Hertzler Outpost

Bartek, Gosia and Family

One of our initial efforts for using the Internet to help bring people to Jesus was preparing students to receive the gospel by gaining their trust through serving them with helpful information. On most campuses in Eastern Europe new students, often in a large city for the first time in their lives, are completely on their own. Our university staff members found that by helping these new students they could overcome the “cult” prejudice many Eastern European students have toward non-official-church religious groups. By helping students, our staff members are then well received when they want to talk about Jesus.

Of all the sites our various ministries developed, the Polish site, www.PodPrad.pl, is one of the best. Bartek runs this site.

Tom and I had visited Bartek in Warsaw one spring, and the following fall we returned and saw what he had produced. We were amazed. We asked him how he conceived of his great creation, and he said, “I just did what you guys suggested.” Neither Tom nor I had anything like what he made in mind! He far exceeded anything we suggested.

Here is more from Bartek’s pen.

My name is Bartek Serkowski. My wife is Gosia. We have been married for 7 years now and have two daughters: Joanna (6) and Karolina (2) and the next baby is coming soon!

We are Campus Crusade for Christ staff members. And we are involved in Campus Ministry in Gdansk, Poland (beautiful city at the Baltic Sea where “Solidarity” movement started). Gosia joint staff 11 years ago and I have been staff for 7 years now. Our vision is to reach all Gdansk students for Christ. We do it in many ways: big evangelistic events, small groups, personal meetings etc. Those who want to trust Jesus can join small groups and build their faith.

We are also a part of a team publishing a student magazine “POD PRAD” (which means “AGAINST the TIDE”). I am personally responsible for a pre-evangelism website of the magazine www.podprad.pl. We publish different important topics for students like money, studying, love, fun etc. And we always try to give every Polish student a possibility of starting a relationship with Jesus. We started the website last year, and since then we have had about 1 500 000 total visits. It has been a growing tool in preaching the Good News.

As a teenager I was a normal young man, though I was quite a shy and withdrawn person. I was brought up by very religious (catholic) parents and I am grateful for that. So I always tried to be good and honest and I think others perceived me like that. However sometimes I did things God did not like. And I wanted Him to like me. I thought I would go to heaven if I did good works.

After I graduated from my high school there was a tragic event in my life. My close friend had a hard accident and he stayed unconscious in a hospital for a month. It made me think and pray. For the first time I started to be afraid of death. I knew I did not deserve eternal life even though I was religious.

Soon after that I met a man from Campus Crusade and he told me God still loves me despite my sins. When Jesus died at the cross He paid a punishment for all my sins. I was shocked when I found the Bible says salvation is for free. Christ said “He who believes in me, though he die, yet will he live”. So I decided to trust Him completely and follow Him. I expressed my faith in prayer. I received Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.

Although that day I felt nothing special, today I can say it was the best and the most important decision in my life. Since then I am convinced I have an eternal life. God promises it to everyone who follows Christ. Besides God still changes me for better. Though I am still shy, He gives me courage and makes me more open to others. I think my life is an adventure with God. That is why I want to share about it with others.

Thanks, Bartek!