What is your ministry?
I live in Zadar, where I serve as an associate pastor. My role is to assist the church's senior pastor in preaching, teaching, discipleship, and other pastoral roles. Also, I assist two of our church's church plants by leading the Bible study and helping when there are outreaches. I also serve as a secretary of the Good News Association, where I am one of the editors for translation projects.
When did you trust Christ?
I trusted Christ for salvation in 1996. I was raised in an unreligious home, as my father was a Roman Catholic agnostic and my mother an Orthodox unbeliever (until she later came to faith in Christ). When I was 15, I met evangelical Christians who witnessed me through a youth group ministry. After a few months of hanging out with Christians and reading the Gospel of John, I realised I believed in Jesus and wanted to follow Him as my Lord and Savior.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
The first one was after my mother passed away in 1998. I had a big crisis of faith for several months. But the Lord has brought me through it through reading His Word and prayer, as well as some brothers and sisters who showed me love and stayed with me through the experience. About ten years ago, my wife and I went through a crisis in our marriage. We struggled to trust the Lord and each other as we faced personal challenges.
Nevertheless, we sought Godly counsel and relied on the Lord, and we came out of that crisis with a stronger faith, closer to each other, and more resolved to live for Christ. The people who counseled us were helpful in the process, and it was so good to know we could rely on them. Then, a few years ago, I was mistreated by an older colleague. At that time, I had another pastor-friend who was able to listen to my struggles and guide me through them so I would not do anything that would cause more harm.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
I am also interested in expanding my theological knowledge along with my pastoral and church-planting ministry work. I aim to teach part-time at a Bible college or within churches. I hold a Master's degree (MTh) in systematic theology, which is focused on public theology. I am praying and contemplating whether pursuing a Ph.D. is the right step for me. During ELF, I hope to learn from other theologians, connect with like-minded individuals with similar visions, and establish future partnerships with them.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I served as a pastor of a church plant in Nova Gradiska for nine years, and for 1.5 years during this time, I also served as a pastor in a Baptist church in Pozega. I served as a team leader for Pioneers in Zagreb for two years. I served as an associate pastor in the Baptist Church Malesnica in Zagreb for two years.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
I feel uncomfortable promoting myself, but I firmly believe that God has given me opportunities to serve in ministries such as church-planting, Christian publishing, and theology. However, I recognise that I can become even more effective with further training and networking. Attending ELF would be beneficial for all of my current and future ministries. I am committed to continuous growth in my theological understanding and ministry skills.
