Relationships in Ministry: Țigmandru Church

Written by Jonathan Phillips for NMI Adult Mission Education

It’s not unheard of for a “traveling evangelist” to stop in Țigmandru, Romania, for a day or two, hold a service or show the Jesus Film, invite people to accept Christ as Savior, and then leave, providing no follow-up discipleship. The result of this “hit and run” evangelism is that many people think they’ve become Christians when, in fact, they really have no idea what it means to be a Christian. In fact, their “dramatic” conversions have kept genuine seekers from becoming Christians because those who whole-heartedly wanted to follow Christ did not want to end up like those whose lives were no different than before they became Christians.

The Church of the Nazarene in Țigmandru uses a completely different model for ministry. Nazarene ministry in this village is based upon relationships. Magda, the woman who leads the church in Țigmandru, grew up in the village. She can relate easily to the people. Knowing that many of the people don’t have jobs, and with work experience in a sewing factory, Magda set up a sewing workshop in the church building to teach women sewing skills. While they sew, Magda shares her faith and Bible teaching with them. Some of those women have been able to secure jobs in sewing factories in a nearby city.

Magda knows that it is not uncommon in the village for young girls to get pregnant at age 11, 12, or 13. These girls know very little about raising children, so Magda, mother of 5 grown children herself, meets with them each week, teaching them about nutrition, health, and other skills pertinent for child-raising. They end each session by bathing the children, something which is not easy for many of the young girls to do in their homes which lack running water. Magda’s son, Neluțu, leads the church’s children’s and youth groups. He hopes that by building relationships with them and instructing them while they are young, that future generations will choose not to start families at such a young age.