Informal training courses build up lay pastors in Moldova

By Harvey Newton

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Vasili Ivanchev, an alumnus of Entrust Moldova’s Advanced Program, is pastor of one of the two biblically sound churches in his town of 25,000. Vasili and his best-trained deacon, Dimitri, noticed six young men in their congregation who appeared ready to receive teaching and training for ministry in the church.

At Dimitri’s suggestion, Vasili announced a series of Friday night meetings just for men. Dimitri suggested they begin by offering low-key, informal, interactive teaching about God’s attributes, man’s sin, salvation and so on. In addition, Vasili and Dimitri decided to encourage the young men to ask questions about issues in their lives, believing that through these meetings they could build relationships and awaken interest in the young men for additional training.

In April 2017, Vasili reported the men’s meetings had been running for three months and God was using them even more than he and Dimitri had anticipated. Some men from the other biblically solid church in that town have been participating. None of these young men is in a position to enroll in the only residence program available to Baptists in Moldova. Vasili and Dimitri look forward to enrolling some or all of them in Entrust courses, which Vasili is equipped to facilitate. He intends to begin with Discovering the Treasures of God’s Word, an in-depth course on inductive Bible study and exegesis.

Dimitri has taken some Entrust courses; Vasili’s leadership and mentoring have helped him grow into a leader capable of training others. This is extremely important, because Dimitri will most likely have to serve as pastor of the lone evangelical church in a nearby town whose pastor recently left Moldova.

Thanks be to God that Vasili, through his Entrust training, is equipping the new crop of young men the Lord has raised up in his church! Your prayers for these men, their families and the two congregations are vital.