‘Church Together’: Four evangelical denominations bless each other in the Czech Republic

On 1 May, more than 350 Christians gathered in Prague for a one-day conference called Church Together. The event was organized by the Christian Mission Society (KMS), and its motto – “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity” – reflected the organizers’ aim to encourage deeper relationships, unity, and cooperation among Czech Christians.

The conference brought together leaders from four of the country’s biggest evangelical denominations: Martin Moldan of the Apostolic Church (AC, Pentecostal Church), Pavel Coufal of the Baptist Union (BJB), David Novák of the Church of the Brethren (CB, classic evangelical churches), and Marek Prosner of the Christian Fellowship Church (KS, independent Charismatic churches). These leaders helped organize the gathering and addressed the audience in a series of plenary talks that highlighted what evangelical Christians hold in common.

While their messages didn’t introduce radically new theological ideas, their reflections were received by attendants with encouragement. David Novák of the Church of the Brethren spoke about foundational aspects of evangelical faith, emphasizing the centrality of the risen Christ, the need for personal conversion, the authority of the Bible as God’s Word, a commitment to evangelism and mission, the importance of life transformation, and the irreplaceable role of church community.

The member of the Brethren evangelical churches emphasized their inseparability, saying: “We need all six pillars. We can’t abandon any of them. Do we have the courage to ask whether any of them are damaged? The way to repair them is to name the issues honestly and have the courage to show where a pillar needs strengthening – with God’s help”.

Marek Prosner of the Christian Fellowship Church echoed the call for spiritual renewal and issued a challenge: “We need to see that God is present with us. Why was the Book of Acts written? Because things were happening – there was something to write about. Will there be something to write about in my life?”

The event wasn’t only inward-looking. The leaders emphasized that the church must also serve society. Pavel Coufal of the Baptist Union reminded listeners that the Gospel is not merely good advice – it is Good News. Without sharing it, he said, even believers themselves would be lacking. He added that churches must offer not just human help but the hope of salvation in Christ.

Martin Moldan, the Bishop of the Apostolic Church, highlighted the need to share the Gospel in context – today, he suggested, that might be “through communities of believers who genuinely love Jesus and live that love outwardly”.

The worship throughout the day led by Ivan Růžička and Mozaika Worship band used a gentle, participatory style that invited everyone to join in collective praise. Their sensitive approach, choice of familiar songs, and refusal to treat worship as a performance helped foster a deep spirit of unity.

The program also included several seminars, though this part of the event drew less enthusiasm. The selection was limited and didn’t always align with the interests of younger attendees. Topics ranged from unity in diversity and prison ministry, to theological questions around church cooperation and how to cultivate vision in family life.

[photo_footer] Pavel Fialka's seminar on the limits of cooperation between churches attracted a large number of participants. / photo: Tomáš Coufal.[/photo_footer]

The emotional and spiritual highlight of the day came when the four denominational leaders stood together on stage to bless one another and pray for wisdom and growth – not just within their own churches, but across denominational lines. This public gesture reflected the Christ-like spirit of humility and mutual honour.

They were later joined by representatives from both the older and younger generations, who stood together to affirm the value of all age groups in the life of the church. Participants in the audience formed small prayer groups, blessing and encouraging one another.

The conference also featured displays from a number of Christian organizations that serve across denominational boundaries, such as Christian radio (Rádio 7), scouting ministries (Royal Rangers), or Prison Fellowship International.

Throughout the day, a separate program was held for children. “Our desire is to see children coming to God, building relationships with Him, and forming bonds with other believing children across the country. They are the future of the Czech Church”, the organizers said.

Reflecting on the day, Tomáš Růžička, head of the organizing team from KMS, shared: “It was an honour to work alongside everyone involved in the event, and I am grateful to the participants who chose to spend their free day in the fellowship of God’s people, offering one another support and love”.

This article was translated and adapted with permission from Život víry (Life of Faith) magazine in the Czech Republic.

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