Get to Know the Furst Family

Ministry Description

In February 2000, we began my ministry with Word of Life Southern Brazil working with Adventure Camps. We served alongside my ministry colleagues in every position our campus had - Day Camps, Summer and Winter Camps, maintenance, organizing events, Local Church ministries, and coordinating the Camp Crew teams. Afterwards, between 2006 and 2015 I served as the director of camps and events. In September 2016, we were sent to direct the ministry in Austria.
Our current ministry is directing the ministry of Word of Life Austria. This involves caring for the needs of my fellow missionaries, investing time in local church leaders, working in the office, practical works around the property, and helping keep the team focused on the Word of Life vision of reaching young Austrians with the Gospel of Christ.

Learn more about the ministry in Austria.

About Johnny

My name is Jonathan. I was born in Brazil when my parents left Germany to be missionaries there. As a family, we served the Lord in Brazil, Uruguay and Bolivia. When I was 9 years old, my family moved back to Germany. In my youth, I decided to be a full time missionary in Brazil. In 1996 I went to Brazil and I had the opportunity to help as volunteer at the Word of Life Camp in Porto Alegre. I loved the way that Word of Life reached so many youth people through a lot of fun things but specially by sharing the Gospel of Christ in a very clear way. By that time I met my wife, Thays, who was studying  at Word of Life Seminary in São Paulo but  also working in that same camp as a Counselor. We integrate the Word of Life Porto Alegre Team in 2000. We worked there for 15 wonderful years. We were trained in different areas of the ministry: Coordinating Camps, helping the Bible Clubs missionaries, training new leaders and helping at the Discipleship Training Center.
In 2015, God has called us to be part of the Word of Life Austria Team. We are very excited with this new challenge. Austria is one of the least evangelized Europe Countries. We put ourselves in God's hands to reachout Austrian young people with the Gospel of Christ.

About Thays

My name is Thays. I´m Brazilian. I was raised in a Christian family. My parents were very close to Word of Life ministry in Brazil for many year. When I was 4 years old, I was in the Sunday Schoo and I remember that I made the decision to accept Jesus as my Savior. The following years, I grew little by little in the grace of Jesus Christ. Since my 7 years old, every year I was a camper at Word of Life Brazil (Sao Paulo). In the age of 15, after Harold Reimer preaching in the campfire, I made a decision to be full time missionary. When I finished High School, I went to the Word of Life Bible Seminary in Brazil. After three years, I graduated at the Bible Seminary with a Christian Education Degree. In 1997, Johnny and I got married. In 2000 we started as missionaries at Word of Life Southern Brazil. We have three kids - Thomas, Lukas and Hanna. I´m so grateful for the privilege to be in full time ministry and serve my Lord Jesus.

Isaiah 64,4 /Colossians 3,1-2

Mathew 28:19-20

Contact Information

jonathanfurst@wol.org
Skype: johnnyfuerst
jonathanfurst@wol.org
thaysfurst@wol.org