Olomouc LIVE

Olomouc (pronounced Oh-loh-mohts) is located in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic, and has a population of around 100,000.

For the thousands of people who live in Olomouc there are many elaborate and ornate Catholic churches and only one Baptist church, said IMB missionary Steve Brown.

Steve said the city has a strong Catholic influence, which for many people can be a hindrance for understanding spiritual truths.

Olomouc is over 1,000 years old, and Steve said the people there take great pride in the fact that their city is second only to Prague in national historical significance.

The city is also home to many university students, anywhere from 15,000 to 16,000, Steve said.

He also said people in this area of the Czech Republic seem open to discussing different spiritual beliefs or world views.

“We’ve found that the people in Olomouc and in Moravia are more open to talk about spiritual things,” Steve said. “More willing to talk about spiritual topics: God, the Bible, Christianity.”

Steve said he and his family have concentrated on building relationships so they can share the Gospel with Moravians, and the Browns are excited now as they see many ways in which God is working in Olomouc.

He said, “We really feel that we’re on the verge of something pretty big taking place in maybe even the next year.”