Baptistic Theologies, 2009

entrance to the village they discovered that Popescu was in police custody. Dunca said: ‘Ahead! Let the will of God be done!’ It seemed to some that he had recovered his missionary zeal. Actually his attitude should be interpreted as being in line with his missionary strategy: his zeal was guided and motivated by the will of God. Later he spoke about another sign he asked from God to see if the mission in Bicaz was according to the Lord’s will. He wanted to see some people from the village participating at one church service in Toplita. This happened during the same year, and for the missionary it was a sign from God that he could start a church in Bicaz. This expectancy of God’s voice through signs that he asked from the Lord is the second component of Gavril Dunca’s missionary strategy. The third component is seen in the relationship with authorities. His attitude is similar to other Baptists from Europe who did not hold with the Separatist view of the Anabaptists but formulated a specific understanding ~ similar to the practice of this missionary. When Dunca was hosted in Bicaz the first thing he did was to prepare his certificate that gave 7 Dunca, Amintiri din viata mea, p. 106. 28 Ibid., p. 105. 29 Ibid., p. 107. 30 Ibid., p. 108. 31 Ibid., pp. 116-7. 32 Ian Randall, Module in European Baptist Origins and Development (Prague: IBTS 2002), chapter 1, p. 7. The Beginnings and Growth of Baptist Witness in Bicazu Ardelean 47 33 him legal rights to preach in the counties of Mures and Ciuc. Bicaz, being part of the second county, meant he had a legal right to preach and he intended to use it. But cooperation with the State had its limitations. When the gendarmes (national police) came, Dunca did not respond to then- announcement that he should go to the Police station. Instead he allowed them to take and analyse his certificate but warned them that he would go to the judge if they did not return the certificate. This attitude of limited cooperation with the State authorities shows a specific Baptist understanding which was common among Baptists, not only in Romania but also in wider Europe. It was a third part of Dunca’s missionary strategy. Half an hour after this discussion the priest Teodor Popescu was also released; maybe the Baptist firmness in dealing with the State helped in the release of the priest also. The first evangelical debate in Bicaz The most important factor in Gavril Dunca’s influence was his attitude towards the Bible. This was shaped by his conversion and it can be seen from three meetings when he talked to the people gathered to listen to him in Bicaz in the house of Toader Handaric. The first meeting was held on Saturday night, 23 ld January 1925. The first to speak was the priest Teodor Popescu. He read from Acts 16:31, the history of the keeper of the prison in Philippi. He emphasised the need to believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved but did not ment