Romania

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 Gheoanca

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  

Ninel Lazar

Church Planter - Bucharest, Romania

Ninel was raised in an atheistic context in Southeast Romania, and after years blatant rejection of Christ he was graciously brought to salvation in 2003... 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

Stefan Gae

Bible Teacher - Sibui, Romania

Stefan teaches and writes children’s material for Sunday school teachers. His ministry takes him all over Romania to train teachers for children’s Sunday ... 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