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Notes of a choir practicing Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus floated over the green as sports enthusiasts enjoyed football, tennis, billiards and even ice skating. In the children’s area hundreds of youths tried crafts, played games, and bounced on trampolines in rhythm to their own worship songs. Other simultaneous venues offered 24 hours of continuous Bible reading, platforms for worship and the performing arts, and a huge Expo of World Missions.

There was something for everyone at this first Christian festival of its kind held June 27-29 in Budapest, Hungary. The 20,000 persons attending included Hungarians and busloads of others from Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Romania. Admission was free.

Two years ago the nation’s first cross-denominational Mission Expo drew 5,000 visitors, far exceeding expectations. “The first Expo was great because it was the first of its kind,” said Expo manager Istvan Horvath. It was also the first time for various denominational groups to gather. But its organizers wanted this event to be something more than an expo, so they teamed with the national Christian worship ministry “This is the Day” and organized it as an Evangelical Alliance event. This is the Day managed 48 hours of on-stage worship and an open air concert. Together the alliance and the worship ministry arranged the sports program, children’s “city” and other events.

In faith they rented Budapest’s former “People’s Stadium,” built in Communist days, which encompassed several exhibition buildings, tennis courts, a track and field area, and enough land for camping during the three-day event. Publicity blitzed churches and the general public by radio, TV and posters in Budapest’s metro stations. Seventy bands from 12 countries offered to perform without payment, and 1,200 on-site volunteers kept everything running smoothly.

Winning Combination
The idea of teaming the Mission Expo with a plethora of other Christian activities for all ages proved a winner. This is the Day coordinator Viktor Laszlo noted that in previous years, focus was on a single afternoon/evening meeting that concentrated on the main stage. “This year we wanted to give a wider picture of what the Spirit is doing in Hungary,” Laszlo said. “What was important to me was the creativity, being able to catch the young people with the variety of activities.”

The partnership with This is the Day helped provide a wider platform for missions, said Istvan Csernak, superintendent of the United Methodist Church in Hungary. “Up to now we’ve never seen this wide a program for Christians,” he said.

UK worship leaders Noel Richards and Graham Kendrick both offered seminars and open-air worship on the main stage. In an interview, Richards expressed his enthusiasm about the combination of events. “Worship without mission is self-indulgent, and mission without worship is self-defeating,” he said. “I love this idea of bringing together worship and mission.”

Kendrick agreed. “Because worship is so popular, there’s a danger that it becomes an end in itself. I believe that putting mission and worship side by side is just how it should be.”

More than 80 churches, missions, Christian booksellers and other groups reserved Mission Expo space in the site’s Olympia Sport Center. One area was devoted to continuous multimedia presentations. OMS missionary Diane Dickerson said her ministry gave out thousands of copies of a book of testimonies.

A Romanian YWAM representative said she had been in Hungary for two years and never really met other missions. “I’m really excited about this! And a good number of people have been signing up for more information,” she said.

Ed and Susanna Bergs attended the Expo to raise the profile of their anti-abortion ministry, “Shout For Life.” In the past, Hungary has led the world in lawful abortions, which has contributed to its shrinking population.

Valerie Campbell of Pioneers Hungary said that Hungarians learned how to present the event at the first Expo. At this one, they’ve caught on and developed their presentations. “And they’re not just staying in their own booths, but going to other missions to see how they can work together,” Campbell said. “Hungarians have caught a vision of what they can do.”

The biggest hurdle proved to be theological. Some non-charismatic churches objected to charismatic participation, and withdrew. But Dr. Daniel Szabo, president of both the Hungarian Evangelical Alliance and the Hungarian Reformed Presbyterian Alliance, stressed the need for unity. “Especially as Hungary enters the EU [in 2004] we need the unity of the Lord’s people, of all whom believe in Jesus Christ and love Him. It means respecting each other,” he said. Szabo, while proud of his Reformed background, says that unity doesn’t mean forgetting one’s roots. “This event is a testimony to the bigger Church,” he said. “It’s more than a Reformed heritage or Baptist. It’s [God’s] heritage! It’s a message we have to tell together: that he is the Lord, and all of us are just servants.”

Figures aren’t available on how many took steps closer to faith, or made decisions about their involvement in missions. At least 45 people signed a decision to accept Christ as Savior following This is the Day’s center-stage evangelistic challenge.

Hungary’s evangelical church has come a long way since emerging from 40 years of Communist dictatorship in 1991. The areas of home and international missions, however, are only beginning to develop. This year’s Mission Expo and Christian Festival has challenged believers to expand their horizons, and to see what God can accomplish through a unified vision. “This is a Hungarian thing now,” said veteran UK missionary Jill Hitchcock. “Next time, it will be even more Hungarian!”

Debbie Meroff is a London-based photojournalist who writes for Operation Mobilization and other Christian publications.