"For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." (Hab 2:14)
What are our visions and needs? We want to start new churches. Over the past year, God enabled us to start a new church in Velsk city (North of Russia) that already numbers about 80 people. We need finances to visit them once or twice a month and train a local pastor for that church. Low living standards and economic crises determine a "cheap start". It takes just about $150-200 a month to start a new church (this includes a salary for the pastor and payment for the rent of the facility).
We also feel a great need in qualified educated Christian workers. We have just a few seminaries for the whole country. In future, we are considering a possibility to start our own Bible school and maybe a seminary. We send two our pastors to the Seminary of Evangelical Christians in Moscow and hope to have in near future some people with academic degrees.
The evangelizing became complicated due to three main reasons:
Orthodox church uses widely the mass media imposing fear upon the
people, threatening them with sects. Many are thinking that everything is wrong and dangerous
except for the Orthodox church. There are nationalists who are even preaching that to be a
Russian one must be an Orthodox, and if you do not belong to the Orthodox Church you are
"sectants".
In large cities, like Moscow, people are very influenced by
materialism. Money, possessions became general values for most of them. It is very common
to hear: "I don't have any time for your God. I need to resolve my urgent problems and nobody
can help me except myself".
People are tired of being deceived so many times. First,
communists for 70 years promised them a bright future, which appeared to be just a "soap
bubble". Then, many people were promised a rapid raise of the economy. Now, after the
August 1998 crises, the standard of living is very low for most of Russian families.
Therefore, today, many people are so afraid that it's even hard for them to believe the
Gospel. They want to see something more real than just words.
During the last 20 months we started the following outreaches:
weekly preaching at the local hospital, ministering to the sick
people. More than 150 people prayed the salvation prayer at the hospital;
anti-abortion ministry that provides an access to public schools.
Officially, public schools are closed for preaching, but this ministry opens doors of many
schools and colleges. Currently we represent two programs: one covers abortion problems and
another - sexual relationships. Each program contains a lecture, a video film, preaching of
the Gospel and distribution of Bibles and tracks. We have reached more then 1000 students.
Our plan is to develop the third program about drugs. We also feel a need to have special
ministry for youth.
humanitarian aid distribution. One Christian charitable
organization has donated us some food and some clothing, which was distributed among 200
needy people whom we preached the Gospel. Most of them responded to the salvation prayer.
We are praying also for the new outreach area. A lady from our church, Olga Maiba
is a member of local folk-songs quire. She is promoting the idea to sing Christian songs along with the folk songs and use
it as an evangelization tool. They already had couple performances and more than 50 people were evangelized. Praise
the Lord!
We believe that every Christian should be a minister and expect to increase number and
effectiveness of our outreaches.
The main hindering factor is growing oppression from the Orthodox Church and pro-orthodox
authorities. We are in the constant danger to stay outdoors of renting facilities.
Therefore, we are in a great need of our own building where nobody will control us and
where we will have a permanent location.
We feel that if we want to grow and influence our city- it is absolutely necessary to have a building of our own. So
our prayers are for the church building.
Hopefully it would be possible to receive a piece of land from the government but we have to build something right away,
otherwise we might be fined.
I think that it may be possible to establish contacts with the Christians in the US who are able to help us with some kind
of construction work.
Do you know anybody whom I may contact concerning this matter?
I am planning to visit the US on July-August of 2000 with the main purpose to make arrangements concerning building
project. If you feel that it would be
good for me to visit your area, please, contact me.
We estimate that it takes not less than $100 000 to build a building for our Khimky church,
where I am pastoring now. This is our greatest need for the future.
Another great challenge is the TV ministry. In Likino city we have contacts with officials
from the local TV station. They are willing to show our materials twice a week for symbolic
charge of $350 per year! We are also in need of a professional video equipment as well as
professionals who can help us to build the program up.
Please pray for our evangelistic outreaches in Russia. It's very
important to resist the spirit of religion, spirit of fear, spirit of deception and
exercise our spiritual authority in Christ. Please pray for our government. Russia has a new
President: Vladimir Putin. We pray that he would become the political force for democracy against corruption and terrorism
If you share our vision on spreading Revival in Russia, if our needs and programs are touching
your hearts, we ask you to pray and help us.
With love in Christ Jesus,
Pastor
Andrew Blinkov
