Defending the Faith: RZIM and Metanoia Arad

Readying a generation of leaders in Romania...

God threw some tough questions at pastors and other church leaders in Romania at a conference on evangelism and apologetics in April.

How do you explain the problems of evil and suffering? Or face agnosticism and relativism? Or equip the church to reach the community with the gospel in culturally appropriate ways?

Then, faithful to His Word, the Lord poured into the gathering the ability “to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15)."

Dynamically keynoted by Dr. Ravi Zacharias, the conference—entitled Making the Gospel Message Clear and Relevant for All—featured a faith-building fusion of teaching, training, workshops and panel discussions. Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and Harvest Metanoia Arad, and BIG Impact (an interdenominational group of Romanian church leaders) partnered to organize the event, held in Sinaia on April 26-29.

And behind that story lay another, as Harvest Metanoia Arad set the stage for the leadership conference with an amazing event the day before. Ringing out the good news of God’s love to over 800 in attendance at Arad's Cultural Palace, their worship team prepared hearts for a bold message from the Word brought by Ravi...and lives were changed for all eternity.

“We had a blast with Ravi in Arad today. The concert hall was filled to the max and many people gave their life to Christ,” said Metanoia Arad Senior Pastor Cristian Barbosu, who spoke at the conference.

“Right off the back of Harvest University, the Romanians returned to host a Metanoia conference with Ravi,” explained Kirk Van Maanen, who oversees Harvest Bible Fellowship’s international church plants. “They had over 800 turn out for the event and God showed up!  Ravi brought it in full strength...great stories and challenging messages coming in from the East!  After the event in Arad, all the Harvest Metanoia pastors headed up to the mountains for church leaders' training and yet another huge conference with Ravi.  God is moving in Romania!”

He is moving, indeed...

Please join us in:

• Praying that God will enable the nine pastors from the Czech Republic and a group from Austria to use in a powerful way what they learned about ministry while visiting Harvest Metanoia Arad during a training visit May 22.
• Thanking God for the more than 30 people baptized in Arad that same weekend—one of the largest public baptisms ever! Also, pray that they will become deeply rooted in their faith and the Lord will use them in reaching others for Christ.
• Praising the Lord for Pastor Cristian's recent satellite radio broadcast that reached more than 3,600 towns and villages in Romania and all over Europe. Pray that as this ministry expands, God will provide the facilities needed to make more disciples for Christ. Pray for revival in Europe!