Josef Tson

Josef, aged 14 , in 1948, stopped going to church . In 1950 he met some Christian intellectuals. June, 1951 he was baptised.
For 4 years , while at Cjuj University, several students met secretly each week.
At the Baptist seminary in Bucharest he lost his bearings . He left the seminary and taught for 10 years.
He left Romania. He went first to Austria and then Oxford University in England.
He discovered Theologically, Oxford is whatever you look for. In 1972 he left Oxford with an M.A. and began teaching in Bucharest Baptist Seminary.

He went back to Romania in 1972 knowing he could face martyrdom. He formulated a doctrine called ‘sufferology’. ( See notes)

From 1974-81 Josef pastored Baptist churches in Pioesti and Second Baptist Oradea - the largest Baptist church in Europe with 1,400 members.

He was threatened. In 1977 arrested several times and told he would be shot. (Read ’ to die is gain ’ and the Baptist Press article).

1981 he left Romania for the USA. While in exile from Ceauscu he became president of the Romanian Missionary Society. He wanted to translate 70 Christian books - he translated 60. ( unable to find list of books).

While in the USA America Radio Free Europe (RFE) approached him. He began with a 10 minute ministry slot which soon became 50 minutes.

1990 returns to Romania to find many officials, as well as the local people, had been listening in to his radio slot for the last 9 years. They recognized his voice before he mentioned his name!

1991 he becomes chancellor at Oradea Bible Institute . They start a school of Theology. Asked if they could add a Christian teacher-training college.

June, 1993 establishes Christian radio station at Suceava in Romania.

He founded the Emmanuel Bible institute, built a Christian publishing company and established the Christian Radio Voice of the Gospel.

My passion is to take young people and put wings on them and help them to fly. Josef Tson.

In 2010 Tson was excluded from the Baptist Union and revoked his ordination for his deviation from the Baptist Confession of Faith.

Sources
Ambassadors for Christ contribution from David Fisher
Baptist Press
A young Theologian;s letter to Joseph Ton