Lucian Mustata leads the Heartbeats Music Festival in Romania. He has a heart to spark a revival that will spread across Europe. He was born an orphan but with God’s help he became a successful business owner. Now he has decided to use his success to fuel a movement to reach people for Jesus.
Learn more about the Heartbeats Music Festival: https://heartbeats.events/
Transcript:
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:00):
Welcome to the Evangelism Podcast. I’m Daniel King, and I’m excited about telling people about Jesus. Today. I have a very special guest with me, Lucian Mustata. Yes. Welcome to the Evangelism Podcast.
Lucian Mustata (00:15):
Thank you for invite me and I want to send you regards and God bless you. And it’s nice to me also to be here. Thank you for invitation. It’s a very big honor to be with you, Daniel. I, I am like your, my friendship with you and a big honor for me.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:33):
I am so impressed with what you do. You started several years ago, Heartbeats Music Festival in the nation of Romania, and it has now grown, grown to be the largest Christian music festival in all of Eastern Europe. And so it is really impressive what God is doing through you. Tell me what gave you the idea that you wanted to start The Heartbeats Music Festival.
Lucian Mustata (01:06):
Heartbeats Festival starts six years ago. Because of my background of in it field, I was traveling a lot in Europe and serving in a church and how God work in my life. I have a lot of I all, what I have is from God and I ask God what I can do more for to serving the kingdom. And that come in my heart for this young generation who’s coming to, at East and I mean so often in Europe traveling, many young people who’s coming at East agnostic, I’m so shocked.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (01:49):
And agnostics,
Lucian Mustata (01:50):
Atheist. Yes.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (01:51):
Yes. Secularism is very strong in your part of Europe.
Lucian Mustata (01:56):
And I was afraid we become minority and I’m making an image in exercise how will be Christian in 10 years where I will be. And they have a bad image about Christian. We are too traditional. We are too conservatory. We are too a block in something. Now that is not true. I want to show them we can be a real cult Christian, we can join Jesus. And I ask God what I can do for this generation, how I, we can speak, and then contemporary languages because generation A non-conservative, non, they, they don’t like traditional stuff. They don’t like, they don’t. Got it. Some of them don’t, haven’t trust anymore. In church, we don’t, I don’t speak specifically for ev Evangelic side Catholic Orthodox. It’s a, a generation who wants a real authentic relation with God. They want a real argue. They don’t like what’s his parents. They, they want to experiment is by serve the relation with God directly.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (03:08):
Yeah, I I agree. Absolutely. Our generation is looking for an authentic encounter with God. Yes. The traditions of the past don’t impress them anymore. No. But if they can really meet God for themselves, then they can have a good relationship with
Lucian Mustata (03:25):
Jesus. Yeah. And that is coming the idea because it’s a big demands in Europe, people spend bunch of money from festival, from entertainment in the secular side and in Romania, each festival die, four young people because of drugs.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (03:46):
Wow.
Lucian Mustata (03:48):
And I says, I, I should do something people had demand, they would love to do, to enjoy. And this is a real need. Why we not to have a festival that can, people can feel encouraged, we can together and gathering in Jesus and feeling they can see a big community, nice community, nice music workshops speaker, why not do that? All the domination congregation that’s coming in, my dear God provide me this vision in one of my dreams. And after that, he give me the name and God guide me by day by day open doors, I will show how God help me to that. And now we are in the third edition.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (04:35):
Wow. I’m so impressed with you. You were a successful business owner. You run an IT company, you do branding, you help develop websites, lots of great business opportunities in your life. And you’re very successful at that. You have 20 employees who, who work with you, but you saw the condition of the young people and you said something needs to be done to reach them for Jesus. And so you started the Heartbeats Festival and you festival is not a small festival. You’ve actually had some of the largest names in Christianity come as, as guests to, to speak and to sing at the festival. So I watched your video. You had John Maxwell, great leadership expert. You had Nick Hall. I also saw that you had Lecrae this year as one of the singers. Who are some of the other musicians that have come?
Lucian Mustata (05:32):
Jeremy Camp? We are messenger unspoken who should come for King and Country. We already was confirmed, but was postponed because of c
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (05:45):
So you had Evan Craft who I’ve worked with before.
Lucian Mustata (05:48):
Yeah. Yeah. It’s it’s unbelievable how people respond. It’s not easy to, to ask people to come in the other side of the world, many people in all the countries as well. Is Romania on the map of the world? I’m afraid to come and it’s not easy. But with God, they’ll great relation and step by step, God will will help me to,
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (06:12):
Let’s talk about some, about how heartbeats music festival has impacted lives in Romania. What testimonies have you seen come out of this event?
Lucian Mustata (06:25):
The first edition we saw over than 800,000, 800 people who decided to follow Jesus. Wow. We have in I think
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (06:37):
For Rome, for Europe. That that is an amazing number. Yes. Like here in Africa, we’re, we’re in Kenya, Africa right now, you know, we see 800 every day. But, but for Europe to see 800 young people make a commitment to follow Jesus, that is a miracle for the continent of Europe.
Lucian Mustata (06:55):
But also it’s a benefit for the awareness society. Yeah. I heard a benefit after six months or one years after the festival, one church told me, ah, we had 200 people more. Our church was grow because of the festival. And we had other church told me we had 10 people who back in church and there was not anymore coming in our church over than 10 years. And we, what is our how God work, I’m shock and I’m accomplish side of his love. And the secular side start to promote us, the, the one of the most influence of Romania, the Catholic church, the radio in the secular side. I don’t, I don’t understand what happened. I just happened. It is not my credits. It’s just God credit.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (07:46):
So even the secular radio stations were Yes. Were advertising Yeah. The
Lucian Mustata (07:50):
Event by free.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (07:52):
Wow. That now that’s a miracle, you know?
Lucian Mustata (07:54):
Yeah. They are four, 4 million people each day. Wow. And this is unbelievable. I think people need Jesus. And they, once our peace inner and anytime all what you try in this world, money, drugs, sex, never be happy. The only one who can really, and you can find your peace. And this is the creation. And I think people, it’s a, it’s starting to be become a revival Europe. And we are one of the most evangelic country in the Europe.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (08:29):
The, the country of Romania is one of the largest Yes. Evangelical Yes. Populations by percentage.
Lucian Mustata (08:34):
Yes. And I, I’ve, I have a vision and God told me will be a big revive to, for Europe, through Romania, we start a fire fate from, from Romania, from all the Europe.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (08:48):
So you wanted to start a fire in Romania and spread that revival across all of Europe.
Lucian Mustata (08:52):
Yes.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (08:53):
That’s amen. Lord, make it be
Lucian Mustata (08:55):
So. Amen. Let’s
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (08:57):
Talk about your testimony, because when you were growing up, you didn’t have the most ideal circumstances. Tell me about what your life was like when you were a kid and, and you were a actually an orphan.
Lucian Mustata (09:12):
That is true. And I love to share my story because it’s a, it’s a real wonder for my life. And God makes so many he love me and he’ll help me to be where I am. I was growing originally from where I was in the beginning. The, the family leave me alone in the, from beginning when I was born in hospital, they abandoned me. And orphan from the government took me. And there was growing there until 18 18 years old was very tough life. I was not love. I was not, never say mother, father was a, in a, an environment, very violent. And the results, when you have take care of 50 people, you are object. There, you, you’re not a soul. And was, I was trying to work with myself to educate myself from people who I meet. Was
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (10:22):
You had no father, no mother, no one who loved you?
Lucian Mustata (10:25):
No. And nobody tell who what, what you do. How are you? And I’m trying to find my, my family. My father die and then result results of rape, repent. I’m results of the
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (10:39):
You, your birth was the result of your father raping your mother. Yes.
Lucian Mustata (10:44):
But is my real father is not in my identity card.
(10:50):
And I still have a, a problem with ab feeling with abandoned and trauma of this when people my friends, it’s not still stuck with me. For me, it’s more hard because it’s activated trigger of abandon from my heart for my life. Mm-Hmm. yes. And when I stay alone on Christmas without family, I have period without to have to eat. Because sometime people steal from me, them food or money. Mm-Hmm. I need to work from when I had eight 14 years old. I need to survive was very tough. But I was an I down and I wake up every time people call me like a fighter. And God, I’m trying to chasing why I live in this heart, this live this, this life, this life. Why God give me this life. I was fairly very, I feel very discouraged, very disappointed. And why I live, I, it made no sense to live this, this life to be alone, to see people who, in my school, I was very stigmatization how I, I dunno how it call in English.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (12:12):
Stigmatized,
Lucian Mustata (12:13):
Stigmatized people from school even I was very good in in school. They, because I was growing and that’s there, they don’t give me good Mark Transp. And also the, with a vulnerably group, who is that? People told me every time, you are stupid, you are stupid. And can sometimes can make in know heart. I’m real stupid. It was very, very hard. But when I, when I had 18 years old, because I stay alone on Christmas, and it’s very hard because I see everybody’s family. I decided to see in a concert every Christmas, a Christmas, a secular Christmas concert. But this, that period, I didn’t have money. And I saw on a, on a paper in a city, on a Christmas free one, and I was, there was in a church events. I didn’t know it was a church.
(13:21):
And after this Christmas events concert, I preachers speak 15 minutes what meaning of Christmas that make me to, to say, wow, I didn’t know this is means Christmas from my side, my word. It was just Christmas party gift, commercial. And that time make me to, put me to ask who you are, what you do here. And I’m starting my working with God to learning. I’m going this church every Sunday. And I, I, I was very hangry to read to, to see the lesson from Bible because it’s very authentic, even in our day. And the God changed my heart, my mind, and I find a real peace for my heart. And that way I understand my father is directly God and Jesus I find to be, I, I feel I’m love and God has a real plan with my life.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (14:26):
And he will never abandon you. Yes. How old were you when you heard that Christmas message that made you to start thinking about God?
Lucian Mustata (14:34):
18 years old.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (14:35):
Wow. Yes. And so you started your pathway towards God, and God began to bless you.
Lucian Mustata (14:43):
Yes. In that moment, I find how I need to live in this world. I find Christian is a lifestyle and I understand how can, can to be in the coordinator of God and God teach me how I can be blessed if I respect the rules and the Bible to live like that, Jesus to be on me, to live with Jesus and God because it’s directly Father, he provide me all that I need every time. I just have faith. And he helped me to finish college cybernetic to finish, to master degree sign political and project management. And I didn’t have money to pay for college and guide God helped me was 20,000 people for this test to enter in a college. I didn’t have money to pay to apply for this college. But because I was orphan, I was by law of allowed to have a free test. But the people from, there was nobody history to come in our college orphan to
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (15:57):
Receive. They never had an orphan take advantage. Yeah, yeah. Of the opportunity before
Lucian Mustata (16:00):
Our, by our rules in college, this not meant adaptable for that. They were shocked. They received kind of this request, but they make it to have this test and was just 20, was 20,000 people applying just for 600 places in this college. And 300 was scholarship and 300 after we, we need to pay 2003 years Euro. And I was crying when I saw I was 312. I was shocked. I don’t know how the lady from commission make it to have this test, but God help me to, to have a pleasure. But after two weeks, I should pay all the amount for the years.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (16:53):
And, and you didn’t have the money. No. You were an orphan. You were hoping to get the scholarship. You got into school out of 20,000, you’re one of the 600, but you just fell short of getting the scholarship for the 300. This is
Lucian Mustata (17:07):
So what happened? This was my chance for my future. I, I know it. If I will not, I will, I will show all the people who stole me. I’m a stupid, I can make it and God help me to do that. And I, I need to pay to every day to cook, for me to clean, for me to work every day. And study was so hard to, I didn’t, was too over my power. And I was growing and I was to church. I am praying and I ask, God, please help me. I I have trust in you. I do my, my part. Please God, do your part. And the last day I receive a call. I, I loaned someone, but not enough. I was so scary. I will lose my places, my chance for the future. And then the lady who received me from the commission to, when I applied for, to enter the, the test, she called me and, Hey, you are Lucian. Yes. do you want money from me? From the test applying? Says, no, no, no. Don’t worry about this. This guy was scared. She wants more money from the applying. She says, have a big problem. Then you’re thinking, oh, what happened? She says, Lucian, over the three, three nights, God wake me up three o’clock in the morning, I’m crying. And God told me to pay all the school.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (18:32):
Wow.
Lucian Mustata (18:33):
And I was over crying. And I don’t understand how God’s working this unbelievable. She meet me just two minutes in all my entire life.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (18:45):
And God spoke to her. Yes. To pay for your schooling. Yes. What a miracle.
Lucian Mustata (18:49):
Many kind of, this was in my heart, in my life. I can all what I have is because of God. And for that reason, I decided to all what I say with my company to invest in, in a ministry for the next generation from the kingdom. I can be selfish. I can buy parchments, rent people, and I can enjoy my life to be selfish. Like what? Dominican many business people. But no, I decided it’s not, it is not correct. All I have is because of God and I need to, because when God give more people, he’ll request to much overlap for people. And then I, I feel honored to serving the kingdom and God will provide. It was very hard to do this, a big sacrifice to do this festival, the budget. It’s insane. It’s very hard in, even in Europe, it’s more expensive in other country. And this is a tough country that we are in a Baptist of 60, the traditional church. Some people, some of church believe we are too earth.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (19:50):
And so the, the church in Romania very traditional. Yes. And they don’t necessarily know what to think about having lights and smoke and, and loud music.
Lucian Mustata (20:01):
Yeah. Our heart is to go to the secular side and God was stay on the, on to, to eat with the people out of the church. And our heart is to, to become our dream, dream of God, to save the lost people. And we need to be with them and to encourage them. It’s a fighting of generation now. We need not need to stay in our bubble to make a our world is perfect because in our round in church is perfect. That is not true. The the realities, the young generation, they don’t anymore believe in God. And we need to make something. If fer not do something will be very hard for us. And we have a real, we have a real Jesus. We need to make it something for that.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (20:51):
Amen. Well, it requires a lot of money and resources in order to pull off a music festival at this level of quality and professionalism and bringing in such amazing guests from all over the world. If someone wants to help you out with reaching Romania for Jesus and really having an impact on all of Eastern Europe, how can they get in touch with you? Can they go to your, your website? It’s heartbeats events.
Lucian Mustata (21:22):
Yes, that is true. They can write us there and they can pray for us. We are, we really need help to be uniting in the kingdom resources. We are looking for ministry partners and we are very open to that. This is not my, this is a project of God and we invite people to celebrate with us what God do in Europe. And if you want to be part of this ministry and celebrate with what, what God do in Europe, it’s amazing. We also, we are serving for free Ukrainian people because now they’re in a big news and this is only one God can offer them the peace in heart.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (22:03):
You have lots of Ukrainians coming across the border. Yeah. Two into Romania.
Lucian Mustata (22:07):
Wow. 2 million people coming in a we need, we want to serving them. We offer free tickets. We’re consulting, healing, and we want to be a really blessed, they need God now. And I we forget to tell you the vision of the HARs is not in in a crochet, just, it’s a big movement than that. The, we are one of the largest Christian festival, but we are part of the movement. We want to reach 1 million, at least in on the next 10 years. Rich people through the believer. We want all the years to promote through the platform, to keep and disciples, believers, how they going and commit to bring unbelievers and to make to expose to the Bible, to the gospel. And our goal and our vision is to reach 1 million, at least in next 10 years in East Europe.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (23:06):
Amen. Yeah. Well, I believe you can do it. You know, some people have said that Europe is a post-Christian country. It used to be Christian, but now it’s secular. But I like to say Europe is a pre-Christian continent and they are ready and ripe to come to Jesus. The harvest fields are ripe. And God says, just pray for laborers to be sent out into the harvest fields. And I am so thankful that you have stood up to be one of those laborers. And I’m so impressed with what you’re doing in Romania with a heartbeats festival and this movement to reach a million people over the next 10 years. What a tremendous blessing that is.
Lucian Mustata (23:47):
Thank you, brother. And I feel my friendship with you. I’m so glad I meet you in my life and I feel so encouraged about your ministry and yes. Through an orphan, God can do it. People with nobody can grow people. And the grow generation you sees, God, how’s moving? It’s it’s unbelievable.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (24:09):
I got one more question for you. Will you invite me to come to Romania? Of
Lucian Mustata (24:13):
Course. We’d love to be our, one of the preacher and to be encouraged to for the next generation. Brother, thank you very much.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (24:22):
Awesome. I’ve been praying for Europe, and so I believe that the time will come where we will see a great harvest together working in Europe. Thank you Lucian, for being on the Evangelism Podcast.
