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If there were ever a situation underlining the importance of Haggai Institute’s international sessions, it is found in Romania. This ex-communist society is still building up the numbers of its home-grown alumni. But Dr. Ioan Ceuta, President of the Romania Bible University, values his own Haggai Institute experience so highly that he wants to replicate it – in extraordinary detail – for local Romanian leaders.
Graduating from the Mid-Pacific Center, Ceuta knew this was exactly what Christians back home needed if they were to fulfill the Great Commission in ex-communist lands. He immediately approached VP of International Advancement, Sundar Sangma, to obtain details of regional, national, area and local seminars conducted by Haggai alumni in other regions.
He said: “I want my people to receive the same training I received over 25 days at Maui. I want to provide Christian leaders in our country with the same package.”
Undaunted by the high quality requirements of an Haggai seminar, Ceuta lined up faculty for over a dozen specific subjects on the Haggai Institute curriculum. He also sought the organization’s assistance to mount a Faculty Development Seminar – in preparation for the session.
Alumna and international faculty Maia Mikhaluk conducted the Faculty Development Seminar. She commented, "The quality of participants, their motivation and passion for evangelism, were very high. I found myself deeply impressed with the vision and commitment of Dr. Ioan Ceuta for equipping European Christian leaders for effective evangelism. Europe is one of the hard fields for reaching people for Christ, as Europe's standard of living, self-sufficiency, and nominal belief keep hearts closed to God.”
Paradoxically, she argues, nations that were once a Christian heartland have turned into spiritual deserts.
"In many ways Europe is a post-Christian sub-continent aggressively targeted by the other majority. We must understand the strategic importance of providing quality training and encouragement to Christian leaders in this region. We believe that it is God's heart and will that the people of Europe submit their lives to Him."
In November 2009, the 19 participants at Romania’s first session – including engineers, lawyers, pastors and missionaries – were so strong in their appreciation that a date was immediately set for repeats in January and spring the following year.
All this barely 12 months after Dr. Ioan Ceuta himself emerged, changed and motivated, from his Haggai Institute session at the Mid Pacific Center. |
