Vanja Nikolinovic is a youth minister, artist, and theology student in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
When did you trust Christ?
My decision to follow Jesus came when I was 13 years old, at a large conference in Germany. It was amazing to see so many young people worshipping God and desiring to live a life devoted to Him.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
At age 13, I was rapidly growing, and I had a lot of back and neck pain. At the conference I attended in Germany, there was an opportunity to have some leaders pray for us. I told them about the pain I was experiencing. A leader put his hand on the painful spots, and while we were praying, I felt a warm sensation in those areas, and the pain left. That was the moment I decided that God was real and that I would trust Him with my life.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
I expect to gain new abilities that are important in my ministry with children, teenagers, and young adults. I believe that art is critical to the development of young people, and I wish that I had the means to incorporate it into ministry and to truly teach people to express themselves physically, emotionally, and artistically. I believe Year-Round Mentoring will be an excellent opportunity for me to gain the knowledge and abilities to do exactly that.
What is your ministry?
My current ministry is primarily focused on children, teenagers, and young adults through church-organised activities such as camps and conferences in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I am also studying theology in preparation for future ministry.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I have worked with children, teenagers, and young adults at Christian camps, conferences, and other church-related activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
My artwork does not currently have any direct relationship to my ministry. Year-Round Mentoring is where I wish to learn how to blend both of my ministry callings. I believe it is of the utmost importance for me as a youth leader to challenge young people under my care in an artistic, as well as an intellectual sense.
