Romania
Population 21,791,000 | Orthodox 87% |
Villages with no evangelical Church 9,500 | Evangelical 5% |
Overview
The country of Romania is at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, lying adjacent to the Black Sea. It shares a border with Hungary and Serbia to the west, Ukraine and Moldova to the northeast and east, and Bulgaria to the south. Romania is the eighth largest country of the European Union (92,043 sq. mi.), and has the seventh largest population (21,791,000). Its capital, Bucharest, is the sixth largest city in the E.U. With the fall of the Iron Curtain and the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Romania became a semi-presidential republic and worked to transition towards democracy and a capitalistic market. Then, after a decade of post-revolution economic problems and declining living standards, extensive reforms were installed which initiated measurable economic recovery. Romania is now considered an upper-middle income country with a high human development index. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the E.U. in 2007.
More than eighty-seven percent of the Romanian population claims affiliation with the Orthodox Church. The entrenched idea that to be “Romanian” is to be “Orthodox” has led to resistance against those Evangelicals who are determined to share their faith. At times, the Orthodox priests have violently opposed Evangelical pastors and churches in the midst of open-air preaching and village-wide evangelistic campaigns. However, in spite of this persecution, Romania continues to be one of the most receptive countries to the Gospel in all of Europe. It has the fourth-largest evangelical population (5.4%), which is also one of the fastest growing (2.3% annually). The Evangelical church in Romania has made substantial progress in church planting within its own boarders and beyond; especially in former Eastern-block countries.
Sources: Wikipedia and Operation World
HeartCry Missionaries
Alex Palade
Evangelist - Brasov, Romania
Alex is currently the Director of the Campus Crusade team in Brasov where he develops new ministries on the campuses of Sibiu, Bacau and Suceava. Alex ... read more
Costel Ghioanca
Pastor / Church Planter - Bucharest, Romania
Constantin, known as Costel by his friends and fellow workers, is a church planter in the capital city of Bucharest, Romania. He recently founded ... read more
Danut Opris
Church Planter - Coteana, Romania
Danut is responsible for the administration in the church of Draganesti Olt. He and Florina Cazan have started a new work in the village of Coteana. The ... read more
Florin Stan
Church Planter - Fieni, Romania
Florin helps to coordinate for the work in Romania. Presently, he develops mission projects in five areas where HeartCry is planting churches. He ... read more
George Serban
Church Planter - Stoienesti, Romania
George serves as a missionary in Stoienesti, Oltenia County where he evangelizes and works with youth. He started the church in Stoienesti in 2007 and has ... read more
Ion Tomeci
Evangelist - Timisoara, Romania
Ion presently serves in Timisoara as the Campus Crusade Director. He leads the team of five missionaries that work among the campus students at the ... read more
Dana L.
Evangelist - Bucharest, Romania
Dana serves in Bucharest where she is involved in the evangelizing, disciplining and training of university students. She also oversees the continuity ... read more
Marian Jipi
Evangelist / Church Planter - Pitulicea, Romania
Marian has planted a church in Pitulicea, and labors in the planting of four other churches in Florica, Amaru, and Ileana. He and his family live in Pitulicea... read more
Marian Nae
Pastor - Glina, Romania
Marian pastors the Gypsy church in Glina. He is burdened to see his people come to the Lord. The Glina church has had a great impact among the Gypsy ... read more
Marian Toma
Pastor - Bucharest, Romania
Marian pastors the Tunari Gypsy church. He ministers in a very difficult area that is notorious for crime. The town is multi ethnic with Romanians, Gypsies ... read more
Marian Vale
Pastor - Frunzanesti, Romania
Marian is a missionary in Frunzanesti where he pastors a church that he started several years ago. The village has two gangs that are very hostile ... read more
Moise Marin
Pastor / Church Planter - Bucharest, Romania
Moise serves as the HeartCry director for the Gypsy missionaries in Romania. He coordinates a large ministry in Romania and abroad among Gypsy ... read more
Nicolae Vulpe
Pastor / Church Planter - Pucioasa, Romania
Nicolae Vulpe is a faithful minister of the gospel who pastors the Pucioasa Church in Pucioasa, Romania. He and his wife Daniella have three ... read more
Ruxandra Vandici
Evangelist - Bucharest, Romania
Ruxi is part of a team that evangelizes and disciples students from various universities in Bucharest. Her ministry involves leading evangelistic ... read more
Sorin Prodan
Pastor / Church Planter - Brasov, Romania
Sorin serves as the HeartCry Director in Eastern Europe. He oversees various ministries in Romania, Serbia, Moldova and the Ukraine. His responsibilities ... read more
Tony Anghel
Pastor / Church Planter - Strehaia, Romania
Tony is assisting in the development of the church in Strehaia and is one of the elders in the church of Circeni. The Strehaia church has had a good ... read more
Emanuel Ivan
Evangelist - Brasov, Romania
Emanuel was born and raised in Romania, and was converted out of an Orthodox background through the influence of his believing grandparents and aunts. After ... read more