Bill and Bobbie Trenckmann, an American couple representing Josiah Venture organization have recently moved to Romania as missionaries. They have a vast experience in youth leaders training. Their mission is assisting BIG Impact in the re-launch of the youth network. Following you can read a short interview with them, focused on this new challenge in their lives.
BIG: Could you tell us briefly how God led you toward investing in youth leaders and especially in the youth leaders of Romania?
Bill & Bobbie Trenckmann: God led us to invest in youth leaders many years ago when we started in youth ministry. Over the years we have observed that successful youth ministries have as their first priority the building and equipping of their volunteer staff. This allows the youth ministry to produce mature young people. When the youth pastor mentors and disciples his leaders, then they in turn can mentor and disciple the youth. And besides, we love this generation of young leaders! Over the past 40 years in ministry, we have had both mature youth leaders, often the parents of some of the youth, as well as college age youth leaders who were eager to learn and grow. Both types of leaders are very profitable to the youth. As we have built into our youth staff, showing a long-term interest in them, they have stayed on our youth staff for many years, contributing on-going valuable leadership.
When we chose to step out of direct ministry to the youth, God led us to continue in the ministry of building into youth leaders, but in a cross-cultural setting. When we visited with Dave Patty a year ago, he invited us to consider working with Josiah Venture with the opportunity to train youth leaders. In further discussion with him we become aware of the opportunity to locate in Romania at the invitation of BIG.
BIG: How did you experience the BIG Creation meeting you attended last week?
Bill & Bobbie Trenckmann: We deeply appreciated seeing pastors and leaders from around the country all working together in unity for the good of the Body of Christ. We also appreciate the strategy of presenting content, of encouraging discussion through seminars, and then the regional meetings for follow-up.
BIG: What is your perspective of what is going on in BIG, and in the youth leaders’ network?
Bill & Bobbie Trenckmann: We have observed that the pastors have a genuine respect for BIG. There is an appreciation on their part for what BIG has offered in training, and for new ideas for ministry that are beneficial. Because of BIG the pastors have a community of fellowship; they don’t feel like they are alone. Because of the investment in their lives, the pastors and youth leaders seem open and eager for training on the youth level. In our limited time here, it seems that the youth network has a grasp on what needs to be done.
BIG: Could you tell us about the strategy and the further steps in the process of understanding the needs of the ministry, knowing the leaders and working with them?
Bill & Bobbie Trenckmann: Our immediate strategy is to visit all the regions of Romania in which BIG has a presence. Last weekend we visited the S.E. region and met with about 40 youth leaders and pastors. As much as possible we would like to observe the youth meetings and then meet with the youth leaders of the interested churches. Our goal is not just to be “consultants”, but to develop relationships with the youth leaders in order to help each group individually. Another part of the plan is to identify Romanian youth pastors that we can build into who can then become role models and train up other youth leaders. II Tim. 2:2
A final part of our strategy as we assess the needs of various regions is to recruit experienced youth pastors from America who would come to Romania as missionaries and take on the responsibility of training youth leaders in a specific region.
