Emmanuel Baptist Church of Timisoara

The beginnings of our Church are related with the First Baptist Church (Bethel) from Timisoara, where the incipient nucleus of members came from. Seeing the need to start a new Church in the northwestern part of the town, this initial nucleus of members took the risks against all odds to fulfill this vision.

Here are some highlights of what was happening since then:

• Nov. 23rd, 1974 - a provisory board who decide starting of new church on Herastrau

• Feb. 23rd, 1975 - first assembly meeting for establishing the Church with 104 initial people

• the refusal of the communist authorities to grant the right for new church

• April 5th, 1975 - the first Church services of the new church

• April 18th, 1975 - the beginning of a long series of harassments against the founding members of the Church

• the beginning of the pressing procedures for acquiring law authorization

• June 23rd, 1975 - receiving the law authorization

• June 29th, 1975 - the official opening of the new church

• the componence of the first Church board: Ioan Trif (pastor) Miron Iuga (deacon), Nicolae Craiovan (secretary), Doru Tanas (treasurer), Gheorghe Cotarla, Iosif Tiriteu, Avram Matei (members)

• David Nicola is called to pastor the Church. He is presently the pastor of Grace Church in Lugoj

• Liviu Olah returns to Timisoara and works for a while in the Church, before his leaving for the US

• 1980 - electing Gheorghe Baleanu as pastor of the Church

• 1985 - extensive building project transforms a small parsonage into the present Church sanctuary

• 1985 - Gheoghe Baleanu leaves for US: the Church remains again without pastor

• reaching the 400 members mark

• January 1988 - Daniel Cocar is called to pastor the new Church; the Church is enjoying a good deal of growth

• December 1989 - Romanian Revolution which brings a new period of unprecedented religious freedom

• starting of a extensive mission outreach - both around our town, as well in the Southern Romania
- Liebling, Periam, Baia de Arama, Plopii, Almajel, Voloiac, Carani, Topolovatu Mare, Dudestii Noi, Comanda, etc.

• 1990 - starting of the new kindertgarten, principle Livia Costea

• 1991 - Dan Cocar leaves for Australia

• June 1991 - Dan Males is ordained as pastor of the Church

• September 1993 - finishing the first side of the House of Hope Complex - str.Herastrau, nr.14

• March 1994 - opening of a Christian orphanage in a family-like atmosphere

• October 1994 - Marius Birgean is ordained as associate pastor of the Church

• opening of the Timisoara Baptist Bible Institute with 90 students in the premises of the Church, a joint effort of the pastors in the area and Frontline Fellowship (USA)

• 2nd April 1995 - 20th anniversary of the Church

• establishing House of Hope Foundation

• 1996 - first missionary Conference in the Church

• 1997 - first world missions Conference (Faith Promise)

• 1998 - finishing the second half of the Church social complex (House of Hope)

• 1998 - starting of the House of Hope Christian School

• 1999 - opening of the House of Hope Medical Clinic

• April 2000 - 25th anniversary of the Church