Between Icons and Innovation: Tracing the Macedonian Call from Philippi to Skopje
God has been interested in the entire world from the very beginning. All peoples and all nations are on His radar. This series seeks to put God’s global heart on display by hearing from people who have experienced the love and testimony of Jesus in other parts of the world. We will hear from missionaries, citizens from other nations, and those who have ministered around the world to hear how God is actively moving to bring the world to Himself through the Gospel of Jesus. Come learn about other cultures and how they have been impacted by the Gospel. Sample foods, hear languages and broaden your understanding of God’s global reach.
This talk traces the development of Christianity in North Macedonia from its Pauline origins in Acts 16 through the influential missions of Cyril and Methodius, to its marginalized status under Ottoman and Yugoslavian rule. Moving into the post-Communist era, the talk examines the “relevance gap” between the region’s historic Christian identity and the modern challenges of corruption and systemic brain drain. Drawing from on-the-ground experience and recent sociological data, the speaker will highlight how the church is using innovative, faith-integrated approaches in entrepreneurship and community health to address these societal challenges and close the gap between ancient tradition and modern societal transformation.
More about our Guest Speaker:
Clay Buttemere is CEO and Co-Founder of LinkAcross, an international non-profit dedicated to linking partners for holistic development in the Balkans. A Virginia Tech alumnus, he has lived in North Macedonia with his wife (also a VT alum) and family for 18 years. Clay has a passion to explore how the Christian faith integrates with every sphere of culture, including business and healthcare, and to see flourishing lives and communities across the Balkans.
This project was made possible through the support of an award from the Stephen & Laurel Brown Foundation, through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of either the Stephen & Laurel Brown Foundation or the John Templeton Foundation.
