What is your ministry?
Șega Baptist Church is a growing city church focused on preaching the Gospel and establishing meaningful relationships among believers and non-believers. We prepare the next generations of believers through ministries that address the children, youth, and young families with the help and experience of the adult segment of the church. In addition, through our mission ministry, we equip those involved in serving others locally and internationally.
When did you trust Christ?
I come from an Orthodox background. I grew up in a very religious, churchgoing family. I started attending the Baptist church where I grew up after applying to the Baptist high school for their computer specialization class. My understanding of Christ and His calling was gradual, and after attending a Christian camp, I decided to surrender my life to Jesus. I was the only evangelical Christian in my family, but by God's grace, two years after my baptism, my mother came to Christ during the Easter service. A year later, my brother accepted Christ, and a year later, my father and grandparents became Christians.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
The church pastor was the first and most powerful influence in my Christian life. He discipled me in every spiritual discipline and was alongside me when I shared my calling to the ministry. The years I spent under his supervision helped me understand and integrate my Christian walk into my daily life. Another critical time in my life was when my family started to turn to Christ. Again, I saw God's immense power and mercy combined with the power of personal testimony. The professors I met at the Baptist Seminary in Bucharest were also a significant influence; some have been my mentors for more than ten years.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
The ELF has been a tremendous encouragement for me in the ministry and a unique source of inspiration through the leaders, teachers, mentors, and all the resources it provides. Also, it allows me to connect with many leaders worldwide in excellent work for the kingdom. Since I started attending the Forum, my interest in apologetic studies and practice for counseling and pastoral care in the church has grown, and the members' openness to invest in others, whether in practical or spiritual needs. There have been several young leaders who want to attend the Forum as well. We have a more mission-focused mindset and use many tools to be efficient.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I graduated from seminary in 2007 and was elected pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Năsăud (a city in central Romania). I continued studying while pastoring the church. I received my master's degree in 2010 from Bucharest University. In 2009 I also became the pastor of a newly planted church in a different neighborhood of the same city. In 2012 I moved to Oradea, in the western part of Romania, and was elected pastor at Providența Baptist Church.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
We have a great opportunity as a church to minister to young people and families who have moved to the area. We are developing new leaders for discipleship, Bible studies, youth ministry, and social outreach.
