About Us

Impact Churches Movement is a network of churches bound together by relationship, shared theology, and a common vision to see Christ glorified through faithful church planting and the spread of the gospel to the unreached.

Why We Exist?

Impact Churches Movement exists to advance Christ’s kingdom by partnering with local churches to develop, equip, support, and send indigenous church planters who establish faithful, gospel-preaching churches among Albanian people groups in the Balkan region. We believe the call to make disciples among Albanian Muslims is best met through planting churches firmly rooted in Scripture and centered on the gospel of grace.

Our Story

Our story began in the hearts of Elton (Tony) and his wife Gresilda (Ida) Llapushi. Both are Albanians raised in Muslim families, Jesus saved them when they were still teenagers. Since the first steps on their walk with Jesus, God placed a desire in their hearts to reach the lost for Christ. In 2010 they got involved in church-planting ministry, since then Church-Planting have been their main ministry. By the grace of God they have been able to plant and help planting 6 churches, and now they oversee 5 those churches in Balkan region, (Kosovo & Albania).

Now that the network of churches is growing, Elton and Gresilda believe that God have called them to leading Impact Churches Movement. Elton and Gresilda will be focusing on caring for the pastors and the leaders that are currently leading our churches in Albania and Kosovo. Their role will also be to identify, train, equip, support and send indigenes church-planters who have a call to plant new churches among unreached people groups. Their heart is to see hearts and lives transformed by the power of the GOSPEL through Church Planting ministry among unreached people groups in the balkans.

What We Believe

THE BIBLE

We believe that the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired of God, error-free in the original writings and the supreme authority of faith and practice for the believer in Jesus Christ. We further believe in the historical-grammatical interpretation of Scripture. By this, we mean that we seek to use grammar, literature, history, and culture to unlock and understand the meaning God super-intended the original human writer to communicate to the original readers. We hold that meaning to be the correct understanding of any particular passage. 2 Ti 3:16-17, 2 Pe 1:20-21, Heb 4:12.

GOD

We believe in one true and living God, who is the creator of all things. One in essence, He is infinitely perfect and eternally exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though each person of the Godhead possesses the same nature, each functions differently in respect to God’s dealings with man. Dt 6:4, Ge 1:1, Jn 1:1-3.

GOD THE SON

The second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, is both the eternal Son of God and the virgin-born Son of Man. Fully God and fully man, He led a sinless life and He satisfied the Father’s justice concerning sin through His death. We believe in His bodily resurrection, His physical ascension, and His visible imminent return to this earth to establish His Kingdom. Jm 1:14-18, 1 Co 15, Heb 2:17-18, Ro 3:24-26, Rev 20:11-15,Col 2:9.

GOD THE FATHER

The first person of the Trinity orders and directs all things according to His own purpose, pleasure and grace. He created the universe by His spoken word, apart from any pre-existing materials and without any means other than pure power. He has decreed all things that come to pass for His own Glory. He graciously involves Himself in the affairs of men, hears and answers prayer, and saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. Mt 6:9, Jn5:19-24, Eph 1:3-6, Ge 1.

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

The third person of the Trinity executes the will of God in our world. It is the Holy Spirit who applies the salvation Jesus Christ secured through his death on the cross. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers the church to live a lifestyle pleasing to God. He endows each believer with special gifts that equip them to accomplish distinct ministries, planned beforehand by God the Father. 1 Co 12, Eph 2:10, Jn 3:1-8, Jn 15:16, 16:4-15, Eph 1:13-14, Gal 5:1 6-2.

THE NATURE OF MAN

We believe that God created man in His image to enjoy His fellowship and to fulfill His will on this earth. Man fell into sin by a voluntary act of personal disobedience, and all people became spiritually dead. All are subject to the certainty of both physical and spiritual death apart from Jesus Christ. The fall of man was a once-for-all historical fact. Its spiritually deadening effect is passed on to each person. As a result, all are born with a sinful nature and sin habitually in thought, word and deed. Ge 1:26-27, 2:7; Ro 1:18-24, Ro 3:10-23, Ro 5:12, Eph 2:1-3.

SALVATION

We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins as the only sufficient sacrifice. All who believe in Him are declared justified by the Father on the grounds of Jesus’ death and resurrection. All who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by grace through faith have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and baptized by Him into the Body of Christ. They are thereby the children of God forever and members in the one true church. This salvation results in righteous living and good works as the believer submits his behavior to the Word of God and the direction of the Holy Spirit. Jn 1:12; 3:16, Jn 5:24; 14:6, Tis 3:4-7, Ac 4:12, Ro 3:21-26, 1 Co 15:1-4, Eph 1:7, 2:8-9, Heb 10:10-12, 1 Jn 5:11-13, Gal 3:26.

SATAN

We acknowledge the existence of the Devil, Satan. Although created by God, he rebelled against Him and is now the archenemy of our Lord and all His creation, especially man. Satan and his demons can masquerade as angels of light, seek to deceive God’s people and distort God’s truths. However, the day will come when he and all those he has deceived will be eternally punished and cast into the lake of fire. Ge 3:1-15, Isa 14:12-17, Eze 28:12-15, 1 Jn 3:8, Eph 6:10-18, Rev 12:10-11, Rev 20:10.

THE CHURCH

We believe that all those who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit belong to the one true church, the Body of Christ. Regenerated believers are directed by Scripture to associate in local churches, which are the only visible representation of Christ’s invisible church. The local church is autonomous in its relationship and selects its own members to the Biblical offices of Elder and Deacon. The Lord’s Supper and baptism are the two ordinances of the church, instituted by Christ as symbolic acts of faith and obedience. The church glorifies God by leading people to Christ, discipling them to maturity, and sending them out to make disciples of all the nations. Heb 10:24-25, Ac 2:41-47; 4:1-16, 1 Co 12-14, Mt 16:13-28; Mt 28:18-20, Eph 2:19-24.

THE FUTURE

We believe that the next great event of human history is the visible, imminent, personal return of Jesus Christ. This is the “blessed hope,” which all those who love Jesus Christ yearn for. The exact time of Christ’s return remains a mystery, known only to the Father Himself. We believe that it could happen at any time and is as certain as His first coming. Mt 24:36, 1 Th4:15-16, Jn 14:1-3, Ac 2:9-11.

THE ORDINANCES

The ordinances of the church (sometimes called sacraments) are a vital part of the worship and life of Impact Tirana Church. The word “ordinance” signifies that Christ instituted Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as symbolic acts of faith and obedience.

BAPTISM

Impact Movement Churches upholds baptism as a sacred injunction of the Scriptures. It is an essential first step demonstrating a new order has come. By baptism we reveal that a coup has taken place in the secret recesses of our soul. The government of self has been overthrown; a new authority now reigns and rules – Christ, the living Lord! Every believer who is serious about his or her faith should be serious about baptism. Baptism pictures Christ’s death and resurrection and serves public notice to the world of one’s death to sin and new life in Christ. Our preferred method of baptism is immersion. It was clearly the practice of the early church and followed the Jewish tradition of baptizing new proselytes. Baptism is a perfect expression of our salvation and a vibrant symbol of how it was accomplished. 1 Co 15:1-4, Mt 10:32, Ro 6:3-7, 10-11.

THE LORD’S SUPPER

The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is the second ordinance we practice at Impact Tirana Church. The meaning of the Lord’s Supper is primarily summed up in the command of Christ: “This do in remembrance of Me.” The Lord’s Supper is first and foremost a memorial of Christ and His redemptive death. It also expresses our fellowship with one another and looks forward to His return. We do not believe that the “elements” actually become the body and blood of Christ (physically or spiritually) or that they themselves impart any benefit to the partaker. However, the act of taking communion may strengthen our walk with Christ and fortify our faith. We practice “closed communion.” The Lord’s Supper is available to all who know Jesus Christ personally as their Lord and Savior and are seeking to live a pure life. We share the Lord’s Supper in the Sunday Worship service approximately every one to two months. We also highly encourage its celebration in our Community Groups. Mt 26:26-30, Mk 14:12-26, Lk 22:7-20, 1 Co 11:24-25, Ps 24:3-4, 1 Co 11:17-34

Values:

MULTIPLICATION

Faithful churches plant faithful churches, and gospel-shaped disciples make gospel-shaped disciples. (2 Timothy 2:2)

GOSPEL-CENTERED

Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for God’s glory alone. (Romans 5:1-2)

RELATIONSHIP

We bear one another’s burdens and rejoice in each other’s growth, reflecting the unity of the body of Christ. (Acts 2:42-47)

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

We follow Christ’s example—serving humbly, leading faithfully, and loving sacrificially. (Matthew 20:28)

FAITHFUL SCRIPTURE

We uphold the authority of God’s Word as our guide for faith, life, and mission. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Meet Our Board of Directors

Paul Linzmeier

Board Member

Paul is currently pastoring at New Life Christian Community Church in small town Dresser WI. Married to his best friend Amy and a home of 4 energetic children keeps him busy…

Paul seeks to be a faithful servant in the body of Christ and has a deep desire to serve and equip the saints through the Word for the work of ministry each has been called to by God in order that the body of Christ would grow up in greater maturity. He seeks to labor to this end so that all members of the body “when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:16). Healthy churches are in the best position to plant new churches and for this reason Paul is excited to be a part of the Impact Church Planting Movement to see more healthy church plants begin, grow, and continue the work of proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to the ends of the Earth.

Rick Amos

Board Member & Co-Founder

Rick is a professional leadership coach specializing in nonprofit leadership development across Central Europe, Russia, and Central Asia...

He is also the founder and director of two nonprofit organizations as well as a real estate development company. Rick graduated from Duke University in 1983 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Behavior and Executive Coaching from the UT-Dallas School of Business. He has been married for 40 years and has four children who are young adults.

Peter Rimmereid

Board Member

Peter Rimmereid has served as the pastor of Bethesda Lutheran Church for over twelve years. He lives in Dresser, WI with his wife, Janelle, and their four children...

Adelle, Micah, Ellsie, and Isaac. Peter is deeply passionate about discipleship, mentoring youth and young men, and helping people grow in their faith and apply it in their daily lives. When not in ministry, Peter enjoys road trips with his family, following Minnesota sports, playing basketball, water skiing, board games, and reading fiction.

Elton Llapushi

Executive Director

Elton was born and raised in a traditional Muslim family in Albania. Jesus saved him when he was fourteen years old. From the very beginning...

of his walk with Christ, God placed a deep desire in his heart to reach the lost for Jesus. He served in a small local church in his homeland, growing in faith and commitment. Elton married Gresilda in 2010, and together they have two children. After completing his theological studies, Elton has been fully engaged in church planting ministry since 2010. He now oversees multiple churches across the Balkan region. Elton mentors, coaches, and supports pastors and church planters, equipping and sending new leaders to establish churches. Elton and Gresilda believe God has called them to lead the Impact Churches Movement.

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Our Location

12472 Lake Underhill Rd. No. 242, Orlando, Florida, 32826