Taking the Gospel to Members of the European Parliament
Valeriu Ghiletchi, a seminary-trained Baptist pastor and former Moldovan Parliamentarian who has a track record of making disciples in the political arena, has accepted Capitol Ministries appointment to be the full-time ministry leader to members of the European Union.
In this position, Pastor Ghiletchi will be tasked with building discipleship Bible-study ministries to members of the European Parliament (EP).
The EU is a political and economic union that governs common economic, social, and security policies of its 27 member states. Those include Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, France, and Romania, among others. England opted out of the EU in 2020.
The EP is the legislative branch of the EU. Its meetings are held alternately in both Brussels, Belgium and Strasbourg, France. The 705 members of the EP are elected every five years by the citizens who live in the member states.
When the EP is not in session, Pastor Ghiletchi will be working closely with Slavik Rimski, CapMin’s newly minted Global Director for Eastern and Western Europe to plant and build ministries throughout capitols of nations across Eastern and Western Europe.
As with Rimski, Pastor Ghiletchi holds freedom very dear, having suffered religious persecution while growing up in Moldova, which at that time was a Soviet Bloc nation.
His grandfather became the first Christian in their village and established a strong Christian foundation upon which the family built their faith.
“I was born into a Christian-influenced family and while I grew up under the Soviet Regime, God has been good. He protected me and blessed me,” he said. During his work in the private sector as well as in Parliament, Pastor Ghiletchi was always mindful to be, as Jesus taught, salt and light.
While his nation was under Communist rule, Pastor Ghiletchi studied engineering in Odessa Ukraine and became an electronics engineer.
When the Soviet Union fell, he traveled to Romania to study at Emmanuel University where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree. He has served as the dean of the college of Theology and Education in Chisinau, as president of the Baptist Union of the Republic of Moldova, and as president of the European Baptist Federation.
As a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Pastor Ghiletchi was the chairperson of the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights. He was also the rapporteur of several reports adopted by the PACE, one of which was: “Tackling intolerance and discrimination in Europe with a special focus on Christians.”
He served as a member of the Moldova Parliament from 1998-2001 and again from 2009-2019. Valeriu and Marina, his wife, have three children and six grandchildren.
“If I am correct, I am the first evangelical to be elected to the Parliament in the former USSR block,” he said.
“When I was in Parliament, I always had in mind the call to be salt and light. One of the things I did was to form a prayer group in the Moldovan Parliament.”
After he learned about Capitol Ministries, contacted us, and completed the required ministry leader training in 2019, his desire has become his full-time mission. Pastor Ghiletchi was named CapMin’s full-time ministry leader to the EU in February.
“I believe as Christians, we must be present in every sphere in society, and it is important for the Christian message to be heard in the public square. There must be a Christian witness there,” he said.
“I pray and ask the Lord to open a door for this ministry in the European Parliament and other national parliaments.
“I believe that serving members of parliament, praying with them and for them, helping them to study the Word, and having fellowship with them will be a great encouragement, and will help them grow spiritually and will strengthen them to fulfill their mandate and to become strong leaders of their nations. Lord willing, I plan to be present in the EP and PACE every session to serve MEPs and MPs.”
Ralph Drollinger, President and Founder of Capitol Ministries said Pastor Ghiletchi’s experiences and background are ideal for the work he is called to accomplish.
“Slavik and Valeriu will make a great team barnstorming all of Europe for the sake of the Gospel, Lord willing in the days ahead!” Drollinger said. “Slavik and Valeriu’s spiritual gifts are very complementary. Let’s be praying for them as they establish discipleship ministries in capitals across Europe.”
Slavik Rimski welcomed his friend to CapMin and noted that their work may be considered unique because, as in America, not many church leaders in Europe consider political servants a mission field.
“I was recently talking to Baptist pastors from different European countries and I was very surprised at the astonishment and amazement in their voice when I told them that I am working with Capitol Ministries to establish Bible-study ministries to public servants,” Rimski said.
“They asked, ‘You are going to serve who? Political leaders? What?’ It is very strange that the church doesn’t totally understand the need for light in these dark places.
“Congratulations, Mr. Valeriu. By joining CapMin, you are a part of a great team of history makers. We are history makers because we are entrusted with the noble mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ among political leaders – a mission we accept with great joy and enthusiasm!”
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