In the communist years, Christians in the West prayed fervently for the church, which was under constant persecution from the authorities.  During this time the church grew and prospered spiritually, even though many of its members were impoverished materially.

In December 1989 it was a pastor in Timisoara who sparked off a national revolt against the dictator Ceaucescu by refusing to submit to arrest.  Laszlo Tokes locked himself in his church, while his members stood guard outside, resistance which inspired the nation and toppled the dictator.

Romania today is still a country with a large Orthodox church presence, with evangelical Christianity still viewed as a sect, especially in the villages. It has around 8,000 villages with no evangelical witness, especially in the southeast, in historical Wallachia and Moldova. However, especially in the northwest, many congregations are very motivated to be actively involved in evangelism, church planting, and even missions.

With its full membership in the European Union as of January 2007, there are now vast and rapid changes being brought to every sector of society.  Coupled with spiritual need, Romania will now have to deal with the ‘god’ of affluence.