Mission Work of Churches of Christ in Croatia 1960s – 2010

Abstract

Churches of Christ in the Croatian context are a minority religious community and, due to their small numbers, are relatively unknown and under-researched. In this article, the focus is on the missionary work of American Churches of Christ in Croatia between the 1960s and 2010 and the results achieved. The first section introduces foundations for work in Europe, notably through the role of Otis Gatewood and the Eastern European Mission (EEM). Section two discusses the beginnings of the Work in Croatia, focusing on a few key US missionaries and ministries that were used in missionary work. The third section explores the importance of Mladen Jovanović for the establishment of Churches of Christ in Croatia, and section four discusses subsequent American missionaries who made significant contributions to missionary work in Croatia. Section five identifies three Croats who became leaders in the Croatian Churches of Christ through missionary work, and section six provides a brief reflection on the results of that initial missionary work. The conclusion is that, even though US missionaries came from a Stone-Campbell Movement background, past and current Croatian workers have found their Stone-Campbell heritage to be part of their historical/theological interests but not of daily relevance. The emphasis is rather on the Lord Jesus and his Word. The findings presented in this article are based primarily on eyewitness testimony collected through interviews and email correspondence.