ORGANIZATIONS for TRAINING PASTORS

(Also see: Leadership Training)

One casualty of communist rule in Romania was training opportunities for pastors. For 45 years, most churches -- evangelical churches especially -- were led by men who had no formal training.

After the overthrow of communism, training of pastors became a priority. Part of the effort to develop more adequate programs involved sending students for graduate study in England and the United States. This preparation, it is hoped, will produce leadership for Bible institutes and theological seminaries that will be able to provide the very best training, even at the graduate level, in their own country.

We have helped one of those doctoral candidates by providing theology books, a computer and software to help in his research. We have also helped him travel to Romania to teach at Emanuel Bible Institute. We want to do more, however.

We are supportive of all theological training institutions that are devoted to the truth and authority of the Scriptures and to training Christian leadership for the churches, in preference to mere academic pursuit. Initially, we hope to help three particular institutions:

BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF BUCHAREST: In spite of the opposition they faced, the leaders of this school trained some pastors all through the years of communist domination. Now, with the greater freedom that they now have, our desire is to help them to grow.

EMANUEL BIBLE INSTITUTE: This is a new school, started right after the revolution of 1989. It now has approximately 500 students, and has some 600 graduates serving Christ in Romania and surrounding countries.

BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF THE UKRAINE: Opened in September 2000, in Ukraine, near the Romanian border, this school serves a region with many Romanian inhabitants. The student body will be made up of both Romanians and Ukrainians, and will be taught in both languages.

Our vision for helping these institutions has three parts: