Page 18 - AMAANewsJulyAugSept2021_Neat

called one of the most difficult times in the for the training of the Armenian Evangeli- have already been educated in Beirut are
history of the ECA. This hopeless situation cal clergy and leaders. In parallel with the now serving as pastors in different cities of
ended in 1991 with the independence of training of community leaders, the general Armenia. Another two students will return
Armenia and the establishment of the Third structure of the ECA began to get its shape. from Beirut soon after graduation and will
Republic. With the independence, a new The next important strategic line for the begin their ministry in Armenia. Another
historical phase began for the Armenian replanting and reorganization the ECA was new student is about to move to Beirut to
Evangelical Church and great opportunities the construction of church buildings, which start his theological studies. Thus, the pro-
opened. The atheist structure that had been in confirmed the permanent presence and the cess of shaping the ECA's general church
control for seven decades collapsed, creating historical renaissance of the Armenian Evan- structure, the local churches and the clergy
favorable conditions for the preaching of gelical communities. ECA also began to is continuous and constant.
the Gospel of Christ, spreading of the Good build its relations with the state, the Mother Today, as we celebrate the 175th An-
News and Christian teachings. The people Church, the sister churches and other insti- niversary of the Armenian Evangelical
were thirsty for the Word of God, and during tutions. At this stage of its reorganization, Church, our Motherland is going through
the first years of the Independence a great the ECA, began to pay great attention to very difficult times for our nation and State.
awakening started. educational and social ministries. Faced with such a reality, the Armenian
However right before the Independence During the last decade, a new and Evangelical Church must have two goals
and shortly after it, the situation in Armenia significant stage in the history of ECA in – for ourselves in this historic phase of our
was very hard as two years prior to that the Armenia has begun. The church adopted reorganization.
country was hit with the tragic earthquake a new course of its strategy and priorities. First, at this historic stage we must
and afterwards the it went into a long and Attention was drawn and efforts were made deeply realize, recognize and appreciate our
harsh war. Armenia found itself in a very first to the process of reorganization and unique Armenian Evangelical spirituality.
deep crisis ̶ collapsed economy, disaster, reformation of the general church structure. This spirituality is based only on the Scrip-
war, serious demographic problems, absence The internal activities and relations in the ture. The Armenian Evangelical spirituality
of energetic resources and almost total church structure were organized in a well- emphasizes the role of the Bible as the high-
isolation. regulated manner. Much attention was paid est authority, building its doctrines, church
During this period of time, the Arme- to the development and implementation of life, value system, mission and everyday
nian Evangelical Church decided to return all mechanisms of democratic governance. life concept on the spirit and content of the
to its pre-Soviet state. There were two Emphasis was placed on the creation of Scripture. We must remember our roots,
weak, barely standing Armenian Evangeli- the auxiliary structures and bodies of ECA our rich tradition and history, and we must
cal communities which had almost lost the which would help develop church life, dif- clearly realize that we are the continuation
Armenian Evangelical doctrines, tradition, ferent ministries and church progress. of all of this. We must never forget that
structure, with no local Armenian Evan- The spiritual, qualitative-numerical Evangelicalism is an elite in its kind.
gelical clergy at all, and limited material growth of the local churches, the internal Second, at this difficult stage for our na-
resources. church organization and the growth of self- tion and country, the Evangelical Church of
It is in this internal and external situa- sufficiency of the communities became a Armenia has its own word to say and action
tion that the Evangelical Church of Armenia central agenda item. to take and that is expected from us. In other
in the Motherland began the modern, dif- The next major strategic contribution words, we must look at the present reality
ficult and harsh period of its history. This to this important phase of the reorganiza- and issues through the lenses of the Scripture
was a difficult but joyful period of rebirth, tion was to ensure the continued spiritual and respond to it only by staying loyal to the
refoundation and reorganization. At this growth and solid academic training of pas- Word. As a Church we have the imperative to
crucial stage, the Armenian Missionary tors and leaders. The issue of raising a new see deeper and further understand the order
Association of America (AMAA) had an generation of ministers became real. The of things and suggest Bible based solutions
important role in the Church and assistance, ECA decided to take this to a new level, to to the larger community. And the most im-
which continues to this day. With the joint move to new horizons, and to have educated portant thing is to stay faithful to the Gospel
efforts of the Armenian Evangelical World clergy. To that sense, the ECA established in all circumstances and historical turns.
Council, Armenian Evangelical Unions close cooperation with the Near East School Evangelicalism has always been
worldwide, and the AMAA, the delicate and of Theology in Beirut and began sending an enlightenment and has been the
very important mission of reorganizing the students to Beirut for higher theological educational, cultural, progressive and
Armenian Evangelical Church in Armenia education and the preparation for pastoral ideological locomotive. q
began. These efforts started the process of ministry. This was a historic step for the
replanting the Armenian Evangelical com- Evangelical Church in Armenia as it was
munities in different locations of Armenia. imperative to have well trained pastors * Pastor Aram
At the same time, a serious process with higher theological education. It is also Babajanyan is
of intensive training of pastors, preachers, important because the students, living in a the Pastor of the
church leaders and ministers began. It was rich Armenian Evangelical environment, Evangelical Church
for this cherished purpose that the Evangeli- saw, grasped and brought with them the rich of Armenia in
cal Theological Academy of Armenia was Armenian Evangelical tradition, conscious- Gyumri.
founded in 1997, which became a forge ness, culture and thinking. Two pastors who

18 | AMAA NEWS, July-Aug-Sept 2021