Article Library

Ney Bailey and Ben Mogos: An Uncommon Connection

During the dark times of communism in Romania, unbeknownst to Ney Bailey, a family of believers in a small village in Transylvania—the Mogos family—were tending to the seeds of the gospel. Their young son, Ben, would grow up to graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) and become the Romanian pastor for Insight for Living Ministries. That young man is me! Back then, my parents couldn’t imagine a future where their son would have unlimited access to the best Christian resources, as their faith was colored by secrecy and persecution.

My grandfather used to hide his Bible in a haystack when the police inevitably came to search the house. I remember my mother owning a typewriter, which was illegal at the time. I would keep watch in the yard while she typed and would let her know if someone approached the house. We often reproduced Christian materials from the West by typing them again and again with multiple layers of carbon paper.

My present, however, is very different from my past. Currently, Romania enjoys religious freedom, and after graduating from DTS, my wife, Anda, and I returned home to plant Agape Church in Bucharest, the capital city of Romania. We began translating, recording, and airing Chuck Swindoll’s sermons.

More than 90 percent of Romanians classify themselves as Romanian Orthodox, and the majority of Romanians believe salvation can come only through the orthodox church. Traditions, superstitions, and folk beliefs have a greater preeminence than Scripture, Christ, and the gospel.

This is where Insight for Living Romania’s broadcast will air and clearly proclaim the great news of God’s saving grace.