Maryia Kazlouskaya is a church leader in Belarus.
When did you trust Christ?
I was born into a Christian family, but my personal relationship with Jesus started when I was 12. He started showing me His character until I became sure that He could really be trusted. When I got to know Him better personally (from experience, not just church teachings), I decided to trust Him with my life.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
The example of my parents was defining for my faith. Thanks to them, I could see living Christianity in daily practice. It formed the base of my understanding about God. I was also influenced by the treatment of certain Christian friends who showed me selfless love and acceptance for a long period of time. From this, I started to believe in God's love. Lastly, I have received lots of answers to different questions and revelations from God, including through the Bible, dreams, prophets, preachers, etc. That's the way I grow in Him.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
I heard about the Forum from my mother and pastor, who attended several years ago. I expect inspiration and new ideas for developing the ministries. We really need to broaden our horizons, gain a fresh perspective, and receive encouragement so that our ministry does not stop developing. I hope the information and contacts from the Forum will help further our organisation and the delivery of the Gospel.
What is your ministry?
Now, I am part of the church leadership group: I take part in Sunday school and prayer ministries. In Sunday school, I help to organise the process and find/adapt the teaching concept to reflect our church's vision. In prayer ministry, I am one of the leaders. My task is to guide in prayer, indicate the main theme, and speak about prayer, worship, and a personal relationship with God. In both ministries, I am looking for ways to tell people about the living God I know without religious prejudices and formalism.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I was a leader of a Sunday school block (ages 10 to 13), a manager of coffee service (prepared coffee breaks before and after the church meetings), and a manager of church teaching events (determined dates and seminar topics and found speakers).
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
It is more difficult to get to the Forum from our country due to financial and documentary issues related to crossing the border and customs. My colleagues and I are not supported by investors as ministers; everything we do is voluntary and unpaid. Therefore, I need financial and prayerful support to participate in the Forum. This will contribute to the development of young church ministers and to the preaching of the Gospel in the post-Soviet space.
