Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk where the Apostle Paul preached and taught in Philippi and Thessaloniki? Ever think about what those cities are like now, so many years after the new churches were thriving? Unfortunately, the Christian church is in a sad state these days. The once strong and committed New Testament church is still there, but is not strong. Greece has seen many changes over the years and the church is one of the things that has been nearly lost. Now Kontaktmission missionaries are doing evangelism right where it started in the time of the Bible.

 

Thessaloniki, Greece

 

Thessaloniki is a huge city with a very young population, and a very small percentage of them are believers. Less than 1% of

Greeks are bible believing evangelicals. The Greek culture is very unique and old, with strong traditions and ties to the orthodox church. These historical elements combined with the economic crisis and post-modernism has led to slow growth in Bible-believing churches. But the people are hurting and they need to hear the good news of the gospel that once flowed so freely in their land.

 

This GoConnect trip to Thessaloniki will put you right in the middle of a fast paced city full of lost people. The church is thriving and very multicultural with leadership from Greece, Germany, Russia, and the U.S. You will participate in weekly services, benevolence outreaches, youth meetings and get-togethers, kids camps and ministries and much more. There is so much to do and so much to learn while you are in Thessaloniki. This is a great opportunity to see how God is working in Greece and what the needs are for future growth of the church.

 

The church is nestled into a neighborhood of working class families, and a great way to connect with them is to meet them in the park and have activities for the kids. It’s both fun and effective to offer games, face painting, sports and other activities with the kids while the leadership of the church interacts with parents. You will play an active role in this by helping with the kids activities and allowing the parents to make connections with the missionaries. This is a great service to our team there as it builds relationships with the kids and creates trust with the parents.

 

Come be a part of what is happening in Greece! Because it’s a time of crisis with the economy, not to mention the great influx of people traveling through from the east, it’s a great time of opportunity for the gospel. Learn what the needs are for Greece, how you can pray, and maybe even see if God will send you to serve. Along with serving alongside ministries in Thessaloniki you will visit biblical sites and see important places like where Paul was imprisoned and where Lydia was baptized. It is amazing to read the stories in the place they were written for and then pray over cities.

 

Estimated Cost: $1250 for a 14-day trip including the Crash Weekend in Germany. Each additional week is $250 per week. Then add in your airfare (current prices are about $1400 including the stop in Stuttgart, Germany for the Crash Weekend, then flying on to Thessaloniki) and insurance ($2-5/day).

 

This is a great trip to combine with Albania since they are neighboring countries, but so different. You will be able to experience a great diversity in ministry styles and cultures.

 

For more information on setting up a GoConnect trip to Greece with Kontaktmission, please contact Emily Wright in our office at emily@GoKMUSA.org or call us at 731-784-9422.