Pavel Goia

Editor’s note: David Klinedinst, MDiv, is the director of evangelism and church growth for the Chesapeake Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He trains and equips pastors and lay leaders in evangelism and is the…

I grew up in communist Romania knowing both of my grandfathers—both church members. The grandfather from my mother’s side was very affluent. He owned a big, prosperous farm and two homes. He had plenty of money, yet he was very greedy, never…

One time during my youth years, I asked my father, “Dad, how do you defend yourself against Satan’s attacks?”

He answered, “Do you remember when you were a few years old, and it was a hot summer? Your mother put a small tub filled…

I had just moved to a pastoral district and started visitations. I was driving on a road that was very confusing. It seemed that the house numbers ended before I got to the house I was looking for, and then the street continued and the house…

Some years ago, while I was pastoring, two young ladies who occasionally attended church came to me with a request after the sermon.

“Pastor, we love each other, we live together as a family, we are not married yet, but we would like…

Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In other words, pray all the time. Really? “Prayer is the breath of the soul.”¹ Or, pray like you breathe.. Really? Can we—busy shepherds—really do that? When? Where? And how?

Pray,…

While looking through family pictures, I noticed pictures when I was two, then in school, in the army, in college, just married to Daniela, with small children, with our sons at their weddings, and then found myself looking at the pictures…

Imagine yourself in Joshua’s place. The leader who walked with God and got to see His glory has just died. Now, you must fill Moses’ shoes. You are not sure what plans would be best for the thousands you are now in charge of. Their lives…

One Sabbath evening long ago, after preaching at two different churches, I hit traffic while driving to a third church to begin an evangelistic series. At the interstate toll plaza, I chose the line with only two cars ahead of me, hoping…

New years often bring new resolutions. But our present need may not be for a new resolution but a new commitment. In these days of uncertainty, I believe God is calling pastors first to a new commitment to His Word. Not to study…

The greatest hope of all generations of Christians and the climax of the gospel is the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Both the Old and New Testaments talk about it. Isaiah the prophet depicts the event in powerful words:

“Behold,…

What was He to do with these men who had walked with Him, laughed with Him, listened to Him day and night for years, and watched how He treated others? The disciples had lived and breathed Jesus day after day, yet they still failed to see…

Moving into a new district, a pastor started a series of sermons based on our call to reach the lost. Again and again he emphasized that we all have to serve. Using Bible verses such as Ephesians 4, the pastor preached that all parts…

At age 14, like many other teenagers, I was fascinated by my father’s motorcycle and everything related to it. I asked him daily to teach me how to ride it. He finally agreed. He would take me to a grass field outside the city and show me…

You will not be able to move to your seminary—at least not today!” So spoke Mr. Clark, our neighbor from across the street. Like Caleb and Joshua, Daniela and I could see the giants that Mr. Clark and everyone else saw. Cumulus clouds, sometimes…

Editor’s note: Due to the urgency of making sure that all Seventh-day Adventists are informed about…

When we moved to Maryland several years ago, we planted a little garden and started to pray for opportunities to minister to our neighbors. With most of them, we were on very good terms. However, one family got very angry about our dogs barking…

Pavel Goia (PG): Roy and June, for some time now we have been hearing of the incredible outreach you have made to pastors and people in the community, whereveryou have been assigned. How long have you been doing this?

Roy…

Many years ago, during Communism in Romania, my wife, Daniela, and I wanted to start a small clothing factory. The single person who could approve it was the president over all businesses in that county. We scheduled an appointment with him…

A few years ago, while I was pastoring in Kentucky, United States, my wife, Daniela, was owner and director of a small nursing home for veterans of war. The social workers in charge of that district came monthly to see how well she cared…

In Romania, during communism and persecution, any event could have been interpreted as a revolt. During the first weeks of the Romanian Revolution of 1989, thousands were in the streets protesting; the communist regime shot many. Braving…

Before I became a pastor, my wife and I owned a clothing business in Romania. On the way home one day, I noticed a big crowd. Curious, I walked over and saw a man claiming to be a prophet. He urged people to return to God, go back to church,…

A family was in a serious traffic accident. The youngest son, Mike, was seriously injured and needed blood. His big brother, Danny, was only eight years old but had the same blood type. Danny’s dad explained carefully how important it was…

I remember that when I was in college in communist Romania, pastors were very few. The government allowed only about two new seminary students a year, so most pastors could not retire. I was a member of a very large church, and the pastor…

Editor’s note: Jud Lake, ThD, DMin, is a professor of preaching and Adventist studies at Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, Tennessee, United States. This interview focuses primarily on his book A Nation…

The multistory building we were working on had three months’ construction still left when the news broke. The president of Romania was coming to visit our city—in two months. I was in charge of the hundreds of windows. The…

I asked my father one day whatmethods I should use to develop my business and be successful. He answered, “Methods are good and necessary, but without God, all is worthless rubbish. You need serious prayer…

Many years ago, my wife, Daniela, and I ran a very profitable business in Romania. We had a comfortable life, with all the necessary means, influence, and friends. Countless times we helped those in need, assisted the church, and carried…

One day in college in Bucharest, Romania, the dean came to me and said, “You are missing school every Saturday. We know you are an Adventist, but in this country there is no God. The next Saturday that you miss school will be your last day…

A few years ago, I went to Cuba for mission work. In the evenings we held meetings. We provided transportation and a full children’s program. One lady brought an average of 150 children to the kids’ program every night. And they knew many…

I was six and she was three. I noticed her at church and said to my sister, “I like this girl; I am going to marry her.” From that moment on I was in love. In the seventh grade I sang in the church choir. I sat in the back row, right side.…