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Celebration in Calvary Chapels Rejoice in God’s Saving Grace & Mercy Story and photos by Tom Price

The Calvary Gospel Choir sings along with a worship team as they celebrate 20 years of Calvary Chapels in Hungary. Several thousand believers from two dozen CC churches and fellowships trekked to to participate in the celebration.

“I was sought by those who did not Budapest to celebrate the 20-year anniver- salutation. Pastor Phil Metzger sat onstage ask for Me; I was found by those sary of the Calvary Chapel movement in the in amazement of what the Lord has done in who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here nation. Believers greeted each other with the past 20 years. smiles, hugs, and the country’s traditional I am, here I am,’ to a nation that kiss on both cheeks. The large covered out- “This is a great confirmation and mani- was not called by My name.” door venue soon filled to capacity, and new festation of the Holy Spirit’s work in this Isabella Tutuc greets a friend. One of Isaiah 65:1 arrivals watched the event outside on a huge country,” Phil said. “But what we see God the first to give her life to screen. “Boldog szülinapot!” Hungarians doing in Hungary doesn’t have to be unique Christ 20 years ago, Isabella heard the Pastor Phil Metzger of CC Budapest laughs from the podium. Phil said that the From all over Hungary, several thousand from different yelled out to one to this nation. Maybe this great outpour- Gospel presented by CC missionaries church growth and outpouring of God’s Spirit in Hungary can happen anywhere. journeyed this past September to another, reciting the traditional birthday ing of God’s Spirit is a forerunner to show during the first church plant in 1991.

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Phil’s casual dress and flip-flops received good-natured kidding from Hungarian Along with other attendees, two young evangelical church leaders, seated on right, when they addressed the crowd. Hungarians pray for God’s anointing.

everyone that this same thing can be done spoke, they told of their great excitement warning to the future work in Hungary. anywhere in the world.” at what the Lord has done through Calvary “Please be sure that what was begun in the Chapel over the past two decades. Pastor Spirit will continue in God’s Spirit. If you We preach Christ crucified, to the Gábor T. Szuhánszky had observed how forget your calling, then others will be Jews a stumbling block and to the God had begun to use the verse-by-verse called in your place,” he warned. teaching style through the Bible. Greeks foolishness, but to those That you may become blameless who are called, both Jews and “At first I was curious,” Gábor stated, who and harmless, children of God Greeks, Christ the power of God is secretary of the Hungarian Evangelical without fault in the midst of a and the wisdom of God. Alliance. As the Iron Curtain had crumbled, 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 different cults had descended upon the crooked and perverse generation, country’s unsuspecting populace. Gábor among whom you shine as lights Phil, a missionary to Hungary for 14 years, continued, “But then I must admit that I in the world. Philippians 2:15 is senior pastor of CC Budapest, heads CC went through different stages.” He and other missions in Eastern , and directs CC established church leaders soon began to Bible College Europe in Vajta, Hungary. He notice that the young Bible teachers from Crying in the Crowd continued, “The goal of this celebration is Calvary Chapel were reaching youth in Isabella Tutuc sat in the large crowd, torn to give hope to all missionaries and church unprecedented numbers—teens who would between laughter and tears. “This was my planters around the entire world and to not enter a traditional church. Observing birthday celebration too!’ Isabella said. It encourage them to never give up sharing this, Gábor had begun to soften, under- had been a great comfort to hear other the hope we have in Christ.” Phil had pur- standing that this was indeed a new work Christian leaders recognize God’s leading in posely dressed down in his jeans and flip- from God. Gábor assured the crowd that he Calvary Chapel. “I was one of the first peo- flops. Calvary Chapel’s casual style of dress had become strongly appreciative of what ple saved 20 years ago when CC missionar- had been a non-doctrinal difference that set is being done in Christ’s name through ies first came to Hungary to the of Baja. it apart from other evangelical churches in Calvary Chapel. “I have been asked to write So I am two decades old in the Lord now.” the country. a letter of recommendation to the gov- Isabella had been a lonely teen in a difficult ernment, asking for Calvary Chapel to be home whose mother had died and father had Four men on the stage beside Phil, all included in the list of official churches, and I remarried. Her family was indifferent to her, dressed in dark business suits, joked in am delighted to comply,” he added. Calvary despite her efforts to please them in every- good fun about being overdressed when it Chapel is now counted as part of evangelical thing she did. She was instantly attracted to was their turn to speak. Phil knew of their churches of Hungary by the church leaders. the message about the love of God. great love for Jesus and their hope to partner together for the Word of God. As leaders of Kálmán Mészáros, president of the Baptist Isabella said, “Those CC missionaries were the nation’s evangelical churches, their pres- Union of Hungary, spoke last and gave a great ambassadors for Christ. They taught ence was a sweet indicator to those in atten- history of God working through Calvary about God’s love while desiring nothing in dance of the affection garnered in Calvary’s Chapel in America from the late 1960s to return.” Hungary was coming out of decades two decades in Hungary. When the men 1990. Kálmán then issued an important of communism that gave little significance Several thousand believers worship at the celebration. They were pleased to hear other evangelical leaders indicate their desire to partner in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

44 45 new generation of Hungarian pastors and leaders to take the Gospel across the country.” Hungary Jani Nemeth is one of the new generation of Hungarian CC pastors and was asked to speak at the celebration. Greg had min- istered to him in the 1990s when Jani was a teen skate- Jani Németh boarder who heard Greg teach in the park. Jani said, “I always listened to the missionaries from a distance, but as I did, the Lord began to work Director Mark Zeeman encourages the choir, in my heart.” Later Jani became the church’s which has performed in several countries. worship leader and assistant pastor, then he became the senior pastor before feeling called to plant another church in the town of SINGING PRAISES TO THE LORD Tatabanya. Jani has since passed that work on Calvary Gospel Choir, begun in 2002 by Director to his assistant pastor and is teaching at the Mark Zeeman, has performed in Italy, Serbia, Bible college, seeking to give others a passion Poland, Romania, as well as across Hungary. The for church planting. He is also assisting Phil choir’s outreach concerts are heralded by and have oversee different ministries around the coun- become a bridge to the Hungarian community. try. Out of the two dozen CC churches, most Phil thanks Judit Egyed, the Hungarian government representative, for attending. There are no auditions and it is open to anyone pastors and church leaders are Hungarian. Albert Pataky, governing pastor of the Hungarian Pentecostal Church, looks on. desiring to join. Pastor Zsolt Bodogan, Mark, a missionary to Hungary but originally “Bodi,” was another national throne and the rainbow were in the same from South Africa, is a pianist and previously And He has made from one blood who spoke at the event. A order of appearance as the colors of the every nation of men to dwell on all worked as a worship leader/choir director at a Calvary pastor in the city Hungarian flag: red, white, and green. church in Arizona. The Gospel choir, an out- of for nearly 12 the face of the earth, and has deter- reach of Calvary Chapel Budapest, has grown to years, Bodi had become Bodi prayed, “Thank You that Your rain- mined their preappointed times and more than 150 people and is accompanied by a senior pastor shortly after bow shows us Your faithfulness. Thank You the boundaries of their dwellings.” five-piece professional band with a three-piece Zsolt (Bodi) graduating from medical that You remain ever so faithful to Your Acts 17:26 brass section. The choir has also been an effective Bodogan school. His fellow gradu- Word and to us. Jesus, please help all of tool in sharing the Gospel message to those who ates had been shocked that the Calvary Chapels in Hungary to remain Calvary Ministries would not normally attend a church service but he turned down a lucrative future as a doc- in Your Spirit and in Your grace. Bless our Songs of joy flow from Calvary Gospel Choir in both Hungarian and English. in Hungary would go to hear a concert. tor, especially with his high grade standing. brothers and sisters around the world who www.golgota.hu www.golgotagospel.hu Before beginning to pray to close the day’s are celebrating with us today. Bless this [email protected] celebration, Bodi shared that he was recently world so everyone would come to know You, (011) +36-1-3222-499 encouraged for the nation while studying and fill us with Your Holy Spirit so we can the book of Revelation (4:3). He noticed that make disciples of all the nations.” to the individual and no credence to Starting the Work Europe is currently located. Hundreds have the precious stones (jasper, sardius, emerald) Christianity. She said, “The teens desired the After beginning fellowships in Baja, , graduated and serve in European ministries. described by the apostle John around the joy they saw in the lives of the missionar- and Esztergom, Greg Opean felt called Austria Eger Nyíregyháza ies.” The number of people attending soon to start a new work in the capital city of Several years ago, after 15 years as a mis- Esztergom Vác Gyor grew to over 150, and the town’s cultural Budapest. That church eventually grew from sionary pastor, Greg sensed that the Lord Tatabánya house was rented. Isabella learned English the ten attendees of the initial service to a was sending him and his family back to Budapest Debrecen and was the first Hungarian to attend the CC congregation of several thousand in which America. Greg sent a video message for the Székesfehérvár School of Discipleship at the church’s retreat many university students heard the Gospel 20-year celebration. Now an assistant pastor Hungary center in Austria. Isabella said that she will presented for the first time. at the Packinghouse (formerly CC Redlands, Dunaújváros Kecskemét Sárbogárd always be grateful that the Lord sent the first CA), Greg shared the great joy he experi- Vajta Calvary Chapel missionaries to Hungary, The church moved into a historical theater ences when hearing of what is going on in Kiskunmajsa Greg Opean and Rod Thompson, to her in the city center. Greg was also instrumen- the nation. Vése Kaposvár hometown of Baja. Paul Lange eventually tal in the purchase by CC Costa Mesa, CA, Baja Tompa Szeged took their place. Isabella currently translates of another historical property two hours Greg said, “As I watch from afar, I thank Pécs Romania at the Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe south of Budapest where CC Bible College God every day for the sweet memories. Croatia Serbia in Vajta. The Lord is using Phil Metzger and the There are over two dozen Calvary Chapel ministries in Hungary, four in Budapest. Hungarians greet one another. CC Bible College Europe is located in Vajta, about two hours south of the capital.

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