CV:

Peter Čuřík was born on September 7, 1971 in Banská Bystrica and spent his youth in Sliač, a small town in Central Slovakia. After graduation from Zvolen Grammar School he moved to Bratislava where he studied at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in the Slovak University of Technology. This is where he first met with people who were born again Christians. After several months of searching for the truth, he turned to God in 1990 and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and became a Christian. (He wrote about his salvation in his book Be Born Again! Published at Slovo života int. Bratislava, 2004.) It all had happened during the Velvet Revolution and the Holy Spirit led many young people to salvation. At university, dormitory prayer groups were formed and outreach activities were organized. Peter Čuřík later became pastor of this newly founded community. After his university studies he joined others and they went to study at the Bible Centre of Word of Life in Brno for a year and a half (1994/1995). The first year was attended by 260 students from 10 countries of the world. Another half of the year was dedicated to those who were called to be preachers and 200 students continued in their studies. It was a very important period of growth and preparation. The church in Bratislava was, in those years 1994-1997, led by a German missionary Christian Heim.

 

After his return from Brno Peter married Katka Belajová, who was the worship team leader in the church and also went through Bible school. They settled in Bratislava and now they have two sons – Peter and Michal. Peter served his military service and then started to work as a Business Manager in a small firm. After over a year he quit his job and started to work at the Word of Life Church as an Assistant Pastor. From 2002 he is the Senior Pastor of the Bratislava Church and travels to other Slovak cities to teach and preach the Word of God. The message of faith is being spread through Victorious Life Magazine where he works as Editor in Chief. The magazine is being published for over 12 years, and about 2400 copies are printed per issue. A very important breakthrough in the ministry of Word of Life Church was the foundation of a Publishing House in 2004. During all those years thousands of audio and video sermons were sent to the whole of Slovakia as well as abroad. Up to 2012 the Publishing House of Word of Life Church edited over 30 titles. In 2006/2007 WOL Church Bratislava hosted a Pastors Course supported by universities from the USA (ORU) and Sweden (LOU) which was attended by 82 pastors from 16 European countries. In 2011 Pastor Peter obtained Pastoral Care Certificate from these universities. He founded Bratislava Bible school training disciples for the ministry in 2008 and 2009. The vision of Pastor Peter is “to train and build believers to reach and change the world.” His priority remains the building of the local church in Bratislava as well as spreading the gospel and founding Christian churches (groups of Word of Life up to 2012: Banská Bystrica, Banská Štiavnica, Sereď, Galanta, Komárno, Topoľčany).

 

Peter Čuřík is also the co-author of the Bible Coursebook, Bible Basics, the last edition appeared in 2011.

 

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Here is a part of an interview with Pastor Peter which was published in a bulletin of Christian fellowship Devleskero Kher from Košice:

Peter, some of our brothers and sisters from our church already know you a bit, but still, could you tell us what your life looked like before you became a Pastor?

I grew up in Central Slovakia in a family where I was surrounded by love and care. The only thing was that I was not led to God. Gradually, I acquired a certain philosophy of life in which religion had no place. The main reason was certainly my pride as well as people who called themselves Christians but did not represent the Lord well. I went to study at university in Bratislava where I was, unexpectedly, saved. My salvation was a shock to all of my friends and acquaintances. But God saves as He pleases and He is not asking for human opinion.

We started to do outreach immediately and among the students at dormitories we experienced many miracles. Gradually, a church was born and I became a very young pastor (1992/1993). After a year I went to Bible School in Brno. That was one of the most beautiful periods of my life, when God laid a strong foundation in me. After my military service I worked as a Business Manager for a year, but I did not stop to preach or love the Church. From 1999 I started to work as a full time preacher and a year and a half ago I became the Pastor of Word of Life Church in Bratislava. My wife is a great gift from the Lord to me and for 8 years she has been my great support.

 

What is your vision for the Church in Slovakia. What do you dream about?

I am like Nehemiah, who was walking around the walls of Jerusalem that were torn down and consumed by fire. Once so famous and proud, now humiliated and dishonoured. But God puts into our hearts a vision of reformation. The question is not how much are the walls damaged, but how much do we trust the Lord and whether we stand in the place He chose for us. Firstly in the lives of the servants of the gospel, then in the local churches and movements and finally in the whole Body of Christ. God puts together people who hear the sound of his trumpet.

 

What, in your opinion, is the main reason preventing even more effective spreading of the gospel in Slovakia?

Usually it is more than just one factor, but the answer is clear. If the Church is going to focus on why it is not going well, it will lose its motivation and drive: “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap“ (Ecc 11:4). Jesus told us to preach the gospel to all of creation. He did not say to preach only if people are being saved. He prophesied that those who believe will be saved and those who don’t believe will be judged. Let´s prepare the soil in prayer and then let´s preach the Word and the Lord will do the miracles.

 

What is your challenge for Christians of 21th Century in Slovakia?

Return to the first love. We made Christianity so complicated. Let us love God in the first place and then let us love our neighbours! Let us be the channels of God ´s love and let people feel it. Christians in Slovakia need to give themselves to the Lord again and to their local churches, so that together with Nehemiah they renew the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah himself can never do it by himself and he was not called to do so. The answer to his vision was: “Let us arise and build.” Let us pray for church leaders, for their anointing and Gods leadership and then let us join in the calling for reformation and let us prepare the way for the coming of our Lord and Saviour.