An Unexpected Adventure

August 21, 2025

The adventure of following God is never boring! Over the month of July God has given clarity and direction for where and what He wants us to focus on while we finish out our first term. We knew that while we learned a lot of Romanian from language school, we were going to need to focus on strengthening our practical/daily use of the language, as well as use it more frequently in a ministry context. We were praying for God to show us what He had for us. God began to answer through a series of events that have culminated into an exciting, albeit challenging, opportunity.

It began several months ago when the Romanian pastor of the church we are attending, Pastor Liviu, announced that he would be resigning and moving to China at the end of July after 20 years of faithful service. We began to pray with the church that the Lord would bring a pastor and make the next steps clear for the church. There were two men that Pastor Liviu knew that might have been in a position to come and be the pastor. However, due to different reasons, neither one was available to move and take the position this year.

I had preached my first message in Romanian in April, and then had begun preaching weekly starting Sunday, June 8th. It had been a blessing and a challenge to need to be ready for both the weekly Romanian Bible study with five young people and to preach on Sunday morning in Romanian. Through June and July, I worked my way through a series on things we learn about God from the week of creation. It was a blessing and an encouragement to be reminded of some truths and learn other things about God in the process.

Our family with Pastor Liviu and his wife.

The beginning of July, Pastor Liviu approached me and asked to meet. We met for coffee and he expressed his understanding of our goal and mission to reach the Deaf. Due to what God has called us to, Pastor Liviu had been hesitant to ask me to consider taking the role of interim pastor, either until the Lord brought a man to fill the position permanently or we left on furlough in 2027 (whichever comes first). However, he believed that we were who God had brought for this time of transition and waiting and asked me to pray about taking the position.

I reached out to both my pastor and the director of our mission board. Both men strongly encouraged and counseled us that this would be a prudent step, and an opportunity to be a blessing. The responsibility would also push us to strengthen our Romanian in a ministry context as we had been praying. They gave warnings and advice in regard to steps to take and challenges we would most likely face due to the fact that the church is a smaller congregation, mostly older women, and there are no men who regularly attend.

Marie and I also spent much time in prayer, and John 12:22-24 was a blessing in particular, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” We needed to put our expectations and goals of learning Romanian sign language and working with the Deaf on hold during this term to follow where Christ was clearly leading at this time. Although we did not have this anywhere on our list of things we were hoping to accomplish in our first term, God had other plans. He was inviting us to join Him in an unexpected adventure. With the clear direction of the Lord through both His Word and Biblical authority, we joyfully accepted what God was doing.

After meeting with Pastor Liviu again, he then brought it before the church and I was voted in as interim pastor on July 20th. We then began to fulfill our responsibilities that Wednesday, and Pastor Liviu’s final Sunday was July 27th. We then were able to be there at the airport when he flew out on July 31st to move to China. Thank you for your prayers for us, and for the church here in Romania! I still have plenty of room for improvement in language, as I am reminded after each time I preach when one of the ladies in the church provides me with a list of grammar and vocab corrections (which is a huge help). We also need God to clearly guide in regard to who he has for a pastor for the church, and for us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves during this season of transition. Pray with us that God would help us reach men, that God would strengthen this church with His power and grace, and that God would grow all of us to be more like Jesus during this time.