No border crossings! No “foreign” languages! My current ministry trip will all be in Mother-Russia this time!

I am leaving comfortable Minnesota (+39F) in about an hour and will land in snowy and blistery cold Moscow (-6F) in just a few hours. Will you believe me if I say I am looking forward to it? You have to–because it is true. It is not only because I expect a very warm welcome at my mother-in-law’s apartment (which is also very true); it is not only because I dressed plenty warm and actually have missed a little bite of frost this unusually mild winter (which is only partially true).

What really excites me and what makes me want go back to Russia as many times as I can is what many of us take for granted–the opportunity to speak openly about the most important thing in my life, to share my faith in God, to open my heart to the people of my homeland. I cannot wait to meet with my first group of school teachers on the day-after-tomorrow! [Read more…]

No border crossings! No “foreign” languages! My current ministry trip will all be in Mother-Russia this time!

I am leaving comfortable Minnesota (+39F) in about an hour and will land in snowy and blistery cold Moscow (-6F) in just a few hours. Will you believe me if I say I am looking forward to it? You have to–because it is true. It is not only because I expect a very warm welcome at my mother-in-law’s apartment (which is also very true); it is not only because I dressed plenty warm and actually have missed a little bite of frost this unusually mild winter (which is only partially true).

What really excites me and what makes me want go back to Russia as many times as I can is what many of us take for granted–the opportunity to speak openly about the most important thing in my life, to share my faith in God, to open my heart to the people of my homeland. I cannot wait to meet with my first group of school teachers on the day-after-tomorrow! [Read more…]

Knocking on the door is not enough. Walking through it when it opens is just as important.

This was my lesson yesterday night at Cherkassy National University when only three students showed up for my presentation. Apparently, the local Evangelical Church was too used to being denied access to the secular schools’ classrooms. When these doors opened wide and the University President “unexpectedly” gave the green light for them to bring in the FaithSearch Discovery presentation, nobody actually knew what to do with it. A couple of black-and-white half-page sized posters in poorly lighted hallways were definitely not enough to catch the students’ attention. After waiting for half an hour we decided to cancel the event. Please stop praying for the Lord to open the Russian or Ukrainian universities for the Gospel! He already does. Instead, start praying for the churches to be ready to walk into those doors!

[Read more…]