Teaching Gypsy Pastors
By Randy Wright
October 2006
I started my first class with the Roma (Gypsy) pastors and church leaders by saying, "I guarantee you that one person will learn something this week. Me!" And I did.
I'm sure I learned a lot more that those in the Gypsy Smith School. I also relearned some of the lessons I learned the first time I taught in November 2004. I learned that these men are regular readers of the Bible, unlike many of their counter-parts in America.
I learned more lessons about commitment. In this country we have an easy time being a Christian.That is a blessing with an underside. Sometimes when it is easy to be a believer, the believing gets sloppy or half-hearted. The Gypsies are already a marginalized people, but when they add a strong and vibrant faith, many become even more suspect.
Being a Christian in Romania is a lot more difficult and takes, I think, more daily fervor and faith. I also learned that Gypsy pastors are faced with many of the same trivialities and joy-busters as the rest of us pastors and church staffers. We say the "Church universal," and I've found that to be true in many ways.
Churches across the globe still face the same, universal conflicts, personality differences, diverse Biblical interpretations, and conflicting theological positions. Pastors, American and Gypsy, face similar lists of unwritten and unrealistic expectations.
One morning as I was going back to my room before classes, I glanced in one of the student rooms. I was humbled by what I saw. Two Gypsy ministers of music were on their knees, leaning over the sides of their beds deep in prayer. I do a lot of praying, but I rarely get down on my knees and in that humble posture poor out my heart and soul. I was moved and inspired.
I continue to learn something of the passion and feeling of Gypsy Christians. Their discussions are lively and pointed. Their praying is soulful and, at times, plaintiff. Their singing is spirited and colorful. Their friendship is genuine and warm. On the last day, many of my "students" (translated "fellow learners") gave me not only personal good-byes. They also gave me Biblical blessings and benedictions.
I thank God and my church for allowing me the time and resources to be a volunteer instructor at the Gypsy Smith School. The CBF is doing a good thing, a really good thing, with this educational opportunity. We all learn. We are all taught by the Rabbi Jesus.
Thoughts and Impressions of the Gypsy Smith School
November 15-19, 2004
by P. Randall Wright
Randy Wright, pastor of Fernwood Baptist Church in Spartanburg, spent Nov. 15-19 teaching at the Gypsy Smith School in Bucharest, Romania. The school trains Romany pastors to minister among the gypsy population. Periodically throughout the year, guest lecturers (volunteers) come to the Ruth School (where the Gypsy Smith School classes are taught) for a week to teach. Randy became interested in being one of those volunteer teachers after participating in a SC/CBF sponsored trip to visit CBF mission points in various parts of Europe in January 2004. These are his impressions of his week there.
Remembering how much my church and I (and others) prayed for my teaching mission, I wondered why I felt surprised that all went so well. We so often forget the power of prayer and always must remember to be grateful for the privilege and joy of praying for those who are our CBF field personnel. If my one-week volunteer experience was so supported with the prayers of family, friends, and church family, then think of just how important it is for us to continue to pray for our CBF field personnel.
I have found another hero in Earl Martin, the other teacher for the week. Here is a 77-year-old retired missionary who is still going strong. He teaches part-time at Carson Newman College and stays active in CBF life. Earl has somehow learned to bridge the generations in creative and energetic ways, and is a model for all those wondering if there is life beyond so-called retirement. His wealth of experience as a seasoned and committed missionary was evident in his teaching and the ways he quickly endeared himself to the students. I have a new friend and mentor, and for that I am grateful.
Ralph Stocks, the coordinator of the GSS is doing outstanding ministry among the Romany people. He was there about half of the week, and is obviously well-received and appreciated. I felt warmly receive and affirmed by Ralph.
As we’ve heard before, the missionary (volunteer like me or otherwise) usually receives the most from the mission experience. I learned a lot about myself and my gifts. I quickly learned that my approach to teaching the Old Testament among the 18 Romany pastors and ministers should be presented within the context of who I am. In other words, my approach was more proclamation than lecture. After all, I am a preacher and not a professor. I presented the material more devotionally than academically. I tried to be more practical than academic. And, praise God, my offerings of teaching and leadership during the total of 15 hours of presentations were very well received.
The key was our translators, Anda and her younger sister Daniella. These are two very bright—no extremely intelligent—and committed Christians. They worked tirelessly to translate what I was teaching. Often Anda and Daniella and I found ourselves in sort of private discussion about the material as the students tried to listen in! They were wonderful, and I thank God for their ministry of translation.
I found the students to be very receptive and perceptive as well as interested and interesting. They freely shared from their personal experiences and related with the Old Testament stories and lessons personally and relevantly. I told them at the outset that I was not the primary teacher. We call Jesus rabbi—teacher. His presence was felt as he taught us all. I also told them that we were learners together. I tried to present the materials from the OT in a way that allowed us to interact with the materials as well as our understanding and application of them so that we would all learn from each other.
A couple of the men kept trying to give me a short course in the Romanian language, but, of course, I failed! But we had fun! It didn’t take long for relationships to develop, even though there was an obvious language barrier. However (and this is what we always hear and expect) our common ground in Christ overcame the barriers. But it’s true. There was an apparent and felt presence of the Spirit that helped us all relate and share our faith and our understanding.
I had the opportunity to preach twice ‑ once on Sunday evening at Providence Baptist Church. It was “heaven come down.” The mandolin orchestra played wonderful music, including a flawless rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus. The singing was moving. My sermon was appreciated, and the spirit in worship was something I wish I could collect and bring home! My other preaching opportunity was in a Gypsy church in a small town or township called Galena. Again, the people there were very warm and hospitable, and the peaceful presence of Christ was evident.
I worked very hard for several weeks before the trip. Since this was a new experience for me, and since the Old Testament is not really my area, I prepared for the 15-hours by writing out lecture notes for each class. I took a broad brush approach, presenting the big themes---creation and the fall, slavery and the Exodus, the Judges, the unified kingdom, the divided kingdom, the Exile and the post-exilic period. Then we talked about the major and Minor Prophets and the writings. We just didn’t have time to deal at length with the Psalms.
During my time there I realized how simple my faith really is. Here, in my setting, I’m typically expected to be articulate, creative, and fresh. There, I just shared my simple faith in God through Christ and how I try to live that faith each day.
I also realized how much I valued the free time. I taught three hours per day, so that left time for me to be alone in my own room with no distractions. No phone, no computer ---nothing familiar except what I brought. Having time alone, undistracted, was a great gift.
I am grateful for this opportunity and hope to do it again. The trip cost me about $50. A church member gave me a check for $2,000 several months before I left. He said it was for my expenses. I told him that it wouldn’t cost me but $800 for my plane fare, so we decided to set aside $750 toward my expenses and use the remaining $1,250 as a gift to be matched by members of Fernwood Baptist Church. We almost matched it. I sent a check to CBF for just over $2,000 to support my week at the GSS. I think that amount actually paid the room, board, and materials cost for the students. So, I am grateful to this member and the others who contributed.
I returned with deeper gratitude for CBF missions and the field personnel who tirelessly serve Christ in difficult settings. I continue to be humbled by and thankful for the opportunity to learn with the students of the Gypsy Smith School, November 15-19, 2004. Also, I continue to appreciate the initiative of Marion Aldridge, who encouraged me to travel to CBF mission points back in January, 2004. That was a seed that grew into my opportunity to teach at the GSS.
P. Randall Wright
January 9, 2005