The team had a 5 to 6 hour drive from Alba Iulia in the central belt of Transylvania to Drăgăneşti-Olt in the south of Romania to the left bank of the Olt River.
The team was hosted by a vital evangelistic missionary organisation based in the region. Their vision is to impact people with the hope of Christ from Drăgăneşti to the ends of the earth.
Daniel worked very hard throughout the day with all of the driving, as well as leading the evening event in praise and worship. Gheorghe Ignat, John Lawson and Tony Anthony each shared personal testimonies, with a clear presentation of the Gospel message. Many young people gave their lives to Christ, and it was particularly encouraging to learn that one of the young people that responded was a young English boy visiting the area with his mother from the UK. Please pray that these new believers would grow in their faith and in their daily walk with God. Please pray for the local ministry to be further equipped to spread the Gospel in this part of the country.
As I was reading about Romanian believers who stood for Christ in the face of imprisonment, torture, and death, I thought of our Lord’s exhortation, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28). All through church history, imprisoned and suffering Christians have found comfort in the assurance that God would deliver them – either back to their loved ones on earth or through death to the company of the saints already in heaven.
Although severe opposition to Christianity still exists in parts of the world, most of us don’t face life-threatening persecution. But all Christians experience faith-testing trials.
A former professional football player who made an amazing recovery from a paralyzing injury, spoke of his faith in Christ on a secular talk show. But a caller vehemently denounced him for an earlier appearance on a Christian television program. The caller’s hatred of Jesus Christ came through loud and clear.
Like believers down through the centuries, we can expect that we will be hated and attacked (John 15:18-19). But we need not be afraid. God is in control. He will defeat the forces of evil and honor His people. We too can say, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear” (Ps. 118:6).
To be right with God may cause us to be in trouble with man.
KEEP ON KEEPING ON…
Tony Anthony