“WHERE THERE IS NO VISION…”                                                             

                                                                                                                                                                   Vol. XV, No. 2, February 2002

The book of Proverbs is bursting with the words and wisdom of God. It is through this wisdom that the Holy Spirit led Dr. Paul Negrut and Dr. Nick Gheorghita, the pastors of Second Baptist Church (now known as Emanuel Baptist Church of Oradea, Romania), to start an underground seminary in 1986. This was a time of tyrannical oppression by the dictatorial government in Romania. Communism was destroying the country piece by piece -economically, socially, and spiritually. The vision was to see a new generation of people trained for church leadership. What was born out of their obedience, God has blessed with His grace.

After the fall of Communism the underground seminary became Emanuel Bible Institute, and in 1990 the first sixty students were enrolled. A Board of Trustees was established with five American pastors lending their leadership, wisdom, and love to the school. It is a privilege to have Dr. Paige Patterson, Dr. Adrian Rogers, Dr. Phil Roberts, Dr. Bailey Smith, and Dr. Jerry Peele as co-workers in this endeavor for God’s Kingdom.

In the fall of 2000, Emanuel Bible Institute was given official accreditation by the Minister of Education in Romania. This is another example of God’s ever present grace and ever expanding vision. Now Emanuel University of Oradea has an enrollment of over six hundred students from thirteen different countries. Five majors are offered with degrees in Pastoral Theology, Social Work, Business Administration, Music, and Literature/Languages. However, the main focus continues to be the Seminary work and preparation for Christian workers to share their light with a dark world. Ninety-eight percent of the graduates are involved in some kind of Christian ministry. Alumni are serving the Lord in Romania, Siberia, Ukraine, France, Africa, Albania, Turkey, India, Moldova, and many more countries around the world. The University is strategically located and has quick access to secularized Western Europe, the Middle East, the Balkans, and the former Soviet Union. Therefore, the vision continues to increase as God allows means by which to reach these nations with the Gospel of Christ.

Today, the enemies in Romania are not the totalitarian regime of Communism, or the persecution by authorities. Now, people grapple with the temptation of materialism in a very poor country, the easy availability of pornography, and the degradation of immoral lifestyles.

Emanuel University faces its own hardships. Many resources are needed to continue the work that God has called His laborers to do. The university relies solely on the gifts of God’s people to maintain the campus and all the costs required to run the campus, ranging from faculty and staff salaries to paying the hot water and heating bills. The budget calls for a minimum of $28,000 per month in order to survive. This is almost impossible to accomplish knowing that the average Romanian salary is $150 a month. Winter 2001-2002 has been extremely difficult in meeting these monthly operating expenses. Hot water was rationed to two hours a day and heating only for a few hours in the evening and early morning hours. Exacerbating these struggles, Romania has had one of the worst winters in twenty years.

In spite of all these difficulties, the work of God is alive and growing through the church and university. During January 2002, a special week of Evangelism was held in Emanuel Baptist Church, led by Dr. Negrut, the pastor of the church and president of the university. Dr. Negrut preached each night from the book of Jonah. The mainstay of his message was how God calls people to salvation, gives them a second chance, repeatedly demonstrates His great love and compassion for them, and forgives them when they turn in repentance to Him. Every evening, the church was filled to capacity and overflowing. On the last night, there were an estimated 6,500 people in a building that seats a little under 4,000. Approximately four hundred people came forward for prayer, to receive a New Testament, and to be counseled by students and faculty from Emanuel University.

The training of these students to equip them for ministry is the legacy of the vision that God placed in the hearts of the pastors. May they take that vision with them to the ends of the earth. Emanuel University is in continual need of prayers from brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. The opportunities are great and the responsibility is even greater. “…THE PEOPLE PERISH.”

If the Lord moves you to be part of this work through a contribution, please make your check payable to: Emmanuel International Ministries, Inc. Mail your gift to Emmanuel International Ministries, Inc.; P.O. Box 5277; Wheaton, IL 60189-5277.