Cluj is Romania’s second-largest city, after the capital of Bucharest, and is a thriving center for culture and the arts.
Demographically, the city is diverse: while predominantly ethnic Romanian in makeup, there is a large ethnic Hungarian minority, and the city is also home to small Roma, German, and Jewish populations, as well as many, many English speaking internationals.
With 11 universities and more than 100,000 students from Europe and beyond, Cluj was named the 2015 European Youth Capital. Some of these students are the children and grandchildren of ethnic Hungarians who experienced a tremendous spiritual revival during Romania’s Communist era, when Christianity was largely forced underground, and all of the country’s believing churches, Romanian and Hungarian, received extraordinary renewal.
While genuinely valuing the spiritual heritage of earlier generations, many younger people are struggling to find and express their own faith in a rapidly changing world that is very different from that of their parents’ upbringing.
Members of the Serge team have lived and worked in Romania since 1996 when they were invited to assist in an indigenous ministry among artists and university students in Cluj.
What We Do in Romania – Cluj
University Ministry
With 100,000 students thronging Cluj every year, opportunities for evangelism and discipleship are enormous, whether formally through activities such as Bible studies, retreats, and outreach activities, or through one-on-one friendships.
English Language Fellowship
Given the number of English speaking foreigners in Cluj, as well as the large number of locals who speak English fluently, the Serge team is partnering with locals to grow an English speaking congregation in Cluj.
Made in Pata Rat
Pata Rât is a rubbish dump on the outskirts of the city of Cluj. Approximately 1500 Roma live on the site.
The Serge team works closely with Roma teenagers, leading weekly bible studies and teaching important skills through sewing and woodworking workshops. Under the Made in Pata Rât project, they design and create together with the Roma, developing original products to sell out of mostly recycled and donated materials.
In the long run, the hope is that the workshop will provide an alternative to working on the city’s garbage dump, the main source of income for many who live in Pata Rât.
Learn more at www.facebook.com/madeinpatarat
Meet The Team
Get Involved
Missions Opportunities Romania – Cluj
We are seeking team members who have a gifting in caring for the poor and marginalized (especially those with a passion for working among youth and children), as well as individuals with interest or skills in church planting and/or who love university students: mentors, disciplers, evangelists, and counselors. We also desire business-minded individuals who have a passion for ministry.
Here are the ways you can join our team:
How You Can Pray
- For God to bring complementary people to the team as they are needed
- For the Kinship course (based on Serge’s Sonship Curriculum), that it would have an impact locally and internationally, offering grace and hope
- For the Holy Spirit to transform both the Roma community and Cluj’s university population beyond what is humanly possible
- For God to continue to guide clearly and empower in the efforts to grow an English-speaking international church
- For natural mentorship across generations
- For the younger generations, that the gospel would penetrate their hearts and that God would give them a missional calling as future leaders of the community
Give to a Team Project
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Romania Leadership Fund
The Romania Leadership Fund is a scholarship resource for Serge leadership development in Romania. The fund was established, 1) To offer scholarships to national leaders, financially enabling them to attend...
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