Source: United World Mission, April 6, 2018
Over ten years ago UWM missionaries Benjamin Hlastan and Todd Hunnicutt began to learn more about Slovenia’s [Protestant] Reformer, Primož Trubar. Together with other scholars and church leaders they rediscovered the simple, clear gospel that Trubar shared in the 1500’s, and they saw the potential for impact.
In 2008, the 500th anniversary of Trubar’s birth, they co-founded a Slovene non-profit organization to translate Trubar’s works into modern Slovene. Three key books have come out gaining attention from national media, one during the 450th anniversary of its original publication (originally published in 1564, republished in 2014). Materials are being used in educational settings, including various videos and an animated biography of Trubar. Countless events, lectures, and concerts with Reformation themes have followed in the years since.
2017 was the 500th anniversary of the start of the Reformation, and Todd and Benjamin worked with others to provide events and outreaches all year long [and] partner with the evangelical churches to distribute all 50,000 copies [of the Slovene New Testament].
One person who received a New Testament was literally going to commit suicide the day he got a copy on the town square, but said he knew this meant God is calling him. Another man who used to go to an evangelical church had fallen back into drugs; he was on his way to his dealer when we saw people from that church giving out Bibles. He stopped to talk and is now coming to church again! Churches have had people come to church who got a New Testament and then found out about a local church on the Bible website.
If 50,000 copies of the New Testament have been given out, that means, we can estimate that around 10% of Slovenia’s 500,000 households now have a copy.
Slovenia’s reformer is sowing seeds 500 years later that we trust will bring fruit in the years to come.
» Read full story to learn more about Trubar’s accomplishments and the face of ministry in modern Slovenia. What better use of history than to help people find help for today and hope for tomorrow?
» See also Deadly Chicken Soup, another story about an historical hero, this time in Colombia (Ethnos360).