Romanian Baptists cherish freedom of worship

JEFFERSON CITY—Despite reports that suggest Romania now has some of the strictest religious freedom laws in Europe, Missouri Baptist partnerships with Romanian Baptists are still moving forward with a full head of steam and encountering no roadblocks.

A report from the religious watchdog group, the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, has called upon the European Union to investigate a new law that requires minority groups to meet certain membership standards before they can be considered an officially recognized faith.

“We have just as many teams as before going to form and continue partnerships,” said Norm Howell, partnership missions specialist for the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC). We have 11 teams headed there so far this year, and that’s just churches that have called and told me. There’s probably that many that I’m not even aware of.”

A team of MBC specialists including: Bruce Morrison, Sunday School; Mike Cooper, discipleship; Jerry Field, church planting; and Spencer Hutson, biblical stewardship, traveled to Romania recently to teach pastors’ conferences around the nation.