Overview
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A New Program in Development
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Undertakings
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Principal Representatives
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Theological Literature and its Application
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Conclusions

Overview
In Warsaw we have growth and the depth of knowledge as the country moves from Communist government and economy to that of democratic and capitalistic. The students here, unlike in Riga, tend to be more entrepreneurial and interested in the education for education’s sake, as well as for academic advancement, should they choose to do so at a later date. The academic and practical exist here in Warsaw and to a larger extent in the other works, one main factor being that those who have been serving as pastors in the local churches most often do not have time for the pursuit of an academic degree, BUT see the true need for the training ITEM offers in the wholesome administration and shepherding of their flocks.

A New Program in Poland Now in Development
ITEM obtained valuable information regarding the efforts of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales directed at securing advanced Reformed Theological Education in Poland. For that reason ITEM president Dr. Ludwick met with Rev. Dr. Peter J. Naylor, pastor of the Llandaff Presbyterian Church, Cardiff, Wales. Dr. Naylor has earned a Ph.D. from Oxford and frequently travels to attend and give conferences on Reformed Theological Education. He has had direct influence on the men, needs, and activities in three Polish cities, namely Wroclaw, Poznan and Warsaw, and gave invaluable insight regarding the method by which credibility could be most efficiently and expeditiously accomplished.

The desire among Polish Christians is so great that students come from Poland to study in the Reformed program in Cardiff, even though that is costly for most who wish to learn Reformed theology. This need sets off a strong appeal for a program of theological education on Polish ground. Hence, communications were established via the Welsh work with the Polish works. These events led to investigations into Wroclaw and Warsaw to assess the situation first hand. We also made contacts with a group of Reformed Christian leaders of Poznan). This introduction to the works in Poland was invaluable.
Here is a brief sketch of our investigation:

- Poznan.
The city has a base of approximately ten to twelve students gathered around a literate, well-instructed Reformed leadership core who are desirous of both informal and formal instruction for the purpose of growing existing congregations and planting new Reformed churches. This is a new work and will begin with the most basic of subjects and methodologies. Funds needed include round trip tickets and local transportation, accommodations, meals – approximately $2,500-3,000 per term. Translators are provided locally.

- Wroclaw.
Similarly to Poznan, it has a base of fifteen to twenty students around a core of well-educated Reformed leaders eager to establish Reformed school for the purpose of educating the existing churches and starting new ones. This is also a new work in need of basic course teaching and curriculum development. Funds needed include round trip tickets and local transportation, accommodations, meals – approximately $2,500-3,000 per term. Translators are provided locally.

- Warsaw.
In the same way, the capital city numbers fifteen to twenty five students of various backgrounds, occupations and calls, ready to learn and gathered around a solid core of Christian leaders with a vision of founding a Reformed school in the heart of Poland, with a mind toward church planting. Translators are provided locally. Funds needed include round trip tickets and local transportation, accommodations, meals – approximately $2,500 -3,000 per term., which translates into $6.25 per student per classroom hour! Truly an investment in tomorrows…

Undertakings
Dr. Ludwick and Rev. Scott Churnock (pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, MO and ITEM professor) traveled to Poland to meet with the representatives of three Reformed groups from the cities of Warsaw, Poznan and Wroclaw. This field trip was spurred by Rev. Dr. Peter Naylor whose presbytery has interests in the establishment and perpetuation of Reformed Theological Education of pastors, teachers, and lay leaders there – the type ITEM supplies.

The Evangelical Reformed Church in Wroclaw is in a serious minority position vis-à-vis the Roman Catholics, Baptists, and Lutherans. The church in Wroclaw started in 1996 as a mission of a Baptist church in that city. It was originally an undertaking of the principal at the Bible Theological Seminary in Wroclaw. Interestingly enough, it was entrusted to a co-worker who happened to be a Calvinist/Van Tilian, who began to influence the student body accordingly. Challenged by the new thinking and pursuing Reformed principles, the church left the Baptist denomination and became the Evangelical Reformed Church in Wroclaw. Assistance in the form of theological education and access to the UK schools came through Peter Naylor’s Llandaff Presbyterian Church in Cardiff, Wales. The Evangelical Reformed Church in Wroclaw now serves a number of students and the movement is spreading from Wroclaw to Poznan and Warsaw! These churches have organized conferences, Christian summer camps, and Reformation Day meetings. They also publish a journal called the “Reformation in Poland”, and are seeking to publish, in Polish, Boettner’s “Reformed Faith,” Van Til’s “Why I Believe in God?” De Witt’s “What is the Reformed Faith?” and Calvin’s “Truth for All Times.”

Two years ago the churches started an institute entitled “Bible Institute of the Bible Reformation in Poland” – it is a Bible school for church leaders and members. However, the lectures occur only a few times per year on weekends. The work hopes to establish itself as the nucleus of a Reformed Bible college – enter ITEM in Poland!

Principal Representatives
In these major Polish cities which we visited, numerous meetings ensued with various persons – potential students, actual pastors, potential pastors and teachers. In Warsaw, Rev. Monar Shaded, a pastor of Reformed church there, has been instrumental in starting a Reformed school. Two principal representatives in Wroclaw are Rev. Buguemil Jarmulak and Mr. Marek Kamic. Both have been theologically trained at the seminary level and provide leadership in the church in Wroclaw. They agreed to 1-2 week conference twice a year, and several conferences over the year for pastors and elders, teaching them about the Man, Responsibilities, and the Office (three to four days each minimum and very intensive), as well as some innovative programs where not only the basics of Reformed Theology would be taught to the church’s congregations, but others by invitation might be taught at some advanced level too. They are quite ready to start a school and for all the right reasons, although because of the amount of effort necessary to be added to the schedules of those men already working their hearts out, they need outside help: ours and yours.

Theological Literature and Its Application
While in Poland, Scott and I observed that, there is considerably more theological literature published in Polish than we anticipated encountering. As a consequence the establishment and addition to libraries is more of a possibility than less. As several round-table discussions showed us, their familiarity of the leadership with American Reformed authors and titles was actually surprising, and not only that, but, they spoke in terms which those authors and books conveyed, portrayed, or caricatured – only the fruit of laborious efforts produce such a result!

One other interesting observation deserves mentioning. The leadership in Wroclaw, Warsaw and Poznan are not only intellectually acute, but theologically well read and articulate. Most read English. They know what Reformed theology is and who they are as a church--they do not wish to be made something other than exactly what they are pursuing through Christ work: to have Reformed churches established and taught by Reformed pastors at the most competent level attainable. They are also interested in the merits of home-schooling and in the feasibility of doing so in the non-Biblical culture: the goal being that a Christian world and life theology be taught for the next generation. By the way, in true Reformed fashion, one full Sunday afternoon per month (from lunch to six in the evening) parents and children of half a dozen families alike were catechized by the pastor or an elder.

Conclusions
All three cities are worthy beginnings of worthy works. They have been reasonably well thought through and each has responded to the education strategy presented both substantively and structurally. Reformed Theology has a great potential to go forth in these cities through various activities including street evangelism and church planting, summer camps, daycare, Sunday School curriculum (adult and children), etc. The believers we met were eager and appreciative, warm and gracious. The doors of opportunity are wide open and the Lord’s blessings are evident. What more could we ask? What more do we need?