Sara Stikovic|| forum funded ::
Country:
Slovenia
Occupation:
Christian Ministry – Evangelism
Forum Network:
Disciple-Making Leaders
Ministry Focus:
Evangelism
When did you trust Christ?
Growing up, I was curious and eager to learn about God but coming from a family of nonbelievers we never talked about the God of the Bible. I believed there was something more but felt lost and wondered if He wanted me. I came to accept the fact that I was just supposed to live my life without God. A couple of years later, a friend I knew started talking about Jesus and I heard and understood that the Lord did want me, and that I needed Him. I started reading the Bible and realized I did not want to walk through life by myself. Later I attended a summer camp run by Christians. One evening, after our camp leaders shared the Gospel with us, my friend just walked up to me and asked, “Are you ready?” and I just nodded. It was that evening when I prayed to the Lord and asked Christ to be the Lord of my life. I was 16 years old and decided to follow Christ at that evangelistic camp organized by Josiah Venture and Ljubljana Evangelical Church.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
One important part of my spiritual development was discussing Bible passages with the friend who helped lead me to the Lord. Also, because my parents and family did not support my decision to follow Jesus there have been many conflicts with them. I was forbidden to attend to church, youth groups, and other Christian events. This made me grow in trusting the Lord, standing firm, and holding onto my beliefs even when mocked or rejected.
Why do you want to attend the Forum?
I want to learn new ideas on how to approach ministry and creative ways to minister to people. I especially want to learn how to start a ministry from scratch.
What is your ministry?
I co-lead a youth group called Fusion. This is a relational ministry that uses music as a tool to reach young people. This youth ministry is part of our local church; we reach 20 – 25 junior and high school students, a vast majority of them nonbelievers. On worship nights about 250 Christians from all of the Slovenia Bible studies attend. I also lead Bible studies for high schoolers, college students, and members of our church, and help organize country wide worship nights every three months.
What are your past leadership roles?
I have helped with organizing youth evangelistic camps and Bible studies.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
There are many in my hometown Ljubljana that still do not know the Lord. In fact, although the nation has a rich Christian history, so many people have never even heard the Gospel. I want to be equipped to go and proclaim the good news to those still lost and searching.
Urska Meolic Kotnik|| forum funded ::
Country:
Slovenia
Occupation:
Student
Forum Network:
Professional Counselling
Ministry Focus:
Education and/or Training and Counselling
Urska Meolic Kotnik is finishing her master’s degree in psychology in order to become a Christian counsellor.
When did you trust Christ?
I made my decision to follow Jesus when I visited an IFES student conference in Warsaw in 2014. I wasn’t a believer at the beginning because of the bad experiences I had had with the Roman Catholic Church when I was younger. I first came into contact with God again when I met my future husband and my journey started from there, but it was at that conference that God’s Spirit touched my heart during the worship service. From that point on, I knew that I wanted to follow Him.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
In my childhood I learned about God from my grandmother, but she died in my teenage years. The next encounter was with my future husband. Then our current pastor and the IFES organization helped us on our journey of getting to know God better and learning what it means to truly follow Him. There were other faithful people who helped us along the way, but we are continuing to get to know God more.
Why do you want to attend the Forum?
Attending the European Leadership Forum helps me personally grow in my faith in God. Secondly, I am training to become a counsellor, so it will be very helpful for me to make connections in the field of Christian counselling. At the Forum I will be able to listen to many experienced speakers and gain a lot of important knowledge in order to help other people. I know that there are many psychologists and psychotherapists attending the Forum. I hope to share the information with others in Slovenia in order to equip different churches in Slovenia for this type of ministry. Such knowledge can also be used as an evangelistic tool. Finally, I believe that I will meet new people, connect with them, and have opportunities to bless them.
What is your ministry?
I am finishing up my master’s studies in psychology and hope to become a Christian counsellor. Besides this, my husband and I are leading our church’s youth ministry, which serves young people and teenagers from ages 11-18. I also go on hospitality visits, particularly to elderly people in the church community. I also help with the IFES student group in Maribor where I live; I help to organize lectures and workshops on different topics. I recently traveled to Belgrade to train in trauma healing, and I have been leading workshops in our church on that topic. I also help IFES in Slovenia to manage their Facebook page and Instagram account.
What are your past leadership roles?
I have led the IFES student group in Maribor and given lectures about addiction, forgiveness, and happiness. I have organized summer clubs for children and helped IFES organize its Reformation festival in Maribor.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
There are many reasons. One reason is because there is a lack of Christian psychologists and counsellors in Slovenia, and there aren’t many secular psychologists either. Currently a person may have to wait one or two years if he or she wants to see a trained counsellor or psychologist. Because of that, counselling is a great opportunity for the gospel in my country. Christian counsellors have a real chance to help people and to equip churches to help people.