Passing the Torch and Advancing the Gospel

Russian UECB Elects New Leaders

This past March, the faithful pastors of the Russian UECB held their 33rd Quadrennial Congress to elect new leadership for the next four years. In their prayerful deliberations, the gathered pastors and church elders decided to call forward a younger generation to leadership — a generation that God is calling to press ahead with boldness in taking the Gospel to their people during a new era of challenges.

Alexei Smirnov

Pastor Alexei Smirnov is the new UECB president, replacing Pastor Yuri Sipko, who has faithfully held that office with distinction for the past eight years. The selection of Pastor Smirnov is notable in that he comes from an independent Baptist background and grew up in an unregistered Baptist church. These congregations typically received very harsh treatment during the communist years.

Alexei and Inna Smirnov

Alexei Smirnov was born in 1955 in the Moscow suburb of Dedovsk, and as a child attended a Sunday school that was taught by an older sister. He came to faith in Christ in 1973, and then served for two years in the Soviet military. After his military service, Alexei began in ministry as a youth leader and served in that capacity for ten years. In 1992, He was ordained as a pastor in the Baptist church in Dedovsk, becoming senior pastor in 2001. He has led in the organization of several daughter churches, with the Lord’s blessing evident on his ministry. At the invitation of Pastor Yuri Sipko, Alexei Smirnov came to the UECB in 2006 and served as director of the pastoral ministry department. Since February, 2009, he has also served as general secretary of the Public Council, a coalition of ten Baptist unions active in Russia, most of them being quite small. Pastor Smirnov is married and has six sons ranging in age from 17 to 31.

Pastor Eugene Bakhmutsky’s Expanded Role

Eugene Bakhmutsky

The delegates also chose Eugene Bakhmutsky as the new senior vice president of the Russian UECB. Under Eugene’s faithful, servant leadership as national youth director — a role he will maintain — the evangelical youth movement in Russia has grown to more than 25,000 zealous young people on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ. He also serves as senior pastor of the developing Russian Bible Church in Moscow, and is a member of IFCA International. Eugene’s family also intimately knows the cost of discipleship. Eugene grew up in Siberia in a devoted Baptist family, and his great grandfather was executed by a firing squad for his faith. Eugene’s grandfather was exiled to Siberia as were many believers during the communist years, but these heartbreaking tragedies helped sow the seed for powerful Gospel ministry today. SGA president Bob Provost is praising the Lord for His direction, and said that our mission looks forward to more fruitful partnership in ministry …

As SGA has served as the official representative of the Russian UECB since 1997, we look forward with great enthusiasm to serving Pastor Smirnov and the new leadership for the advancement of the Gospel across Russia, to the glory of Christ. I would like to call all believers to pray for the new leadership and the UECB fellowship of 1,750 churches. The task before them remains overwhelming, with 90% of all the cities, towns, and villages in Russia still waiting for the Gospel. And these are increasingly challenging days in Russia, with growing official opposition to evangelism and church planting, and increasing restrictions on evangelical church ministry all across the former Soviet Union. We need to help them reach their people for Christ as long as the Lord grants us opportunities. The Lord has raised up SGA to be their partners in the glorious Gospel!

In addition to the top posts, the UECB also elected seven regional vice presidents, including newcomers Viktor Levashov for Southern Russia, Alexander Mandzyuk for the Volga Region, and Viktor Zaitsev for Far East Russia. Continuing as regional vice presidents are Eduard Genrikh for Siberia, Viktor Sipko for Northwest Russia, Peter Zhuk for the Ural Mountains Region, and Sergei Zolotarevsky for Central Russia.