In a recent event, the Biblical Institute of Zagreb and our Croatian partners brought two American church groups to Zagreb to address one of today’s most pressing spiritual challenges, the mental health crisis among teenagers.

The mid-October collaboration with Southside Church of Christ (Lexington, KY) and Cornerstone Christian Church (Dallas, TX) marked the inaugural “DiscipleTrip”, a new model of ministry partnership spearheaded by the Biblical Institute and our Croatian partners.

A Weekend of Challenge and Hope

Hosted at the Kušlanova building, the weekend seminar, “Teenagers and the Challenge of Modern Times”, drew over 50 participants, including Croatian parents and youth workers from several churches. The event featured a powerful combination of research-based presentations and deep, meaningful discussions that spanned from Friday evening through Saturday afternoon.

Jeremy Stewart, long-time youth minister at Southside Church, presented compelling research on teenage anxiety, depression, and self-harm. His findings were complemented by Andrej Lovše, a BIZG alumnus and Slovenian leader in Josiah Venture, a Europe-wide youth ministry. Lovše provided a European perspective on the issues that Stevens raised.

Speaking Friday evening, both Stewart and Lovše emphasized a crucial truth: whether in North America or Europe, anxiety and self-harm have reached epidemic levels among teens. Their solution-focused approach highlighted how parents, youth workers, and church communities can help teenagers see themselves through Christ’s eyes and find strength in their faith.

Saturday’s session featured Steve Taliaferro (former BIZG project manager and leader of Nešto Više [“Something More”] a Croatian ministry to teenagers), alongside his colleague Mateja Vugrek (a BIZG alumnus) and Johann David Go from a local Zagreb church. Their session focused on mentoring and discipling teens in both group settings and one-on-one relationships.

This event was unique in that it allocated equal time to presentations and discussion. This structure allowed American participants to make their most significant contribution, by facilitating deep conversations where Croatian parents and youth workers could process and apply the insights to their specific relationships.

DiscipleTrips: A New Vision for MissionsBIZG President Perry Stepp explained the vision behind DiscipleTrips: “We’re moving beyond traditional mission trip activities like painting walls or tearing down buildings. When a church’s expertise aligns with spiritual needs in Zagreb, we create opportunities to transform lives, both for the Croats who participate and for the Americans who come and serve.”

This pioneering DiscipleTrip, planned and financed by Southside Church of Christ in partnership with BIZG and Nešto Više, represents a fresh approach to international Christian collaboration. This new approach leverages specialized skills to address specific spiritual needs while building meaningful cross-cultural relationships.

The success of this first DiscipleTrip suggests a promising future for this innovative model of ministry partnership, demonstrating how American churches can make a profound impact by sharing their expertise where it’s needed most.