Online Archives

Just a few months ago, when the Revs. Bonnie and John Campbell had two fellow missionaries over for dinner, they had no idea how the course of their lives would change.
Their dinner guests, who were from Germany, mentioned the great need for missionaries in Lithuania. Before they knew it, the Campbells responded, eager for an adventure and willing to go where the presence of God was needed.

Today, these two pastors from the Baltimore-Washington Conference make their home in Vilnius ? Lithuania's capital, with a population of 500,000 people.

While Bonnie is pastor of a local church, John serves as the superintendent of the 10 Methodist churches in the country.

'We love the church and all that it does, plus there is a sense of adventure that goes with visiting new places and meeting new people to share the Gospel and love of Jesus Christ,' John said in a telephone interview.

Bonnie, who recently visited the Baltimore-Washington Conference area, is excited about establishing covenant relationships with churches here.
 
There is so much a church could do, she said. The congregation she serves in Lithuania still doesn't have a church building and meets for services in a rectangular room above an auto repair shop, with a side room for children.

Despite the love for their work, the Campbells are finding their ministry in Lithuania challenging. During communism, freedom of religious expression was suppressed. While democracy has begun to flourish, there are still only 10 Methodist churches in the whole nation.

The country's struggling economy makes it difficult for the majority of Lithuanians to support the churches that are slowly emerging after the suppression during the Communist regime. The Campbells see this as the opportune time to plant the seeds of discipleship.

Although they're still struggling with the cultural differences and language, the greatest hurdle is getting people to come to church after the Communist regime denied them freedom of expression and worship. Finding spiritual leaders is also a daunting task.

'During the Communist era, it was assumed that being a leader put one in a position of power and privilege. People vie for positions in order to benefit, but do not want to take the responsibility that goes with it,' John said.

However, things are slowly turning around and he is hopeful. He says even though some of the leaders' initial responses were riddled with mistrust and the desire for immediate gratification; they are slowly learning that, within the church, their role is to serve and not to be served.

These cultural differences do not come as a surprise to this missionary couple, who have spent more than half of their married life building new churches and congregations. They are always looking for the dovetailing interests to reduce conflicts and plant seeds of church growth.

Working with youth is one of their highest priorities. They have developed strategies for drawing young people to their churches by focusing on gospel-centered music and activity-driven camps.

'We have to teach these young people that they can have fun and excitement in a godly environment. The present and the future are in these young people, and if we can nurture them to be strongly planted in the church, then we shall have accomplished our mission.'

Bonnie views the church as being in competition with all the other activities that demand the attention of young people today. A recent camp, called 'Your Body as the Temple of God,' drew 18 young people between the ages of 5 and 17.

The children were taken to the countryside where they were taught about not only taking care of their bodies, but also treating others with love and respect. The sessions also included physical activities such as swimming and boating.

Their strategy to use Bible stories rich with actions and teachings in a fun-filled atmosphere is slowly bearing fruit.

But at almost every turn, the Campbells find themselves eager for more resources to help Christianity grow in Lithuania.

To establish an on-going covenant relationship with the Campbells, or with other missionaries, contact the Rev. Michael Johnson, the conference mission secretary, at 410-247-5045 or .

For more information, contact the Campbells at .