Testimonies from Participants in Jesus Followers Conference

• God spoke to me and my sisters, who were also at the conference, in a way He has not in a long time.  And I am happy to share it with you. He reminded me of a simple truth – freedom is only with Christ and in Him. Not a single person, even the best, can give you this freedom. I have often recalled the words of Christ when He said that the Pharisees imposed on people heavy burdens ... I carried such burdens for a long time, but now I have dropped them.  In many ways, I am still uncertain, and of course sometimes I'm just scared - what will happen next? - But the joy of freedom I have received is a lot more!

On Sunday, after the conference we had our usual gathering of home church. But it was unusual!  We had never experienced such a time. We decided to throw out our plan and talk about what troubled us. The result was stunning: people who did not want to open their mouths begin to speak! They openly shared their spiritual problems - many of them, as it turned out, had long been unwilling either to pray or read the word .... Many had just wanted to come to the house church meeting, because the atmosphere is good and all ... Amazing things happened to people on that day, and we all realized that we are much closer together than in the past 5 years.

Now I hear God every day! He speaks to me through the Bible and through my friends.

• It is very difficult to even describe what I experienced during these days. This is not a conference, but a communion of saints, where everyone can share their vision, their testimony, ask a question that worries him, and hear advice, get support, and encouragement. For the recent time I was worried about the question of what is wrong with me, why I find it difficult to come to church on Sunday, and where I can find the answer to this question. I received the answer here at the conference. Simple church has great influence on the inner world of man and his spiritual growth, because it is easier for one to communicate and to trust people whom you know well and when you really see their love. This conference showed me how people from different cities can be in fellowship and together can express Christ. I saw what should be done in simple churches. I was the first time at this conference, but I did not at all feel like a stranger or unappreciated. I saw that in simple churches it is much easier to bring new people, because they will be surrounded by the love of God through brothers and sisters. May the Lord bless you and affirm the callling He has given you. And let this conference bear fruit in service and knowledge of Christ.

• The conference became a practical realization of what I read. For over six years, I gather with a group of believers involved in a large church. Almost every group I was preparing, thinking what to say. There was always prepared material. Often, the group took place not according to my script. Now I understand why, but then I thought that something was wrong . In our recent meetings I did not prepare a special theme, but had a back up plan just in case. However, it was not necessary. People's opinion: "Today the group went very well";  even though there was no strong human guidance, the time came together in a way that was led by God. Now I understand better the essence of the church, and the role that its members should fulfill. Along with others we are rethinking our roles and what it means to be a church. This is just the beginning.

I was recently in the Cherkassy region. I know a Baptist pastor there, who faithfully cares for about ten people, although earlier there were many more in the past. His cry from the heart – he is tired of the control and legalism of the "brotherhood." We recently talked, and I gave him a set of books that were given to us at the conference. He later called and was very interested. Christ leads us. This can be seen. Glory to Him!

• I would like to heartily thank you for three days in which God has blessed
us through you. Huge, huge, huge thank you to all who participated in
organizing the conference. I was overwhelmed with
blessings (I'm sure that not only I felt this way).

• Many thanks to all who organized, served the conference. We want to be sure and write down more testimonies, but since we had many experiences and many thoughts,  it is necessary that all is taken to heart and internalized before we fully express it. In my heart is great joy and gratitude to God for you all there and that He gave us the opportunity to meet you. May God bless all of us to work in the name of Christ. We already miss you. With Christian love and prayers for you.

• Yes, fully agree with your gratitude and joy to our Heavenly Father for the last conference.

I was particularly pleased and happy to see ordinary Christians, not theologians, pastors, famous speakers-ordinary people who met with Christ and now live in that desire to serve Him and
His family. Glad to see these people, who reflect on how to live for Christ, on  what to do so that Christianity, as movement would be alive and have influence on the surrounding world. I will be unable to communicate with everyone in the future (at the conference was about a hundred people), but with some will be very happy to support Christian friendship.

Maybe some were surprised by the energetic and inspired
worship in song, but for me it was another bright spot in the conference.

One of the goals of our arrival at the conference(with my brother Victor) was a desire to be renewed in the Lord through fellowship and to be ignited to a more vigorous ministry. And the Lord heard this desire and did his work. Now Victor's thoughts have been stretched on how to live for Christ and to be even more useful to the family of God.

And I would like to mention another blessing of the conference. I am now reading the book by Frank Viola and get great joy. His reflections give a very faithful guidance for building healthy, vibrant communities.

In general everything was great and very helpful, and also
a huge inspiration.

• The Conference of the followers of Jesus took place in Irpin. The most valuable thing I got at this conference - a new revelation that the Lord Jesus dwells within us and among us. The time at the conference resembled a collection of simple churches. There was not one speaker, but instead there was a discussion of many brothers and sisters. In fact - it was a three day service of a simple church, where Christ was in the middle!

• Our group with the Donetsk region is full of great joy about the conference. One of our sisters received an answer to prayer. She asked that the Lord supported and encouraged her through the testimony of how He works in the lives of other believers. The testimonies of brothers and sisters about how Christ is manifested in their lives - was a great support. Another sister, who recently was baptized, said that the pleasure of the conference was much more than on vacation in Crimea, where she was in the summer. Let Christ be all in all!

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