Gospel Expedition

(MOSCOW, RUSSIA) – After reaching their goal of the Pacific Ocean and the Russian city of Vladivostok on September 2, Russian bicyclists who made up the historic Expedition, The Gospel to the Nations of the World, returned to Moscow for a closing ceremony and worship service. The bicyclists traveled a total of 9,120 miles in reaching their destination.

The tremendous nine-time zone crossing began May 13 after a church service in Varel, Germany, and concluded as scheduled on September 2 with a similar service in Vladivostok, Russia.

Four teams of 7-8 young bicyclists each participated, handing off to the next team at predetermined locations. Only the leader, Vladimir Skovpen — a 50-year old grandfather and father of ten — completed the entire grueling journey. Mr. Skovpen earned notoriety as the national cycling champion of the USSR in 1980.

The bicyclists toured across Germany, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, and then across seven of Russia’s eleven time zones. On their arrival in Vladivostok, the Expedition team poured a pitcher of water from the Atlantic Ocean into the Pacific, symbolizing the union of East and West.

During the course of the Expedition, the bicyclists faced flat terrain, mountains, significant weather extremes, swarms of insects, occasional reckless drivers, and other challenges. The bicyclists were warmly received in the vast majority of the cities, towns and villages.

A total of 130 meetings were held in public halls, stadiums, churches, town squares, street corners, and any other venue that would receive them. Audiences as large as 500 people gathered in even rural locations, and hundreds of children were also treated to special ministry activities. Dozens of thousands heard the Gospel, and more than 100,000 received New Testaments.

SGA helped provide Russian-language Bibles, New Testaments, and other Christian literature for distribution by the Expedition teams, and also helped with rental facilities for the evangelistic meetings.

The roads traveled by the Expedition cyclists ranged from well-paved asphalt to dirt and gravel. Early on, they managed 196 miles in one day with favorable roads, but were slowed to an average of 62 miles per day when the roads worsened.

Impacts of the Expedition

Rev. Leonid Kartavenko, director of home missions for the 1,800-church Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (UECB), said that the sports ministry approach of the Expedition helped gain significant attention from the public and the media, as well as from local governmental officials.

“One has many more possibilities for conversation when sitting on top of a bicycle. We get a very different kind of access to people.”

Another positive impact of the Expedition was the credibility gained by local evangelical churches across Russia. Rev. Valery Pashkovetz, a one time military pilot and pastor of a Baptist church in Kaluga, believes it helps to motivate local believers.

“Our church is up and moving. Out here, we can be lethargic and isolated from the world, but now we are moving out into the streets.”

Pastor Pashkovetz took part in bicycling the first stage of the Expedition from Varel, Germany to Bryansk, Russia. After that stage was finished, he returned home to Kaluga where he took 33 bicyclists on a 10-day tour of the region.

Rev. Kartavenko also expressed thankfulness for the surprising support of local governmental officials. Evangelicals historically encounter significant opposition to their ministries.

“We held many of our meetings in the central market places. The local authorities almost always helped us organize things for free. We are seen as strong and healthy people capable of helping Russia overcome its demographic crisis. The government is not against us. There are only certain religious interest groups wanting to turn the state on us.”

According to Pastor Kartavenko, the vice minister for youth and sport in the Vladivostok region approached the senior pastor for Far East Russia and asked him to help form a joint Baptist-governmental tour back to Moscow next summer — something unprecedented in Russian history should it take place.

Rev. Yuri Sipko, president of the Russian UECB, expressed his deep appreciation to all in North America who had prayed for the Expedition and provided resources to help make it possible. He praised the Lord for His marvelous protection, as none of the riders were seriously injured or even ill.

“Evangelical churches all across Russia were united in daily prayer for the teams, and churches along the route joined enthusiastically in the outreach activities. From beginning to end it was a gloriously blessed undertaking.”

SGA president Dr. Robert Provost expressed thankfulness for the success of the Expedition, and called for regular prayer for those reached with the Gospel.

“The Lord abundantly answered our prayers each day, keeping the teams safe, using them mightily, and bringing them safely to the Pacific. Please join with me in great praise to the Lord, thanking Him for His mercy and His grace — all of it way beyond measure! And pray for all whom they touched for the Lord. Pray that the Lord will grant repentance and saving faith to each and everyone in whose heart He has begun to work.”

Next summer, Russian evangelical church leaders are hopeful to conduct smaller scale bicycle evangelism tours in all 52 church districts across Russia.