When did you trust Christ?
I was born into a Baptist church in Malbork, Poland. My parents became Christian a few months before they met. They changed church from Roman Catholic to Baptist and experienced some persecution. I was familiar with the Gospel from my early years because of what my parents told me and what I heard in church. My parents told me my first decision to follow Christ was when I was three, after eating potatoes and chicken for lunch. Of course, I don't remember this, but they told me we went to our friend's pastor for a talk. The decision I remember was when I was 12 years old. I was then attending Bible groups for teenagers, and after one of those groups, I remembered that I understood the Gospel mentally and decided to follow Him all my life. I was baptised at the end of high school at 18.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
The most defining moments of my Christian walk have been the hard and painful ones I have endured. When my girlfriend broke up with me in November of 2010, it changed a lot in my life and made me think harder about my faith and whether I was committed to it. Another difficult time was when my mom got cancer three years ago. It got me thinking more about life and death, about everlasting things and things that will not perish. I also learned much as a leader in a youth camp, which I have done more than ten times. Those camps changed the perspective I have on my life.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
I expect to develop the strengths that I already have. I am open to discovering other gifts/talents I don't see/use now. I am willing to try to overcome some of my weaknesses maybe. I expect God would encourage me during this process by traveling through the program and spending time with other youth leaders during YRM.
I look forward to some insights to clarify my vision for youth ministry in local and Baptist churches in Poland. I would be happy to get in contact with an experienced leader like Paul Bowman. To learn something and get some feedback for my ministry.
What is your ministry?
I'm a youth pastor and elder at Gdynia Baptist Church. I have been organising youth group life since 2012; I have been taking care of youth leaders, recruiting them, organising weekly meetings and evangelisation, delegating tasks, and organising an English camp since 2016. I also organise kids camps and take youth from my group to serve there with kids. I'm the initiator and organiser of the Winterfresh youth conference and the organiser of the Refresh Youth Festival. I'm also on the board of elders in my local church, preaching a sermon once every 6-7 weeks, preparing people for baptism, and planning the yearly calendar for our church. I am also involved in kids' ministry, teaching kids on Sunday during the sermons and helping with kids' events. I am leading a Bible group open for people in our church.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I was a youth leader at summer camps for teens about 30 times and a few times at winter camps. I have been organising local church youth group life since 2012; I have been taking care of youth leaders, recruiting them, organising weekly meetings and evangelisations, talking with youth and solving their problems, and organising English camps since 2016. I have also taken youth from my group to serve at kids’ camps. I organized the Winterfresh youth conference and Refresh Youth Festival.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
I am humble and very aware of myself, my limits, and the sins I struggle with. I am engaged in other people's lives and passionate about the ministry that I do. I finished my studies at the University of Technology in Gdansk and worked for five years as a robotics engineer with laser welding, automotive, and ships. I left my job because full-time ministry will be better for growing God's kingdom. The elders in my church and all our church also recognized that this is a good decision.
