Matthew and Petra Fantley – Northern Serbia & Romania
While attending Calvary Chapel School of Ministry, Matt took his first journey to Serbia on a short-term mission trip to help a church renovate their building. While on that trip, he felt the calling of the Lord on his life to step out onto the mission field, specifically to Serbia. In 2004, Matt moved froths home in Western New York and has remained on the mission since. He has served as worship leader, pastor, and various other leadership roles in Hungary, Serbia, and Romania. In 2008, Matt met his wife Petra in Hungary and they were married the following year, officially starting their mission work together in Romania and Serbia. Petra is originally from Romania, and has worked extensively with Roma groups there, including the famous street kids from the ghettos of Bucharest.
Matt and Petra have three children, Cynthia (14), Rachel (12), and Caleb (8). They live in the little city of Backa Topola, Serbia where they serve the local church, as well as in a nearby village Pacser. As a family, they function as a multilingual household, daily speaking Serbian, Romanian, Hungarian, and English. The children all attend school in the Hungarian language. Personal life and ministry are deeply intertwined for them, often using their home as a hub for discipleship and counseling.
You can support the personal and ministry needs of the Fantley family by offering a one-time gift, or providing monthly support through the PayPal link below. 100% of your donation goes to the family and is not eligible for a tax deduction.
Partner with the Fantleys to minister the gospel in Serbia!
Breakdown of the family needs:
Monthly personal living expenses – $1,500
Annual support needs (visa renewal, travel, etc) – $2,500
Immediate, one-time ministry needs
– Medical needs – $2,500
– New vehicle or current vehicle repairs – $3,000
– House completion/furniture (finishing touches and furnishing) – $10,000
Fast Facts
Serbia
CAPITAL CITY: Belgrade
POPULATION: 6.7 million
CHRISTIAN: 86.68% (as of 2022)
- 81.1% Eastern Orthodox
- 3.87% Catholic
- 0.82% Protestant
- 0.89% Other Christian
Due to the political and religious climate, Protestant churches are considered cults and viewed as a foreign faith in opposition to the established Orthodox Church. More than half of the Evangelical Christians live in the northern part of the country among minority groups (Roma, Hungarian, Romanian, Slovak).
By 2050, Serbia is expected to lose 25% of its population to emigration due to lack of jobs, which cultivates a sense of hopelessness among young people. Many of the young people who grow up in the evangelical churches either leave the faith or leave the country, hoping to find a better life in the West. As a result, many churches are weak with little hope for future existence.
Serbian nationality is tied to the Orthodox Church. Serbian people find it very difficult to leave the Orthodox Church because they feel they would be leaving their nationality. Their families will be very offended and not understand why they would change their faith.
The traditions and teachings of the Orthodox Church dominate the religious life and thought of most Serbians. Families celebrate saints, pray to the dead and light candles in church, asking the dead to pray for their loved ones who are sick. They kiss icons of “holy” people, obey special days during the year by eating or not eating certain foods, not washing their laundry on certain days because that is considered “working”.