Daniel Hamar
I am the leader of the Hungarian chapter of 4M, an international movement for men. We take them out on adventures into the wilderness to talk about God’s view of masculinity, challenging them in all fields of life. Our main program is Extreme Character Challenge, a 72 hours challenge in the mountains. We also make programs for women and father-son pairs.
In 2002 I believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Before that, I had a postmodern view: I thought of Jesus as a great teacher or a magician but nothing more. After my brother accepted Jesus Christ, I had several conversations with him, making me rethink my ideas regarding God, Jesus, and the Bible. Eventually, I had to admit that Jesus is the Savior. I realized that God must exist and that he only wants me to accept Jesus and his sacrifice for me. About a year after I believed, I talked with my pastor, which made me realize that I can’t expect God to change my life if I never obey what he says. Now I am hungry for Him and willing to submit faithfully to Him. I went to Bible College, where I learned what God expects from a man, how we are to walk in this world, what authentic spirituality is. I read biographies and was able to meet missionaries, and these things made my heart ache. I struggled with doubts and questions during those years, but they made my faith more solid.
A year after being born again, I realised that intellectual belief wasn't enough. For the first year, I thought I could continue in my previous lifestyle since God accepted me as I am. But after a year, I was miserable and wondered what was wrong. Why didn't I see any good fruit of God in my life? Then I realised that following God means trusting in His word, living in His ways, obeying Him, etc. That was one of the most significant moments. Then, not long after, at a Christian festival, I experienced the Holy Spirit working through me for the first time. A huge impact was a conversation with a friend years later, which also made me realise what it means to walk in faith for my whole life. There is not enough time and space to explain how profound and life-changing the paradigm shift was that started there, but I began to understand the nature of faith.
Since I started attending the Forum, I'm more theologically sound. The Forum also helps stay tuned to the evangelical leaders in Europe and what is happening in the church continent-wide. Meeting leaders from all over Europe is beneficial. It helps me keep in perspective. Also, I received much help with my leadership skills and character. I have invited many leaders to different year-round mentoring groups and to attend the Forum. I am part of the Hungarian National Forum, but I'm not in a leadership role.
I was one of the pastors at Calvary Chapel, the church where I was saved. I was responsible for the everyday life of the church, for events, for teaching, and for pastoring people. I also led the evangelistic ministry and co-led the youth program, including a separate evening service, worship concerts, and a Bible study.
I often see success in my ministry despite my flaws. This is because God always provides; he does these things and not me. I hope people will support his work through me.