THE STORY OF HOUSE JOY CHURCH
House of Joy Church, Lyulin is founded in 1989 at house of a widow in Sofia by the vision of pastor Milcho Totev. The beginning is few months before the collapse of communistic regime in Bulgaria. During the communism it is not allowed to testify a faith in God and going to a church. In times of increased persecution of the believers, many preachers, pastors are thrown in prisons, prison camps. Their families are moved to distant towns with no information about each other. In November 1989, after 45 years of atheism, God is doing a great miracle and this regime is falling down.
Pastor Milcho Totev hear God’s voice to establish a church in Lyulin. Shortly after he receives a telephone call from an old lady, who tells him that on Vruh Mancho str., near Lulin there is small group of old ladies, who are praying for pastor. Pastor Milcho Totev and his family begin to ministry. For very short time the small group in one room is growing and it is needed to double the space. The church starts mainly with old ladies, but shortly becomes a youth church. Pastor Milcho Totev boldly preach the Word of God in open areas, stadiums, squares and streets.
In the 90’s, together with a team he is traveling for evangelic crusades around the country. From town to town multitudes give their lives to Jesus. God is doing great miracles – the deaf hear, the blind see, the lame walk. In one single day approximently 1000 people are baptized in water, in a river near Blagoevgrad.
God put a vision to open new churches in different parts of Sofia. Young people are trained and sent to ministry in the churches. In short peimage widgetriod seven churches House of Joy are established in Sofia.
Through the ministry of pastor Milcho Totev are founded many churches in the whole country. During that period Bulgaria is facing a awesome revival.
Biography Bishop Milcho Totev
Born Milcho Ivanov Totev in November, 1947, Jambol, Bulgaria. He grew up in Pentecostal family and was born again at 23 years old. He married Anni Bobeva Totev in 1970 and met through the church. They have 2 children, Emmanuel and Borislava; and 4 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Both of their children received Jesus as savior as young children and help in the ministry. Emmanuel is pastor of New Day Church, Sofia, where he serve together with his wife Silvana. He is also professional musician. Currently he is founder and part of band called Alex&4Give.
Borislava is worship leader in House of Joy Church , Sofia. Her husband Vladimir is Senior Pastor in the same church.
In the early 1900s, Milcho’s grandfather received God when he was on the front line during World War I and received a word from the Lord. When he returned alive, he became orthodox believer. One day two missionaries, Russian Americans, came with anointing from Azuza Street and they stopped at the railway station in his village. He ran quickly to meet these people and they prayed over him and he received the Holy Ghost. After that they threw him out of the Orthodox church and he started to do street ministry and take the good news to many villages. He organized 28 churches all over the country with power of God and miracles. He died at 93 years old with very good condition and no sickness. His full testimony can be found in his book “Moved by the Holy Spirit”.
Milcho was baptized with the Holy Ghost in 1969 and became a personal witness of Jesus. Later elders of the Pentecostal Union recognized gift of Holy Spirit and they prepared him for ministry. 1976 he left Sofia and went to work in small town in the mountains and to serve in small church there. 1980 he received calling for full-time ministry in Kyustendil for 6 years then received calling for full-time ministry in Sofia at First Pentecostal. He was second pastor next to the Chairman of the Pentecostal Union for the region. During this time, he visited European convention in England and then in 1988 East-West Convention with John Osteen in Karlsruhe, Germany.
God changed his faith again. He received anointing and returned to Bulgaria and began to preach boldly in First Pentecostal Church. The church was full of young people and it was the reason that he received persecution from the Communist government and he was put out of his ministry into the street. Without work and without right to preach the gospel. At this time, Communism collapsed and he lifted one wood cross in the center of the capital with thousands of young people and boldly confessed Jesus as Lord over Bulgaria. This started a very big revival in Bulgaria. People went out into the street to destroy Communism and to lift up Jesus.
For a period of 3-4 years, he organized thousands of full-gospel churches across Bulgaria. For about 20 years, he has preached the gospel in more than 20 different countries. He has taken part in many crusades in USA, Russia, Belarus, Siberia, Ukraine, Greece, Sweden, Finland, France, England, Germany, South Africa and many others.
1999 he was invited to the crusade with TL Osborne in England. At this crusade, they consecrated him as Bishop with international ministry. He was consecrated by Arch Bishop Earl Polk from Atlanta. He belongs to the international office of Bishops in Atlanta, Georgia. After that, he established 3 more churches in Sofia with two owned buildings. Overall, he is responsible as Bishop for 15 churches under the name United in Christ.