In Russia, two students in our Antioch Initiative Training program embarked on their first Gospel Mission trip.

During two weeks of ministry this past spring, students Vladimir K. and Eduard T. traveled from the city of Yakutsk to the town of Nyruba and ministered to many people through the teaching of God’s Word and by humanitarian aid, prayer, and fellowship. Vladimir K. reports on how they applied their pastoral training in real time.

It was our first missionary trip to the western part of Yakutia to Nyurba district, and by our prayers God gave us very good transportation — a minivan.

March 25 – After breakfast and prayer, our brother Afanasiy left for the village Kampendyai of Suuntar district. We cleaned the yard from snow before lunch, and at 3 p.m. we started teaching on Ephesians chapter 1. Ten sisters came, and there were three of us in our missionary group. We explained that: A man is justified by grace, man cannot reach salvation by his good deeds, God chose us before the creation of the world, He adopted us through Jesus Christ and His blood, and He forgave our sins and sealed us with the Holy Spirit. At the end of teaching, Brother Eduard explained that we came to help by teaching them the right understanding of God’s Word. He said that they needed to grow spiritually first and then they would be able to teach others. We all prayed, and the sisters went home.

March 26 – After breakfast and prayer and devotion time, Eduard, Vladimir, and I went to visit old brother Nikolay (he is 92). He can’t go to church because of age and health problems. He gladly met us, and we introduced ourselves, encouraged him, and did Communion for him. At 4 p.m. at the church, we started teaching on Ephesians, chapters 1 and 2. We discussed chapter 1, explaining that God chooses us and brings us into His family as His children, He forgives our sins, He makes us free from the judgment for our sins, He seals us with the Holy Spirit, and now we have that power that raised up Jesus from the dead. The sisters at the church were so glad to hear this. They shared that for 20 years of faith, no one ever taught them this. They thought we still need to earn our salvation. No one explained that we are chosen by God, and we are saved by His grace. Eight sisters came for teaching. After, they all thanked God and praised Him for this gift of grace in their lives.

March 27 – After breakfast and prayer and devotion time, Eduard and I continued to clean the yard from snow till 11 a.m. Brother Aleksandr came to the church. He couldn’t come for our two teachings before, so we met with him and explained to him about God’s grace. He gladly listened and said they have a great need for a pastor who can teach them. For lunch, we were invited by sister Rozalia and there we met her husband Pyotr. That day for teaching at the church, twelve sisters came and brother Aleksandr as well. We taught on Ephesians chapter 3.

March 28 – After breakfast and prayer and devotion time, we took a taxi to the neighboring village Antonovka to visit old sister Anna. She is more than 80, both of her legs are broken, and she uses some medical equipment and wheels and crutches to move around. She was very happy to meet us. We talked to her about God’s Word. She was a teacher in the past, and she read New Testament in Yakut language very well. Then we did Communion for her. At 4 p.m. sisters came to the church, and we started teaching Ephesians chapter 4. The sisters were very happy and praised God in prayer after.

March 29 – After breakfast and prayer and devotion time, the sisters asked us to go to the post office to receive a box of humanitarian aid: about 33 pounds from our American brothers. At 4 p.m. we continued teaching on Ephesians in chapter 5 and prayed after, and the sisters went home.

March 30 – We had a prayer and fasting day with the church for my mother’s health, the sisters, and brothers Saed and Stas. After lunch at 3 p.m. the sisters came to the church for a prayer meeting. First, we praised God in individual prayers and then we got divided into small groups and prayed for the sick, for children of believers (for God to protect them from cancer and strokes), and prayed for authorities. After the prayer meeting, the sisters went home.

April 1 – We did Sunday service and Communion. After lunch, Eduard, sister Tamara, and I went to the hospital to visit there our sister Matryena. She had cancer and was going through chemical therapy treatment. We met her, and she was happy of our visit. We shared about us and our ministry, prayed for her, and did Communion for her. After the hospital, we went to visit nonbelieving relatives of our sister Lena from Yakutsk church. She had asked us to visit them. They were the family of her sister who had died. When we came, the father of the family met us. Maksim is a driver and works in shifts in the village Nakyem. Two of his children have no jobs — his son Sergey and daughter Tuimaada. The daughter’s two children who are 2 and 5 years old live with them. They drink alcohol. We told them about God and invited them to church.

Then we visited an old church sister at her home. Her name is Albina She did not visit the church for a long time, as she had problems with her eyesight. She was happy to see us, and her granddaughter with her child was there, too. We witnessed to her, sang a song, prayed and went back to the church.

April, 2 – After breakfast and prayer and devotion time, the sisters and I took a taxi to the neighboring village Ubayan to visit a home for old disabled people. Old men and women and workers gathered in a big room to meet us. We introduced ourselves, shared the Good News, sang a song, and invited them to repentance. One man came to the front, and his body was covered with all kinds of tattoos. He said that he had many sins and wanted to repent and get cleaned. He repented, and we prayed for him. His name is Stas. Then at 4 p.m. we continued to teach on Ephesians, chapter 6, in the church. Sisters and brother Aleksandr came. Then we prayed, and they went home.

April 3 – After breakfast and prayer and devotion time, we spent time in preparation for teaching on Biblical counseling. We did a lecture on that at 4 p.m. in the church. We used Jeremiah 17:9 to explain sin origin, depravity of a man’s heart, and the power of God’s Word which makes us free from the power of sin. After teaching and a prayer, the sisters and brother Aleksandr went home.

April 4 – After breakfast and prayer and devotion time, we prepared for a lecture on counseling again. Sisters came at 4 p.m., and we continued teaching on Biblical counseling. We shared about a root of a sin and used Biblical examples to show how to overcome sin in our life. After the teaching, Vladimir said good-bye to brothers and sisters and took a bus back to Yakutsk. Eduard stayed.

After Vladimir left, we continued to teach on counseling. In the evening, sister Albina and I went to the village Antonovka to visit a sport school. Nine children and the teacher met us there. Sister Albina and I shared the Gospel and witnessed to them.

On Saturday, brother Vladimir (he lives in the church) and I went to visit our brother in Christ (I forgot his name). He has difficulty walking after the stroke and that’s why he doesn’t come to church services. We had good fellowship outside sitting on a bench, and we went through Ephesians with him as well.

At Sunday service I preached “How to follow Christ in a wrong way” (Luke 9:57-62). After the service, the brothers and sisters prepared a farewell meal for me. We ate and had good fellowship and shared different testimonies. Then that night I took a bus to Yakutsk and the next morning I was back home.

That’s how we spent two weeks in Nyurba for God’s glory. We thank God for you, for SGA, and for your ministry. We receive pure Biblical teaching, and we apply it in practice.