pastor dancho ivanov

Nearly thirty (30) years ago, Pastor Dancho Ivanov began serving the Roma people of the Parvomay region. His ministry has grown from central Parvomay to include the southern region of Kardzhali. He is a former bishop of the Bulgarian Church of God in Southeastern Bulgaria (not affiliated with the American Church of God), but passed on this responsibility to Pastor Hari Atanasov.

Pastor Hari atanasov

Pastor Hari Atanasov serves the people of Kardzhali. Hari met his wife Penka while they both attended art school. After they married, they began teaching art professionally in the local high school in Kardzhali. Hari accepted Christ as Lord and Savior in 1988 when Bulgaria was still under Communism. He began preaching in a small underground house church.

This region of Bulgaria is home to more than 200,000 Turkish & Muslim people. Surrounding Kardzhali are some 500 villages and 6 small towns where 70% of the population are Muslim. Hari & Penka’s dream is to spread the Gospel to these Muslims & Bulgarian Turks through many means, including their art. Part of Hari’s routine is to travel through the Rhodope Mountains to share the gospel. As he finds welcoming homes, he will gather the villagers for a time of sharing. After several families give their hearts to Jesus, he will return to encourage and instruct them. He teaches believers how to multiply their faith and plant churches by sharing the Gospel with friends, family, and neighbors.

Since rural village children have little to do in the summer, Hari & Penka developed a biblical art camp. In 2008, they approached a Muslim village leader and asked permission to launch a camp there. He agreed. Hari & Penka taught basic art concepts to the children with a Biblical theme, and provided good brushes and high-quality paints & paper to the children. Additionally, they distributed Christian literature, and offered prayer. Excited kids returned home, shared what they learned, and explained the story behind their art piece. Hari & Penka maintained contact with the adults and the families. This has become a model to reach Muslim children and their families.

By 2012, art camps and other outreaches had helped Hari & Penka begin Christ-worshipping groups in 20 of the villages surrounding Kardzhali. They are still expanding.

Pastor Theodoro Serafimov

Pastor Theodoro Serafimov is the current regional Bishop of the Bulgarian Church of God in Southeastern Bulgaria. In his pastorate, he has 2 current objectives: 1) to work with, encourage, and provide assistance to the pastors and deacons of local churches; 2) to reach the Muslims in the southern Rhodope Mountains. His recent ministry highlights include the following: 68 water baptisms for new believers; 5 dedications of new pastors and deacons; 5 new church buildings under construction; and many pastoral training and teaching seminars.