Czech Republic June 2025 (High School & College Students)

Located just 45 minutes outside of Prague, the city of Rokycany has managed to keep its small town status, boasting a population of less than 15,000. Having only just emerged from Communist rule in 1990, Communist influence can be seen in both the culture and architecture, with Rokycany’s communist era tenant buildings standing in stark contrast to its storybook town center. There are many cultural challenges in meeting ministry goals in this area. During communism, it wasn’t safe for people to talk about their beliefs to anyone, even their families, so there are generations of Czechs that have never heard the gospel at all, causing the Czech Republic to be considered one of the most atheistic countries in the world and Czech people to generally be very closed to the gospel. Eric and Lauren Coale and their two sons, Hudson and Raylan, were sent out as missionaries from First Arnold in October 2021 to the Czech Republic, and now call Rokycany their home. The Coale family is working with a small team of believers to plant a church in their city, where no known evangelical presence exists. While their ministry there is young, First Arnold is excited to partner with them through Day Camps, English tutoring, relationship building, and encouragement of local believers. We pray that one day, the church in Rokycany will be healthy enough to begin planting healthy churches in nearby cities, and that as these healthy churches multiply, Jesus' name will be proclaimed throughout the Czech Republic.