by Ian Shaw, Langham Scholars

Myrto Theocharous

Greece has been in the headlines over recent months because of its financial crisis, but less is heard about the spiritual needs of the country. Although historically one of the heartlands of New Testament Christianity, the evangelical community in Greece is now one of the smallest in Europe, and over the years has faced much opposition.

Myrto Theocharous is a young Christian leader serving the evangelical churches of Greece by teaching at the Greek Bible College. Myrto was born in Cyprus, and in her teenage years became a committed evangelical Christian. For this she faced much opposition from her classmates at school, but she retained a steady determination to serve Christ. Being born in Cyprus gave her a deep love for the Bible in its original languages, especially Greek. Myrto decided to make this the focus of her studies at the University of Cambridge, but it was not to the Greek of the New Testament that she turned, but the version of the Old Testament in Greek known as the Septuagint. Myrto concentrated her studies on the texts of Hosea, Amos and Micah.

This deeper understanding of the Bible has given Myrto further equipping for her current work of training Christian leaders from Greece in the proper handling of Scripture. The Greek Bible College has had many obstacles placed in its way by unsympathetic officials, but its operations continue, and it remains the only evangelical Bible College teaching to degree level in Greece, playing a vital role in preparing the Christian leadership of the country.

Myrto’s ministry is not confined to the Bible College. She has a deep concern for women in Greek cities who are subject to human trafficking and prostitution, and is actively involved in ministry for their care and rescue. Myrto finds inspiration for her ministry in the Bible verse, ‘the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea’ [Isaiah 11, 9].