Among the Bulgarians in San Francisco
Lecturing at the University of Nebraska
Ministering at the Bulgarian Churches of Chicago
With the Annual Conference of Bulgarian Churches in North America being just around the corner, we were invited to minister with the Bulgarian Church of God in Chicago. Last year we were able to hold a weekend training event for their leadership as well as to assist them in the area of web development as a cyber platform for their church. In postmodernity it is ever important that the church has a voice in every field of ministry. Since then they have been able to broadcast their services LIVE which have been viewed by Bulgarian in the States and abroad.
This year we were also able to meet with their web development and pastoral team to offer further suggestions of how to better implement and modernize their church website to more effectively meet their unique needs. Being directed by the Spirit under the leadership of Pastor Vladimir Georgiev, the church has witnessed tremendous success. They are currently in a building project to expand their existing building to accommodate this new growth. It is our prayer that the Lord continues to bless the efforts of the New Life Bulgarian Church of God in Chicago. We were also able to minister at the Bulgarian Baptist Church before we left the Windy City.
Ministering Among the Bulgarians in Minneapolis
Presenting at the Society for Pentecostal Studies
Published in AG Heritage Magazine
At Biker’s Church in Mississippi
HERALDS OF THE TRUTH: A History of the Evangelical Churches in Bulgaria
From the author of “Imprisoned for Christ”, now the first comprehensive history of Evangelical Christianity in Bulgaria is available in English. With the arrival of the first Congregationalist missionaries in 1844, more Bulgarians heard the Gospel than ever before. Despite resistance from the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Evangelicals increased both in number and in favor with royal officials after the overthrow of the Ottoman Turkish Empire in 1888. The era of Communism brought new waves of persecution, but the Church in Bulgaria stood strong. This is her story.
Mobile Bible School in Bulgaria Implements Three Online Programs
As our Mobile Bible School demands constant upgrade and the addition of various new modules, we have been able to implement three complete Bible training schools available in the Bulgarian vernacular within our program. They are presented as media resources to the students and now we have been successful in posting them online to a larger audience, which has interest in them. This include church pastors and independent churches, lay ministers and ministry teams, all the way to the common folk who want to learn about the Bible. These three programs have been historically present in Bulgaria since the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and it is our hope that with their internet presentation they will continue to serve for the purpose of ministry training. They are:
1. Oasis of Love Bible School which was taught in Bulgaria by American missionary Keith de Mayo and his colleagues in 1990-1994. After the Fall of the Berlin wall, Oasis of Love became the first major ministry training center on a national level in the capital Sofia. Several hundred ministry students finished the school and entered the ministry by 1994. We were blessed to be able to gather the recordings of the lessons and publish them online. (icon)
2. The School of Christ International directed by Rev. B.H. Clendennen (May 22, 1922 – December 13, 2009) was introduced in Bulgaria around 2000-2001 and for a brief time received great attention, especially among the Roma Gipsy churches of Southwestern Bulgaria. It introduced a new approach to Bible training through media resources, which were flexible to present and easy to replicate in the local church, thus becoming an important training device for the ministry in the Bulgarian context. (icon)
3. International School of Ministry (ISOM) is a largely recognized training tool for churches around the globe. It comprises the teachings of leading ministers and renowned theologians, who have gathered together in one team to impart to a next generation what they have learned about the ministry. The chosen theme series covers virtually every aspect of Christian ministry and are invaluable training tools for both ministers and members within the local church (icon)
At the Antioch Project Church in Sliven
We were blessed to visit the Antioch Project Church in Sliven again, where long-term friends of ours have focused their prayers and efforts on a vision to reach one of the poorest communities in Bulgaria with the Gospel of Salvation. And their prayers have been answered in full.
Their church is growing, as they minister to both adults and children. The Sunday night service, in which we ministered, was full packed. Famous Bulgarian folk singer, Kondio, who was saved in prison two years ago, is a member of this church and is now planning to record a Christian album for Christmas. The congregation has established itself as a beacon in the community and is getting involved in a building program that will give them the opportunity to worship in a place of their own. It was a challenge to get a building permit in a city where several mosques are active. Nevertheless, the church’s ministry is extending to may areas of life and we were delighted to participate in what turned to be a prophetic service for both the people of the Antioch Project Church and our ministry team as well.
