Kingdom Idea

Repercussions

Have you ever done anything or been part of some scheme that has had some long lasting repercussions. What about something that will last way beyond your time on this ball of dirt and rock we call earth. Below is one example set by Charles Vance Millar back in the 1920's. He was a lawyer with no kids, a lot of money and an idea of how to make his namesake last beyond on his rivals....read on:

I love this account of Charles Millar. It would seem that because he was a lawyer who was dealing with all types of people, he liked to be involved in different experiments that would test people's level of hypocrisy and the like. It has been suggested that he would do simple experiments like putting a one dollar bill on the sidewalk and watch people hurriedly pick it up and walk away. He would also take his jokes a little further like leaving stock in a beer company for all protestant ministers in Toronto just to see if those preachers who spoke against alcohol would still like to benefit from the profits (this turned out to be a hoax). 

As we push forward the ideas (to learn more click here) that KINGDOMidea is promoting in the nations of Europe we have the opportunity to do our own kind of experiment among ourselves. Could you get involved in a human experiment with kids, adults, families and communities that you know very little about just to see if you could make an impact and difference in their lives? That is the chance that we are presenting to you, to get involved in 'Community Transformation' projects in Southern Albania, Southern Serbia and Central Macedonia where we are partnering with local churches and community leaders to help communities that are devastated by poverty, lack of clean drinking water, sanitation issues, lack of education and no hope for a brighter future. Getting back to Charles Millar for a moment. He died in the late 1920's right before the great depression hit the world. This man went from having no kids to 36 kids he never met and provided a future for them that carried them through the depression on to successful lives, careers and futures. Even though he was potentially just trying to make a name for himself, he ended up making a huge difference in the lives of people. Through his resources he multiplied himself over and over again, that is really creating a legacy. As you read the accounts in the posts below of what KINGDOMidea is involved in, please be inspired to get involved and creating lasting change in someone's life. 

Serbia

Serbia is a wonderful nation with a troubled past. Having been broken apart over the last decades, Serbia stands as the only nation left that still represents the former Yugoslavia. The past has brought many difficulties socially and economically for many across the entire nation. KINGDOMidea is partnering with Sasha Vitakic in the southern Serbian town of Kraljevo. A town of 130,000 people and only one evangelical church and a large gypsy community that is very open to strategic partnerships that will help them move forward in society. The ground work is being done now for projects to begin here in the near future but we need your help now to establish a base for leadership development and education among the gypsies and Serbian people in Kraljevo.  Would you be willing to invest your time and resources to partner with us as we establish a base here in Southern Serbia?

If you would like more information on Serbia and how you can be involved please contact us by clicking here

To view photos of Serbia and other nations we work in click here

Macedonia

Macedonia, a great nation and great people. Unfortunately this nation is among the poorest in Europe. KINGDOMidea is in partnership with the local Evangelical church movement based in Skopje to work in three different areas that really cover the scope of why Ki exists. Firstly, we are partnering with Sokrat Apostolovski who is a Macedonian pastor working in the largest Gypsy community in Europe. The need is great there and KINGDOMidea wants to assist Sokrat in coming alongside him and his team in a strategic fashion to help with micro-entreprise strategies and leadership development among the Roma people. These initiatives along with social help can make a real impact in the lives of people.

 Another area of partnership is with Stojan Petrovski who is endeavoring to raise up pastors among the people via leadership seminars and courses. Macedonia is in great need to plant churches as it has the least amount of evangelical believers in all of Europe. KINGDOMidea is going to partner on a leadership level to help accomplish this goal.

 

The third area of partnership is with Nikola Galevski who runs a university campus ministry and also leads SoulCraft which is a contemporary setting for Young Adults to gather for discipleship. This partnership helps fulfill the other mandate on KINGDOMidea and that is to work with emerging leaders in order to help them plant spiritual communities among their peers wherever that might be. 

You can help us in Macedonia by getting involved to make a real difference in the lives of so many different people so that real change can take place.

To give or to find out more about how you can be involved in Macedonia contact us by clicking here

To view photos of Macedonia and the other areas KINGDOMidea works in click here

The Latest Ki photos

To view click here

Albania

Partnering in Southern Albania just outside the city of Sarande with Richard and Linda Welch is a real privilege for us here at

 KINGDOMidea. Richard has been in Albania for over 13 years really working among the people. Linda has been a great help to the work over the last 7 years. We are working in the village of Chotca which is a poor, Albanian village that has a small community of Gypsies or Roma people living there. With the idea to see real 'Community Transformation' take place among the gypsies and Albanians, we need to be strategic in how we proceed forward. The initial work is to take place in the area of education which will provide some real, practical help to both the the Albanian school with a new playground and fence. This will help build trust and friendship among the groups working there because the Roma people are considered second class citizens so if we were just to go in and help them we would probably not receive a warm welcome for our efforts. This olive branch is real and necessary in order for the work to happen among the Gypsies and their need for education. The building that the kids of the gypsy community presently have school in needs major work and we would also like to be able to raise enough resource to help the teacher who goes in on a volunteer basis. We believe that she needs to be paid and also proper curriculum needs to be sourced so that these gypsy kids can have a chance at a proper education because they are not readily accepted into the typical Albanian school or choose not to go because they see no hope for their futures and either do their parents. 

Would you consider partnering with us to see real change happen in the lives of kids, their families and communities. We have a long-term approach to projects because that is where you see real relationships developed so real trust can be gained. You working with us could be the difference as we need resources to see the above happen along with other, broader ideas such as micro business plans so that the poor of this village can support themselves. Sanitation and clean drinking water are also huge needs as well as personal, leadership development. Please help us make a difference.

For more information and to give towards Albania contact us by clicking here  

To view photos of Southern Albania and the other nations we work in click here                                    

To Think Really Big

The impact of yet another statement from the great Winston Churchill. He was quoted as saying to news reporters that "We must dream big. Small dreams do not have the power to move the souls of men". Hopefully we have captured the essence of his words if not the exact wording but the adage is so true. Over the last few years we would visit Coventry Cathedral which was bombed during WW II and it has made quite a impact on our thinking which relates to this quote. While a country was being bombed and hope was waining one leader had the audacity to make this comment which was one of many rallying crys for people to think towards a triumphant England. Today most of us don't have big enough dreams for ourselves besides not having dreams that can move the souls of people and the impact we can make in this world. For that matter we don't dream big enough about our kids and those we are in relationship with. The recognition is there that this kind of language isn't common today but the need to help people dream big dreams for their nations and communities is still real so that they can find the solutions to poverty, lack of leadership and many other issues they are facing. KINGDOMidea's goals of Community Transformation in some of the most difficult places in Europe is big and we are quite happy to keep it that way. To understand more please click on Ki projects. Keep dreaming big..... and also start planning towards making those big dreams reality. 

Albania Community Transformation

To find out more of what we are working towards in Southern Albania please click on the link below. To ask any questions please email Steve at 

steve(at)kingdomidea.com 

Download KI Southern Albania CT Project 

Why Canada? Why Calgary?

In the entire 6 year journey of full time global work that we have been part of and the previous 11 years of full time local church work we have always had a few values that we live by and one of the main values is that we value growing, learning new things and always being open to fresh experiences all based on the foundation of relationally living out the life of Jesus in the world we walk in. Living in Europe for the last 5 years taught us many things and opened up worlds of opportunity that we would never have experienced if we didn't go. Now that we have gone and were gone for an extended period of time we felt that change was in the air. Staying in Europe was a viable option and we potentially will be back there full time one day but for now we really know that being based in Canada for KINGDOMidea purposes and personal reasons also is right for us as a family. We continue on with PAOC as Global workers in the Eurasia region. In launching KINGDOMidea we felt that it will be of great value to be in North America connecting with existing and new partners and travelling to Europe on a regular basis to see the projects go forward. In essence this is no different than the last 5 years being based in the UK, its just a longer plane ride now.  

So, we are now in Calgary, Canada basing ourselves out of a great church that has invited us to journey with them. Our friends are leading the church and we are looking forward to serving locally as the work goes forward in Europe. That is where the relational piece plays it's strong hand. We are growing with our closest friends and making more along the way all wrapped up in the pursuit of living out the values that we believe so strongly in. To check out the church click here  

Relocating from the UK back to Canada wasn't an easy move on many levels. We don't even like to use the work 'back' in reference to this because this move is actually helping us go forward. It has been stretching since we have been back but another guide that we live by is that we have never called ourselves 'missionaries' but Kingdom people pushing HIS agenda forward wherever we are. This might sound a little to loose for some so on the KINGDOMIdea side of things we are strong in our goals and objectives to keep us on track with the ideas that are in our hearts and that others are connecting too. 

All this talk is in the effort not only to communicate but to share life and heart. We value those of you that have prayed and partnered with us over the years, believing in us and seeing much more fruit through us than we could even imagine ourselves. All this is said with excitment toward the future of what God is going to do through us and the people we are going to get to journey with along the way to see HIS purposes realized. 

Towards the future for Eternity's Sake

Steve for KINGDOMidea

The Conversation Continues

We didn't get to finish the last post concerning change, transition and looking forward to some amazing ideas coming into reality during 2009 and beyond. We wanted to take a couple of moments to say thanks to everyone who has believed with us and partnered to see the Kingdom advance in many nations across Europe. Over the last 6 years of work your partnership has been vital to the work of seeing leaders developed, churches planted and opportunities realized. Now, looking forward you can continue to be part of those ideas plus the opportunity to some of the poorest communities in Europe transformed with intentional partnerships. Thanks to those of you that have been able to continue your partnership with the new endeavours of KINGDOMidea. As you can see in previous posts, Ki is the new expression for The Melnichuks to outwork the missional ideas for Kingdom advancement across Europe. Many have wondered what we have been doing since relocating back to Calgary, Canada to start up Ki. 

˚ The move happened in November and was filled with travel across Canada and the USA. 

˚ December was family time. Below is our most recent picture taken at the time, the family is growing up.

˚ January found us working to push ideas forward for Ki. Steve was in Europe making connections and spending time with key people that will help the ideas go forward. He was also in Indonesia networking with fellow PAOC global workers. 

˚ February is back in Canada connecting with some unique people who are going to help the ideas of community transformation in Europe take place, more on that soon. 

So, with all this activity we want to take a breathe and say thanks again for partnering with us. All of our contact details for Canada, the USA and Europe can be found to the left of the screen, plaese contact us with any questions. As we go forward this year we will be contacting many of you to discuss future partnerships and looking for new partners to see the vision go forward so in advance we are looking forward to talking with you. Please take a moment to review the Ki manifest to understand more clearly the goals and objectives of KINGDOMidea. Talk with you soon. 

2008 Review

You can read an overview of 2008 happenings by clicking here