The Sofia Church of the Nazarene, founded in 1995, recently reorganized its leadership and worship service. Led for years by a bivocational pastor, it was determined that the weight of leadership would be less heavy if spread among a team, said Jay Sunberg, superintendent for the Bulgaria District. 

Galin Ivanov, the former lead pastor, is now among the nine leaders who plan worship services and Wednesday night prayer meetings, youth activities, outreach ministries and other tasks. The team is a mix of Bulgarians and missionaries, including Jessica Morris, a missionary who recently was reassigned to Bulgaria from Italy, and was a key organizer of the relaunch. 

Being part of a team, rather than carrying the weight of leadership alone, is a refreshing change, said Ivanov, who has pastored the church since 2003. 

“Before, I was kind of lonely leading worship and preaching and doing everything,” he said. “I like to be part of a good team like we are now. It doesn’t feel like I gotta do everything myself.” 

The reformatted worship service features a worship team leading contemporary songs in Bulgarian, testimonies, prayer, a Scripture reading, a sermon and prayer, followed by fellowship over treats and coffee. Afterward, the congregation of roughly 25 separates by age groups for discipleship lessons. 

“All of us preach every now and then, or we do discipleship lessons after the service, so we’re all participating quite actively,” said Petar Neychev, who is also on the leadership team. “But the responsibility is not for everything on one person as it has been for many years.” 

Services and discipleship are held in the afternoon because the congregation rents space in another church’s building. Plans are developing to construct a Nazarene church on land the district owns. The plans call for the new church to also house the district center offices. 

Although the congregation has needed to focus inward on its relaunch, they are ready to again turn outward to the community, Ivanov said. 

“I think it’s time for us to shift and go out inviting people to activities where they will feel comfortable,” he said. 

With Easter coming up, the church will plan some outreach activities to involve neighbors and community members, Sunberg said. 

“We’re very excited about the whole direction of how everything is going in Sofia – the team approach,” he added. “We’re excited about how this will enable us to make a bigger impact in Sofia.” 

Photo courtesy Petar Neychev