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!
In fact, this first audience will be somewhat different from any other I have had so far. Being a part of the team that developed the “Intro to the Christian Culture” curriculum for the Russian public schools, I will do an online webinar which will be broadcast live all over the country for (only God knows how many) educators, pedagogy students, school administrators, pupils and their parents. It will then be made available for viewing and downloading for everybody interested in the topic.
Yes, I am a little nervous. And yes, I will need your prayers to be able to speak clearly, boldly, respectfully and powerfully–knowing for a fact that most of my audience will not be believers, not Christians, not even particularly inclined to learn about God. Many teachers will be taking these classes simply and only because the “ICC” is now being introduced as a part of the core school curriculum by the Russian Government. This is a unique opportunity which the Lord has opened for our ministry to reach out to hundreds and thousands of the Russian educators with the truth of the Gospel!
Of course, I will also speak about the teaching methods, curriculum layout and other “technicalities” of the course, but the central point of my whole presentation will be Him, our living God, Jesus Christ! Now, do I expect some… resistance; questions; even outright anger? Yes, and that is my second prayer request: pray for those hearts in my audience to be touched and softened by the Holy Spirit. My words will only be as effective and as fruitful as the soil is be ready for them. Ask our Father to do the work which only He can do to prepare the soil.
Please also keep my family back home in your thoughts and prayers. I am entrusting them to your care and prayer support for the time that I am away.
