Marta Sobiech-Buzała is a social scientist and editor in Poland.
When did you trust Christ?
I decided to follow Christ when I was in high school. Most of my childhood was spent questioning whether a good God existed. Then, during a very dark time in high school, the Gospel message came to me while reading Romans, and that's when I realised that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. I decided that I would put all my trust in Him.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
The family Christian camps I attended with my dad and the friendships I made there were crucial to my faith. I also saw other believers live out God's principles. On a trip with my friends, I told God I wanted to give up my current lifestyle, but I needed His help. When I decided to be baptised, I was plagued by forceful doubts, which turned into depressive episodes and anxiety. Finally, I learned to surrender and rely on Christ.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
Participating in ELF is a very important time of the year for me, as it allows me to really connect with other believers dealing with issues similar to mine. In Poland, there are very few evangelical Christians (we make up less than 1% of the population) and even fewer Christians who focus on social issues and are educated in this field. Last year, I received so much support and motivation from participants in my Network that I truly want to continue attending the Forum and learning more. It is really very important to me, and I believe that the skills I gain during ELF are beneficial in my ministry for the glory of the Lord!
What is your ministry?
My current ministry outside my local church is to write a Christian book with my friend (also a PhD student in social sciences) on social issues in the Polish context, to write articles and record podcasts on these topics for Christian portals and YouTube channels, and to be the voice of evangelical Christianity at university when it comes to the sociology of religion. In my local church, on the other hand, I am a co-leader of the young adult group with my husband, dealing with coordination issues and young adult ministry. I am also responsible for social media related to this group. In addition, I am part of the worship team, singing at services and co-organising outreach trips for women in our church.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
In 2021, I spoke at the Apologetics Conference. I have led worship at my church for several years, organised conferences, and been active with social media and graphic design. I have also helped young women in difficult family situations. I have a lot of experience in lay leadership.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
I want to be trained at the Forum because this is the only initiative in my country where I can learn so much about my ministry as a social scientist. We don't have many conferences of this type in Poland. In fact, as a person who gives lectures and workshops myself, I don't have many opportunities to get further training in the topics I deal with from a Christian perspective.
