E15 Peter Rong - The Gospel, No Matter What

Greg Scott: And I hope you enjoyed our time today with Peter as much as I did. It sure would have been easy for Peter to have just walked away from his faith through any of the many trials in his younger years. But hearing how God not only sustained him, but used it to build him up for a purpose and carry out the plan he had for his life through it, that should make all of us take stock of how often we've let our own circumstances or our own feelings get in the way of living a life in the faith. And Peter's example of sharing the gospel through both his words and his actions hopefully drive all of us to do the same. Well, Pastor Peter, welcome to the podcast, my friend. It's so good to be able to not only just for me to speak with you, but it's so great to have you on the podcast today. Welcome and thank you for thank you for setting some time aside to do this with us today.

Peter Rong: It's good to be with you.

Greg Scott: Share the link out to today's episode on all of your social media platforms. Subscribe to our YouTube channel or anywhere you get your podcast downloads and then tell someone you know about your favorite 315 Voices guests in order to encourage and inspire them. And then join us again. Somebody else is going to be prepared to give the reason for the hope that's within them on the next episode of 315 Voices. Pastor Peter is currently serving in Romania. ⁓ pastor of Baptist Church there in the city and we'll get to all of that in just a little bit. Peter and I crossed paths through a mutual friend maybe three or four years ago ⁓ Hello and welcome to 315 Voices, I'm your host, Greg Scott. 1 Peter 315 reminds us to always be prepared to give an account when someone asks for the reason for the hope that's in us. And today's guest is Peter Rohn. Peter currently is serving as the founding and lead pastor at Spiritual Revival International Baptist Church in Bucharest, Romania. But his story of the hope that he lives for in Christ is extraordinary. So talk a little bit, you're obviously living in Romania now, but ⁓ grew up in, at the time, in the country of Sudan, now split into two countries where what now we would know as the South Sudan, and your father was not only law enforcement, but he was a chief of police in your community. That was a time of a lot of violence ⁓ that area of the world. So talk a little bit about your dad and growing up After growing up in war-torn Sudan in the 1980s and 90s, he left to go to university as a teenager, only to face persecution and then unfair imprisonment in the country of Romania following the Romanian Revolution of 1989. But all of that just prepared him for a life in the Lord's service, and you're going to hear that story over the next several minutes together. and how you see now that the Lord kind of started pushing you out of Sudan even through growing up there and seeing that.

Peter Rong: was born in South Sudan and then time we moved to Northern Sudan. But before that, father was a ⁓ director of in our area, our district. And then they made another promotion. They move him to a big city. And then the last time when I left Sudan, it was in the capital city of Sudan, Khartoum.

Greg Scott: I consider meeting and getting to know Peter wrong as one of life's greatest blessings. And I know that after this, you're going to feel the same.

Peter Rong: And growing up in the house of the law, there's a discipline. So we used to come home on time and do everything on time. So when he told us, tell us be at 6 p.m. at home, at 6 p.m. we are at home. Bring your bags and do your homework and we do the same thing. So everything was law, you know. So we are disciplined in that way. And I think that discipline helped me to be a man here in Romania.

Greg Scott: I'm so glad you joined the podcast today for our time with Pastor Peter Raul.

Peter Rong: Yeah, if not that, I think maybe I cannot survive in this country. Yeah.

Greg Scott: So how many brothers and sisters in that house and was penalty if you weren't on time?

Peter Rong: Yeah, yeah. We are in the family. I'm the oldest. We are seven. We have like, we are four sisters and then three brothers. So we are seven, all the family. And then if I'm late or any one of us late, there will be discipline, punishment, you know. So sometimes can be taken by the heels.

Greg Scott: That sounds like my grandmother as well. To grab you by the ear is not African. They learned that a long time ago.

Peter Rong: This is Africa. Yeah. Yeah.

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Peter Rong: Yeah, that of the old time, yeah. But for some in the villages, they're still doing the same things, in the big city no more, start to disappear.

Greg Scott: The story is that at ⁓ point your father was ⁓ maybe in the line of duty and then was encouraged to get out, but he was not going to do that. ⁓ Talk that story a little bit.

Peter Rong: Well, the story like that, there was people in the village, know, in the war in South Sudan, it started in 1983. And we're between and Christian, or North and South. And then we have ordinary people who are taking care of the cattle, cows, goats, whatever sheep, and used to bring them to the market. You know, and then this happened in secret. Our military armies, they used to go and collect those people, maybe 300 of them. And they dig a big hole, big hole in the ground. And then they put those people around, tied them, put them around and then the fire under in that hole. So they shoot them. And then one of the security came to my father with a picture and he reported. Then my father happened to go to there. headquarter of the military to meet with the general of that time. And they went and discussed the matter and they agreed that the things will not happen anymore. And now we will monitor everything to be well. So after my father returning to his office, there are three soldiers from army. They jump in front of his car and they shoot, they open fire. They shoot my father on his back, five bullets. His driver was also shooting a hand, driving one hand to escape. One of his bodyguards was killed in that shooting. And then another one survived until they passed that crisis area. And then he went back to his office. Then police, they start fighting between police and military in that city, that northern Barakasal region. and we call it the capital is Wao. So they have a fight there. But the good things that, you know, God always in plan. It was not a time for my father to pass away. There was a missionary from US undercover. He's a medical doctor, but at same time is a missionary. He's the first person that made the first surgery to take this some rush of a bullet.

Greg Scott: Right.

Peter Rong: after that they transfer my father to the northern part of Sudan and then before my coming to Romania in 1992 he came back from Egypt and then they made the main surgery but one bullet remained on his back for 32 years and then in 2000 yeah in 2018 he passed away

Greg Scott: Man.

Peter Rong: We want to be with the Lord.

Greg Scott: ⁓ What a divine story that the surgeon, the first medical person on the scene to receive your father after that was not just a surgeon, not just an American trained surgeon, but a missionary working there for the gospel. talk about your dad's faith for just a second. ⁓ How did that? impact his faith walk

Peter Rong: father, when I was before coming to Romania, was an Anglican, going to Anglican church, ⁓ church, they call him Sudan. But some of them are born again, some of them are doing traditional things. ⁓ then my father was devoted, was devout, going to church every Sunday. ⁓ my father, I think, is meeting also with the missionary. And saw the end of God through that missionary, that medical doctor, missionary undercover. And I think God encountered him in that moment. So when I returned back in 2008, he was born again. Yeah, was born again. No more tradition of Anglican this ⁓ is my joy that to see all the family almost, that we can born again.

Greg Scott: What a wonder. Right. when we walk in faith, our prayer becomes, ⁓ want everybody I ⁓ to know about And I want everybody I care about to know about this. And you say, not only my father, but my family that I left in Sudan came to know Christ ⁓ through different avenues, likely through my father's encounter. what a great story. you as a late teenager to go to in in America we'd say to go to school or go to college but in European ⁓ you're going to university to advance your education ⁓ you did not want to go to London you did not want to go places that your father at first thought he wanted you to go ⁓ tell about how you ended up in Bucharest to go study economics

Peter Rong: we have opportunity to come to United States America with that crisis that happened with the shooting of my father. And he say, know, you can transfer. You can go and work in United States. ⁓ All of your family can immigrate to United States, but my father say no, if I go who? ⁓ will solve the problem of this country. I'm not going. So he remained there. And then, ⁓ when it took me to 1992, on ⁓ of September, 1992. before he give me advice and he told me, you know, take this small Bible and this book or prayer, take with you. ⁓ Go to Romania, find a church and have fellowship with the believers. Don't follow other young people to go to disco, start drinking alcohol ⁓ live mixed life of the world. If you do like that, they will bring you dead back to Sudan. And I took that advice carefully. So when I arrived to Romania, ⁓ to look for the church. So I went to a monasture Baptist church in Cluj, a city called Cluj, Napoca, one of the largest cities of Romania. And that church, I have many mothers. They adopted me because I was very young. So So I have like five mothers in that church. So when I go on Sunday, I used to go back home in the midnight, 11 o'clock with food, money, everything. So they cook for me. Yeah.

Greg Scott: Yeah. What a blessing that the Lord sent you some, you call them mothers because that's exactly what they were. They made sure that you were fed and that you had everything that you needed every Sunday. You probably look forward to going to church just for the personal well-being as well as feeding your faith.

Peter Rong: Because love, love that they show, know, that show me that Jesus Christ is real, you know. And not just the love we have in the Bible, love that we practice to one another. So, it was attractive and then opened my eyes more to know the Lord and grow up in the Lord, yeah.

Greg Scott: Right. you mentioned an incident that really, shaped your future. just to clear, when ⁓ you talk about being in the airport in Sudan and getting Romania, learning the language, going to school, ⁓ your intent was to go to school to learn finance and and have a career in business and in finance. But there was an incident involving college students, mainly from Africa. that you got caught up in. ⁓ And that story ⁓ rerouted that future of

Peter Rong: Well, yeah, when we are in that fellowship in the Church of Monastir, beside that, there was a campus course set for Christ in the student campus. We used to have fellowship with a student and American missionary, about 25 of them. I was a part of that ministry. then in the Saturday, every two Saturday we used to meet in the cultural house, know, fellowship, Romanian ex Romanian communist student used to come and we have fellowship together. sing and we divide in a group and share the gospel. So God was using me among them. And now when they saw me, I'm from South Sudan, remote area. And then with American missionaries, say, oh, you just come to preach to us about your policy in America. Sometimes they are not paying much attention. When I answer something, they pay attention. So yeah, you're poor like us, so we're listening to you. And then American missionaries, they start, OK, Peter, this is your opportunity to share the gospel. So we used to share the gospel together. And that has happened one day, some and one Muslim student used to come and hide in Balkan. They stayed there. And like they come to fellowship, but they're not. They're hearing what we are sharing about Sudan and prayer request that we share. We say ⁓ that there's no respect of human right. Your brother and sister in Sudan, they're put in prison. their hands have been cut off, their eyes have been taken out because they ask them, do you want to be a Muslim or remain a Christian? They say we don't want to be a Christian. They cut their hands, take their eyes, cut their ears. And then some of them are crucified on the cross. And so they hear that and then they give the report to embassy. They give the report to embassy and one day they call us Christian students. to go to have a meeting with the council, the diplomatic that is responsible for us in embassy. And we went there, eight of us. But others, 25, they were outside, they didn't come, but eight of us, we went inside, there in embassy. we are talking and then he said, you know, we need to send you back to Sudan. we said, how are you sending us back to Sudan? We have a scholarship have visa. We don't have problem with Romanian, with the law of Romania. And we didn't do anything bad. said, no, we are sending you back to kill you as we are killing your people. Then I told him, frankly, I say, you know, council, you don't have power upon us. Listen to me carefully. When you go to Mecca, there every year, never and ever Mohammed arrives from the dead on the top of his tomb and addressing you. But our Lord Jesus Christ died and he risen from the dead. He is now at the right hand of God the Father. listening to us. And he cannot allow you to send us back to Sudan. And then group of Muslim students came in that office, they start to attack us and we defend ourselves. We managed to get out of the building. So when we got out of the building, eight of us, and then they called for a special police for terrorists that are accusing us that we are the terrorists that attacked the authority in embassy. 60 of them came and I saw because I'm a son of the policeman, I know reaction with the soldiers. So when I saw they coming, I surrender, raise my hand up. So they come and put my hand on my back and they put me on my knee with my face to the wall. They say, if you move, you're dead. And they put pistol on my head, but I didn't move. If I move. I suppose not to talk to you. So I didn't move. That's why I'm alive. And then other people, just take them from up down with a boot on their chest. Some of them were bombing blood. And they put us in their car. They make a tour around the city that they captured the terrorists. And then in the morning when we are in police arrest, they say the civil war in Sudan arrived to Romania. This is the headquarter. the headline of the newspaper. So they put it there. And then what happened? They took us and put us in the police arrest. then conclusion we are not terrorists and we are not guilty. Those from the embassy, they are the terrorists and they are guilty. All the diplomatic body have been sent back to Sudan. So we remain in Romania. And then from after three months of investigation, they took us to a big prison in Bucharest called Gelava. That's a danger prison in Romania. But with God help, God protect us, we are able to share the gospel.

Greg Scott: how long were you and that group held there?

Peter Rong: Yeah, we stayed there one year, six months in prison. put us in prison for security because they say you are just going there for your security. In one year and six months, I read my Bible carefully. Three times. from Genesis until Revelation with good understanding. And then one night I was praying I say, okay, God, We are suffering, my people are suffering there in Sudan. And we came here to study. We end up in prison. We are doing nothing and time is passing. Lord, I want you to know, are you Jesus, the Lord or Mohammed? This is my question. I was talking, I'm praying, know. Just I'm not aware of my roommates. We were 27 in the room and I'm just praying, talking to God, you know, talking. And then the voice from inside me coming to my ear say, you are my servant. I say, I'm your servant.

Greg Scott: Yeah.

Peter Rong: Why we are suffering here? God said, you are my servant the second time again. Come on, voice come from inside me to my head. You're my servant. The third time, you're my servant. I say, okay, if I'm your servant, set us free from this prison. All of us to go out. came together. Let us go out from this prison together. Out. This is my prayer. That didn't take like even three weeks didn't take. And then they called us to go to the court. And then we went to the court. I was returning from the court and then they come declare Sudanese, you're free. So God set us free. It came in the right time when I was confused and the answer, my knee. And then from that prayer also I say, God, I will save you rest of my life. I will be your servant, no to economic, yes to theology. Then we are free. Then we were taken to one of the Anglican church. We stayed there for three weeks. Missionary came and help us to put us in apartment.

Greg Scott: just much in that story the thread of God's hand. You was in prison for 18 months, ⁓ but during that time, I read my Bible three times ⁓ and I really gained a deeper to God. Listen, clear some things up. ⁓ If you're if you want me to let me serve. what did that though, ⁓ I think there's a valuable lesson the middle of that for all of us as believers. How did God impress upon you importance ⁓ of a real deep study and daily study of scripture if you want to be in service in any kind of service.

Peter Rong: Well, I was reading all Bible, but much more I stopped in Roman chapter eight, you know, There I saw conviction from the life of Apostle Paul so I start to grow up spiritually. And that raised me up. And then in six pastor, company's wife, Katie, they saw the calling of God in my life. So in six months, they saw, oh, God call you in ministry. can we do? Do you want to go back to economy? Oh, what do you want to do for your future? I say, know, in prison, I say no to economy, yes to theology. I want to serve God rest of my life. And he said, but here there's a Bible school, Baptist Bible school in Romanian. And first of October, we the class. ⁓ then 1995 and I finished in 1999 and since then God has been using me. went to Romanian church to be a as a pastor there and then God said your Monday is finished you have to go to Bucharest to start a church for the foreigner for refugees and African student then I say yes sir

Greg Scott: And I'm so glad you help lead us into that next point of your current assignment, which has been your assignment now since then, pastoring an international church in the city of Bucharest. Now, don't you know, for those listening, most of our listeners are American. You say, OK, of course, it's an international church. It's not it's a Romanian Baptist Church, but it's not for Romanian only. It is for international people. living or passing through the capital city of Romania and that you lead and you are still the pastor there. about ⁓ favorite part of your church is you say we have a core group of people that are in our church and they're there every Sunday and they are leaders in our church and they're from all over the world. but we have so many transient refugees that come in and out. wonder, if over the years you have kept up with ⁓ many nationalities have passed through your international church in the years ⁓ you started that church.

Peter Rong: Well, we started church in 2001 And I say, you know, come just sing any song in your language. They sing any secular song that they know from their country ⁓ because they are mostly mostly. And then and then and then some more Christian. I said, we don't need to introduce We have to be wise. And after that, I start a small Bible, short Bible started from Genesis in the camp. And then step by step, and Bible study in my house. And the refugees came. Five Muslims converted. And ex-Muslims that we baptize them. They're the first fruit of our ministry. And then from 2001, people are just coming. Showing like a truancy. They come and go, they come and go, they come and go. We have more over 40 nationalities that pass through our shogunate. Yeah, they go around over 40. we have a stability now. We have families, ⁓ we have group Myanmar, like ⁓ eight family. They are there and they have a small business here. ⁓ ⁓ also we have some Africans, students, they're coming to study. So we have them there from different country, Cameroon.

Greg Scott: Yes.

Peter Rong: and Guinea and all this kind of thing. So we have about 14 nationalities who are in the church.

Greg Scott: you mentioned you have five families from Myanmar and we met Ngong and his family a few years ago when he were there and ⁓ it's ⁓ all these that you talk about that are in your church, their stories are similar and I don't want it to get where it's ⁓ numb to, ⁓ that was a bad story too. Ngong and his family escaped Myanmar and... ⁓ We're going to be conscripted into military service and now they own a business there in Bucharest and they are parts of your church and they're leaders in your church they start coming to your church because they were looking for a church in Bucharest ⁓ you were able help them tell that story a bit you were able to help that family as they were looking for really for place to live. They had gotten, I think, placed in a camp

Peter Rong: Yeah, actually it was one winter, was a terrible winter, there's snow on the ground and I receive a phone call ⁓ from US, from Sacramento in California and a phone call, a pastor from Myanmar introduced himself. I'm a pastor so and so, please can you help my community in Romania? I said okay, where they are? They say in the city called Galad. Galatasaray is 200 kilometers from here. And then I say, okay, give them my number, let them contact me. And then they went out because the condition was very bad in that camp. They don't have food. When they brought them from Malaysia, they promised that they can have apartment fee. Each of them, like husband and wife and children, each of them can have like 200 euros. of their financial support from the government. when they came here, everything turned down. ⁓ so they don't have any food to eat there. They're suffering. And then with that, I say, give them my number. Let them call me. And they called me. And I said, give me the director of the camp. And ⁓ they give me the director of the camp. say, OK, please. transfer all of them here. There were about 45 people from there. said, transfer all of them here. So it was thinking, the director think I'm a millionaire or someone will be a businessman. Look at that. So they transfer them all. I said, transfer them to the refugees came here. I will take care of them. And they transfer them. And that time you see when something going to happen, God already provided making the way. So Before meeting them, I went to England with my wife and I served in Rumanian church and they gave me 3,000 pounds. And that thing, that 3,000 pound note was for them. They said, one thousand for you and 2,000 for the church. And then I brought the money, we put it all to the church. then when they came, I said, okay, God, this money's for them. then I talked to them, and they said, OK, give us the address of the church. So I gave them the address. They started coming regularly to the church. they said, you know, we have a pastor in Romania. He's so good. Whenever we go back, he welcome us. said, okay, then what what do know to do? They said, we know how to cook Asian food. I said, okay, then make the dog man and they went and I I showed them where to go and together with my wife and they went and make the dog man. come to my house. So, bless the dog man pastor. So, I pray. ⁓ I pray for that dog man and then so what We need a place to rent. Okay. I said, we look we find a place to rent, we find the places, so we rent. And the first one, I was not sure that this business can go further. Sometimes we even faster, sometimes when you see big things and you see the country, you can have a little bit of doubt. We are not like God. So I said, this will work. And then when they open the first shop, yeah. Then I went to one park, close to that shop.

Greg Scott: No, not at all.

Peter Rong: to see if people can come and buy food or not. And I see it in that way to see from far. And I saw people line up. And then I said, I raised my hand. said, thank you, Thank you. You solved this one. this business will go on. And then one by one, they start to open. Now about eight of them, have this small business. Yeah. Yeah. So we help them with accommodation. We help them with a place to lend their shop and dogmen that they need.

Greg Scott: you Amen.

Peter Rong: Yeah, so this water and God blessing them and now they have a blessing to the church as well.

Greg Scott: described when you first to Romania and the church in Cluj where had all these mothers ⁓ that were serving like Christ and taking care of you ⁓ in a way that couldn't take care of yourself. And I see you doing with this family from Myanmar as they ⁓ received your care and your kindness ⁓ they left and went to Western Europe and then they came back and and for those listening that don't know the difference, Western Europe is is probably more like America. Eastern Europe is tough ⁓ and there are big cities that are like America but it's a little tougher and so they left but they came back when they couldn't fend for themselves and they ⁓ said, you know what, this pastor's really poured into us, we're coming back, can you help us set up and stay? And in your doubt, okay, well, we'll see if you can set up a restaurant, we'll see if you can set it up. And when the first time you saw them lined up their business was going to thrive, and now that they're thriving, they're in the church, and they are a vital part of not only just your church, but reaching out to others, disciples making disciples, ⁓ you for these people like those mothers. cared for you so many years ago and I love that how that picture of how to care for one another in the faith was painted for you those years ago and now you're giving it right back to whoever the Lord puts in your path.

Peter Rong: Yeah, I think that's a training that the Lord trained me to the love that people show me that mothers and fathers from Cluj They took good care of me and then coming coming out from prison My campfire and Katy they took me as their son. They took good care of me buy clothes Take me to school rest money for my rent for food for clothes everything

Greg Scott: ⁓ Yes.

Peter Rong: And so all these things I learned from them. So the scripture say, what people do to you, do to others. that's the word of Jesus Christ. So this is what exactly, what you describe it here.

Greg Scott: And you're certainly doing you mentioned your wife. ⁓ is your partner in ministry Your wife is from ⁓ Talk about your family little bit. You have a wife from Romania and three children, I believe. Talk about them a little bit.

Peter Rong: Yeah, we are really a blessing family. I see the creation of God in my house. I'm from Africa, Sudan, black, and then my wife from Europe, Romanian, white, and then the children that came from us, they are between. So we have three colors in the family. So it's beautiful. I can see a hand of God in us and it's a blessing. time we met in the Christian camp. Christian youth camp that about over 200 people from Romania, used to go to that camp with the organization called Word of Life. Word of Life. So we went there and we made it that camp. We're just no any feeling for one another, but all of us, are young people. We play game, volleyball, we have fellowship. warship and all these things. This is the first time, 1995, before going to seminary. So, 95, I went to first year. In seminary, I finished. In 1996, she came in. So, we already know each other in the camp. So, we studied together for three years, So we are a group of 10 students from seminary. We used to have Bible study in my apartment and then we include like 15 girls also to come in. So we used to have Bible study, we pray together and we form a team that we can go around Romania to wake up the churches, you know. For three years, I don't feel anything for her. ⁓ I see as that my sister in Christ. And then one of the said, Peter. ⁓ you want to get married. No, you finish seminary now. You have to, we pray for you to get a girl. I said, no, I will marry in Sudan, you know. I will go back to Sudan and get married there. my tradition is very strong. They cannot be happy if I got married with Romanian here. They're okay. one night I slept. I saw her in a dream. I'm wearing a black suit and she wearing a wedding gown. our pastor bless our wedding. say, ⁓ we are Baptists, we don't care about dream. Dream is the dream, you know. ⁓ We not much with dream. and then the second week, the same dream with the same clothes, everything. And our pastor bless the wedding. I say, ⁓ dream is still dream. The third time I said, God, you're speaking, Like you spoke to... ⁓ somewhere you're speaking to me with the same goals with the same person that I know which means you're changing my mentality and then I said okay I took phone and I call and our mom answered on phone hello I say I'm Peter I ⁓ Peter I know you you came to our church and you give a testament and you preach I say yeah it is me you want to talk to Jetta I say yeah she's at home

Greg Scott: Yeah.

Peter Rong: no, she's not not at home but I will tell her when she come and I said, god, you see if she was for me, she have to be on telephone but no, she's not for me and then I get, she called me and then we talk and she come back and we start. I said, okay, let us meet and I explained everything about me, about the how poor people are because of war. And if you can see any people from my nations going naked on television, the news, those are my nations. So, and that's my country. And also one day I will do a mission anywhere, not just in Romania, I'll go anywhere, even to go back to Sudan. I saw you, I started about you and also got revealed that you're the one, that for me. Do you want to be my girlfriend and you want to go to marriage me? And she said yes. I said okay, then it's okay. I had the floor, red floor was under the table and I took it, I gave to her.

Greg Scott: That's quite a conversation.

Peter Rong: And then she went home ⁓ and she share what I proposed to her with our family. All of them, agree, brother and sister also mother and father and relatives. then they invited me to go and see them. And I went there. ⁓ And so I saw the family. And then one year, we just meet two times, but the rest we are talking on telephone because I was in the ministry in that Romanian church. And she still study last year in, in seminar, social workers and theology. And we got, she came only there twice. We are talking on telephone and in 2000 then we got married. And exactly like in a dream, our pastor, one blessed our wedding. yeah, right person that God gave to me. some other issues like for ladies, she can solve in that area. Yeah, give some advice to sister in the church and also things that need to be solved according to Romanian, to Romanian government or whatever. She's there. She's a help for that.

Greg Scott: Right. the Lord has really used the two of you, complement each other. Your strengths ⁓ and her are different, but together you are serving well and you serve there. and positioned you right where you need to hasn't he?

Peter Rong: Yeah, think, well, reaching Romanian, Romanian can listen to me more because first I'm from different, from another continent. So if I go to the park and just sit down, someone can come around and sit down to me. And first question, can ask, where are you from? You know, and then the next question, what are you doing here? can say I'm from South but I'm here for long time in Romania. And what are you doing here? So this is the point that opened door for the gospel. So I introduce myself. I'm here, my pastor in International Baptist Church.

Greg Scott: Man. Talk just for a second. Your family in Sudan, you mentioned earlier that your father later came to Christ, it like through your father a lot of your family came to Christ. How often do get to ⁓ see family from now?

Peter Rong: Now the first time I went home in 2008 after 16 years, it will cross any border, any city, any village, we are good for shooting and die. So we are sent to death. So I stay here 16 years. In 2008, the first time I went home. and the second time, 2011, then 2017, and then the last one, father passed away in 2018, 2018, the last time. So I expect to go home this year.

Greg Scott: How would you answer someone that when they come to the faith and maybe they're in your church and they look at you and they say, pastor, how do I know what God's will is for my life? How do I know what God wants me to do? How would you encourage that person to answer that question?

Peter Rong: The first answer to that person is just to read the Bible And then ⁓ reading the Bible and then seeing what they doing to see that's in the will of God according to the word of God, the Bible, ⁓ or a personal feeling, you know. If there's a personal feeling, then they have to give up to come to the will of God in the So I think it can be through faith and commitment to Jesus Christ, then they can discover the will of God.

Greg Scott: simple ⁓ wonderful advice. Try to separate what are my own emotions versus what God wants me to be doing. 50 years from now when we're both long gone, hopefully if the Lord has not come back ⁓ and mention the name Peter wrong, how do you want ⁓ to remembered ⁓ in or just in... ⁓

Peter Rong: Yeah.

Greg Scott: those that you had crossed paths with.

Peter Rong: be remember, people to remember there was a young man came from Sudan, he was 19 years old and he met with the Lord strongly in prison and then embraced the faith until he died and he served the Lord without complaining and with total dependency on God and then became a blessing. So The name of Jesus Christ, not my name to be, name of Jesus Christ, the one that was living for Jesus Christ is named Peter Romm. Yeah, that to be remembered.

Greg Scott: without complaining. have heard first part of our conversation where said Peter and I crossed paths. I think it's been three years ago now that Peter and I met through group that we were there ⁓ in Bucharest and through a friend now, Mike ⁓ Kemper. And if I were to describe you, Peter, it fit of that.

Peter Rong: without conflict.

Greg Scott: someone that's living for Jesus Christ and smiles all the time. I've never known someone to exude the joy of the Lord like you do, Peter, and it's a challenge for me to say I want people to know that The joy of the Lord shines through me like it does you, my friend. an encouragement to me and I consider ⁓ friendship a blessing that God connected us ⁓ years ago. So one thing that we do on the podcast, the 315 Challenge. Of course, our podcast is based on 1 Peter 3.15, So the three, if I said, hey, what are the three? And I look behind you and you've got a ton of books, you're a reader. ⁓ so what are the three books outside of Bible that you would say have impacted you ⁓ throughout your life?

Peter Rong: One of them is here. book of Billy Graham, peace with God. I think this what we need in our time right now, peace with God. So this is what impact my life and also Billy Graham as a preacher evangelist. I took his model for the ministry that I'm doing

Greg Scott: Yeah.

Peter Rong: so this book is very important. I used to give to people around to read it because this is time that we need peace around the world. And also another book of John MacArthur.

Greg Scott: Yeah.

Peter Rong: John MacArthur, yeah, this book, The Strange Fire, helped me a lot to focus in the Bible, to focus in the Word of God, not imagination of the Holy Spirit, you know, to be a clear doctrine of the Bible, that to be teach and preach in the church. So these are two books that empire my life and two people of God. And number three is George Moller.

Greg Scott: Amen.

Peter Rong: Just know I didn't find the book I have in my library. I was looking around because I didn't find it. So he's a man of faith. Also impact my life for the ministry that I'm doing because we start with nothing. You know, the Lord told me go and start the church in Bukhara. I don't know with what I'm going to rent apartment and my wife said where we are going to stay. I said we are going to stay in the park, you know, be there until the Lord get for us. So I went to check my email. I went and check my email. The mission at that time, I met him includes 10 years ago. He sent me an email in the right time. Piro, I hear you finished your seminary. And now you are passing Romain and Choi. What next you want to do for your future? ⁓ I said, well, good question. Whatever I need to do for my future, the Lord told me to go and plant the church. He started church for the foreigner in Bucharest. And then we came by faith. People saw it, and then they come alongside us and support. We didn't ask anything even from Romani Church, only just with the Lord. And that missionary is the one send the first $600. I can come and rent apartment, ⁓

Greg Scott: And so the first answer was, we may sleep in the park. I'm sure your wife is like, no, we need a better plan. And the Lord has provided such a better plan over the last 25 years for you. And she didn't have to sleep in the park.

Peter Rong: Yeah, I mean, I mean, No, no, no at all. You know, when you decide for something and the Lord can add to that and bring you to a better place.

Greg Scott: Amen. The one in the 315 challenge, I'm curious, is who is the one most recognizable name that you have a contact with? So if in your phone, if you were to call them or reach out to them or text them, ⁓ that would answer you that maybe our listeners would recognize as a name.

Peter Rong: here in Romania, I see most of them, are gone, like history in the past. And also the one that I still have connection like internet through Facebook and Messenger is Mike Kemper, can be, because he is my mentor, is my spiritual father, and also he was my father here while I was missing my parents for 16 years. So he's been with me in a difficult time. he's the kind of person when I need anything exact audience, then I can ask. But the one that was here was my principle of Baptist Institute, but it passed away through the COVID.

Greg Scott: Hmm. Yeah. By the way, I also tell people know Mike Kemper. That's not a bad answer. I'm in circles, I say, I know him. ⁓ And it a lot of doors in certain circles. He's ⁓ certainly lived a life in service just like you're doing and been faithful. ⁓

Peter Rong: you for having.

Greg Scott: So the five in the 315 challenge says, if I give you five minutes that you can sit down with anyone in history, who would you use your five minutes to talk to?

Peter Rong: in the Bible, apostle ⁓ Paul. And then be in our time, to be a five minutes with something that I can spend with that I need wisdom. There was a man, his name Petro Popovic. He write a lot of books He's in the church in Atlanta. the judge that invited me last time when I went to US. So he's also one of my mentors. He was one of my mentors.

Greg Scott: Okay.

Peter Rong: Then during the communists, he was born in US. Then they evacuated from here and went to America. Then from there, he started to change. He became a pastor. When you listen to him, you read his book, you like you need to read it over. You finish and read it over again. Yeah. He's a someone that, you know, you can, ⁓ when he's preaching also, he just open the Bible. without nods out anything. let's continue just to bring some word from there. Like not to finish, know, just to listen to him. He was a man of wisdom. He lived like 101 years, know, 101 years. So then he passed away.

Greg Scott: just an anointed person that when they go to speak about the Bible makes sense if they're talking you're listening and if they've written something ⁓ it's so good that you want to read it over over and over again. Listen, if our listeners ⁓ I would love to help, I would love maybe invest in your ministry or just connect with you. ⁓ And how they do that? or through email. We also have your email. They can reach out to you via email as well.

Peter Rong: Yeah, true email and also I have my Facebook, wrong Peter, you can have that.

Greg Scott: wrongpeter, r-o-n-g-p-e-t-e-r at hotmail.com and they reach out if they... to maybe say, I heard your episode and it's encouraging and I'm going to be praying for your church or if they're led to invest, maybe financially, we would certainly encourage them to reach out to you. ⁓ What a ministry leading an international church in Bucharest for refugees, for those passing through, for those that have been displaced from all over the world. If you didn't hear earlier, Peter said he figures 40 nationalities over the last 25 years have been in and out of his international church there in Bucharest. didn't know when you left Sudan as a 19 year old that God was going to move you to Romania for your entire life. But I don't think you want to be anywhere else. You know that you're right in the middle of where God has placed you.

Peter Rong: Yeah, I think for the moment, this is a place that it plays me. As you said, maybe 15 years or 20 years from now, maybe we will not be in this world. So we'll see. Yeah.

Greg Scott: Amen. Well, Peter, it's been wonderful. I never spend time with you that I walk away anything other than encouraged and challenged. so we're so thankful that you said yes ⁓ spent some time with us on the podcast today. Thank you, my brother.

Peter Rong: Thank you, God bless.