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A jar of clay
I am Zsolt Bodogan, a 25 year old Hungarian brother. I was born, raised, studied, born again and lived
all my life in Debrecen - second largest city in Hungary. I have just recently finished my medical studies - I graduated in September of 1999 and received my M.D. with cum laude: 4.49 average. I have enjoyed studying medicine and I am so thankful to my Lord, that He has granted me the ability to study His
greatest creation. I also know that He would use this gift He gave me, in my life sometime, somehow.
Calling to the ministry
During the first two years of my medical studies, the Lord touched my life and gave me second birth by
His Spirit. He not only gave me life but also took care of me since then. He had sent a pastor to shepherd His flock here in Debrecen. He has been revealing more and more of Himself, everyday. I am so thankful for the fellowship of all my brothers, sisters and for this living body that I can be part of.
He has soon started to call me to the ministry. I had the desire to become one of His pastors and teachers. I soon realized that was partly because of pride. Then I was greatly encouraged that my desires are not wrong. "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desires a good work." 1Tim. 3:1 Since then I have been learning a lot about our own insufficiency and the sufficiency of Christ: and that we have our sufficiency in Him. I realized that there is no man with sound mind on the face of this planet who would want to take all the responsibility that comes with the privilege of being even a teacher and even more being a pastor of His flock. Then, strangely enough, He was pulling me with the cords of His loving kindness more and more in Him: and the fire from the altar, from His Cross and from His Providence: His love really showed me where to go. Just step by step He was leading me.
The ministry of Bible-study translation
This how I started to translate first just two then very soon four and then six Bible studies a week. It was pretty hard alongside my university studies. I have been involved in this ministry of translation for almost three years now. I have also been praying a lot that the Lord would raise up some more people in our church to translate and He did - now I have two other helpers. It is indeed a very unique ministry as the Lord speaks through the teacher but the listeners really hear the words from the mouth of the translator - so it really means to be a mouthpiece for the Lord. He has blessed me so much through this and also taught me by His Holy Spirit.
Church-planting and the beginning of the orphanage ministry
Two years ago I was called to be involved with my pastor to plant a church in a nearby city, in Miskolc. We have been doing services weekly. ACTS (Active Christians for Today's Service) wanted to share the love of Christ with children in an orphanage in Miskolc and they were looking for a local church to work with. Most of all they needed a translator who would help them communicate - the found me. I wen to translate and soon I got completely invovled in the ministry. The first event that we organized together was a baseball camp in coordination with Wheaton College baseball players. The Lord has touched so many lives during the camp that He led me and some of the helpers at the camp from our church to go to the orphanage regularly: to teach them the Bible and share the love of Christ through helping them with their studies, playing soccer, baseball, basketball etc.
Orphanage ministry: Saturdays and camps
Since then, for two years now, we have been going there every Saturday to spend the day with them. The Lord has blessed us with a lot of opportunities to minister to them and also to the staff. Last year we were able to take them to a weeklong Bible camp, which the church organized. We also had the opportunity to minister to them through two mid-winter camps. These were great opportunities to take the kids away from their usual environments and focus completely on the Lord. Just by taking them away is a great ministry since otherwise it would be really hard if not impossible for them to go on vacations. It's been great to see how the Lord has been working in the kids at the Miskolc orphanages and be a part of this amazing work.
Other ministries
The Lord has also blessed me with the privilege to disciple a lot of people at our church and organize
outreaches, holidays, take care of the prayer meetings, church administration etc.
Teaching or practicing
After graduation I was certain about remaining and going deeper into that ocean of spiritual life with my boat and go wherever the Lord would lead me. It was a decision I needed to make. Entering into the residency program would have cut me completely away not only from the ministry but also from the fellowship. I decided to stay in ministry and become a "full time" servant not seeing much more. I started to teach on Sunday nights. I knew I had to start teaching His Word to His church, here in Debrecen. For the first time on a regular basis. I knew about and also experienced the spiritual battle-field but at this point it came to me more. I have been enjoying teaching - studying His Word and spending more time with Him. It was really difficult for my family to understand that their little son
(6.5 feet) is not going to practice as a doctor but wants to teach God's Word and serve Him - not spending all my time at a hospital. They still suffer from it and they will until they see His glory and His greatest news.
Latest step
Now the Lord is calling me to pastor the church where He raised me up. He is calling me to something that I have long desired but still it is so beyond me. He usually does that. So when we do it we would all know that it must have HIM and then all glory would go to Him. I am ready to do what He is calling me to do - praise the Lord I do not have to rely on my strength but His grace is enough for me. As my pastor is leaving, it is very hard for all of us emotionally - but I am so thankful that the Kingdom is not about us but about Him. I really do not know and had no idea how the Lord would take care of me but I believe that He will - He has never let me down. But it is great to be out with Him, depending completely on Him.
Join me on the battle-field
I need any support that you can give; please pray for our church and I especially want to ask for prayer for wisdom and for His leading that He would lead me and I would follow, leading His people according to His will; that He might be able to work through me, equipping and perfecting His saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Pray that the Lord would give increase that His childern would abide in Him adeeper and deeper and that He would add to His body daily. I do believe that prayers according to His will are answered and also that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. That is the reason I am asking to keep us in your prayers if the Lord puts the church and me on Your heart.
I wanted to share this with you and ask for your prayers.
Thanks. Praise the Lord!
Bodi |
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