Short history

In 1999, bro. Curtis Pugh, a Baptist missionary sent by Berea Baptist Church of Mantachie, Mississippi, USA moved to Romania to spread the Gospel of grace and plant Independent Baptist congregations.

The work saw its first fruits in 2002. Regular weekly services were started in the home of brother Curtis and sister Janet. The first baptism took place in July 2002, when bro. Raul Enyedi was scripturally baptized. Soon after, bro. Aurel Miclea jr. and others began to participate regularly to the meetings. We bought our first printing equipment and we began printing Gospel and doctrinal booklets, which were distributed freely. During the first year, we printed 9,000 booklets. The number of publications, as well as the number and the volume of printed copies continued to grow every year, so that in 2019 we reached our first million printed and distributed copies of literature.

The second baptism service took place in August, 2003, bro. Aurel Miclea jr. being one of the candidates. In September 2003, in answer to the invitation of a group of brethren from Filiași, a town in Southern Romania, we started regular services there, in the home of bro. Nicu Fundeanu. For a while, we covered the 250 km from Bocșa to Filiași every Sunday.

In May, 2004, we moved our membership to Grace Bible Baptist Church of Denham Springs, Louisiana, USA. Bro. Jerry Dodson Sr. was our pastor.

In July, 2005 we had our third baptism. Among the candidates were bro. Aurel Munteanu and bro. Nicu Fundeanu. We continued the regular meetings in Bocșa and Filiași, but we also started mission trips throughout the country.

In January, 2008, we organized our first Bible conference. It was a special and blessed event, which opened the door for more such special meetings. The Bible conferences continued to grow in size every year, being attended by people all over the country and even from other countries, as well. They are more than fellowship meetings, they are teaching conferences in which we study major Bible subjects.

On June 21st, 2009, at the request of its members in Romania, Grace Bible Baptist Church dismissed us from its membership, with the purpose of being organized as a sister congregation, under the name of Sovereign Grace Baptist Assembly of Bocsa, Romania. The first members of the congregation were Raul Enyedi, Aurel Miclea jr, Nicolae Fundeanu and Aurel Munteanu. On the same day, the congregation elected bro. Raul Enyedi to serve as their pastor. Bro. Curtis Pugh assisted in the ordination of brother Raul.

In July, 2009, the newly organized congregation had its first baptism service, followed by the Lord’s Supper. More baptisms followed in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023.

In October, 2010, brother Curtis and sister Janet Pugh moved back to the United States, because of their health issues. They left because they did not want to be a burden to the work. They left their hearts in Romania, while taking with them our love and gratitude for coming to this part of the world, for sacrificing so much to remain here as long as possible, and much beyond what was humanly possible, until we, as a congregation, were able to continue the work started by brother Curtis.

In 2011, brother Raul made the first trip to the United States, visiting among almost 40 sister congregations. The second trip took place in 2017. Just before bro. Raul arrived in the USA, the Lord called sister Janet Pugh home. We will meet again at the blessed resurrection.

In 2013, the assembly set aside brothers Aurel Munteanu and Aurel Miclea jr. as evangelists, to spread the Gospel and teach the Scriptures in their areas.

In 2016, our assembly started two new mission points, one in Timișoara (the largest city in Western Romania) and one in Bucharest (the capital of Romania). During the same year, bro. Raul made the first missionary journey to Peru, South America, establishing contact and endeavouring to be a spiritual help to the sister congregations there. The second missionary journey to Peru took place in 2018.

In February 2018, the Lord called bro. Curtis home. His last words to bro. Raul were a question regarding the work in Romania, seeking to make sure that we have everything we need to continue to work, after he won’t be here anymore. His devotion to the work here lasted until the end of his earthly life. He wished that the words “NUMAI HARUL” [ONLY GRACE], which are the title of his favourite Romanian hymn, would be inscribed on his funeral stone. These words embody his whole life and ministry.

In 2019, the assembly rejoiced in her 10th anniversary, and also in reaching 1 million copies of literature printed and distributed through the printing ministry. 

Currently, our assembly holds regular services in Bocșa, as well as in the mission points from Filiași, Timișoara, and Bucharest.

If you wish to visit any of these locations, please check the directions and the service times under the section Contact/Locations .