With Hope Resources
   • Yugoslavian/English Bilingual PowerPoint Presentations
   • Original English Secrets of Hope Presentations
   • Original English Secrets of Hope Speaker Notes
2. Family Seminar (PowerPoint)
   • Family Worship Article
   • Family Finances Article
3. Soul Winning Article
4. Mobilizing Members Article (4 Connections)
5. Transforming Your Church Video Clips
   • Ten Minutes More
   • Effective Church Boards
   • Celebrating Changed Lives
   • GLOW Tracts & Literature (Links to Amazing Facts Study Guides 1-14 & GLOW Tracts)
   • New Members & Visitors Sabbath School Class
   • New Member Orientation (Intro to Membership) (Sample Manual)

Essentials for Growing Healthy Adventist Churches

1. Attitude #1 – Everyone in the world would be happier and better off if they were a converted Seventh-day Adventist with three deeply held convictions about Jesus, the Bible and God’s Final Movement on Earth (John 8:32, 36; Revelation 14:6-12).
2. Attitude #2 – The harvest is great, especially those in pain, change and/or those who show hospitality (Luke 10:2).
3. Attitude #3 – The workers are few, so spend your greatest energy on mobilizing those who are willing into the harvest (Luke 10:2).
4. By faith set at least two baptismal dates for this year (quarterly or even monthly is better), approve them on your Church Board and announce them to the congregation (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:7).
5. Invite everyone in the congregation to make a special prayer list of 5-10 people they would like to see baptized in the next baptism or two. Then pray by twos for each others list on a regular basis (Luke 10:1-2).
6. Look for those who are most ripe now and begin Bible studies/groups with them (Matthew 28:18-20).
7. When it is clear they are responding to Jesus and all the Bible truths ask “Have you ever thought about being baptized like Jesus was?” and “Is there anything that would make it difficult for you to follow Jesus and be baptized?” Let them know Jesus can help them solve any issue they may face. Let them know the date of the baptism they will be in (Acts 2:37-38; Acts 8:36-37; Matthew 6:33).