The village of Les is strategically placed about ten miles out of the overcrowded city of Oradea. The leader of the church, Liviu Costea, was trained in the School of the Prophets way back in 1988, during the communist era. Now twenty years later this teaching programme is still alive and well. The relevance of this form of teaching is clearly recognised by the leadership of the church in Oradea. With their positive support, blessing and encouragement we are privileged to have another twenty-four students in the school in 2008.
The purpose of this course is not simply to give a sound theological and doctrinal foundation, although this is crucial, but to prepare the students for active ministry, with hearts to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. One example of this was given to us on our recent visit to Romania. Emanuel Baptist Church in Oradea had a well-attended week of evangelistic meetings. One of the students brought five or six unbelievers each night to hear the glorious Gospel. It is this combination of sound doctrine and a fervent spirit, that are the bedrock values of SGA’s training programmes and which our colleagues in Central and Eastern Europe want for the future of God’s work.
The School of the Prophets continues this vision which has stood the church in good stead for many years, whilst making those necessary changes to meet today’s situation.
God has given us the immense privilege of teaching and training yet another generation such as the 2008 class - in the spirit of 2 Tim 2:2 “Teach faithful men who will teach others also.”
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The location of the Mission Schools.
This same teaching programme is also operating in Zalau, where a new group will commence studies in September with a view to village church planting. Other requests have come from Satu Mare, Baia Mare and Suceava. We plan to open one school in Satu Mare and two in Baia Mare in April. Suceava is situated in the North East, an area where SGA has not yet been involved in teaching. This school will be launched in May.
Pray that the Lord will continue to bless and prosper this expanding teaching ministry throughout Romania, as He has been pleased to do in former days - as illustrated by Liviu Costea in the village of Les.
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