Lidija and I both grew up in the Balkans, in predominantly Roman Catholic countries, where most people consider religion to be a private thing. In that context, we both experienced the transforming power of the Gospel and, out of gratitude, wanted to share the Gospel with other people. When you experience the beauty of the Gospel, you cannot keep silent!

Ten years ago, we moved to Maribor, the second largest city in Slovenia, where we took over the leadership of a newly founded church and started student work with IFES Slovenia. The Slovenian Evangelical community is very small (0,1%) and there is a severe shortage of national workers. In the past, we all expected that more missionaries would come to Slovenia and that mostly foreign missionary organizations would invest in spreading the Gospel in Slovenia.

However, that way of thinking has changed. We realize that missionary work is not something that is done outside our borders or the responsibility of foreign missionaries, but the privilege and responsibility of us locals. Because of this shift, we saw an opportunity to start building a network with local leaders and churches where we think and pray together about how to raise a new generation of national Gospel workers who will be trained in their local context through the apprenticeship program.

If we want to see Europe transformed by the Gospel, we have to start where we are, in our local environment with our local people.

- Bostjan and Lidija Cifer, ECMers serving in Slovenia