Student ministry
Approximate number of students in individual university towns in the Czech Republic (in the year 2007)
Our basic goal is to glorify God. Therefore, we want to be dependent on Him for everything and to live in the power of the Holy Spirit, whom we have received in the Lord Jesus. Out of His power we want to serve Him, proclaim the Gospel, and expect the changes which He only can cause in the people around us.
First of all, we understand that our calling is primarily to university students. We want to bring the Gospel to them, to show them their need for reconciliation with God through Christ. Therefore we use different forms of appealing to students and explaining the Gospel. This purpose is served by lectures at the universities and in dormitories, surveys among students, various evening programs, witnessing camps during school vacations and many other opportunities where students may encounter (often for the first time) God's Word and meet witnessing Christians.
We help new believers in Christ to develop their relationship with God through studies of Scripture in small groups and to apply God's Word to practical, everyday life. At the same time an indispensable part of our ministry is personal spiritual care, friendship, prayer and leading to maturity in Christ, i.e. discipleship. Our strong desire is that young, new Christians shall grow into mature disciples of the Lord Jesus, willing and prepared to share with others the Gospel and that which they themselves have been taught (2 Tim. 2:2).
In regular fellowship meetings, generally on university grounds, we strive to proclaim the Gospel to new comers and show them the Living God in an atmosphere of worship. These meetings also serve to grow our faith and fellowship with one another and to increase our knowledge of God through the Scriptures. Regular prayer meetings, weekend and week-long retreats with the goal of teaching, prayer, etc., also further deepen the spiritual life and encourage the battle for a lost world.
We encourage those who demonstrate faithfulness to God in their lives, and a desire to serve others and build them up in their faith, to get involved in the ministry of God. In the context of this ministry we help them to further develop biblical character, knowledge, and necessary skills. In addition to personal discipleship, we make it possible for them to get quality foundations, primarily in the areas of biblical, systematic and practical theology, through our training program. As Christians mature in their faith we help them to discover their personal calling in God's service. At the same time we encourage them, wherever they may go, to continue to proclaim the Gospel and build up Christian disciples who will continue doing the same.
We encourage new believers to be baptized and become members of a local church. KVZ is not a local church and in no way wants to usurp its indispensable role. The fellowships of local churches are a great blessing to us. We find our church 'homes' in them, together with prayer and other forms of support in mission work among students. After finishing their studies many of our alumni are significantly used by God precisely in the context of the ministry of local churches.
|