Our Story
We live in the country of Moldova. Presently Evghenii serves at Moldova Bible Seminary as president and as teaching pastor at Kishinev Bible Chruch. Irina serves as co-founder and c0-director of women's ministry and as administrator of the worship ministry at Kishinev Bible Church and as administrative secretary at Moldova Bible Seminary. We have been married since June 2001 and are committed to serving the Lord in Moldova and training of Christian workers who serve as short-term and long-term missionaries across Moldova and former USSR. Our family verse is:
"...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." - Joshua 24.15
Evghenii Testimony
Born an ethnic Jew, for many years I thought I was a Christian because in secondary school I was baptized in Russian Orthodox Church. As the time passed, I was going downhill as a young man, spending all of my time in the down-town bars of Kishinev. At the end of October of 1993, Valerii (one of my buddies from the bar I frequently attended at that time) asked me to come to Kishinev Bible Church where he wanted me to beat up a 25 year old man who caused problems for the pastor and his family. So, I came to church with the above purpose, not realizing that it would be a turning point in my life. I did not beat up that man, but the Lord caused me to see Him in the people of that church. Both Valerii and I prayed to receive Christ on November 28, 1993. On February 20, 1994 I was baptized with the water baptism. My life became a direct proof of the words of the prophet Isaiah: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord”.
I graduated from the City Bible College in the Spring of 1995 with the Missionary-Preacher certificate. In the fall of the same year, I entered Moldova Bible Seminary. I began to serve the Lord immediately after my conversion. Throughout my life as a born again Christian I was active in different ministry activities at Kishinev Bible Church, Campus Crusade for Christ, and International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. My gifts and talents are administration, preaching, teaching, interpreting from English to Russia. God also blessed me with the opportunity to be a part of several mission trips with IMB throughout villages and towns of Moldova, where God used our groups to bring literally thousands of lost people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
While studying at City Bible College in Chisinau, Moldova I began to realize that the Lord has called me to ministry. Mostly because I enjoyed being a part of God’s work, people I served responded to my ministry, I was making an difference in eternity. I graduated from Moldova Bible Seminary (MBS) in May of 1999 and serve as a national missionary since January of 1999. I have been serving as the administrator for the seminary since August of 1998 and since November 2002 fulfill the responsibilities of the President and Academic Dean. In September of 2004 I was also appointed the president of MBS. The Lord allowed me to teach several courses at MBS: Eschatology, Historical Theology, History of Christianity in Eastern Europe and Advanced Biblical Interpretation. In 2014 I graduated from seminary with M.A. in Practical Theology with focus on Leadership. Currently I am working on an M. Div.
At this time I also continue to serve the Lord at Kishinev Bible Church as the teaching pastor.
I strongly believe that God has called me to serve in this ministry and I plan to continue on with God's blessing in the building up of the body of Christ (Eph.4:11-12) and in raising missionaries through the seminary (Matt 28:18-20).
I graduated from the City Bible College in the Spring of 1995 with the Missionary-Preacher certificate. In the fall of the same year, I entered Moldova Bible Seminary. I began to serve the Lord immediately after my conversion. Throughout my life as a born again Christian I was active in different ministry activities at Kishinev Bible Church, Campus Crusade for Christ, and International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. My gifts and talents are administration, preaching, teaching, interpreting from English to Russia. God also blessed me with the opportunity to be a part of several mission trips with IMB throughout villages and towns of Moldova, where God used our groups to bring literally thousands of lost people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
While studying at City Bible College in Chisinau, Moldova I began to realize that the Lord has called me to ministry. Mostly because I enjoyed being a part of God’s work, people I served responded to my ministry, I was making an difference in eternity. I graduated from Moldova Bible Seminary (MBS) in May of 1999 and serve as a national missionary since January of 1999. I have been serving as the administrator for the seminary since August of 1998 and since November 2002 fulfill the responsibilities of the President and Academic Dean. In September of 2004 I was also appointed the president of MBS. The Lord allowed me to teach several courses at MBS: Eschatology, Historical Theology, History of Christianity in Eastern Europe and Advanced Biblical Interpretation. In 2014 I graduated from seminary with M.A. in Practical Theology with focus on Leadership. Currently I am working on an M. Div.
At this time I also continue to serve the Lord at Kishinev Bible Church as the teaching pastor.
I strongly believe that God has called me to serve in this ministry and I plan to continue on with God's blessing in the building up of the body of Christ (Eph.4:11-12) and in raising missionaries through the seminary (Matt 28:18-20).
Irina's Testimony
I was born into an eastern orthodox family in 1979. Almost immediately I was baptized in a local church, which supposedly “made me a Christian”. As a usual orthodox family we attended church ones a year during somebody’s baptismal or Easter, though I knew “Abba Father” prayer by heart.
During the times when the Soviet Union fell (the year of 1991) Moldova had a deficiency of food, of cloths, of basic utilities. We had the money but could not buy things we needed unless we stood in a huge line of people, hoping to get the product we needed before it will end. People grew to be very desperate. But our family got even more desperate when we were robbed by my mother’s future fiancé. He stayed with us for couple of days. After the robbery we never saw him or his friends again. The saddest thing about this incident was that he took things that belonged to my grandparents. Because of it, we did not keep in touch with the grandparents. My mom was too ashamed.
Couple of years have passed. One day my mother was standing in a big line hoping to get some food. In front of her was an elderly lady. She was a Christian. What do you do when you stand in a line outside on the street for several hours? You talk. Get to know people around you.
That day my mother was invited to go to a Baptist church. She did not hesitate. The next early Sunday morning I found myself dressing up to go somewhere I had never been before. My first church experience was not a pleasant one. I felt out of place, uncertain, and vulnerable. But my mom, my brother, and I kept on coming every single Sunday.
In 1994, when I was 12 years old my mom prayed to receive Christ and so did I after spending two weeks in a Christian camp. But my life was not changing to a better side. I became worse than before. I was still faithfully coming to church, attending every meeting. Believe it or not, I sang in the church choir. But my life did not resemble Christ. Nobody taught me what Christian life is all about.
I turned to be sixteen. Still was going to the same church, doing everything I could to make God’ grace cover me over and over again. God is patient and long forgiving. One time I was invited to come to the baptismal ceremony of my friend which took place in a different church. To support my friend I came. This was when the Lord showed to me true joy, love, hope, and confidence. The next week was full of decisions. And the next Sunday I gave my life completely to Jesus my Lord.
As soon as I was baptized, the Lord placed on my heart a desire to serve Him. I grabbed the first ministry opportunity. I did not know much of the Bible, but with my whole heart I was striving to do my best in teaching children at a children’s club near by my house. Each week I taught from ten to twenty kids. One year I stretched myself to be able to teach in tree clubs.
By the time I graduated from high school, I knew that the Lord called me to ministry. So in 1997 I applied to Moldova Bible Seminary. The very next year I was helping in children’s church serving as a Bible teacher. During my third year at the Seminary I was invited to teach first and second grade at a Christian school. I graduated the seminary in 2001. Since 2005 I teach a six weeks Hermeneutics class at Moldova Bible Seminary. While, dating Evghenii, in 2000 we decided to open a youth ministry in our church. I served with the youth ministry for four years until 2004. During these years I taught seminars for the church, translated the “Lifetime Guaranty” book, and organized and led a two week summer children’s camp. From 2003 till 2005 I worked as the designer and manager at the church print shop.
The Lord gradually brought me to ministering to women of the same church I came to know the Lord. Since 2007 I serve as co-founder and c0-director of women's ministry. I also serve as administrator of the worship ministry at Kishinev Bible Church and as administrative secretary at Moldova Bible Seminary.
During the times when the Soviet Union fell (the year of 1991) Moldova had a deficiency of food, of cloths, of basic utilities. We had the money but could not buy things we needed unless we stood in a huge line of people, hoping to get the product we needed before it will end. People grew to be very desperate. But our family got even more desperate when we were robbed by my mother’s future fiancé. He stayed with us for couple of days. After the robbery we never saw him or his friends again. The saddest thing about this incident was that he took things that belonged to my grandparents. Because of it, we did not keep in touch with the grandparents. My mom was too ashamed.
Couple of years have passed. One day my mother was standing in a big line hoping to get some food. In front of her was an elderly lady. She was a Christian. What do you do when you stand in a line outside on the street for several hours? You talk. Get to know people around you.
That day my mother was invited to go to a Baptist church. She did not hesitate. The next early Sunday morning I found myself dressing up to go somewhere I had never been before. My first church experience was not a pleasant one. I felt out of place, uncertain, and vulnerable. But my mom, my brother, and I kept on coming every single Sunday.
In 1994, when I was 12 years old my mom prayed to receive Christ and so did I after spending two weeks in a Christian camp. But my life was not changing to a better side. I became worse than before. I was still faithfully coming to church, attending every meeting. Believe it or not, I sang in the church choir. But my life did not resemble Christ. Nobody taught me what Christian life is all about.
I turned to be sixteen. Still was going to the same church, doing everything I could to make God’ grace cover me over and over again. God is patient and long forgiving. One time I was invited to come to the baptismal ceremony of my friend which took place in a different church. To support my friend I came. This was when the Lord showed to me true joy, love, hope, and confidence. The next week was full of decisions. And the next Sunday I gave my life completely to Jesus my Lord.
As soon as I was baptized, the Lord placed on my heart a desire to serve Him. I grabbed the first ministry opportunity. I did not know much of the Bible, but with my whole heart I was striving to do my best in teaching children at a children’s club near by my house. Each week I taught from ten to twenty kids. One year I stretched myself to be able to teach in tree clubs.
By the time I graduated from high school, I knew that the Lord called me to ministry. So in 1997 I applied to Moldova Bible Seminary. The very next year I was helping in children’s church serving as a Bible teacher. During my third year at the Seminary I was invited to teach first and second grade at a Christian school. I graduated the seminary in 2001. Since 2005 I teach a six weeks Hermeneutics class at Moldova Bible Seminary. While, dating Evghenii, in 2000 we decided to open a youth ministry in our church. I served with the youth ministry for four years until 2004. During these years I taught seminars for the church, translated the “Lifetime Guaranty” book, and organized and led a two week summer children’s camp. From 2003 till 2005 I worked as the designer and manager at the church print shop.
The Lord gradually brought me to ministering to women of the same church I came to know the Lord. Since 2007 I serve as co-founder and c0-director of women's ministry. I also serve as administrator of the worship ministry at Kishinev Bible Church and as administrative secretary at Moldova Bible Seminary.
