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September 12, 2024

Summer Festivals

Dear Friends,

Not all of your fruit grows on our trees.

The vision of Josiah Venture is a movement of God among the youth of Central and Eastern Europe, a movement that finds its home in the local church and transforms society. Over the years, we have developed powerful vehicles to pursue that vision through Training, National Conferences, Camps, Fusion Music Ministry, Edge Sports, and Exit Ministry in schools.

Thankfully there are also others working with youth in the region, and helping them be successful with their programs is also vital to seeing our vision become a reality. Summer festivals are a great example of this investment.

Young people love to gather in large groups around passionate worship, inspiring teaching, and encouraging relationships. Summer is a perfect time to make this happen. Though we do not directly lead any of these festivals, our staff often serve in key roles, teaching, leading, hosting, and counseling.

Campfest is the largest festival for young people in Slovakia, gathering over 4000 young people for three days of passionate pursuit of God in early August. Peter served in the planning group for this event and spent most of the festival in the counseling tent, talking individually with the hundreds of young people responding to the challenges or seeking help. This year the counseling team lead over 70 to faith in Christ, and every evening the tent was packed with young believers lining up for prayer and spiritual guidance.

Darina spoke on the main stage about what it means to know God as Father, and I led a follow-up seminar based on my book “Father God”. This key resource has been translated into Slovak so young people can read it in their own language. My seminar started at 9:00 at night, so I expected a small group, but the tent was packed with several hundred, with just as many sitting on picnic tables or the ground outside, listening in the dark. There was such a teachable spirit and hunger for God in their faces. Many are experiencing breakthroughs that allow them to experience the Father’s love and transforming connection with their heavenly Father for the first time.

Festival United gathers over 3000 young believers from across the Czech Republic, which is significant, given that there are only 50,000 evangelical believers in this very secular country. Kuba hosted the main stage for this event and teamed up with his wife Monika to teach young people about God’s view on sex. As you can imagine, the tent was full for this subject. Lucie served on the counseling team and other JV staff led seminars.

Kristfest is an event hosted for young people from the Apostolic church in Czech, and Justin and Lucie lead the main team for this event. Their deep commitment to the Word of God, coupled with an amazing understanding of this young generation, has made this festival a rallying point for their entire denomination. Adam, the head of youth ministry for the Apostolic church, trusted Christ through a JV Exit club when he was in High School, which gives him a special heart for young people who need the gospel. It is a joy to see gifted leaders we have discipled serving in key roles throughout the national church.

None of these Festivals are JV events, but I’m so thankful for how our JV team sacrifices to see fruit increase wherever young people are reached. They can only do this because you stand with them through your support and prayers.

This month, I am especially thankful for your fruit on other trees.

Dave Patty President

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