Ivica Horvat is a Pastor and the President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Croatia.
When did you trust Christ?
I was raised as the youngest of three sons in a pastor's family. As a boy, I knew God's Word well and said 'yes' to Christ for the first time when I was 12. Even though I was 'very good' in the eyes of other believers, my heart was full of sin; yet, outwardly, I pretended that everything was great. At a youth camp when I was 17 years old, I listened to the testimony of my cousin, who was a couple of years older than I was. The Holy Spirit spoke clearly to me, 'That's precisely what you are, outwardly great, but inside you keep garbage in your soul and grieve God'. That evening, a few of us went to pray, and in repentance, I brought before God everything dirty and sinful. We prayed together for almost two hours, and after that, I felt great joy and freedom.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
First, I hope to be encouraged not to give up investing in a better understanding of the goal in front of me. Second, I wish to recognise the value of the lesson offered to me and be challenged to face my bad habits that reduce my effectiveness in achieving my goal. Third, to have the opportunity to learn something new in business, leadership, and walking with God. I want to learn about time management, team management, and monitoring the execution of my tasks and the tasks of my colleagues. Finally, I want to see concrete ways that what I believe in, 'business as mission', can be better and more concretely applied through the experiences of others I will see or hear.
What is your ministry?
I am a Pastor and the President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Croatia. As President, my main task is to cooperate with pastors, solve pastoral problems, and encourage spiritual growth and missionary activity in all churches. Finally, I am a member of the executive board of the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek, and I serve there as treasurer. My task as treasurer is to ensure the college's financial stability and to provide logistical support for the quality development of the school. In addition, I am a Christian business owner and leader.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I am the owner and CEO of three companies. I have led companies of various sizes for over 35 years. Additionally, I serve as the President of the Association of Baptist Churches in the Republic of Croatia and as a pastor at the Baptist Union.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
My most profound interest lies in encouraging and mentoring Christian business people (regardless of whether they are a start-up or have been in business for a long time). As a pastor and businessman, I believe this is necessary for spiritual growth and outreach to people who need Christ.
