Our History – Czechia
Czechia has a rich history of men and women who have stood against all odds to not only remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ but have boldly taken up the cross of Christ to trumpet the ways of God in their land.
The Gospel was brought to the Czech lands by Methodius and Cyril in the 800s. They are credited as the apostles to the Slavic tribes. These foreigners came to bring us the good news, just as there are many in our land today that trumpet the call of God in Czechia, believing that this nation is the inheritance of our Lord Jesus' Christ (more on Wikipedia).
Jan Hus (1372-1415) was a church reformer seeking to restore what had gone awry in the church in his day. His influence spread throughout Western Europe. As one of Charle's University's foremost leaders, he impacted the future leaders of the nations who were trained in Prague. Hus is perhaps most known for standing up for truth and justice, even until death (more).
Jan Amos Komenský (1592-1670) was a man of great virtue, intelligence, and creativity. He is credited for being the father of modern education through his innovative thought and ideas. He served as a bishop in the Unity of the Brethren, after which he became a religious refugee. Komenský influenced leaders, governments, and schools throughout Protestant Europe during the days of his life. He ensured textbooks were written in the Czech language instead of Latin, preserving both the history and identity of the Czech people. In calling attention to the importance of learning over time and critical thinking instead of memorization, among other things, Komenský transformed education as we know it to this day (more).
Escaping religious persecution, a group of Moravians (1722) fled to Germany and were welcomed by Count Nikolas Zinzendorf. There, the Moravians established a community they called Herrnhut.
Though it was a rocky start, after the community received heart understanding of the biblical commandment to love one another, their fellowship grew and bore fruit like never before. The Moravians established 24.7 prayer that lasted for 100 years and founded many cities around the world in which the key-value of loving one another was practically lived out. Missionaries were sent all over the world, whose impact is still felt across the globe. Many gave their lives and some even sold themselves into slavery so that others could hear the gospel.
With such fortitude and perseverance, we have much to be grateful for in our heritage (more).
Our history is not just in centuries past. Heaven will tell the stories of those whose voices were hidden or silenced by oppressive regimes and persecution. Part of our modern-day story includes men and women whom God encountered in the 1980’s and began movements throughout Czechia igniting the power of the Holy Spirit across the land.
We would be amiss to leave out the many, many, many grandparents, mothers and fathers who have sown decades of prayer and love in the nation, of which we are now reaping a harvest in this Kairos time. No generation stands alone. We build upon one another so the next can go further than the last. Though their names may not be known by people, we know their names are celebrated and known in heaven. We honour those who have gone before us. We thank them. We will take what they have given us and go further. Our children will live in a land that knows and loves the Lord Jesus Christ in greater measures than we did.
No generation stands alone. We take the baton!