Constantin, known as Costel to his friends and fellow workers, is a church planter in the capital city of Bucharest, Romania. He recently founded Adonai Church of Bucharest and is serving as its pastor. He is married with two children. Costel speaks English very well and is an excellent translator. He has a great gift of sharing the gospel with the people of Bucharest.
Testimony of Conversion
My name is Constantin Ghioanca, and I was born in Medgidia, Romania, on the 6th of July 1983. I was the second child in a family of five children. My parents became Christians when I was about three years old, and, as a
In 1998, at the age of fifteen, I confessed through baptism that Jesus Christ was my Lord and Savior. In the same year, I realized that God was calling me to pastoral ministry and evangelism. I went to Timisoara, 800 kilometers from my home village in order to attend a Baptist High School. This proved to be a place of blessing for me because not only did I gain a theological education, but also the godly teachers helped me to grow spiritually through their personal example.
After the 10th grade, I went to Denmark for one year as an educational exchange student. It was wonderful because not only did I benefit educationally, but also I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with the Danish students. I would talk to them about God’s love in Jesus Christ and about His saving grace. Together with seven other Romanian students, we also formed a Bible study group and held weekly meetings for prayer and spiritual edification. This happened in 2000-2001. It was when I discovered a special calling from God to working with students.
After Denmark, I returned to Timisoara to complete my High School studies. Then, in 2003, I went to Bucharest as a student at the Baptist Seminary. It was an enormous blessing for me to be able to study theology. I came across many theological books and I interacted with various resources. The theological debates challenged me to read the Bible again and again. The Bible had the greatest influence on me, not a specific theological book. Through the Bible, the Holy Spirit made me realize that everything is grounded in God’s sovereignty. I believe the doctrines of grace; that we are saved and sanctified by grace alone, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:8,9), and according to God’s plan.
Four years passed very quickly. After graduating from the Baptist Seminary in 2007, I became an assistant pastor in a church in Bucharest. At the same time, I was also invited to work at the Baptist Seminary as a tutor in Homiletics. While doing all this, I continued my theological training, and by God’s grace, I earned a Masters degree (2009), and began doctoral studies through the University of Bucharest. In Bucharest, I also worked among the university students. It was wonderful to know and work together with HeartCry missionaries Ruxi Vandici and Dana L.
In 2008, I married Cristina, who worked as a librarian at the Baptist Seminary in Bucharest. God has now blessed us with two boys: Teofil (2009) and Elias (2011). I praise God for my family, especially for my wife who surrounds me with love and patience in the midst of my pastoral ministry.
Concerning the future, we feel that God is calling us to plant a new church in Bucharest. The city is big and the churches are few. There are about 300,000 students living in sin and depravity. They have a real need for Christ as they struggle with rebellion against God. This is why we will try to focus on working with the students although the church will be open to everyone, both young and old, single or married. We dream about a new church with a fresh vision and a passion for God’s glory. Please pray that the new work will be an instrument that God will use for saving many souls in Bucharest.
We pray that God will lead us in His ways and help us to obey Him in everything He desires. For His glory and in His service!