Josiah Venture Stories

The Josiah Venture vision for 2030 is "Like Jesus," and it was also the theme for our 2026 Fall Conference in the Czech Republic. We want to be a team that: Makes disciples *like Jesus Builds disciple-making ministries *like Jesus! Loves the church *like Jesus! At the conference, host Gwynne Turner had the privilege of sitting down with various Josiah Venture missionaries who serve across Central and Eastern Europe. The recording took place in a camping trailer in the middle of the conference tent, so you might hear some conference background noise, as we recorded during worship rehearsals and run-throughs for the evening program. This is part 2 of those interviews!   Judita Kocis, Croatia 🇭🇷 (1:47 - 8:11) Inguna Raudina, Latvia 🇱🇻 (8:12 - 16:10) Anastasiia Ponomarenko, Ukraine 🇺🇦 (16:11 - 20:25) Yoan Tsonchev, Bulgaria 🇧🇬 (20:50 - 29:00) Zuzka Belancova, Slovakia 🇸🇰 (29:01 - 36:32) Dorin Ciorescu, Moldova 🇲🇩 (36:33 - 44:12) In this episode, you will hear their answers to the following questions:  What does it mean to you to live and be like Jesus? What is Jesus teaching you right now? What's one prayer God answered that you'll never forget? Where have you seen God moving in your country this year? Who first introduced you to Jesus? Enjoy hearing their responses, being encouraged by God's movement in this region, and knowing how to specifically pray for and with us. We hope you take some time to reflect on these same questions. Thank you for listening and for praying that we would become more like Jesus.

The Josiah Venture vision for 2030 is "Like Jesus," and it was also the theme for our 2026 Fall Conference in the Czech Republic. We want to be a team that: Makes disciples *like Jesus Builds disciple-making ministries *like Jesus! Loves the church *like Jesus! At the conference, host Gwynne Turner had the privilege of sitting down with various Josiah Venture missionaries who serve across Central and Eastern Europe. The recording took place in a camping trailer in the middle of the conference tent, so you might hear some conference background noise, as we recorded during worship rehearsals and run-throughs for the evening program. This is part 1 of those interviews!   Zuzi Kittlova, Czech Republic 🇨🇿 (1:45 - 5:40) Kadri-Kristel Saagim, Estonia 🇪🇪 (5:42 - 14:58) Sajmir  Brazhdi, Albania 🇦🇱 (15:00 - 22:03) Oana Cires, Romania 🇷🇴 (22:04 - 26:15) Bojan Ostojić, Serbia 🇷🇸 (26:37 - 31:48) Zala Cempre, Slovenia 🇸🇮 (31:49 - 40:39) Brian Kroeker, Hungary 🇭🇺 (40:40 - 45:15) In this episode, you will hear their answers to the following questions:  What does it mean to you to live and be like Jesus? What is Jesus teaching you right now? What's one prayer God answered that you'll never forget? Where have you seen God moving in your country this year? Who first introduced you to Jesus? Enjoy hearing their responses, being encouraged by God's movement in this region, and knowing how to specifically pray for and with us. We hope you take some time to reflect on these same questions. Thank you for listening and for praying that we would become more like Jesus.

In a world full of endless possibilities and constant distractions, how do we decide what matters most? As the Josiah Venture team has prayed and sought God's direction for the next four years, one priority has risen above the noise: becoming more like Jesus. In this episode of Josiah Venture Stories, guest host Rob Chestnut, Director of the International Communications Team, sits down with Josiah Venture President Dave Patty and EVP of National Ministries Ben Williams to unpack JV's "*Like Jesus" 2030 Vision. Together, they explore what it looks like to narrow our focus from the latest trends and endless streams of information to the ancient truths found in the life of Jesus. Dave and Ben share the heart behind this new vision, why becoming like Jesus is essential to the future of Josiah Venture, and how it will shape the way we make disciples, love the local church, and participate in God's movement throughout Central and Eastern Europe. This isn't simply a vision for an organization—it's an invitation to every follower of Christ to ask: What would it look like for my life to become more like Jesus? Join us as we look toward 2030 with a simple but transformative goal: *Like Jesus.

We are excited to share the main talks from Spring Conference 2026, which was "Divide and Conquer: Reclaiming Lost Ground when the Enemy Turns Allies into Adversaries." Every year, we focus on a theme that addresses current needs in youth ministry across Central and Eastern Europe. At Fall Conference, the topic was "Victorious," with a focus on standing strong in the Spiritual fight. Our Spring Conference took this theme even further, exploring a particular tactic the enemy uses in families, friendships, teams, and churches. We learned how to recognize, resist, and regain ground when facing these challenges, and now we invite you to do the same. We're not meant to fight each other— we're meant to fight together. The movie of your life needs to anchor the melody of grace with Jesus saying, "Keep calm, I've got your back." In this episode, entitled "Guarding Unity and Peace," Dave Patty talks about how we will not always be successful at bringing peace, restoring relationships, and shepherding restoration and healing, but because of Jesus, there is grace upon grace. 2 Peter 1:2 "May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." Thank you for tuning into this last teaching episode of the podcast for this "Divide and Conquer" series. Watch this episode on our website! Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: [email protected] Online Prayer Room Prayer Room App Summer Internships Mission Trips Review & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you, friends, and have a blessed day!

We are excited to share the main talks from Spring Conference 2026, which was "Divide and Conquer: Reclaiming Lost Ground when the Enemy Turns Allies into Adversaries." Every year, we focus on a theme that addresses current needs in youth ministry across Central and Eastern Europe. At Fall Conference, the topic was "Victorious," with a focus on standing strong in the Spiritual fight. Our Spring Conference took this theme even further, exploring a particular tactic the enemy uses in families, friendships, teams, and churches. We learned how to recognize, resist, and regain ground when facing these challenges, and now we invite you to do the same. We're not meant to fight each other— we're meant to fight together. Clarity is kindness, and truth will set you free. In this episode, entitled "Taking Back Lost Ground, The Battle Around You," Dave Patty shares that there are four key battles around us that we must win. The battle for initiative, for compassion and love, for truth, and for healing and restoration. Galatians 5:15 says, "If you bite and devour each other, watch out, you will be destroyed by each other." May we be people who address the four battles around us. Thank you for listening to this teaching episode of the podcast. Watch this episode on our website! Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: [email protected] Online Prayer Room Prayer Room App Summer Internships Mission Trips Review & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you, friends, and have a blessed day!

We are excited to share the main talks from Spring Conference 2026, which was "Divide and Conquer: Reclaiming Lost Ground when the Enemy Turns Allies into Adversaries." Every year, we focus on a theme that addresses current needs in youth ministry across Central and Eastern Europe. At Fall Conference, the topic was "Victorious," with a focus on standing strong in the Spiritual fight. Our Spring Conference took this theme even further, exploring a particular tactic the enemy uses in families, friendships, teams, and churches. We learned how to recognize, resist, and regain ground when facing these challenges, and now we invite you to do the same. We're not meant to fight each other— we're meant to fight together. There is a battle with the serpent, and there is a battle with self. In this episode, entitled "Taking Back Lost Ground, The Battle Inside You," Dave Patty shares that there are four key battles we need to deal with within us: Pain, threat, debt, and judgment. If we do not deal with pain, it will control us, and if we do not deal with fears, our threat triggers will hijack us. If we do not deal with debt, it will imprison us, and if we do not deal with judgment, we will be unable to see clearly. True forgiveness is not possible without Jesus. We are rich because we are forgiven. Thank you for tuning into this teaching episode of the podcast. Watch this episode on our website! Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: [email protected] Online Prayer Room Prayer Room App Summer Internships Mission Trips Review & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you, friends, and have a blessed day!

We are excited to share the main talks from Spring Conference 2026, which was "Divide and Conquer: Reclaiming Lost Ground when the Enemy Turns Allies into Adversaries." Every year, we focus on a theme that addresses current needs in youth ministry across Central and Eastern Europe. At Fall Conference, the topic was "Victorious," with a focus on standing strong in the Spiritual fight. Our Spring Conference took this theme even further, exploring a particular tactic the enemy uses in families, friendships, teams, and churches. We learned how to recognize, resist, and regain ground when facing these challenges, and now we invite you to do the same. We're not meant to fight each other— we're meant to fight together. How do allies become adversaries? In this episode, entitled "Anatomy of Divide & Conquer," Dave Patty shares how it's hard to think logically when we are hurt. Pain in one area of life will travel to others. Sometimes we cause the pain, are caught in it, and sometimes we watch it and don't know what to do. Listen as Dave unpacks the areas where civil war can occur, how to become aware of our battles, and asks the question: What would be the result if lost ground were reclaimed? Thank you for tuning into this teaching episode of the podcast. Watch this episode on our website! Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: [email protected] Online Prayer Room Prayer Room App Summer Internships Mission Trips Review & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you, friends, and have a blessed day!

We are excited to share the main talks from Spring Conference 2026, which was "Divide and Conquer: Reclaiming Lost Ground when the Enemy Turns Allies into Adversaries." Every year, we focus on a theme that addresses current needs in youth ministry across Central and Eastern Europe. At Fall Conference, the topic was "Victorious," with a focus on standing strong in the Spiritual fight. Our Spring Conference took this theme even further, exploring a particular tactic the enemy uses in families, friendships, teams, and churches. We learned how to recognize, resist, and regain ground when facing these challenges, and now we invite you to do the same.We're not meant to fight each other— we're meant to fight together. God made us in his own image- Satan seeks to do the same. In this episode, "Divide and Conquer: Unmasking the Enemy's Plans," Dave Patty discusses how the enemy seeks to conquer us by dividing us. God's garden is profoundly good…but there was a serpent in the garden. The Serpent and our response to him can destroy God's good garden. Friends, let's fight, but let's fight the enemy and not each other. Thank you for tuning into this teaching episode of the podcast. Watch this episode on our website! "Captain America: Civil War" clip mentioned in the episode! Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: [email protected] Online Prayer Room Prayer Room App Summer Internships Mission Trips Review & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you, friends, and have a blessed day!

Meet Jonathan Norton, a former 2003 Josiah Venture summer intern and current short-term mission team member to Latvia. His church, Red Mountain Community Church, has been involved with the ministry in Latvia since 1998 and has sent multiple short-term mission teams every year for the past 15 years. He lives in Mesa, Arizona, with his wife, Karyne, and their four children: Silas, Garrison, Lydia, and Charlotte. He serves as an elder at his church and volunteers in the High School ministry. He loves walking alongside students and pointing them towards Christ. He describes preparing mission teams for trips to Latvia, cross-cultural moments, bilingual worship, and camp highlights such as students engaging deeply with the "Outside The Box" curriculum and a gospel-focused Labyrinth night. Jonathan explains how his internship experience shaped his view of discipleship and full-time ministry, though he did not become a full-time JV missionary. He also encourages anyone considering serving on a short-term mission team to just go! "Thinking about a mission trip? You get to know missionaries, support them, and build relationships with them. There are so many positives and reasons to go, so if the Lord is nudging you, like you just gotta go." -Jonathan Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: [email protected] Online Prayer Room Prayer Room App Summer Internships Mission Trips Review & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you, friends, and have a blessed day!

Journey with us through 14 years of impactful ministry as Urh and Doroteja Kolar share their emotional farewell to Fusion Celje. Urh and Doroteja both grew up in Slovenia, but in very different families. Neither of them believed in God growing up, but came to know Jesus through Josiah Venture's Summer camps. Their paths first crossed at a Fusion Camp in 2013, and two years later, they served together as interns in Celje, Slovenia, and continue to serve there to this day. Married in 2018 and now parents to two daughters, Iva and Mila, they are living on mission together as a family. Deeply grateful for how God transformed their own lives, they count it a privilege to help students in Slovenia discover the hope of Jesus for themselves. In this episode, they share what drew them to Fusion—music, acceptance, and genuine care—and describe Fusion Celje's impact, including a former student returning to faith after years away and two young women discipled through church community who remain active believers. They recap this year's Fusion Camp and discuss ending Fusion Celje Camp after 14 years. Tune in for an inspiring episode as Urh and Doroteja recount their journey with Fusion Camps. Hear about the lives changed and the hope they continue to sow in Slovenia! Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: [email protected] Online Prayer Room Prayer Room App Summer Internships Mission Trips Subscribe & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend or on your social media. Thank you, friends, and have a blessed day!