16.10.2019
Dear friends in Lord Jesus Christ
It has been more than an year and a half since I began my serving as regional bishop of Bulgarian Church Of God in the Southeastern Bulgaria. We call it Parvomay region, by the name of the city of Parvomay – from region started with the serving of brother Dancho 30 years. I took my serving where the ago from the second regional bishop - Hari Atanasov. This region is second by growth in the country and it has nearly 20 town and village churches. It has 20 more home churches with nearly 1000 desciples of our Lord.
From the very begining my serving was filled with many new challenges and changes in my and my family's life. I am grateful to The Lord that I have the opportunity to continue serving and I have the support of two blessed and dedicated to The Lord brothers - Dancho Ivanov from Parvomay and Hari Atanasov from Kardzhali.
Two main things have come forward in my serving. First - to work with the pastors and the deacons from the churches - to encourage them and give the assistance for their spiritual service.
Second is assistance and coworking with the missioners from mission "Rhodopi"- work amongst the muslims in South Bulgaria.
Especially the education of the pastors in the foundation of Christian doctrins is a big challenge, because that in the regional churches I found many legalism, inheritance from the far away past.
Besides that more of the pastors are from the gipsy community and don't speak bulgarian language very well and are not educated. I had among the pastors and servants about 30 trips and personal meetings.
Throughout this year we did a few trainings and seminars of servants, for wich I am grateful to you brothers and to the churches that send you to help us.
Here is some statistic of my service in the region with pastors seminars we did in Kardzhali and Haskovo
"Freedom in Christ" 11 - 14 november 2018
"1st message of John" and teaching for the "Method of evangelisation in the life of Jesus Christ", teaching for "Foundations of faith", 9,10, 11 May 2019.
With the help of foundation Biblical league - Bulgaria in our church
in Haskovo, from the begining of the 2019 we did 3 seminars for "Founders of churches" with people that serve in churches from different denominations from the region, that will continue in 2020.
Water baptisms in the region – 68
Pastors gathering - 2, including discussions about the vision and strategy of the region, individual prayer for each pastor, educating.
Dedicated new pastors and deacons for ministry – 5
Meetings with the missionary team from the Rodopi Mountain for prayer with them – 8
New church buildings under construction - 5
For Educated belivers for the
Needs for the region:
According our vision for the region for education for the pastors, deacons and young belivers in the foundations of the faith the need is to be able to continue the process of spiritual growth of their ministry and in deep relationship in the Lord.
Regular needs for the my bishop service: seminars; Funds for seminars.
Personal needs: support for the vehicle; funds for my regular needs for fuel and to have enough funds for the needs of the family.
Praise God I am very thankful for the spiritual support of my wife Mariana, my daughter Yana and the family of Hari and Penka Atanasov. The help of real friend in the Lord is very important to me!
Dear friends I will appreciate very much every your prayer and spiritual support for helping me and all my coworkers in the region to continue in best way for the future of our work in the Lord. You are very much invited to come again and continue with us together next year.
With best wishes in our God Jesus Christ!
Teodoro Serafimov
Email: teodoro.serafimov@gmail.com
Phone number: +359 898 298695