Lifting up Christ

Most Saturday mornings are spent lifting up Christ in Croatia. Over the years I've come to learn that all of my efforts are for nothing if Christ hasn't been lifted up. I spent many years frustrated and discouraged for lack of results. One of the greatest days in my ministry is when God showed me that it was not about me, and what I could do, but rather it was all about Christ! Because of this realization our emphasis every Saturday morning is to lift up Christ. 

Croatian people have religion, but what they truly need is Christ! They don't always, ok most of the time don't want Christ. But they desperately need Christ! In a place like this we don't always see great results, but I've learned that if Christ has been lifted up for all to see then we have not failed but succeeded. 

Where ever you may be serving, learn to lift up Christ! Give your people a fighting chance to stay out of hell! Remember my friend, it's not about you or your ability, it's all about Christ. Lift Him up so that all can see Christ!

Giving another son to the Lord!

When all of our children were very young Tori and I gave them to the Lord, along with everything else that belongs to us. We own nothing it all belongs to Jesus! He purchased all that we have when He bought us with His own precious blood. We gladly and cheerfully turn ownership of all we have to Jesus.

A few years ago we understood really what that meant. Many of you know that we live on the mission field of Croatia and have done so for 13 years now. Our children have grown up here. They've had to learn a new culture and language.  They've done so cheerfully and have never complained about the will of God for mine and Tori's life. All I can say is Amen right there! Although we gave our children to the Lord, a few years ago that was brought to more than just mere words when are oldest son went to Bible college in the USA. Now I know that many send their children off to College. However, there is an ocean between us. There is no seeing him at Christmas, Thanksgiving, Spring break nor Summer vacation. We have had to go back to that time when we gave him to Jesus and remember that he is in the hands of our Lord, for he belongs to Him! Amen right there!

Now we come to this place again. Our next son, Joshua, is graduating High School. We will be bringing him home tomorrow so that he can graduate in May. We will come back to Croatia in June, but he will not. He will be staying behind to go to Bible college. I thought it would be a little easier this time, but it is not. I am brought to my knees and realize that I'm flesh, just like everyone else. I have fears, doubts and worries like everyone else. I have decided to turn to the Lord, that great Sheppard of the sheep and rest in His faithfulness! 

If I had a 1,000 lives to live. I would want to be a servant of the Lord Jesus in everyone!

Please don't think I'm whining nor complaining, for I am not. I just wanted you to know what life is like in the field!

Festival!

After 7,000 tracts, 1,200 John and Romans, and several hours standing in town I'm officially tired. But I can say that it's a good tired. We had such a wonderful time standing in town and being a witness for our Lord and Savior. After three days in town our presence was certainly known. Many people now have a chance to escape the fires and torments of hell. I'm so encouraged by all of our people who came to stand in their home town to let people know that their is a Savior who loves them.

There was nobody saved that we know of, but so many were reading the tracts and John and Romans, and I'm sure somebody's going to get saved!

Ministry update!

OK I know I haven't blogged in a really long time, and I'm really sorry about that! I want to get back in the habit so I thought I would start with a ministry update. Lately I have been really busy and I praise the Lord for it.

We have officially moved the church plant in Varazdin into another building. We have found a place to rent in a very good location. The landlords want to sale the place and they have given us the option to buy it. They even said we could pay it off within two years. This is not usually an option in Croatia. For now I told them we will wait and see what God will do.

Since we have been in the new building there have been visitors almost every service. The landlords have also attended almost every service and they told me that we were an answer to prayer. They have been searching for truth and they believe God sent us to them. I believe God just may be involved in this move.

We opened the building up with Friend Day, and we had many visitors and dinner on the grounds. It was a great service and wonderful way to open the new building up!

Our Church has literally flooded this town with Gospel tracts. Every Thursday and Saturday we are in the square witnessing and distributing literature. It's almost comical now how many people pass by and say, I've already got one, some even say I've already got several of those at home. We are all excited that we are here and making a difference in Varazdin!

The Church in Cakovec is also doing well. We have had a new family come consistently and our vans have been full. Many of you know that a dear Brother in California purchased two vans for our ministry. They are already full and quite possibly we will be running a van and a mini van to one of the villages. Many of the kids want to bring their friends!

This week they are having a festival in Cakovec, and we will be there several hours a day witnessing and passing out tracts. I'll try and keep you all informed of how it goes.

Thank you all for praying for our family and the work in Croatia!

Please Pray!

Dear praying Friends,

I just got word from Brother Dean, the Gypssy man that I'm working with, he wants to take us into a village tomorrow that nobody has been too before with the Gospel.

Please pray for us tommorrow that God will give us power to stand up for him! Also pray that many will be saved.

After this village we will return to Bro. Dean's village to preach there and begin teaching those who were saved last week!

It will be a busy day and we will need God's help and your prayers!

Because of Jesus,

Bro. Johnny Leslie

Ministry update!

Dear Praying Friends,

What a great few weeks we have had! We have seen several call upon the name of the Lord, and we have passed out several 1000 Gospel tracts. Last Saturday we, as a Church took 20 people to a town called Velika Gorica. This town is the 8th largest town in Croatia. By God's grace we were able to pass out 3,000 Gospel tracts and 1,000 John and Romans. We also saw two people glouriously saved and at least another six people heard a clear presentation of the Gospel! Brother Rich, the national pastor, was so excited because he had a group of about 7 people around him and he was able to preach to them. We are greatly rejoicing that the Gospel was able to shine through us in this town!

On Monday Bro. Sam, Bro. Scott and I went to Zagreb, the capitol of Croatia, to buy Bro. Sam a car. God led us to the perfect car for Bro. Sam, and while waited for the man to do the paper work we went into the town of Zagreb armed with Gospel tracts. We three men stood infront of the main train station for three hours and passed out several hundred Gospel tracts. Each one of us had the priveldge to win someone to Christ! What a great day it was!

However, the day was not finished! On our way home we stopped by the Gypssy village where we have been wanting to start a Church. We have had some set backs there and it looks like we have fixed the problem. One of the men in this village spread lies about us, so Bro. Dean was angry at us. This same man spread lies about Bro. Dean to us. It looks like the devil was using this man to destroy something of God. Well we worked it all out, and brother Dean brought me a man from the village named Joseph. Dean wanted me to tell him of Jesus, which I did and Joseph was glouriously and eternaly saved. After talking to Joseph I heard what sounded like preaching from out side the house. Bro. Sam and Bro. Scott had gathered a crowd and one Gzppsy boy was trying to translate Bro. Sam while he preached to this crowd. I came outside a took over the translation work and Bro. Sam cut loose with the Gospel. There was a crowd of Children, men and women who heard the glourious Gospel of Jesus Christ! When Bro. Sam was finished we gave them an invitation to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior! I'm not sure how many prayed, but it must have been at least 15. I then told them we would be back next week to teach them the Bible, so that they could learn more of Jesus. They said they would come back and they wanted to know exactly when we would be back. What a day it was! We trully felt refreshed in the Lord.

Please pray for these who have excepted Jesus as their Saviour!

Because of Jesus,

Bro. Johnny Leslie

I'm still here!

I just wanted to post something quick, and let all of you know we are still out here. God has been good as always and we have seen many come to Christ.

Today we are having Friend Day, and we are all waiting to see what God is going to do. We have worked hard, prayed and fasted and now we leave everything in our Saviors hands!

I'll be trying to post more frequently so that you all may know what is going on in Croatia!

Until then,

Bro. Johnny

Men's trip to Krk!

We are getting ready to kick off our conference with Brother Smith! Our theme this year is, Is the end of the world near? Brother Smith will be preaching every night about the return of Jesus Christ! Brother Smith is an old time preacher who still believes the book, the blood and the blessed hope! He has been coming to Croatia every year for the last four years. Usually when he comes he never has time to see any of the beauty of Croatia, because the conference usually starts immediately when he arrives. This year I wanted to take him down to the coast, so that he could see a little of Croatia. Yesterday we took a group of men, with tracts in our hands and took the three and half hour drive to Krk. For you that may not know Krk is an Island of the Croatian coast, and it is simply beautiful. We had a great time of fellowship as we enjoyed God's creation, and the old Mediterranean cities along the way! Below you will find a few few pictures of our trip!

Brother Smith, he is our special speaker this week!

Me and Cody, How did he ever get taller than me!

Brother Rich under the Croatian flag, he loves his country!

Brother Scott with a handful of tracts and John and Romans!

Croatian countryside!


Me and Brother Rich, we have stood together for 10 years reaching the Croatian people for the Lord!


Brother Scott and Brother Rich doing what Baptist do best, they were looking at the menu of a local restaurant!


Brother Sam with tracts in hand and no one will get by him!

Blessings and battles!

Boy have we been busy here! I'm not complaining I enjoy the fact that God has kept me busy in the field. Just today we had two saved and one baptized!!!! Last week we had one baptized!!! These are great victories for us!




Yesterday I picked up Bro. Sam Ward from the airport. Many of you may know that Brother Sam comes to Croatia to help with our soul-winning conferences. This time he came and had a one way ticket! Glory to God!




Brother Holcomb's family seems to be settling in just fine. They are busy in the Church and are learning the language.




I have learned in ministry when you have great victories then great problems usually follow. Tonight while trying to pick people up for church, our van broke a belt that left it crippled. It made it hard to pick up everybody for Church, but praise the Lord Brother Scott came through. Then also tonight the lady that got Baptized had something stolen from her in Church. She is pretty upset about it, and we pray that the devil doesn't use it for a stumbling block against her. Please pray for Nina.




Tomorrow we head to Budapest to pick up Brother Smith, who will be preaching a conference for us this coming week.

I know this is kinda of a scattered post, but I wanted you all to know what was going on with us here!