Serbian seminary reopens after 3 years of silence

NOVI SAD, Serbia — The Bible institute in Novi Sad, Serbia, is opening its doors again after three years of silence. Union of Baptist Churches in Serbia (UBC) director Ondrej Franka is excited about this new chapter in the seminary’s 55-year history.

“It is one of the few, if any, schools of this type in Serbia and will serve not only the UBC but an even wider evangelical community,” Franka said. Local pastors began the school in Zagreb, Croatia, in 1955. Though it thrived for a time, enrollment and effectiveness declined in the ’90s due to many issues. Eventually the school closed its doors. International Mission Board (IMB) representatives in Serbia currently work with church planters with whom Franka also is engaged. Franka has been a valuable ministry partner with IMB over the years, said Kyle Kirkpatrick, an IMB strategy leader in South Europe. Kirkpatrick said the Bible institute’s reopening Oct. 22 “[was] symbolic of both our past contributions to Baptist work in Serbia and our current investment in the future of Serbian churches.”

Franka has been working for the last two years to prepare the institute’s facilities for the reopening. Last summer alone, five teams of volunteers from the United States helped renovate the existing campus. The school has a four-story building in Novi Sad with space for dormitories and extra land. It is well situated and Franka thinks at least 20 students will be enrolled this fall.

Franka said he is looking to the IMB to help with organization, faculty and content. Preston Pearce, IMB theological education consultant for Europe, was the visiting professor in October.