“Go and make disciples…” There is only so much one person can do–even the fastest one and even with the strongest voice. Now imagine my frustration when I almost completely lost my voice due to a cold in the middle of the trip. Imagine also how I felt when my train car was found to have a faulty wheel and was detached from the rest of the train, causing a major delay in my schedule. In those moments especially, how can I even think of making any noticeable ministry effect in the country that stretches over thousands of miles, with a population counted in millions? Yet, Jesus said: “Go!” and so I did. Why? Because the “make disciples” part puts the whole task in a totally new perspective: I only have to make as many disciples as He sends my way, and they in turn will take care of the rest of it.
He indeed sent me the most exceptional audiences this time: teachers, students, seminarians, lay leaders and pastors–who were both highly qualified and motivated for the job. The All-Ukrainian Teachers’ Conference on “Biblical History and Christian Ethics” at Poltava State University featured FaithSearch Discovery for the whole afternoon session. It was attended by 300+ teachers and clergy from all over the country, and served to lay a factual and rational foundation for the History and Ethics courses they are teaching in public schools.
Another highlight of the trip was awaiting me just across the Russian border in the city of Belgorod–the Orthodox Seminary with Missionary Emphasis (the only one in the country!). These students were not simply future priests or theology scholars–they are preparing themselves for a career of spreading the Gospel. Now they’ve been given a tool–FaithSearch Discovery–for doing it more effectively.
Further North into Russia, in the city of Kursk, I took advantage of a very generous invitation from the Trinity Video Seminary–to record the whole FaithSearch Discovery presentation on video for their own global distribution catalogue, which is widely used by seminaries, libraries, bookstores, conferences, etc. In just a few weeks the whole course will be made available through their network of distributors all over the Russian-speaking world and also on their Web site storefront. No, I am not working myself out of a job! Their experience shows that the more people watch it on the screen the more they want to see the real person and to receive the training and the presentation in their hands.
Even further North (and colder yet!) in Moscow, I had a new chance to teach future teachers in my alma mater–Moscow State Pedagogical University. What an honor! It was also a delight to be able to share the Gospel in the same walls that were so hostile to it just a couple decades ago! These students don’t even need to be motivated–merely to be allowed to apply this unique material in their teaching practice.
That is, of course, not to mention presenting FaithSearch Discovery in churches, Bible schools and Christian conferences both in Ukraine and in Russia, strengthening the faith of believers, encouraging them to proclaim their faith to the world with power and confidence.
For the first time on this trip, I also started a blog (www.faithsearch.org/rus/blog) chronicling my progress throughout the trip. It was a great blessing for me to know that my supporters back home were upholding me in their prayers–in real time!
My next trips may possibly take me to some new geographical areas–Lithuania and Bashkortostan–so it was good to capitalize on such strategic points as Poltava, Belgorod and Moscow.
Here’s some of the feedback I received on this trip (see more in the daily entries):
“You cannot imagine the impact of what you have just done by teaching this class and giving us the CDs! Remember, we are all teachers and we cannot help but pass it along to our students! I, for one, will start doing it next week.” –History Teacher, Kashira Teachers’ Conference
“We are so grateful! Many in our congregations already expressed to us how powerful and how encouraging was your message. And more importantly, how empowered they feel now to share their faith with non-believers!” – Pastor, Pereslavl
“We record lots of different speakers here. Some make their material way too difficult for most audiences. Others just don’t have much to say. Your presentation takes on a very serious topic, discusses it on a very serious level, and yet makes it so clear and so enjoyable! I don’t see any difficulty spreading the videos through our distribution channels all over the world.”–Video Producer, Kursk
“What a perfect fit for our Conference! Nobody can say any more that our moral and ethical claims are unfounded!” –University Dean at the All-Ukrainian Conference on Biblical History and Christian Ethics, Poltava
