SLAVIC GOSPEL ASSOCIATION

The Freedom is Fleeting

After 16 years of religious freedom, opposition to the Gospel is on the rise in the lands of Russia.

The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2).

When the communist era ended in 1991, about 600 churches belonging to the Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptist (UECB) fellowship were spread across Russia. Today there are 1,746 in Russia alone. Such growth — nearly three times the number of churches in just 16 years — is evidence of a tremendous spiritual hunger. SGA is blessed to have worked beside faithful partners, both here and in the lands of Russia, to help support this wonderful outpouring of God’s spirit and grace.

Peter Deyneka immigrated to the U.S. in 1914 as a teenager. In 1934, Rev. Deyneka formed Slavic Gospel Association because the preaching of God’s Word was not allowed in his homeland. More than half a century passed before the communist ideal failed. When it did, the doors opened to evangelism. And the faithful few Christians who remained began planting new churches in towns and villages where the Bible was not preached.

The UECB continues to carry biblical truth across the lands of Russia. Their historical commitment to doctrinal purity has made them an ideal partner in this work of taking the Gospel to Russian-speaking people.

But the window of opportunity now appears to be closing. These faithful believers are facing new and difficult challenges. Outreach and church planting remain a high priority for the churches we serve. That means a great need exists for trained pastors and leaders. At the same time, Orthodox seminaries are producing thousands of new priests. And based on past history, this will only increase opposition to evangelical churches.

This “official” church is gaining power across the lands of Russia. Government agencies have made agreements with the Orthodox leaders in an effort to suppress Protestant churches. New policies are effectively suppressing biblical preaching — just as the communists did throughout Soviet history.

Regulations in many CIS countries now forbid churches from renting public halls for worship. Governments are refusing to give land for building non-Orthodox churches and there is growing opposition to Christian groups purchasing existing buildings. Since many congregations are struggling in poverty-stricken regions, they don’t have the ability to build their own houses of prayer. And ongoing propaganda has made people afraid to attend a worship service in a private home thinking they may get pulled into a cult.

Evangelical churches are often slandered by other religious groups opposed to the Gospel and by administrative leaders. Warnings are distributed in communities saying that the Baptists are a dangerous sect to be avoided. Mass media messages are promoting the idea that evangelicals are Western groups and are enemies of the motherland. This mindset is being pushed into the educational system. Through deceptive terminology, students are learning the elements of Orthodoxy with pressure to resist the cults. In effect, the definition of a cult includes all denominations of Protestant Christianity.

The zeal of opposition even ignores the plight of many Russian-speaking people. Bible-preaching churches are not allowed to offer humanitarian aid. Prohibitions on social ministry in orphanages, nursing homes and prisons are making it more difficult for evangelical churches to reach out to those who need the Gospel the most.

Yet those who have repented and given their lives to the Lord are faithful and dedicated in the face of persecution. They are committed to growing God’s church across the lands of Russia and taking the Gospel to places that have never heard His Word. SGA is also committed to standing beside them, however God leads in the coming years. Your support is key. And especially now, before the doors to evangelism slam shut. We are doing all we can to help establish new churches and training centers so that biblical truth will continue to be preached across the CIS.