Mariusz (Max) Bartkowski is serving as pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Bydgoszcz. He is a graduate of the Academy of Physical Education in Warsaw, University of marketing and management, and Warsaw Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to entering full-time ministry in 2011, Max worked as a Trade Marketing Manager at T-Mobile, Poland. He and his wife Agnes, have two children, John, and Adam. Max has served in Polish Baptist Union churches for four years. In 2015, he moved with the family to Dublin (Ireland) to support his mother-in-law who was diagnosed with cancer and was going through chemotherapy. He stayed there for one year and was trying to reach Polish emigrants in cooperation with the local church. As he was planning to come back to Poland he was praying and seeking guidance from the Lord on how they could best serve Him. Max came to the conviction that he must plant an independent, biblical church in Poland. As he had never planted a church before, he needed to seek training. God, in His provision connected him with Grace Baptist Partnership and he moved with the family to Edinburgh (Scotland) to learn from the leadership at Grace Baptist Church, Edinburgh. He was trained and sent with his family as a missionary by Grace Baptist Church, Edinburgh to Bydgoszcz in July 2017. Grace Baptist Church Bydgoszcz was constituted in November 2019.

December 2025 Update

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I hope this e-mail finds you well. I am sending you a short update from our ministry inBydgoszcz. The past few months have been a busy season for our church. We distributed over athousand tracts and had an opportunity to ask people two questions:

“Who do men say that He, the Son of Man, is?”

“But who do you say that He is?”

We hope those questions will make them think more about the real reason for celebrating Christmas, repent and believe in the Lord.

We are thankful for your prayers for deacons. We pray especially for two brothers who we hopewill become deacons next year.

We concluded the church membership class and preparation for the baptism with Kate. We will baptize her on January 11th or 25th. We must wait for the decision of the church we rent the venue from. To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven...

Please pray for a few meetings I am going to have till Wednesday. May God give me the properwords and prepare the hearts of nonbelievers for the good news about the Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

We are thankful for the visit of Pastor Barry King at the beginning of December. It was a great blessing and encouragement for me.

Please continue to pray for:

- Kate – her baptism and the effective discipleship to take place.

- The ongoing growth of our church family in Bydgoszcz.

- Luke and Volodymir - potential deacons to serve alongside me.

- For the children in the church to be saved.

- For wisdom to lead and protect the flock the Lord gave me to oversee. We have a very difficult situation. I cannot share the details here, but we really need your prayers.

- For believers who visit our church regularly – pray for them to join our church.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Merry Christmas,

Max Bartkowski