An Unexpected Door in Poland: Discovering New Opportunities for Worship and Discipleship

By Dwayne Moore, President, NLW International

I wasn’t supposed to spend this week in Poland.

According to my original itinerary, I would be in Ukraine right now, encouraging pastors and church leaders who are faithfully serving amid the devastation of war. But just weeks before my scheduled visit, my Ukrainian host contacted me with disappointing news. The situation had become too dangerous, and he urged me not to come.

I was deeply disappointed. I had looked forward to being with these brothers and sisters in Christ. But with my flights already bringing me to Warsaw, I decided to spend several days here, learning about the country, meeting Christian leaders, and exploring what God might have in store.

What I initially viewed as an unexpected gap in my schedule has become something much more meaningful.

A Country with a Remarkable History

Walking through Warsaw has been a moving experience.

Poland has endured unimaginable suffering. During World War II, Warsaw was devastated, and much of its historic center was systematically destroyed. Then came decades of communist rule, when religious freedom faced significant pressures and restrictions.

Yet Poland survived. Its people rebuilt their cities, preserved their identity, and ultimately helped bring about the collapse of communist rule in Eastern Europe. As I have walked through Warsaw’s streets, visited historic places, and learned more about its past, I’ve been reminded of the resilience of the Polish people.

But I’ve also found myself thinking about the spiritual future of this nation. Poland has a long and deeply rooted Christian heritage, especially within the Roman Catholic tradition. Yet evangelical Christians represent only a tiny fraction of its population. Estimates suggest fewer than 1% of Poles identify as evangelical Christians. That reality became even more meaningful through conversations with Christian leaders here—and an experience I had on Sunday morning.

A Sunday Morning in a Catholic Church

Wanting to better understand Poland’s religious culture, I decided to attend Mass at St. Hyacinth’s Dominican Church in Warsaw’s historic New Town. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.

What impressed me most was the apparent devotion of the people. They seemed to take worship very seriously. There was a strong sense of reverence throughout the service, and I noticed people from several generations participating together.

The congregation appeared well attended, and the people weren’t merely observing. They participated in the liturgy, sang, knelt, and joined in spoken prayers. Several times I heard the congregation respond, “Lord, hear our prayer.”

During a moment when we were encouraged to greet one another, a family behind me smiled and spoke kindly to me.

I was genuinely encouraged by what I saw.

Of course, one Sunday service in one congregation cannot tell me what Catholic worship is like throughout Poland. Nor could I know the spiritual condition of those attending. But I found myself evaluating the experience through the lens of what we teach at NLW International about the three directions of worship: Inward, Upward, and Outward.

Inward worship begins in the heart, through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I couldn’t know what was happening in the hearts of those worshipers, but their devotion and reverence were certainly consistent with people who sincerely love God.

Upward worship is our response to God through praise, prayer, surrender, and obedience. I witnessed several biblical expressions of that response, including singing, kneeling, and congregational prayer.

Outward worship is the overflow of God’s love through our lives to others. While I couldn’t observe how these people lived throughout the week, I noticed kindness toward others and heard prayers expressing concern for the world and the spread of the gospel.

One especially meaningful moment was hearing the congregation recite the Nicene Creed, affirming foundational truths about Jesus Christ, His death, and His resurrection. I realize that reciting the truths of the gospel is not the same as personally trusting Christ in one’s heart. Yet neither should I assume that participation in traditional liturgy means someone lacks genuine faith.

Only God knows the heart.

I left that service with an appreciation for the devotion I had witnessed and with important questions about how personal faith, spiritual formation, and everyday discipleship are understood and practiced in this deeply religious country. Those questions would connect directly with my conversations with evangelical leaders in Warsaw.

Meeting with Christian leaders in downtown Warsaw.

Encouraging Conversations, Sobering Challenges

One of the highlights of my visit has been meeting Christian leaders who love the Lord and have a genuine heart for their country.

I had the privilege of meeting Pastor Marek Głodek, president of the Baptist Union of Churches in Poland. He graciously spent time with me in Warsaw and introduced me to Pastor John at First Baptist Church of Warsaw. As we talked, I was struck by Pastor Marek’s heart for his country and his desire to see the gospel reach more people.

With Pastor Marek Głodek and Pastor John at First Baptist Church of Warsaw.

One of the greatest challenges facing evangelical Christianity here is simply the limited number of churches. In a country with such a rich Christian heritage, evangelical congregations are relatively few.

During our conversation, I shared something that is foundational to the ministry of NLW International:

We believe worship is not only an expression of our relationship with God. It is also a means through which God forms us into more mature disciples of Jesus Christ.

That idea seemed to resonate deeply with Pastor Marek. In fact, he returned to it several more times throughout our conversation. Even minutes after we had moved on to other subjects, he was still reflecting on the connection between worship and discipleship.

I believe that was the moment he began to see that NLW’s ministry extends far beyond music or training worship teams.

Another meaningful conversation was with Pastor Szymon Pietrzak, who serves with Christian Community “Puławska” in Warsaw. Pastor Szymon shared a different but closely related challenge: finding and developing church leaders.

Many believers in Poland did not grow up in evangelical Christian homes. They may have come to faith as adults without ever having experienced the kind of church environment where spiritual leadership is modeled and nurtured.

Consequently, churches face the difficult task of not only reaching people with the gospel but also helping believers understand what it means to become mature disciples and, eventually, spiritual leaders themselves.

Pastor Szymon previously served as a worship leader, and he spoke about approximately 50 people involved in his church’s worship ministry whom he would love to develop spiritually. That immediately caught my attention.

Beautiful Singing, but What Happens on Monday?

Something else I learned from my conversations with these leaders was particularly encouraging. In their churches, congregational singing is often vibrant and participatory. People love to sing, and they sing beautifully!

A performance mentality from the platform doesn’t appear to be the major concern that it sometimes is in other parts of the world. Congregations participate together in worship rather than simply watching musicians perform. I find that refreshing.

Yet these leaders pointed to another challenge.

While many believers understand worship as something they do together at church, they may not recognize how worship should continue throughout their everyday lives.

How does worship continue after the final song on Sunday?

What does it mean to worship God at work, at home, in our relationships, and through the choices we make each day? How can our love for God shape the way we treat our families, serve our neighbors, and respond to the challenges of life?

These questions are at the very heart of NLW International.

Worship is more than music. It is a way of life. And perhaps this message could help strengthen the churches of Poland.

How Might NLW Help?

One thing I’ve learned through our years of international ministry is that we must be careful not to assume we understand the needs of a country after only a few conversations.

Our first responsibility is to listen. Poland already has faithful pastors, teachers, and ministry leaders who understand their culture far better than we ever could. Our desire is not to replace or compete with their work, but to come alongside them and strengthen what God is already doing.

Still, three possible opportunities are beginning to emerge.

First, helping believers connect Sunday worship with everyday life.

Our central teaching at NLW emphasizes three directions of worship: receiving from God, responding to Him, and allowing His love to overflow through us to others. We call these Inward, Upward, and Outward worship.

Imagine the impact if believers who already love singing together on Sundays began to see their homes, workplaces, schools, and communities as places where they can worship and glorify God every day.

You can read more about this vision in our reflection on Inward, Upward, and Outward worship.

Second, helping churches form and develop spiritual leaders.

Pastor Szymon’s concerns about leadership development resonated deeply with me. If many believers have not grown up with models of Christian leadership, how can churches prepare them to disciple and lead others?

At NLW, we believe effective spiritual leadership begins with a life of personal worship and devotion to God. Before we can lead others to love God, we must be growing in that love ourselves.

This is one reason we developed The NLW Pathway, a six-week resource designed to help believers establish practical habits of whole-life worship. I left Pastor Szymon a Pathway Set for him to examine and consider.

Could this resource eventually help Polish churches provide a simple, reproducible approach to spiritual formation? Could it strengthen emerging leaders who will, in turn, disciple others? We don’t know yet. But I believe it’s worth exploring together.

For a look at other materials used to encourage worship and discipleship, visit our Books & Materials page.

Third, encouraging and equipping churches to reach more people.

The relatively small evangelical presence in Poland presents a tremendous challenge for local churches.

Church planting and evangelism are already important priorities for many Christian leaders here. While NLW is not primarily a church-planting organization, we have a passion for strengthening the spiritual lives of pastors and church leaders who carry out that work.

Our conviction is that worship can actually become a catalyst for spiritual awakening and discipleship.

As people encounter God, respond to His truth, and surrender their lives to Him, they are transformed. And transformed people can become powerful witnesses in their homes, churches, and communities.

Could this emphasis on whole-life worship help strengthen existing churches and encourage those seeking to reach people who are secular, skeptical, or religious by tradition but lack a vibrant personal relationship with Christ? Could it help prepare spiritually grounded leaders for new congregations? These are possibilities worth exploring prayerfully.

Sometimes God Redirects Our Steps

As I reflect on this unexpected week in Poland, I am reminded of Proverbs 16:9:

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”

I certainly did not plan to spend this time in Warsaw. My heart was set on Ukraine, and I still hope the Lord will open that door at another time.

But I am thankful for what He has allowed me to experience here.

I’ve walked streets filled with remarkable history. I’ve learned more about the struggles and perseverance of the Polish people. I’ve witnessed meaningful expressions of Christian devotion in a Catholic church. And, most importantly, I’ve met Christian leaders whose hearts are committed to serving Christ and strengthening His Church.

I don’t know exactly what will come from these new relationships. We have no formal plans or commitments at this point. But I do know that our message of whole-life worship is not limited by geography, language, culture, or denominational traditions.

God’s call to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is for believers everywhere. And when that love becomes the foundation of our lives, it changes how we lead, serve, and relate to the world around us.

My prayer is that NLW International might one day have the privilege of partnering with churches and leaders here in Poland to encourage believers, strengthen leaders, and help the Church make an even greater impact for Christ.

Sometimes an unexpected change in plans becomes the beginning of an unexpected opportunity.

Perhaps that’s what God has been doing this week in Warsaw.

Please pray with me for the churches and Christian leaders of Poland—and for wisdom as we consider whether God may be opening another door for NLW International in Eastern Europe.

A historic church in Warsaw’s Old Town.

Dwayne Moore
President, NLW International
Warsaw, Poland | October 2026

AI writing assistance was used in preparing this article.