Baptistic Theologies, 2009

), made him a living example of honest faith. Initial work in Bicaz Gavril Dunca’s initial work in Bicaz helps in discovering some specifics of his missionary strategy. The first was his missionary zeal. His first stay in Bicazu Ardelean on 23 ld and 24 th January 1925 was linked to his moving to Toplita for work. This town was 80 km from the village. By now Dunca had already been ordained as a missionary by the Baptist community from Oradea" and he had established several churches in different areas. Because of his passion for preaching he immediately started to do mission in Toplita and the surrounding areas, including, after some time, Bicaz. He was a worker in a factory at the same time. He made many converts and the news about him spread among the people. 25 His missionary zeal was the first component in his strategy. In Bicazu Ardelean a group for Bible study was formed. While serving in the First World War" some people came into contact with evangelical ideas and when they returned to the village they started to study the Bible. One of them, Simion Dandu (Ciofleac), participated at a meeting in Bucharest and heard Teodor Popescu preaching. Thus the group meeting for Bible study decided to invite the priest in order for him to tell them about what they had to do to be saved. At the same time Gheorghe Botosan, one of Dunca’s converts from a nearby locality, visited the village and told the people about the activity of Dunca. The people were enthusiastic to 22 Ibid., p. 15. 23 He asserts that he cannot even remember how many times he was beaten by the gendarmes because of his preaching in different places. Dunca, Amintiri din viata mea, p. 32. 24 Ibid., p. 92. 25 Ibid., pp. 121-132. 26 Interview of lonut Handaric, 17 th August 2008. 46 Baptistic Theologies • • • 27 hear him preaching so they invited Dunca to come. Thus the missionary was informed about their wish. However, instead of being in a hurry to go and preach, he did not give any answer. This was unusual because of his well known missionary zeal. But he explained his actions as his wish to know if this was the will of God. He considered the second invitation which followed one month later as a sign that he should go. Still he had one more concern. It was about people’s sincerity in inviting him to preach - so he had a test for them. He asked for an escort from their side. The people proved their sincerity in sending a chariot to pick him up from Corbu, the designed meeting place. Probably this was the second sign he was expecting because, from this moment on, he started having the same attitude in other places where he preached. For example, when he found out that the priest Teodor Popescu was invited to preach in the village at the same time with him he did not seem as worried as his mission companion, Grigore Braic, but said: ‘we do not know what it is going to be next. We have to be prepared for anything.’ 29 At the