Zdenek Pokorný is a pastor in the Czech Republic.
When did you trust Christ?
A while back, I was leading a group of children and observed how bad some of them were. I concluded that mankind would destroy each other if all people were like this group. I began to wonder why we hadn’t already done so. How could the world still exist? I came to realise that there must be someone or something holding the world together, someone or something that is good. Was it God? Later, when I was 19, I met a Christian who shared the Gospel with me. The Gospel answered the questions and ideas I had, and I became a Christian that very day in May 1987.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
After the fall of Communism, I started to lead the youth group. We ran 12 small groups in our youth group, and I was offered a part-time job in the church as a youth pastor. However, I needed to grow, so I went on to study the Bible and Christian ministry at university, which greatly impacted me. Other things that formed my growth include those I met through Campus Crusades for Christ, God’s calling for me to enter full-time ministry, and God's calling me to start an outreach ministry shortly before I left my position in youth ministry.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
I hope to gain new and fresh ideas for my ministry and to consult with leaders who are more mature than I am. I also hope to receive encouragement by meeting and listening to other Christians from other countries in Europe.
What is your ministry?
I've been an associate pastor for the last 20 years, and I used to work at a church plant. My role involves preaching, leading a small group, and organising the administration of our church. I have also taken care of the church facilities for the last several years.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I led the junior high youth group, small Bible study groups, and many teams at children's camps and other outreach camps and events.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
I need some input from outside my ministry. I need refreshment and new ideas. I cannot give to our congregation and others without also receiving nourishment for my own soul.
