Budapest Lectures Energize the Hungarian Church

By Bryan Hughes

Recently the Church of God in Hungary and the Three-Worlds (3W) region of Global Missions co-hosted The Budapest Lectures. 3W coordinates the ministry of the Church of God across Europe and the Middle East. Ken Oldham, 3W pastor in Egypt, tells us that this is a quarterly event “organized by the Hungarian Church of God to help pour in to the young leaders and pastors within their community.” He continues, “[The lectures] bring specific teachings on short intensive topics that can really equip the leaders and the churches for the future work that they are going to be doing.”

Leaders were brought in from the international church as well as from the surrounding area in Eastern Europe. They led classes on church planting, missionary support and development, and effective worship, among others. There are plans to continue bringing in leaders from North America and expand to leaders from the Middle East for future lectures.

Svetlana, a leader from Bulgaria and participant in the Budapest lectures shared about the event. “I didn’t expect it to be such a beautiful city. I’m astonished,” she exclaimed. “The lectures were very helpful for me and refreshing.”

When asked what the international church could do to help young leaders in this region of the world, Sonny, another participant and leader in Bulgaria, said, “The international church can pray for the Church of God in Bulgaria, for us to develop closer relationships that will make people more comfortable with the church so we can attract new people.”

The 3W region leadership team plans to offer scholarships for regional church leaders to attend these special courses. They have made it a priority to create healthy connectivity within the Church of God in Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.

Hosting this event in Budapest provides a centralized place to meet for regular training and fellowship. The lectures are designed to help churches and leaders navigate the challenges of post-Christendom environments.

Patrick Nachtigal, Three-Worlds region team leader and regional coordinator for Europe and the Middle East, believes there is a lot of potential for expanding God’s kingdom through this series. “We are very excited to be partnering with the Church of God in Hungary. They show a tremendous desire to learn, to be connected, and to give back to the whole region,” Patrick shares. “Keep an eye on the Budapest Lectures.”