Baptistic Theologies, 2009

aten and humiliated in Borsec, a locality thirty kilometres from Bicaz. After the beating his chest was pressed hard until he fainted. Because of this treatment he developed heart disease, which continued until the end of this life. 47 Not long after this he was 43 Ibid. 44 Their names are the following: 1. Bleoju Petra, 2. Handaric Ghe. Clocia, 3. Handaric Toader Nita, 4. Handaric Toader a lui Gavril, 5. Tepes Bila Toader, 6. Pataca Toader, 7. Handaric Gavril Toader, 8. Daraban Gheorghe, 9. Handaric Valer, 10. Negustor Vasile, 11. Tepes Paleu Ion, 12. Tepes Paleu-Danila, 13. Bleoju Maria, 14. Handaric Ghe. Anuta, 15. Handaric Th. Anuta, 16. Handaric Toader Floarea. Biserica Crestina Baptista Bicazu Ardelean, Proces Verbal (Memoriu), nr. 25.4 in Registrul cu spesele. 45 Dunca, Amintiri din viatci mea, p. 120. 46 Interview of Tepes Alexandra on 17 th August 2008. 47 Dunca, Amintiri din viata mea, pp. 122-6. The Beginnings and Growth of Baptist Witness in Bicazu Ardelean 51 beaten in another police station and then pushed to the ground and received 25 strokes with a stick. Afterwards he was not able to eat any normal food for two weeks and was sick for several months. 48 These are just a few examples of the many episodes of the persecutions which Dunca endured. His example of self-sacrifice and willingness to suffer proved his sincerity in proclaiming the message and left a long-lasting imprint on people’s hearts and minds. Therefore among the traits of his influence should be added this example of endurance in persecution. His authentic transformation had a powerful impact, his missionary strategy gave him the tools he needed to develop new ministries, his organisational spirit offered long-lasting ministries, but along with all of this his example of endurance in persecution created a great impression among people who knew him or heard about him. These four traits converged in making Gavril Dunca an influential leader for the growing Baptist ministry in Bicaz. 3. The behavioural traits of the people in Bicaz I have argued that the great impact of the Baptist ministry in Bicaz was due to several factors. The territorial and cultural context of the village at that time offered the proper channel for the propagation of ideas. The influential personality of Gavril Dunca was crucial for Baptist growth. Nevertheless, in order to have a Christian spiritual awakening there must be people willing to be transformed by the message that they hear. These people were the first converts from Bicazu Ardelean who proved to have several behavioural traits that made the awakening possible. These traits will be briefly emphasised in the following section. The first behavioural trait that the people proved was their searching spirit. The movement in Bicazu Ardelean can be compared with the beginnings of the Reformation and of the Anabaptist movement in Zurich from 1521 to 1525. In both places there were peop