Andrei* was born in Eastern Europe, and raised in a Christian family. Churches were not freely accessible, and parents were not allowed to take children to worship. Despite the risks, Andrei and his siblings grew up involved in church life. They travelled to remote villages to worship, participated in services, and even began preaching as teenagers. Faith was lived, practised, and passed on.
During this time, Bibles were rare and precious. “Few Bibles were printed in the region and families would just have one Bible for the whole family. My first Bible was smuggled into the country and my parents paid half of their salary. It was very expensive in those days.” That sacrifice reflected how valuable faith was to his family.
The path opened for ministry and leadership
As a young man, Andrei worked in ministry, becoming a youth leader and later a deacon. He married in 1991 and soon after felt called to theological education. Things at this time were changing in Eastern Europe for Christians, so new opportunities emerged. Andrei joined the very first group of students at a newly established seminary in a nearby country, something that would have been nearly impossible just a few years earlier. “I was part of the first group of 16 students. I studied there for four years,” he shares.
Following his studies, he returned to his country and helped build theological education from the ground up. In 1997, a seminary was established, and he served as Academic Dean before eventually becoming president. Today, the seminary is growing and thriving. “We have more than 200 students and it’s a blessing,” he shares.
As his ministry grew, so did Andrei’s vision for equipping future leaders. Andrei now has three children, two grandchildren, and decades of faithful service behind him. Yet his story is not only personal; it is deeply connected to the wider story of Eastern Europe. One of political tension, isolation, and uncertainty, especially in recent years. “As you know now we have the Ukraine war… it creates some tension… some kind of isolation… it’s not easy for Eastern Europeans to get visas to go to a Western country.”
Regional unrest shaping the church
The political unrest following the 2020 election and the ongoing war in Ukraine have affected daily life, especially for younger generations. Many have left the country seeking stability and opportunity elsewhere. Andrei has seen this firsthand in his own church and family. Speaking about this challenge, he explains, “Some young people think that they don’t have a future in our country… So some young people decided to leave.”
Yet in the midst of these challenges, there are also open doors for the gospel. Religious freedom has significantly improved. Churches can gather openly, train leaders, publish Bibles, operate seminaries, and engage with their communities. “In terms of religious freedom, we have a lot of opportunities,” he explains. Vcc
The legacy of cultural Christianity is strong but has its challenges. “Officially, we are a Christian country, around 60% of people believe,” he shares. Many identify as Orthodox but aren’t active in church life. Reflecting on this, he says, “It’s like tradition, a cultural orthodoxy, so they don’t read the Bible, they don’t go to church. A small percentage will go to church twice a year for Christmas or Easter.”
Langham—a change in life
Andrei’s journey with Langham began during his doctoral studies. After completing his Master of Divinity and Master in Practical Ministry, he began a PhD at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague, later transferring to the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. It was in Prague that he first encountered Langham and applied for a scholarship. He shares, “At that time I was the first applicant from my country and they decided to support me.” For over a decade, he studied, “I’m thankful for the support of Langham.”
Through his research, he examined worship practices and theological tensions within the church in his region. “I concentrated on tensions in worship between freedom and form, between individual and corporate aspects of worship, and the sacral and secular aspects of worship.” His research was published by Langham last year.
Today, Andrei serves as a Pastor, Seminary President, teacher, and President of the Baptist union in his country. His work takes him across multiple countries, training pastors and supporting churches. In a region where advanced theological education is rare, his role carries significant weight. “We don’t have a lot of people… I was the first in the union to get a PhD.”
Because of his level of education, he has unique opportunities to strengthen churches and develop leaders. He shares, “Langham Partnership has helped me lay a good foundation for ministry in churches and in our union as president and general secretary. It’s changed my life completely. I would say first it was Jesus, then it was my wife, and then Langham Partnership.”
Andrei asks for prayer for peace in Eastern Europe, for young people, and for the church to continue to grow and evangelise. Even now, there are encouraging signs of gospel opportunity. For the first time in 30 years, a public Christian event is happening in May. Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, will be sharing the Word to a stadium of 9,000 people. “It’s a miracle because we have had nothing like this for 30 years…it’s mass evangelism.”
He also asks for prayer for the seminary and its students, and for the growing opportunities to teach in surrounding regions. Please pray for his family and ministry, and for God to continue using him to bring the hope of Jesus to Eastern Europe.
Andrei’s story reflects the impact of investing in leaders who will, in turn, equip the church for generations to come. We thank God for his faithful service and the ongoing work of the gospel in Eastern Europe.
*Name changed for security reasons