Representing the Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists of RussiaBible Institutes
Photo: Roman Dechtiarenko at Almaty Bible Institute, Kazakhstan
A seminary education is beyond the reach of most of the qualified men and women. To meet the high demand for Bible training, SGA also sponsors permanent part-time Bible institutes which prepare many faithful church members for various church-based ministries throughout the CIS.
The nations comprising the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are vast, and Bible-preaching church members make up less than 1% of the population. In order to reach these countries with the gospel, there is a pronounced need for qualified men both to plant new churches and to pastor existing churches. Many of our faithful brothers in Christ in the CIS are called and available for the task, but lack training and education.
SGA-sponsored Bible institutes provide solid Bible teaching in a modular format for students unable to attend seminary classes on a full-time basis. Students attending the Bible institutes include current and future pastors and church planters, as well as men and women wanting to receive training for other church ministries such as Sunday school leadership, youth work, orphans ministry, women's ministry, christian education curriculum development, etc. Several of the Bible institutes operate on the grounds of the SGA-sponsored seminaries, while others are held at local churches across the lands of Russia.
Students are selected and sent by their local church leadership on the basis of their proven record of faithful service, their giftedness, and their fruitfulness in ministry. To the degree possible, their churches help cover the cost of their travel and training.
An extension of this ministry, designed to help extend the impact of the Bible institutes to more regions throughout the CIS, is our Strategic Bible Institutes.
