LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP PROJECT

Submitted to Dr. Jeff Brawner, in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the completion of the course

201620 Spring 2016 GLST 500-D08 LUO

Global Studies Survey

by

Matthew McNutt
May 15, 2016

CONTENTS
Introduction ....................................................................................................................

Background Information ...........................................................................

A Survey of Missions Work .................................................

10

Proposed Strategy .............................................................................................................

14

Bibliography ............................................................................................................................. 19

Introduction
The Romani people group of Hungary, known as Gypsies, are the focus of this Unreached
People Group project. In 2010 they represented 7.7% of the population of Hungary, or
approximately 768,000 people.1 According to the Joshua Project, only 2% of the Romani
population are evangelical.2 While Joshua Project does list 93% of their population as claiming
to be Christian, a majority of that represents either Catholics, or protestant faith mixed with other
belief systems. While they represent the largest minority group in Hungary, they are the group
most disliked and the object of frequent mistreatment and derogatory views.3
This paper will examine the Romani of Hungarys history and culture, current missionary
endeavors to reach them, and conclude with a proposed strategy for a missionary to begin a work
with the Romani people with the goal of eventually planting a church with disciples who make
disciples.
Background Information

1 Jason Mandryk, Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation (Operation World Set),
07 ed. (Downer's Grove, Ill: IVP Books, 2010), 400.

2 The Joshua Project, https://joshuaproject.net/countries/HU (accessed May 14, 2016).

3 Mandryk, Operation World, 403.

Some scholars speculate that the Romani, or Roma, settled in Hungary towards the end of
the Middle Ages, driven there in 1241 to escape the Mongols.4 In the 1300s, they began to settle
in the Slovak regions of Hungary, where they were welcomed at first; in part because the area
had a low population and needed more hands, but also because they believed the Gypsies came
from Egypt as religious exiles.5 In fact, this belief that the Romani were from Egypt resulted in
the creation of the name Gypsies, a name the Roma themselves do not use as it carries both
negative connotations, and is a name created for them by outsiders, or non-Roma.6
In reality, most research seems to indicate that the Romani people originated in India, or at the
very least have roots there before spreading to Europe.7 However, finding answers to their
history has been challenging as many seem to enjoy the romanticism of the stories of strange
Gypsies traveling the lands rather than spreading accurate information, and more significantly,
the racism that has grown over the centuries has also created damaging stereotypes. For example,
one hypothesis put forward about their possible lifestyles in India was that since Romanies in
Europe were poor and did menial jobs and were often entertainers, then this must be how they
lived before leaving their homeland.8

4 David M. Crowe, A History of the Gypsies of Eastern Europe and Russia, 2nd ed. (New York: Palgrave
Macmillan, 2007), 69.
5 Ibid.

6 Ian Hancock, We Are the Romani People = Ame Sam e Rromane Dzzene (Hatfield: University Of
Hertfordshire Press, 2002), xviii.
7 Ibid, 2.
8 Ibid, 4.

The strongest evidence for their roots actually comes in their language itself and its roots
in the language of India, not through oral or written history. While they have been able to
preserve their distinct identity through their migrations, as well as great skills in adaptation and
survival, their history before Europe is largely unknown.9 Further confirmation has also come in
recent years as geneticists have found links between the Romani and Indian blood types, with the
greatest similarities being between the Romanies and the Rajput population in India.10
As a people group, they gradually dispersed throughout Europe. Those that arrived in Hungary
initially were accepted. King Sigismund, the Holy Roman Emperor, had actually given them
travel privileges after negotiating with them to receive military information regarding the Turks,
as the Roma had spent time in the Ottoman Empire.11 In exchange, large numbers of Roma were
allowed to settle in Hungary. Their skills as musicians and metal workers brought them high
regard as they created high quality weapons for the royalty and are documented as performing
for Kings and Queens.12
However, the tide of opinion began to change in the sixteenth century. The Ottoman Turks
defeated the Hungarians at Mohacs in 1526, and by 1541 they had occupied central Hungary, at
which point it was divided into three separate states.13 Suspicions began to quickly arise that the
9 Angus Fraser, The Gypsies, 2nd ed. (Oxford, UK.: Wiley-Blackwell, 1995), 14.
10 Hancock, We Are the Romani People, 13.
11 Crowe, A History of the Gypsies of Eastern Europe and Russia, 70.
12 Ibid, 71.

13 Ibid.

Romani played a role in the invasion, perhaps as incendiaries, soldiers or spies.14 Part of what
contributed to these accusations was the reality that the Romani found it easy to adapt to the
Ottoman rule, becoming smiths, musicians, barbers, messengers, and even executions for the
Turkish army and people.15
As tensions rose, Romani found themselves cut off more and more from the Hungarian
population, with newly arriving Roma settlers being forced to live on the edge of the
communities. They also began to limit Romani trade in spite of some noblemen trying to protect
them and keep the access to their skills in iron smithing and music.16 One such nobleman wrote
the following as part of a special travel permit granted to a group of Romani, including a plea for
those who read the document to understand the Gypsies. Even as a sympathetic voice, his
portrayal of them includes many incorrect negative stereotypes17:
While the birds of the sky have their nests, foxes their earths, wolves their lairs, and
lions and bears their dens, and all animals have their own place of habitation, the truly
wretched Egyptian race, which we call Czingaros, is assuredly to be pitied, although it is
not known whether this was caused by the tyranny of the cruel Pharaoh or the dictate of
fate. In accordance with their ancient custom they are used to leading a very hard life, in
fields and meadows outside the towns, under ragged tents. Thus have old and young,
boys and children of this race learned, unprotected by walls, to bear with rain, cold and
intense heat; they have no inherited goods on this earth, they do not seek cities,
strongholds, towns or princely dwellings, but wander constantly with no sure resting
place, knowing no riches or ambitions, but, day by day and hour by hour, looking in the
open air only for food and clothing by the labor of their hands, using anvils, bellows,
hammers and tongs.
14 Ibid.
15 Fraser, The Gypsies, 110.
16 Crowe, A History of the Gypsies of Eastern Europe and Russia, 71.

17 Ibid, 72.

Over the next century, conditions continued to worsen for the Romani. They began to spread out
into different parts of Hungary because of devastation from the war, however there was not a
place safe for them. There were new laws in place to supposedly block the arrival of foreign,
nomadic Roma, but Hungarian officials used them to harass all Romani.18 Conditions were such
that it was nearly impossible for Romani to settle or earn an honest living.
The 1700s saw both more immigrants entering Hungary and new decrees and laws being passed
in response. They were required to be registered, new taxes specific to Roma were created, and
special Gypsy censuses were created to both track the Romani and help with the collection of
the taxes.19 There were even punishments promised for anyone aiding the Romani, whether
through providing food, or helping with their travel even while some Romani musicians still
maintained favorable status with the royalty.20
From there it got worse for the Romani; for simply traveling in some regions the punishments
were decreed to be flogging, branding, and on a second offense death. In another region, a decree
was issued that Gypsy men were to be put to death without trail simply because of who they
were, while the women and children, if not actually convicted of a crime, were to be flogged,
branded and banished, or sentenced to life in a workhouse. In another region, all Gypsies were to
be hanged without trial, men and women, over the age of 18. Later in the century, another

18 Ibid.
19 Ibid, 73.

20 Ibid, 74.

regional ruler passed a law that any Gypsy over the age of 14 could be shot and killed, their
possessions claimed, and there would be a reward issued.21
These kinds of perceptions did not begin to change until the end of the 18th century; in 17751776, a Hungarian scholar anonymously wrote a series of over forty articles about the Romani.22
Part of his thesis is that it was inaccurate to stereotype all Gypsies as the same; over the centuries
they had become so dispersed and adapted to their various locations that there were significant
differences from group to group, nation to nation. While there were still many similarities, they
were far from being one collective culture. He wrote of the Hungarian Romani that they lived in
tents most of the year, in caves during winter, while the settled Romani had simple huts
minimally equipped. They mostly ate meat they hunted, noodles they made, and bread they
begged for. They did have a strong love of alcohol and tobacco, and typically only had one set of
clothing. They did not make their own clothes so typically acquired them through begging or
stealing. They did love to wear jewelry. The smiths were skilled at quickly making beautiful
pieces while the women worked the bellows. The Gypsy horse dealers were both skilled riders
and highly skilled at making even sick horses as healthy. He also noted that the musicians were
very skilled at responding to the preferences of their audiences and adapting accordingly.23 He
also made the observation that they adopted the religion of where they had settled, but did not

21 Fraser, The Gypsies, 152.

22 Ibid, 190.
23 Ibid, 191.

actually believe it, which is reflected the percentages of them claiming to be Christian in
Hungary over the centuries but seemingly without any real depth or commitment.24
The author of the articles, recently identified as Samuel Augustini ab Hortis, a Lutheran pastor,
challenged his readers to consider a course that would strive as far as possible to turn Gypsies
into human beings and Christians and then to keep them within the state as useful subjects, a
task that he acknowledged would take significant time and work.25 His words were powerful, and
even his admonition to turn the Romani into human beings was not because he personally
believed they were not humans, but because the way they were treated in general certainly
reflected a dehumanizing emphasis by the culture at large to the Romani. His writing humanized
the Romani and triggered further academic research and discourse about them.
Over the next century, gradually more came to be known about the Romani, with greater
understanding of their history developing. During the beginning of the 20th century a Hungarian
census found that approximately 60% of the Romani population had a trade and earned steady
income.26 As the minority populations grew in Hungary, a new emphasis began to take root,
pushing minorities to become good Hungarians by turning away from their cultural roots,
languages and practices.27 World War I only made this worse as the nation saw its population and
territory devastated by the war, resulting in a more aggressive push for all to recognize
Hungarian supremacy and to accept the Hungarian way of life, which ultimately chased
24 Ibid, 192.
25 Ibid.
26 Crowe, A History of the Gypsies of Eastern Europe and Russia, 84.

27 Ibid, 85.

Romani out of the country resulting in a much lower Roma population.28 These kinds of attitudes
fell in line with the rise of Hitlers influence and by the time the Nazis conquered Hungary, it
resulted in an even greater pressure to deal firmly with the Gypsy and Jewish populations.29
In the decades since, there have been some efforts to deal with the poverty and lack of education
in the remaining, but now growing Romani population. Unfortunately, even those efforts have
resulted in further segregation, both in housing and schooling. Often times special classes were
created within the school system for retarded or difficult children, but were effectively a way
of separating the Romani from the rest of the student population and often led to them dropping
out of school.30
To this day the Romani are the recipients of racist abuse and harassment, they earn far less than
other Hungarians, have the worst housing, and very limited education, if any.31 They are still
frequently segregated in schools, still resulting in high rates of dropout. This papers authors
younger brother attended the Word of Life Bible Institute in Hungary in the early 2000s and
came back with many stories about the Gypsies and the harassment he saw given them by the
Hungarians around him. While modern times have challenged many to greater understanding and
more respectful behavior to other cultures, this is not something the Romani have benefitted
from yet.

28 Ibid, 87.
29 Ibid, 89.
30 Ibid, 95.

31 Ibid, 97.

A Survey of Missions Work

There are actually a number of organizations specifically targeting the Hungarian Romani
population. With significant practical needs, as already described, and an evangelical population
too low to sustain major revival or church growth, the need is both serious and receptive to those
who want to positive change for the Romani.32
One such organization is the Hungarian Gypsy Missions International, a missions branch of the
Hungarian Pentecostal Church founded in 1996.33 They currently have over 30 full time
missionaries reaching the Romani people. Their efforts are focused on underprivileged, ethnic
Gypsies, with an emphasis on both the spiritual and practical needs of the Romani. They do this
through efforts to preach, feed and teach the Roma people. By teaching both academic materials
and the scriptures, they hope to practically help the people improve their lives as well as see
them saved spiritually.
One of their efforts is focused on changing the stereotypes regarding Gypsies, one of which is
that they are always ready to receive but do not give. They began the Joseph Program as a way to
change that view.34 The program focuses on the Romani people raising and harvesting crops
during the growing seasons that they then save a portion of that they then distribute to the poor,
hungry and schools during the winter. They are finding that this program has had a dual benefit;

32 The Joshua Project, https://joshuaproject.net/countries/HU (accessed May 14,

2016).
33 http://www.gypsymissions.org/ (accessed May 15, 2016).

34 http://www.gypsymissions.org/2015/10/joseph-program/ (accessed May 15, 2016).

10

both in changing the patterns of the Roma themselves, as well as changing their reputation with
the surrounding Hungarians.
The United Methodist Church in Hungary has also been reaching out to the Romani people since
the 1920s.35 They also have a dual focus on planting churches and social aid connected to the
gospel. They seek to create jobs, improve education and living conditions, teach better farming
skills, and help Roma young people in their studies and integration into the larger society while
still preserving their Romani identity. They also seek to improve relationships between Roma
and Hungarians, as well as further the Methodist church in the country. With their mission
closing in on a century of work, they have seen generations of families commit to Christ and the
church, with some of the Romani going into the ministry and becoming pastors as well.
Baptists on Mission and Hungarian Baptist Aid have been working together to reach the Romani
people of Hungary since 2008.36 Their efforts have focused on reaching the Roma through
medical clinics, Vacation Bible School programs, outreach events and evangelistic services. In
2014 they were able to begin working in the Hungarian public school systems using English
Bible Camps as a way to both teach English, giving them access to the schools, and sharing the
scriptures to the students. For the most part, their efforts seem more focused on short term
endeavors and mission trips as opposed to a long term focus.
The Paulus Movement is another newer missionary effort in Hungary, with one of its goals being
to reach the Romani people.37 Their mission is focused on evangelism, discipleship, developing
35 http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/New-World-Outlook-Magazine/New-World-OutlookArchives/2013/May-June-2013/0613-Roma-Mission (accessed May 15, 2016).
36 http://baptistsonmission.org/missions/outside-us/Roma-People (accessed on May 15, 2016).

37 http://www.piei.org/hungary/ (accessed on May 15, 2016).

11

leaders and church planting. Their goal is to do this through full-time national missionaries rather
than missionaries from outside of Hungary. This does bring some advantages, with Hungarians
already knowing the language and cultural landscape. They began with a small group Bible study
that became their first church plant. The goal is to see that church plant spread into additional
church plants and gradually reach the nation for Christ.
The Roma Outreach Missions Association is a group that has existed for 25 years.38 They are a
smaller mission with a handful of missionaries on the field, and two staff members in Florida.
Their goal is two-fold; first, to plant churches in Hungary with the Roma people, raising up a
generation of Christians and training the Roma to follow Christ, build His church, and reach their
people. Secondly, to build awareness of the plight of the Roma people and their need for both
practical and spiritual help.
According to the Joshua Project, the Bible in its entirety has not been translated into the Romani
language yet. So far, portions of the Old Testament have been translated, while the New
Testament translation was completed in 2008.39 Operation World notes that there is significant
disillusionment, dissatisfaction and upheaval throughout Hungary, not just the Romani, in recent
decades.40 While the nation as a whole has had a rich Christian history, it has largely lost its
connection with the gospel. While there was a time after the fall of communism that saw
tremendous openness to faith, those days have passed and the nation has become a lot more

38 http://www.romamission.com/ (accessed on May 15, 2016).

39 https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/12156/HU (accessed on May 15, 2016).

40 Mandryk, Operation World, 401.

12

closed off to Christianity. Currently, the group most open to things of faith and hearing the
gospel is the younger generation. They are receptive to loving and culturally relevant witness.41
Brandywine Valley Baptist Church, the home church of this papers author, is the sending church
of several missionaries currently in Hungary. One couple, the Mercers, and their children, have
served in Hungary planting churches for a number of years now with Pioneers, a mission
organization focused on church planting around the globe.42 The Mercers partnered with a local
church in Budapest and started a Christian coffee shop in a small town of just 3600 people in an
effort to build relationships, invest in the local community and create jobs, as well as have a
neutral space that has served as a location for witnessing, discipling and training. They have fully
immersed themselves in the community, learning the language and sending their children to the
local Hungarian school. Over the years they have been effective in leading people to Christ and
planting a local church. Through puppet ministry, work in homes specializing with people with
special needs, social aid, help to local schools, and other practical resources, they have made
themselves valuable members of the community with tremendous spiritual impact.
Proposed Strategy
Piper wrote that All of history is moving toward one great goal, the white-hot worship of God
and His Son among all the peoples of the earth. Missions is not that goal. It is the means. And for
that reason it is the second greatest human activity in the world.43 Any strategy to reach the
41 Ibid, 402.
42 http://www.pioneers.org (accessed on May 15, 2016.
43 John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad! the Supremacy of God in Missions, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic, 2010), Kindle location 611.

13

Romani people needs to be rooted in that reality; that mankind was created for one purpose, to
worship God. It can be easy to lose sight of the critical nature of that spiritual mission in the
presence of such tremendous practical and temporal need in the Romani people.
At the same time, there is tremendous opportunity in the practical needs that exist to reach the
world for Christ. With proper balance, a strategy that embraces meeting practical needs can be an
incredible bridge building method for the purpose of introducing Christ to the lost. Paul
Borthwick writes, There is no room for a one-sided gospel. We preach Jesus by our words and
by our deeds. We preach Jesus by teaching English or by helping people understand how to
manage food stamps. We plant churches and we plant trees. We preach Jesus in all areas of
life.44
As previously mentioned, the group most receptive to the gospel in the Romani people are the
young people. The strategy proposed here is a long term strategy based on that need and the
example of Christ. At its core, the strategy focuses on meeting a key Romani need; stronger
education. Through creating a school that meets this need in younger Romanis, equipping them
for better future prospects through a strong education, the opportunity to share Christ with the
group most open to things of the Spirit will be given, both through teaching and in the long term
formation of relationships over the years of having them as students.
When Jesus was incarnated and began His public ministry at 30 years old, He did not
actually start the church. Instead, He spent three years holding back on the full revelation of His
identity a revelation that would have immediately resulted in His death. Yes, His death and
resurrection were the end goal in His plan, but there was also another critical component: the
44 Paul Borthwick, Western Christians in Global Mission: What's the Role of the North American
Church?, 10.10.2012 ed. (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2012), 54.

14

training of His church planters. He spent three years living with, mentoring, and equipping
eleven young men who would go on to plant the church. It was a long range plan that began
slow, but picked up speed and momentum exponentially as they repeated His example of
mentoring future leaders and building the church.
Moreau notes that Pauls primary concern went beyond winning people to Christ; his
ministry was focused on forming communities of Christians throughout the regions he traveled
as a means of spreading the gospel to the whole world.45 The focus of this strategy is the
Romani young people, with an intent to see Christian communities formed and self-sustaining
before moving on to another Romani community.
Specifically, the author of this paper would propose to form a team with two to three
other educators called to reaching the Romani people. Together, the team would raise funding for
both personal support, as well as for either purchasing or renting a property that would serve as a
school site. Ideally there would be enough funding to also hire talented Hungarian teachers. The
Watoto Childcare Ministries in Uganda have as part of their goal in reaching Uganda for Christ
the vision of changing the direction of the nation as a whole through the next generation of
Ugandan leaders.46 They are doing this by pursuing a goal of providing Christian homes for
10,000 Ugandan orphans, for whom they have created schools staffed with the best Ugandan
teachers, and additionally, they are committed to funding their college educations as well. The
result is that these young people are growing up believers, with some of the best educations in
45 A. Scott Moreau, Gary R. Corwin, and Gary B. McGee, Introducing World Missions: A Biblical,
Historical, and Practical Survey (Encountering Mission), 2 ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2015), Kindle
location 1567.

46 https://www.watoto.com (accessed on May 15, 2016).

15

Uganda. They will be the lawyers, doctors, politicians perhaps the president of tomorrow in
Uganda.
It is not enough to just give the Romani young people an adequate education; it needs to
be one of the best in Hungary. Through building a team of skilled educators committed to the
mission, and hiring gifted Hungarian teachers, as the effort grows exponentially there will come
a day when the Romani will be the highly educated leaders in Hungary instead of the poverty
stricken, educationally disadvantaged they are currently viewed as.
By fully immersing into a Romani community, with a long term commitment to building
a quality school, over time relationships will be built throughout the community. The school will
create jobs, benefitting the Romani economy. Over time, the young people reached for Christ
through the school, will become the adults in the community. Much like Willowcreek Church
being birthed out of a youth group that grew up, the church will grow out of a youth movement
becoming adults.
However, the pursuit of immersion with the Romani does not require adopting their
clothing and other mannerisms as missionaries often need to do in other cultures. Ian Hancock, a
Romani author describing his people, It isnt necessary to try to become one of us by giving
yourself a Romani name, or dressing in gypsy-like fashion, or calling us brother and sister.
At the same time, conforming sensibly in some ways where dress is concerned will certainly help
you and us both feel comfortable together, particularly regarding how you clothe your lower
body.47 In other words, one does not need to wear Gypsy clothes to connect with the Romani,

47 Hancock, We Are the Romani People, 108.

16

but the careful missionary will respect cultural boundaries when it comes to modesty, terms of
respect, and so on.
When the church and school reach a point of being able to lead themselves and continue
the mission of reaching Romani for Christ and equipping them to be leaders in their community
and nation, the team would follow the example of the Apostle Paul and move on to another
community to begin the process again. Ideally, in this scenario the original missionary team
would not be starting this new endeavor in a new location on their own, but as a larger team now
comprised of both the foreign missionaries and missionaries from the newly established body of
Romani believers. One possibility would be for the original team to split into two teams with
these newly commissioned national missionaries so that two new communities could be reached
instead of one.
The need of the Romani is great. And while there are a handful of organizations and
missionaries targeting them, it is not nearly enough. However, with a long term vision in place,
the potential for exponential growth in the Romani Christian community is huge. A generation or
two from now could see a powerful evangelical force within the Romani people, by the power of
God. The words of Phillip Brooks ring true, Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger men.
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing
of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle.48 What an incredible opportunity,
to be a part of Gods plan to reach every nation, every people, every language for His glory!

48 Ralph Winter and Steven Hawthorne, Perspectives On the World Christian Movement: Reader and
Study Guide, 4 ed. (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2014), Kindle location 15804.

17

Bibliography
Borthwick, Paul. Western Christians in Global Mission: What's the Role of the North American
Church? 10.10.2012 ed. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2012.
Crowe, David M. A History of the Gypsies of Eastern Europe and Russia. 2nd ed. New York:
Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
Fraser, Angus. The Gypsies. 2nd ed. Oxford, UK.: Wiley-Blackwell, 1995.
Hancock, Ian. We Are the Romani People = Ame Sam e Rromane Dzzene. Hatfield: University Of
Hertfordshire Press, 2002.
Mandryk, Jason. Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation (Operation
World Set). 7 ed. Downer's Grove, Ill: IVP Books, 2010.
Moreau, A. Scott, Gary R. Corwin, and Gary B. McGee. Introducing World Missions: A Biblical,
Historical, and Practical Survey (Encountering Mission). 2 ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker
Academic, 2015.
Piper, John. Let the Nations Be Glad! the Supremacy of God in Missions. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Academic, 2010.
Winter, Ralph, and Steven Hawthorne. Perspectives On the World Christian Movement: Reader
and Study Guide. 4 ed. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2014.

18