- Missions
The people of Kolgata Baptist Church knew an Easter egg hunt would draw a crowd in Tartu, Estonia. And it did: they had more than 200 visitors on Easter.
However, communicating that God demonstrated his love through Christ’s death for sinners is a challenge since Russian, Estonian and English speakers live here. How can a multilingual crowd get the answer to one of life’s most important questions in their own language?
Just stuff each egg a little fuller.
“Ent Jumal teeb nähtavaks oma armastuse meie vastu sellega, et Kristus suri meie eest, kui me olime alles patused.” Rooma 5:8 told Estonians scrambling around the church’s yard.
Meanwhile, Russian speakers found an egg just for them. “Но Бог Свою любовь к нам доказывает тем, что Христос умер за нас, когда мы были еще грешниками,” Римлянам 5:8 shared with Russian speakers scattered around Kolgata Baptist.
Even English speakers searching for eggs and winning prizes found the best news: “God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Kadri, one of Kolgata’s numerous volunteers on Easter, recognizes the significance of the Easter outreach.
“This is so important for our church,” the Estonian woman said.
These are people isolated from God and each other
Making God’s love known is desperately important for people in this least-reached nation, which several countries have occupied in recent centuries. Though now autonomous, the people can be very reserved and still struggle to trust people or God.
That’s why Converge global workers in the nation of 1.3 million are asking God for a gospel movement within one generation.
Related: Join those asking God for a gospel movement in the Nordic-Baltic region.
Mindy Porier, a Converge global worker in Tartu, explained that fervent prayer and loving partnership are making a difference. She and her husband, Crick, and their children attend Kolgata.
Many new families came on Easter, and four new families attended a follow-up event a week later. These initial connections give believers a bridge into deeper relationships and spiritual conversations.
More than 45 Kolgata volunteers warmly greeted visitors and started conversations to help newcomers connect to God and his people.
“New people felt noticed and important,” Mindy Porier said. “It was one of my most joyous moments in ministry in Estonia.”
Related: How could that be better than introducing Estonians to s’mores?
Estonia’s ‘City of Good Thoughts’ is a great place to grow a ministry
Converge’s Estonia team, comprised of the Poriers and many Estonian partners, engages in outreach and small group ministries in rural areas and urban communities. The Poriers base their ministry in Tartu, known as Estonia’s City of Good Thoughts.
The team’s influence and opportunity has grown. They now have disciple-making projects in north Estonia, south Estonia, where Tartu is, and the islands of Estonia. There are also intentional gospel efforts among Russian-speaking people and deaf people in Estonia.
Related: The work in Estonia fits into a strategy for the least-reached Nordic-Baltic region.
God is working, answering the prayers and helping his people as they serve him in this small nation. Driving across Estonia, at its widest point, would take about four hours. But you could easily hear numerous languages as you made the trip.
Christians at Kolgata Baptist, which has a Russian-language congregation and an Estonian-language congregation, often navigate cultural differences. So they knew sharing the gospel on Easter Sunday meant squeezing one more verse into every Easter egg.
Mindy Porier said the church was packed as egg hunters collected Bible verses, answered questions and won prizes. Best of all, they heard the gospel, which brings people of every tribe, nation and tongue together.
“It’s our time to let Jesus shine by being a brilliant light for our community,” Porier said. “I’m proud of our church members who stepped out of their comfort zones to do this.”
Converge is asking God for a gospel movement among every least-reached people group – in our generation. Learn how we are playing a role in accomplishing the Great Commission and how you can be involved.
