A group of lay Seventh-day Adventist church members in Prague, Czech Republic, had a dream: how to help other members, especially young people, to be faithful in their beliefs and ready to face current challenges. Added to that, they felt a profound sense of gratitude for what God had done, was doing, and has promised to do in their lives. These two combined elements were the genesis of light4cities, a lay-led organization that seeks to train, empower, and encourage other members so that they can then reach out to their friends and colleagues in the country’s extremely secular society.
As one of the tangible results of such an ideal, light4cities leaders—including Adventist engineers, personal fitness trainers, and other professionals—organized its first conference in Prague from February 27-March 2. More than 140 people attended to reflect, pray, sing, and learn.
Attendees chat with light4cities board member Tereza Machoňová at the registration table for the event in Prague, Czech Republic, on February 27. More than 140 people registered. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review] Daniel Dvořák, a former atheist and powerlifting world champion who became a Seventh-day Adventist, is now one of the driving forces behind light4cities. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review] “Thirst for Life” was the opening spiritual reflection by young member Matias Liebl, who delved into the significance of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review] The conference included moments of congregational singing of hymns and spiritual songs. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]
Wholistic Development
The program was diverse, designed to cover every aspect of a Christian’s wholistic development, from survival tips out in nature, to how to argue with your spouse, to financial competence advice, to current fulfillment of prophecies, and more. The lineup of topics sought to “help [participants] to be more resilient to stress and problems, as well as to show the way to a life of peace and joy, leading to salvation,” organizers stated. “Our desire is to bring the light and hope of Jesus Christ to the problems and worries we see around us,” they explained. The event also included conversion testimonies and supporting ministries reports.
One of the driving forces behind the initiative is Daniel Dvořák, a former atheist and powerlifting world champion who became a Seventh-day Adventist after what he says was God’s direct intervention in his life. Dvořák believes in reaching out to others, but he also sees value in training people to thrive in their spiritual lives.
“We imagined light4cities as social events designed to provide spiritual, mental, and physical strengthening with a focus on the challenges of the times we live in,” he explained. “Our desire is to bring the light and hope of Jesus Christ into the struggles and worries we see around us.”
Dvořák shared that although the initial goal was to have about 50 participants, the event ultimately welcomed 144 individuals from regions across the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. “This shows that the prayers of many brothers and sisters were answered,” he said. Before the event, the group organized six street evangelism sessions, which included the distribution of approximately 1,000 books and invitations to the conference. At the end of the event on March 2, five guest attendees signed up for Bible studies, Dvořák reported.
Young people listen to the program of the light4cities conference on March 1. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review] Trained musician and light4cities team member Vítězslava Krahmerová provided special musical item during the Sabbath program. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review] Libor Kisza, local church elder, shares a message during the worship service on March 1. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]
A Starting Point
As the conference drew to a close, dozens of participants shared how much the event impacted them, hoping for the conference to signal a starting point for many Adventist church members, especially among the youth.
“The selection of speakers was excellent. It was educational and strengthened my faith,” one wrote. “The event felt like a breath of fresh air, as it was flexible and authentic when delivering profound messages. There was no sense of stagnation or rigid traditions,” another one said.
Several others emphasized how they were inspired by the event. “I learned interesting things and was motivated to become more involved in serving others,” one of them said. “It led me to consider greater life changes,” another attendee shared. “It encouraged me to work on myself and engage more with others,” a third commented.
Organizers are encouraged to keep working on lay-led conferences such as this one. Dvořák revealed that a second event tentatively scheduled for this summer will focus more on spending time in nature to recharge and strengthen one’s spiritual life.