Three countries in one week, connecting the Black Sea with Baltic Sea! I finished my Ukrainian journey by training a of group Odessa Preobrazhenskiy Cathedral catechism teachers and missionaries to use the FaithSearch Discovery curriculum in their work in local schools, churches and communities. They absolutely loved it! Due to the conflict (actually, a war) between Russia and Ukraine, all direct flights between the two countries are cancelled. I had to make a stop in Minsk, Belarus, on my way up north. It was only supposed to be for a change of planes, but a local youth ministry seized the opportunity and arranged an event for me in their city Cathedral between my flights. I have not seen such a hunger for the truth of God for a long time as they have in Belarus, sometimes called “the last dictatorship in Eastern Europe.” I am so glad the Lord made that presentation possible! [Read more…]

Week One had me presenting all over Ukraine: in Kiev, Kremenchug, Gorshni Plavni, Poltava, Dnepropetrovsk, and Odessa. I started with a two-day FaithSearch Discovery teaching in Poltava Orthodox Seminary with Missions Emphasis – the only Orthodox school in the country to train missionaries. These young men and women will be using our material in their ministry for many, many years. I did my best to provide them with the most-recent and most-convincing evidence from History, Archeology, and Paleography. [Read more…]

My first presentation at Omsk State University started a mere five hours after I landed in this Siberian city eleven time zones away from Minnesota. Changing four planes (SVO-ORD-HEL-SVO-OMS) and five airports made my feet shake, my head spin, and my heart beat faster from excitement. Their Theology Department was opened right after the “perestroika” (openness) era thanks to devotion and enthusiasm of its founders—Orthodox clergy, lay professors, and students. My training in presenting the Gospel with Evidence to their second and third year students gave them a chance to take a fresh look at Christian Theology, from historic perspective and from its practical, evangelistic point of view. [Read more…]

“It was like a wall was removed in front of me and now I have room to grow and a path to follow. Please consider yourself invited to speak at our City Youth Center next time you are back in Russia,”  wrote a young man after attending a FaithSearch Discovery event in Ivanovo, 250 kilometers northeast of Moscow.

Their House of Nationalities city hall was not quite full, at which the hosting church expressed their disappointment. I was, on the other hand, very happy I didn’t have to use a microphone: the natural voice usually sounds more relaxing and inviting and brings more questions at the end. Ivanovo is known to be the first city in Russia to accept the Soviet power 100 years ago, but the people never ceased seeking the truth of God there. I was happy to destroy some walls of prejudice and barriers of ignorance for them. [Read more…]