Balkan Backflip: Back in Bulgaria
One year ago, three brave men stepped into Bulgaria in the name of SFC—for the very first time.
A small country, rich in history and culture… yet still a place where the evangelical church faces real challenges and resistance even today.
And still—we came back.
This time, by personal invitation from one of the oldest evangelical churches in the Balkans—dating back to the 1880s—and located just 300 meters from the gondola in Bansko, Libor and I returned to those stunning mountains to launch something new:
The very first edition of the Balkan Backflip.
And yes—these are the same mountains that host stops of the Freeride World Tour. Not a bad place to gather.
What began as a simple vision—a shred + fellowship weekend for young adults and working professionals from across Bulgaria—quickly became something more.
It turned into shred and pray days with locals from Bansko.
Over the course of the weekend, around 10 different riders joined us on the mountain. We were blessed with a fresh spring snow dump, a solid park setup, and plenty of good laps. We even got our hands dirty reshaping parts of the park so more people could enjoy the ride.
But as always, the real magic didn’t stop on the slopes.
The evenings opened up space for deep and honest conversations—about the Trinity, the Church, and what it really means to belong. Real questions. Real openness. Real hunger.
And this is where it gets exciting.
Last year, we were riding alone—and no one came to church.
This year, 18 riders showed up. Every single one heard about Jesus. And two came to church.
That’s the shift.
That’s the mission in motion.
And there’s more.
We also connected with a local legend from a smaller resort about three hours away. New doors are opening, and there is already an invitation on the table to partner together and launch two more shred camps for youth.
God is moving here. No doubt about it.
And we are just getting started.
–Cedric, SFC European Director
