February 07, 2011
by Zygmunt Karel
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November 1 is a national holiday in Poland, known as “All Saints Day.” Tradition holds that families gather around the graves of their departed loved ones to pray for the souls of those passed on. And Poles, being the tradition-loving people they are, make the most of this holiday. Traffic in the country moves like an ice-choked river, with thousands of policemen called upon to supervise the flow. Leading up to the holiday and throughout that day, media broadcasts offer cautionary warnings about safe driving. Yet the statistics are tragic. In 2010, 407 car accidents occurred, taking 39 lives and leaving more than 500 seriously injured. And police stopped more than 1,500 drunk drivers. The financial cost is a millstone hung around the neck of an already overstressed national budget.
All Saints Day, regardless the revelry, has a spiritual undertone. Families place lit candles and flowers on graves, then gather around to pray for the dead. When night falls, the millions of flickering lights produce a spectacular sight.
But it’s also a heartbreaking one. While the numbers of people who celebrate All Saints Day have an adverse effect on the social and economic welfare of the country, the celebration itself has a greater effect on the souls of our citizens. Every November 1, I’m reminded that I minister in a land hardened by religious beliefs and traditions that are contrary to the truth of Scripture. Many Poles live on the edge of paganism. Religion has become almost a form of magic—a sort of hocus-pocus approach to spiritual life—informed by superstitions and local traditions. I know of an educated woman whose granddaughter became seriously ill. On one particular night, at midnight, she circled a church three times and threw away a doll, a symbol of the sick girl. Gratefully, God in His mercy and grace spared the child. But this woman was convinced in the depths of her soul that her actions that night were what restored to health her granddaughter.
Life lived on the ragged edge of paganism not only blinds eyes to spiritual truth, it also throws lives into chaos. Statistics of sexually transmitted diseases, out-of-wedlock births, abortions, and divorces are alarmingly high. And the percentage of alcohol and drug addiction is staggering.
High percentages of abortions, divorces, or addictions don’t make Poland unique. People are people, no matter where they live. And people are sinful. Ministering in Poland is a unique challenge in that most Poles live also on the edge of traditional religion. But therein lies the problem—the majority of Poles practice the traditions of religion, not the principles of biblical faith. When Jesus told His disciples to lift up their eyes and “look on the fields . . . they are white for harvest” (John 4:35), He could have had Poland in mind. At another time, the Lord said to the disciples that “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2). This, too, is true in Poland.
In a country of 38 million souls, less than a quarter of one percent are evangelical believers in Jesus Christ—roughly 50,000 people. These believers are scattered throughout the country in some 500 churches, each with membership averaging 100 or less. Distance, small numbers, and rivalries among many church leaders make it difficult to achieve a common vision. And while individual organizations see what Jesus saw—a ripe harvest—without a shared vision and cooperation to reach Poland for Christ, these organizations find that their passion and creativity wanes as soon as their founding leaders move on. It is this lack of organization and shared zeal among evangelical leaders that has thus far led to a lack of vigorous action in organizing larger, nationwide evangelistic gatherings, such as an event to coincide with the upcoming EURO 2012 football (soccer) match.
But hope exists for Poland. Teenagers have a growing hunger for knowledge. They are interested in learning foreign languages—such as English, German, and Russian—and are open to ideas that may contradict the religious superstitions of their parents and grandparents. New churches are being planted. Mission organizations are growing. Churches and seminaries are gaining greater respect in Polish society. And Christian radio stations are emerging ever so slowly.
The current challenges and changes taking place in Poland make this an exciting time to minister. And Insight for Living Poland has an important role to play. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). The truth that comes through the solid biblical teaching of Chuck Swindoll can play a huge role in setting Poland free from the superstitions of religious traditionalism. This is why we labor to translate Chuck’s sermons and books, maintain an Internet presence, and educate local pastors in expositional preaching. But we are small and the harvest is vast. Won’t you “beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2) to help us as we minister on the ragged edge in Poland?