Sharing Christ Through Real Estate (edit, back)
12/20/2017
The ministry of Maranatha Volunteers International has substantially influenced my life. Thanks to this ministry I have developed a closer relationship with Jesus and have learned to live more in harmony with the teachings of the Bible.
I was introduced to Maranatha for the first time through Radim Passer, who regularly speaks for an organization known as PrimeNET. I found his presentation interesting, not only because I work in real estate, but also because of the phenomenal reputation Radim Passer has for being a businessman of strong character. After the presentation I spoke with the director of Maranatha, Tomas Chmel, who happened to invite me to his church in Štětkovice/Sedlčany.
Until this point I did not know much about the Adventist Church. I was curious about the church simply because of the speeches that Radim Passer and Otakar Jirák had given for PrimeNET. And I was struck by the strong faith of both businessmen and by their deep knowledge of the Bible. When I heard them speak about the day of rest I was deeply moved. Even though I had become a Christian six years before, I was not keeping the Sabbath and had often spent the day of rest in gainful enterprise.
After I overcame my uneasiness about visiting the Adventist Church and attended the worship service in Sedčany, I fell in love with this congregation. They were very friendly, welcoming, and showed a genuine interest in newcomers. I was captivated by the Sabbath School, which was a source of real spiritual food—something that I had been in search of for years, but never found.
Soon I found myself fellowshipping at the church in Michle, where, after a year and a half, I became a member. Baptism is an important celebration in the Adventist Church and so, on my 36th birthday, I experienced my second baptism. This baptism was not only a confirmation of my covenant with God, but also a witness to my friends and clients, who were willing to be there and witness this important moment in my life.
Since 2015 I have attended dozens of Maranatha programs: The Creation series by Libor Votoček; Your Hope, and Jesus—Hope for the Rich and Famous, both presented by Radim Passer; and many others. Even though I consider myself a very tough and critical listener, I can sincerely say that Maranatha’s evangelistic and educational programs are very high quality and quite effective at reaching a modern audience. All of the presentations I heard were mentally invigorating, and often brought me to a new level of awareness. They helped me to establish new convictions and habits that are in harmony with the Bible and God’s plan for us.
In August of 2016, at the invitation of Maranatha, I attended the ASI international convention in Phoenix, Arizona. It was my first 10-day “vacation” in over 15 years of work. It was hard for me to be away so long, being the workaholic that I had become. However, I not only enjoyed the conference and fellowship with those attending, but it gave me an opportunity to learn more about the worldwide work of Seventh-day Adventists. I realized that this church is truly led by the Holy Spirit, and that it enables people to experience God’s grace in their lives, struggles, and tragedies. Attending the conference and seeing the dedicated work of many brothers and sisters from the Adventist Church impressed me so much, that after returning to Czech I decided to engage in a mission project of my own. I had wanted to accomplish this work for years, but kept putting it off.
Each Sunday, with prayer and fasting, I sat down to write, and in three months I finished my book, entitled Real Estate Hope. This book has three basic messages: it is possible to succeed in real estate; success can be attained in an honest way; and our only hope is in Jesus Christ. I also began to take speaking engagements at real estate offices. As of now I have given my presentation to around 800 brokers, and just as many are still waiting to hear it. The ministry of Real Estate Hope among brokers of Czech and internationally is a fulfillment of the calling that I took 15 years ago, when I entered the field of real estate. I thank Maranatha for helping me find my new spiritual home in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and that it has supported ministries that seek to encourage spiritual revival among real estate brokers. It is my desire to always be a strong supporter of Maranatha, both financially and through my personal involvement. Nothing would give me greater joy than to see Maranatha bring about spiritual change and revival in the lives of many people in my country, just as it did for me!