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.

June 2026 Update

"I will go down into the pit, if you will hold the ropes." - William Carey

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It is great joy and the encouragement to know that so many people “hold the rope” for us all over the world.

We are thankful to the Lord for six new visitors in last few weeks. We hope they will continue to visit the church. Please pray that the Lord will continue to add to us new believers who will serve Him through their lives.

Please continue to pray for the Church Membership course. We continue to study the materials with those in the course and hope that they will become our church members at the end of Summer.

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Tm 2:2

Please pray for David as he is going through the Basic Training for church planters’ material and study the book titled “Grasping God’s Word. I’m trying to commit what I heard and learned from others to David, hoping he will serve the Lord in the future.

Please pray for the AIT team – eight people from different churches will help us to reach people in Bydgoszcz at the beginning of July. Pray for safe travels and fruits of our evangelistic efforts. May the Word of God change the hearts of non-believers so they believe and “He will be their God, and they shall be His people”.

Pray for a sister who must go back to Ukraine for one month to collect some official documents for her pension. May the Lord protect her and lead her as she will travel and talk to the government officials.

Please also continue to pray for

- Kate – for her spiritual growth and for the Lord's protection upon her.

- More men to step out and serve alongside of me.

- Children at the Church to be saved.

Thank you for your prayers for Adam’s health. Thanks to be to the Lord – the respiratory issues are gone.

Warmly,

Max Bartkowski