This was a core element in the Communist strategy to suppress and destroy the evangelical churches in the Iron Curtain era.
It was a plan which had deeply damaging consequences for the cause of the gospel, resulting in thousands of leaderless churches and countless communities throughout Eastern Europe without a glimmer of gospel light. Moldova was one such country. Patrick Johnstone recorded, in his 1993 edition of Operation World, : ‘Training for pastors is the greatest need. There are 185 Baptist pastors – none of whom have received any formal training. Pray for the founding of a Bible school. Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) is seeking to help in this.’
What is the situation today?
What progress has been made? Looking back over the past two decades, it is clear that the situation has been radically transformed. Peter Mihailchiuk, an experienced Moldovan church planter and senior pastor, reports that in the early 1990s there were just over 100 small evangelical Churches or preaching centres – one church for every 15 towns and villages.. Today there are more than 800 evangelical churches – one evangelical church for every five towns or villages.
