A Lesson in Gospel Hospitality: A Polish Church’s Response to Refugees in Need with Oliwer Cieślar

What does it look like when a church opens its arms to strangers in crisis? Discover how radical hospitality prepared fertile ground for sharing the gospel with Ukrainian refugees.

Summary

In this deeply moving episode, Pastor Oliwer Cieslar shares how his church in Poland became a place of refuge and transformation during the Ukrainian war. With no refugee infrastructure in place, the Polish church—and wider community—mobilized overnight to provide shelter, food, and spiritual care to thousands. Discover how a crisis became a catalyst for gospel hospitality and lasting unity in the body of Christ.

Main Points

• Crisis Met with Compassion: In the early days of the war, Oliwer’s church of 200 mobilized and organized buses to rescue 650+ refugees, providing shelter and support.
• From Short-Term Shelter to Long-Term Integration: As weeks turned into years, the church adapted—offering language classes, job support, and a spiritual home for displaced Ukrainians.Stories of Salvation and Unity: Oliwer shares powerful stories of Ukrainian refugees finding faith in Christ and being baptized into a new spiritual family.
• Lessons for the Global Church: Compassion became a spiritual awakening in a secularizing culture. Oliwer challenges global churches to embrace the power of hospitality.

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