Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God!

– William Carey

When a young Athenian heard these famous words, attributed to pioneer missionary William Carey, he determined to make the statement his life’s creed.

Young Costas Macris moved to Canada to attend Bible School, where he sensed God’s call to serve as a missionary in Irian Jaya, Indonesia. He and his bride, Alky, spent sixteen fruitful years among unreached tribes and hostile villagers, raising their young family in the harshest of environments. They faced down cannibals, founded mission stations, planted churches and carved landing strips out of dense jungle canopy. Blessed with boundless vision and unquenchable drive, Costas accomplished an amazing work for the gospel.

Then disaster struck. Hepatitis and jungle diseases ravaged his body, forcing Costas to leave the work in Irian and seek medical help in the United States. Though doctors saw little hope for recovery, they treated him nonetheless. Against all odds God healed him, and through this led the Macris family back to their homeland of Greece for a second chapter of ministry.

Thus, in the fall of 1979, a new missionary organization was planted in the heart of Athens. Its goal was to evangelize the Greek people on the same cobble-stoned streets where Paul had preached two thousand years before. Whereas Paul preached to pagans with a penchant for idols, Hellenic Ministries (HM) was now sharing Jesus with a religious culture in desperate need of revival.

For 25 years Costas led Hellenic Ministries with zeal and vision. He passed from this life in 2006, but not before handing the baton of Hellenic Ministries leadership to his oldest son, Johnathan. Today, Hellenic Ministries is advancing the gospel in Greece by way of a variety of ministries:

• Operation Joshua, where hundreds of short-term workers from around the world gather each summer to pass out New Testament Bibles door-to-door. Over the last 10 years, nearly one-million homes have been reached, covering nearly a quarter of Greece’s population.
• Church Planting Initiatives are springing up around the country, with young evangelicals catching a vision for the launching of fresh communities of faith.
• Missions Mobilization as Hellenic Ministries sponsors trips and events that highlight God’s heart to reach the world.
• “Living” TV Program, a weekly broadcast that shares the gospel over airwaves in Greece’s three largest cities.
• Eurorelief on the island of Lesvos, an agency that helps with refugee camps where displaced people are given basic necessities and shown the love of Christ.

• Mercy Ministries in Athens, an outreach to refugees who are homeless or have settled in Athens.
• Good Samaritan Social/Medical Center, where refugee women and children are embraced with medical care and English/social classes.
• Broadreach Maritime ministry, with the 78-foot schooner Morning Star used to reach the islands with the good news of Jesus.

• Hope Center, where pregnant young ladies can find temporary housing as they bring their baby to term.
• Petalouda Community Educational Center, a new educational outreach in the center of the culturally-despised Roma Gypsy community.
• Porto Astro, Hellenic Ministries’ seaside property 70 kilometers north of Athens; used as a base for summer camps, retreat facilities and a base for the Morning Star.
• and more….

Staying true to its calling, Hellenic Ministries continues to “attempt great things” and “expect great things” for the cause of the gospel in Greece.

For the good of the Greek people; to the praise of our glorious God.

Hellenic Ministries is the organization Fellowship Bible Church continues to partner with over the years when sending global trip teams to Greece. Stay tuned for part three of the blog where Dan will share more about Fellowship’s involvement in Greece.