moldova_92203

Posted: 9/19/03

BGCT-supported pastor in Moldova
offers only evangelical presence

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

Romeo Gindea serves as pastor of the only evangelical church in his town. In fact, it's the only evangelical presence in a region of seven cities.

Gindea lives in the small town of Suruceni in the Eastern European nation of Moldova. He set out to establish an evangelical presence in the town after graduating from the Technical University of Chisinau in 1999.

He serves as an indigenous missionary of the European Baptist Federation. The Baptist General Convention of Texas Partnerships Resource Center helps support 13 such ministers through its partnership with the federation.

Upon arriving in Suruceni, Gindea and his wife, Antonina, met two evangelical Christians and their children and began building a congregation. The small group holds Wednesday Bible studies and Sunday worship and prayer services in his home.

Soon after Gindea arrived, he and the other believers determined to show a movie about the life story of Jesus twice in two days. They were encouraged when a group of youth watched the video intently the first night.

But their hopes were dashed when the mayor and an Orthodox priest prohibited the presentation.

“After a short analysis, we have seen that many youth and children were interested in that movie,” Gindea wrote. “As a conclusion, the people and the oldest part of the village are against the gospel. They consider themselves very religious people and proud. It is hard to work with such people.

“Nevertheless I do believe in this village are many people in which God will change their minds and hearts.”

Down but not defeated, the group pushed onward. The church uses Christian holidays and birthdays as avenues to invite people to their group to hear the gospel. During the Christmas season, church members sing carols announcing Jesus' birth throughout the city.

Still, people were hesitant to enter the church, Gindea said.

“People are very reserved. They hardly respond to our invitations,” he explained. “Some of them kept coming for a while and then quit. Why they stopped, we don't know. Maybe because the age difference. I am young, and they are much older than me.”

Then the congregation made a concerted effort to reach the children who appear more open to the gospel. The church helped several youth attend Christian camps, and other children want to go to a camp. The church would like to hold an event for local youth.

The pastor also works as a part-time computer science teacher to help him meet more children and parents in the town of 3,000.

Now, the church is growing. Six adult believers and several teenagers are regulars at the church. People are becoming more comfortable with visiting the church.

“Our vision is through evangelism to make more groups of fellowship and Bible studies,” Gindea reported. “Later, we will get all those groups together, and we will pray that the final of all this will be a little living church of Jesus Christ.”