Missions and Outreach
In the first chapter of Acts, Jesus gave his disciples one last directive: to wait in Jerusalem to receive power from the Holy Spirit, so that they could be His witnesses in Jerusalem (the local city), Judea (the surrounding region), Samaria (the nearest country), and the uttermost parts of the world.
As Jesus’ modern day disciples, we carry out that same directive. Local outreaches and cross-cultural mission trips are ways our faith can be expressed in a practical way, so they are an exciting part of the KNOW > LOVE > LIVE equation.
At this time, Paradise Calvary Chapel has three main outreach locations:
Croatia, Ethiopia, and right here in Las Vegas.
> Croatia
Croatia is a country located in Eastern Europe, formerly part of Yugoslavia. Only 0.4% of the population is known to be Evangelical Christian, whereas the majority is Roman Catholic. The Catholic church has a big influence on the culture and the political climate, so the environment for the minority of born-again believers can be very harsh. This can make the decision to follow the Lord extremely intimidating. Our goal is to make the burden of that decision lighter, growing and cultivating what communities of believers do exist…
Pastor Timothy and Grace Warholic began their ministry together in Split, a city located in the southern, Dalmation region of Croatia, on the Adriatic coast. In 2005, against all odds, they founded Calvary Chapel Split, and the fellowship grew and stabilized into a small community. After seven years of ministering, the Warholic family passed on the torch of church leadership to the Croatian nationals, and moved to Las Vegas.
That wasn’t the end of the Warholics’ involvement in Croatia, though. Like Paul the Apostle returning to the churches he planted, Pastor Timothy and Grace make it a point to revisit Calvary Chapel Split roughly once a year–and a team from Paradise Calvary Chapel always joins them! It is a blessing to come alongside, uplift, and be of service to our brothers and sisters in Split, where the small but vibrant group of believers still meet to continue the verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter style study of Scripture.
Paradise Calvary Chapel’s mission trips to Croatia have often included outreaches that extend beyond the city of Split, though. In the past, our teams have also served in other places throughout Croatia–like at Pastor Ben and Emily Spector’s church in the city of Zagreb–and at conferences in surrounding countries, such as Austria, Hungary, and Serbia (where our Community Pastor Jeremy Bair and his wife Stacy served for several years). Our heart as a church is to support the ministries of Europe–especially the fellowship of Calvary Chapel Split–so that they continue to have a strong foundation of faith.
We encourage you to visit our missions table at church to ask how to help with resources, and to keep an eye out for Paradise Calvary Chapel’s upcoming mission trips to Croatia!
> Ethiopia
Ethiopia is a country located on the horn of Africa. The main religion is Ethiopian Orthodox, followed closely by Islam. Ethiopia, being mentioned quite a few times throughout Scripture, prides itself in its biblical heritage (such as claiming to be the haven of the Ark of the Covenant). Because of this, orthodox traditions are strongly rooted in the culture, and deviating from those traditions isn’t always accepted. Besides orthodox traditions, though, many smaller tribes have traditions and superstitions of their own, which can dictate the suffering of some of the most vulnerable. Our goal is to see those vulnerable brought to a place of safety…
Ebenezer Shepherding Ministries of Africa (ESMA) is a series of homes in the city of Hawassa. These homes are designed as a haven for children–sometimes with their mothers–who come from various tribes. While some have been orphaned or abandoned by families unable to take care of them, others have been outcast and considered to be mingi, or “cursed,” because of superstitious traditions. ESMA has taken action in not only rescuing these children, but providing them with a safe and accepting home.
ESMA has three main homes that these children and mothers can come to: Lantu’s Home of Hidden Treasures, which facilitates newborns and children with disabilities; House of Hope, which facilitates children who are HIV positive; and Ebenezer Grace Children’s Home, which facilitates children with the aim of either local adoption or reintegration with their original families.
Paradise Calvary Chapel has worked closely with ESMA since our beginnings. Pastor Timothy and Grace were close to Argaw and Rachel Ayele, who founded ESMA, while they were at the Bible college in Hungary, along with Pastor Shaun and Megan Havelaar, who served for several years at both ESMA and Paradise Calvary Chapel. Our church continues to support ESMA in several ways; many of our members sponsor children from ESMA, and quite a few others have gone on short-term trips to serve the children directly.
We encourage you to visit ESMA’s website to learn more about their mission, and to consider becoming a sponsor. We also encourage you to pray for the possibility of church planting in the future, and to keep a prayerful eye out for Paradise Calvary Chapel’s upcoming mission trips to Ethiopia!
> Las vegas
Las Vegas, as most people know, is located in Southern Nevada. The city has dubbed itself as “The Entertainment Capitol of the World,” and lives up to such a title. Ranked as one of the top tourist destinations on the globe, it is internationally renowned for its hospitality and entertainment industries. However, aside from the shopping and fine dining, Vegas is also known for less-than-virtuous industries. The city not only tolerates, but flaunts its nightlife, adult entertainment, and legalized gambling–so much that it has earned the title “Sin City.” The good news is that Las Vegas is also home to Paradise Calvary Chapel, and our goal is to shine a light through all the neon, and show that there’s a better way…
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