Dominik Glavas is the General Secretary of STEP / IFES / InterVarsity in Croatia.
When did you trust Christ?
I was born and raised in a Christian family, with my parents doing ministry in Croatia. Though I could say all the right words and understand the basic percepts of Christianity, it wasn't until I was a teenager that I really perceived the truth of myself as a sinner and Christ as Saviour. My father passed away when I was 16 years old, and it was then that I decided to get baptised, to make my faith my own, to follow God as my father did. I got baptised the Spring after that, and ever since then, I have been a follower of Christ.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
My parents are my greatest mentors and models of the faith, and since I was a child, I learned from them what it meant and looked like to be a Christian. My father's passing was a great moment in my faith. God truly cared and provided for our family then, and so did many Christians we knew who had worked with my father. It taught me the weight of faith, but also the hope that lies in it, especially in the sense that I will see my father again. In college, I learned a lot about breaking down the misconceptions I had about myself, church, God, and what faith looks like in a broken world. Now in ministry, I've been learning more about what it means to practice and lead with humility and compassion, trusting in faith and hope for a Kingdom that will come, one we cannot see but can know through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
My church, BC Zagreb, regularly attends the Forum. My father was also really passionate about it and had regularly attended it while alive. I expect it to greatly benefit my ministry and myself. The European Leadership Forum is a great networking opportunity, both to meet other Christian leaders and to learn from them and their experiences. I have heard great things from past attendants and the encouragement and tools they've received through this forum.
What is your ministry?
As General Secretary of STEP / IFES / InterVarsity Croatia, I lead and coordinate a student ministry that operates primarily in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, but has the potential to spread to other college cities. The goal of our ministry is to disciple and equip Christian students in their college journey, and also to join and aid them in evangelizing efforts amongst their peers and within their universities. We pray and hope we can be a visible and faithful Christian presence amongst students and in the university, and be a part of conversations about faith that happen outside the church.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I have had many leadership roles at college. I was a class chaplain and a community life counsellor. I was a camp counsellor in multiple Christian camps in the US and in Croatia. I was also part of a team that organised campus-wide prayer vigils at Wheaton College. Since graduating, I have interned at my local church, where I have served as coordinator of the international service, coordinator of the 2025 fall discipleship program, and coordinator and leader of the Alpha course. Alongside this, I have served as the leader of student activities at STEP / IFES / InterVarsity Croatia in a part-time role.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
I am a young, growing Christian leader hoping to be active in Europe, specifically in Croatia. I am continuing my leadership journey academically through an MA in Leadership program at the Wheaton Graduate School to deepen my understanding and practice of leadership so that I may better serve the country and the people I currently serve. I am also expanding my network of contacts and collaborators who will aid my ministry efforts and to whom I may be of service.
