SLAVIC GOSPEL ASSOCIATION

May 2009 Innercircle Perspective

May 1st, 2009

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

75 years and still pressing on! We are celebrating a great legacy of 75 years of ministry to Slavic people around the globe. It is, indeed, a great accomplishment. For 75 years, SGA has pressed on upon the firm foundation of the Word of God in taking the Gospel to Russian-speaking souls wherever they could be found. Throughout all those years, God has provided wonderful, like-minded partners in the Gospel. Together we celebrate those 75 years of partnership and give praise to the only One worthy of our worship.

We again express our thankfulness to the Lord for your partnership in the Gospel. Your prayers, sacrificial giving and constant encouragement have been vital in the past 75 years. And from all indications, our partnership will be even more vital in the years ahead . . . until our Lord shall appear and gloriously gather us  up to meet Him in the clouds.

As I have studied the legacy of the past, my heart has been greatly stirred and I am rejoicing. Just imagine that a 15-year-old immigrant, Peter Deyneka, had the courage to travel alone to America. A few years later, the Lord saved him at Moody Memorial Church in Chicago. Instantly he was an impassioned soul winner. He had great faith in the Lord and in His Word.  Relentlessly He embraced God’s promise to Jeremiah — Call to Me and I will answer you and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

Young Peter spent many days and nights in prayer calling upon the Lord for his leading and His blessing. The overwhelming desire of his heart was always for the salvation of all people, but especially for Russian-speaking people trapped behind the Iron Curtain. First, they would need Russian-speaking missionaries to take the Gospel to them and organize churches.  Then they would need to be able to train and send more missionaries until all had been reached. Russian-speaking missionaries were trained in Toronto, Canada and in Rosario, Argentina. Via radio waves “missionaries” were sent over the impenetrable wall into some 30 million homes. Some were evangelists to win the souls, and some were seminary professors to train soul winners and shepherds.

Millions of Bibles were ingeniously transported into the USSR and, at great risk, secretly delivered to faithful souls who were praying for a Bible. The Lord richly blessed Peter’s zealous service and he finished his course well.  It may have been your prayers and your support that helped make all of this possible.

In studying the history of SGA, I have learned about many, many “great and mighty things that the Lord has done.” And traveling throughout these same countries today, my heart is also calling out to God for the salvation of the Slavic people. Riding the metro, walking the streets and looking into faces, I see the same hopelessness that Peter saw. They are disheartened lost sheep without a shepherd, and like Peter, the cry of my heart is for their salvation.

But, I also cry out to God for America, that we, too, would hear and respond to His call. Thank you for joining SGA and millions of others in praise to our Lord for all that He has done. I pray that the cry of all of our hearts would increase for the knowledge of His salvation to every nation, tribe, people and tongue. And may we all finish our course well, as Peter Deyneka did, looking unto Jesus!