Josef Ostřanský is a Pastor at a Baptist church in Šumper, Czechia.
When did you trust Christ?
When I was in between colleges, I was searching for a deeper meaning and truth about the world. Atheism wasn't working for me anymore. I realised there is a pattern to this world, and most importantly, I couldn't argue against my own sinfulness and the sinfulness of people in general. I realised that there was a high probability of a Creator, so I started praying and repenting. God immediately answered my first prayer by sending a person who started talking more about God with me.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
Right from the start, I had an amazing mentor and leader who invested a lot in me and helped me grow in my understanding of God's grace and sovereignty. After some time, a big part of our church decided to split away, creating a leadership vacuum. I was still young, but I knew I wanted to serve, so I stepped in and started serving as the new youth pastor and as a small group leader. When our pastor ended his term, I also took on the ministry of preaching. I am doing all of these ministries to this day.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
I hope to gain feedback and guidance, grow, and improve in my weaknesses. These are the basic steps in my journey as a preacher that I believe are essential. I now actively seek feedback from mentors and fellow leaders, because until now, it was mostly feedback from the congregation, which is nice, but not really that helpful. Sometimes it keeps me in a bubble of false positivity. Preaching is a continual process of learning and humbling myself before God. I want to see progress—have a clearer idea of what Christ aims at in every passage. I also hope to gain important connections with other, more experienced preachers, which would also help me be a more well-rounded preacher.
What is your ministry?
I am an elder, preacher, youth pastor, and small group leader. I enjoy helping other leaders grow and also helping out with our summer camp ministry.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I have been an elder, preacher, youth pastor, and small group leader in my local church. I have also been involved with summer camp ministry.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
I am young, yet I have a big impact and responsibility as a preacher, leader, and elder. I am improving as a preacher and a leader, but I still have much more room to grow. Having better training would go a long way in my ministry.
