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Costel Ghioanca pastors Adonai Church in Bucharest, Romania.  While being involved in multi-ministries, he seeks to keep the local church his primary focus.  This month, Costel shares how he is leading the Church to grow numerically and in unity: 

“We have had a very busy month of April with a lot of activities, including an evangelistic outreach. My fellow elder, Stefan, and I went to Crangasi Park, close to our church building and engaged people with the Gospel. Some people were reluctant, but others have been quite open for discussions.

I want to share with you an interesting discussion that I had with a woman. As I approached this lady I noticed that her head was covered and she had a big cross hanging at her neck.  Also, I took note that her bag was filled with religious icons. I concluded immediately that she was a very religious person. However, I decided to take time and talk to her. She was very open and enthusiastic to speak with me. Actually, I soon discerned that she was trying to evangelize me; to get me back to the real and only true church, namely, the Orthodox Church. She talked to me about Mary, the saints, good deeds and all the rest. She wanted me to be saved. I asked her if she was saved; if she had assurance of salvation. She said, `No, how would that be possible?’  So this provided me with an opportunity to share the Gospel with her and draw her to be Bible. We looked at several texts and noted on a piece of paper some of the references. We talked for about an hour and ended up in a friendly manner. I remained an evangelical Baptist and she, an Orthodox. However, I am sure that she had many things to reflect upon; things she didn’t know before. I am sure that she continued to read those text about Christ and salvation when she got home. May God continue to work in her life and search her soul!”

RECEIVING VISIT FROM OUR BRTOHERS AND SISTERS FROM GLILNA

“As pastors, we want to teach our church that there is no differences between God’s people. We want our church members to be open to relationships and love people that are different in some cultural respects. So we invited our Gypsy brothers and sisters from Glina to come and worship with us one Sunday evening. They came. We decided to let them lead us in singing and they sang some very beautiful and touching songs in  a Gypsy style. Brother Nae preached the Gospel and shared a testimony and all of us were very encouraged. As pastors we were very glad to see that our church members loved our guests and worshiped together. The fact that Gypsy people are often stigmatized in Romania didn’t prevent our congregation from treating them as brothers and sisters in Christ. Praise God for this!”

Don is serving as the HeartCry Coordinator for Eastern Europe. As an itinerant evangelist, his pulpit ministry is directed toward preaching on the inner life of the believer and the spiritual need of the lost. With HeartCry, his ministry includes organizing Bible conferences and corresponding with the HeartCry missionaries in Europe. He and his lovely wife Cindy live in Tuscumbia, AL.

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