Evangelism at Pol'and'Rock

“Many are afraid to come here. I was also such a person,” says Kacper, one of the participants of the evangelism initiative at the Pol'and'Rock music festival. “But people here are open to spiritual conversations, which surprised me.”

Not just music

The first festival was held in 1995, under the name Przystanek Woodstock, referring to the famous Woodstock of '69. Crowds gather at this free party organized as a thank you event for the work of volunteers of the famous Polish charity, Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy (the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity).

Both Polish and world music stars can be seen on the stages of Pol'and'Rock. However, many say that the concerts are not the most important thing. It's all about the atmosphere, being together and being open to each other. That's why participants are eager to smile at strangers, hug random passersby, help others and talk about various topics.

The Good News at the campground

Because of this openness, 20 years ago, staff and volunteers of the Mt28 movement began to come to the festival to talk about God there. First, they cooperated with the Roman Catholic event Przystanek Jezus, and for several years they joined efforts with various missionary organizations, such as Steiger Poland. They lived in tents among festival goers and co-organized evening performances and talks about faith.

“I joined in with our evangelism materials and a cell phone charging station," says Jurek Szkudelski, coordinator of this year's campaign. “I also took with me two guys I was discipling during the year so they could experience such evangelism.”

Intense days

Last year, Jurek decided to organize an independent project. “We didn't want to spend the night on the festival grounds in tents where other organizations were," he laughs. They rented Dutch houses in a quiet place for the group of evangelizers.

This tranquility helped fulfill the second goal of the project, after talking about Jesus, which was to develop the evangelizers' relationship with God and one another.

Jurek Szkudelski invited missionaries from Mt28, people from his church, and those he helped to develop spiritually. Some participants brought friends. A group of people of all ages gathered and spent several hours each day talking about God to festival participants. They meditated on Scripture together in the morning, prayed, prepared for evangelism, and in the evening they ate dinner together, laughed, and talked about the people they met.

“I didn't know all the participants, I wasn't sure how they would feel, how they would react, and whether they would be ready for such intense schedule every day," recalls Jurek Szkudelski. “It was encouraging that we acted in unity and mutual understanding, even in uncertain situations.”

People approach us

At Pol'and'Rock you can meet people from all over Poland and beyond. “Often those who come there are trying to fill some emptiness in themselves," says Kacper.

This fosters conversations on deep topics. “You don't have to make a big effort to connect  because people approach on their own," adds Jurek. “This makes it easier for the shy and inexperienced.”

Festival goers are attracted by the sight of a group talking or presenting things such as a diagram to discover one's worldview or the “Greatest Masterpiece,” in which, when opened, one sees one's face in a mirror. With these tools, the evangelizers direct the conversation to spiritual matters.

The power of listening

“People there believe in various, sometimes very strange things," says Gosia Serkowska, a Mt28 Movement missionary participating in the project. “For example, I met a guy worshipping the gods of Olympus. A colleague talked to a man wishing to become a Viking. And these are not special cases, the majority are doubters and seekers of love and the meaning of life.”

Talking to such people does not mean immediately presenting the whole gospel with an emphasis on accepting Christ. “Rather, we try to respectfully listen to people, as they are usually eager to talk about themselves," Gosia adds. “When they feel heard and understood, they open up to what we want to tell them about Jesus.”

“Although last year we didn't experience someone giving their life to Jesus, I feel that most of the conversations touched on people's real needs, appropriate to where they are in their spiritual journey,” says Jurek. “Sometimes we could only encourage them to search further or look into the Bible.”

For 2025, Jurek has reserved 30 spots. “I would like believers to be able to use this event and grow there," he says. “If someone would like to refresh themselves in the field of evangelism this is a very good place.”

“My dream is that there will be more groups like this, at least 3-4 in different parts of the festival area and outside. They can be smaller groups, not necessarily cooperating with us," adds Jurek. “We can invite those that we meet, our Christian friends, from different churches and communities, to join.”

This year's evangelization campaign will take place from July 28- Aug.2, 2025.

More information and registration - Jurek Szkudelski jszkudelski@mt28.pl

Mt28 Movement is a Polish organization affiliated with Campus Crusade for Christ