Romania and the Gospel

As I sit here waiting for my ride to the airport I am reflecting on the past 8 days here I have spent in Romania.  I was asked by the president of the Baptist Union last September to teach a one week intensive course to a masters level class at the University of Bucharest.  It has been an enriching experience for me and I sensed from my class.  These young men are so dedicated to their studies and ministries across a large country.  Romania the the third largest Baptist union in the EBF with many thousands of believers and several hundreds of Baptist churches across the country.  This is not my first visit here but it was the first time I had been invited to teach at the Theological Institute.  I was touched by the stories of these students.  One man was a pastor and ministered to gypsy youth.  Another runs a school for gypsy girls in an impoverished part of the city called Project Ruth which I had the privilege of visiting last time I was here.  Yet others are working in national and international portfolios.  One thing I have learned about Romania in all my visits is that this is a resourceful and dedicated group of believers that despite economic hardships and many social factors that can stifle the Gospel, they are forging ahead.  I find this spirit contagious!  The course I taught was a blend of various subjects but it was to be both theoretical and practical in reaching out to contemporary youth of the 21st century and building bridges to the traditional church.   Remember to pray for Romania and all our nations of the EBF as they strive ahead to reach out to Romania and the world.