God uses many different ways and means to draw a child to Himself. His sovereign grace is leading and guiding many men and women to open their hearts to salvation first, and then to abounding ministry in glorifying His name.

When God begins a work in one’s heart, He is faithful to bring it to completeness, while opening doors to His plans and purposes. Even when the world has shown us something different, He reveals truth to us in such a way that full transformation can take place. 

Please pray for Filip in the story below, who has been transformed and is so ready to live a life sold out for that truth!  Pray also for his family and church, as they grow together in God’s love and grace.  

“Recently in our Gdansk Regional Baptist Association, which is led by Krzysztof Osiecki. We had an ordination of a very young pastor. I would like to share with you his interesting testimony of how God is working and changing people’s hearts even without using other people. Truly, His grace will find those who are called by Him.

Meet Filip, who is 26 years old. He’s been married to Julia for four years, and he is currently the youngest ordained pastor in the Polish Baptist Union. Filip grew up in a typical Polish Catholic family, in a small town in northern Poland. His spiritual journey began in earnest when, at the age of 12, he began to take an interest in the Bible that he had in his home. He had never heard about Protestants and Bible-teaching churches. He had never met someone who would share the Gospel with him. His fascination with the Bible made him discover many differences between the teaching he knew and what the Holy Scriptures really say. At the age of 13 to 14, Filip began to consider himself a Protestant— about which he had read on the Internet—although he still lacked a full understanding of the Gospel. He understood that Jesus died for our sins, but he could not understand the salvation offered by Christ. The breakthrough came when he came across a section of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, which spoke of justification by faith, regardless of works. This question tormented him until, he listened to a personal blog from the former president of the Polish Baptist Union, where he discovered that it is not our works, but faith in Christ that gives us salvation. Although at that time he intellectually understood the Gospel, his heart had not yet experienced God’s love.

The moment of transformation came when Filip watched the film Fireproof on the Internet. Moved by the movie, he knelt and prayed to God, confessing his sins, asking for forgiveness and a new life. At that moment, he experienced great peace and joy, knowing that he had been found by God. This experience changed his life forever. Filip began to study God’s Word deeply and share his faith with others, even though it was not always easy. His involvement in evangelism led to conflict with the priests, which ultimately resulted in his not being allowed to receive confirmation. However, God’s leading was clear—Filip became involved with the Baptist Church in Chojnice, a town 20 miles from his home. He joined the youth group and was baptized at the age of 18. Moreover, his testimony transformed the life of his mother, who was also baptized a year later.

As Filip grew older, God increasingly burdened his heart with the thought of pastoral service. This desire grew, and Filip knew that his life would only make sense if he devoted himself completely to God’s Kingdom. The support of his brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as his experiences at the youth camp in small village of Świętajno, confirmed his conviction that his calling was to serve and share the good news of the Gospel. He decided to study theology and at the same time became increasingly involved in the life of the church, leading services and preaching. 

In 2020, it was a time full of changes—he graduated from seminary, got engaged to Julia, and six months later they got married, which, despite the difficulties related to the pandemic, was one of the most joyful moments of his life. Now Filip looks to the future with great joy, full of gratitude for God’s guidance. He plans to continue his service in the Baptist Chuch “EXE” in Gdańsk, with the hope that he will be able to help others experience the same love and grace that he himself received from God. His ordination happened on May 19 this year. Please pray for Filip, his marriage, ministry and church he is ministering in.”