Excessive heat in both Russia and Ukraine along with Russia’s wildfires didn’t stop veteran Moody Radio broadcaster Greg Wheatley from discovering the hope in these countries’ young Next Generation Christian leaders.

Read an interview by U.K. journalist Peter Wooding with Greg as he traveled this summer.

Sunday’s Victory Day in Russia commemorated the 65^th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. In Red Square, Russian soldiers joined ranks with troops from the U.S., France, Britain and Poland in marching in the Victory Day parade in Moscow.

Foreign leaders who planned to attend Sunday’s parade included French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Hu Jin Tao. Kyrgyzstan was represented by the head of its interim government, and other leaders from Central Asian countries also attended the showcase in Moscow.

Some observers felt that the Victory Day invitation to world leaders communicated Russia’s desire to strengthen its presence on the global stage.

Victory Day celebrations often have been marred by terrorist attacks, and Sunday was no exception as a bomb exploded in Dagestan near a Russian military base in this Northern Caucasus region.

Russian Ministries encourages Christians worldwide to continue to pray for stability and peace in this region of Russia and in the countries of Central Asia.

Lasting victory and peace, however, will be proclaimed this summer as at-risk children and troubled teenagers hear of Jesus’ victory over sin and death at Russian Ministries’ evangelistic summer camps across the former Soviet Union.

This month, a faithful and generous ministry partner has presented Russian Ministries with a matching grant challenge of $15,000 for the evangelistic summer camp ministry.

That means that your investment in the evangelistic summer camp ministry will go even further in helping to send children and teenagers to life-changing summer camps.

• $50 will help give one child one week at summer camp and place a Bible or Christian literature into the hands of that child.
• $100 will double your impact, and give two children the opportunity to meet Jesus at one of our evangelistic summer camps.
• $150 will help send three children to camp.
• $200 will help send four children to camp and provide Bibles and Christian literature for them.
• An even greater investment of $500 or $1,000 will help send ten or twenty children and teenagers to a life-changing week of summer camp.

As a special thank-you for your gift, you will receive a print of original artwork by a Russian Christian artist, Anastasia. Anastasia not only was orphaned as a young child but also copes with a physical disability. Neither has stopped Anastasia from using her artistic talent for God’s glory.

Help us meet the matching challenge today with an online donation to the evangelistic summer camp ministry.

If you’re on Facebook, you can also join the evangelistic summer camp cause.

Just as England is a nation of tea-drinkers, Russia is a nation steeped not in tea, but in vodka. In fact, vodka is a diminutive form of the word voda, the Russian word for water.

As part of Russian President Dmitry’s Medvedev anti-alcohol campaign, the Kremlin nearly doubled the cost of a bottle of vodka January 1, hoping that the higher costs of drinking would lower its consumption.

This might prove to be an exercise in futility as Russian leaders from Peter the Great to Mikhail Gorbachev discovered.

Today, Russia’s per capita alcohol consumption is twice as high as the U.S. And, tragically, this high alcohol consumption has taken its toll. A medical journal reported that half of all deaths of Russians ages 15-34 are caused by alcohol-related diseases.

Russian Ministries’ young Next Generation Christian leaders have seen first-hand the toll alcoholism takes on families and individuals: unemployment, homelessness, abandonment and even abuse. They have cared for children whose alcoholic parents have lost their rights, and embraced teenagers bent on destroying their lives through excessive drinking.

For these compassionate young leaders the best, and only, anti-alcohol campaign is to share the hope of Jesus and His promise of new life in Him.

“Pavel was an alcoholic, continually falling and spiraling downward,” describes one of Russian Ministries’ young Next Generation leaders. “He couldn’t support his family, because he spent all of his money on alcohol.”

For the past few years, these young Christians helped out Pavel and his family with groceries and other essentials, and also counseled them on various issues.

“Recently, we began to see changes. Pavel started asking about church,” said this national worker. “He was open and sincere, and admitted his mistakes.” Pavel repented and became a new creation in Christ.

Pavel doesn’t take his new life in Jesus for granted. “I understand what the Bible says. I understand what God wants to say to me. My soul has never felt so light before,” says Pavel.

As these Next Generation Christians point out, it is God who works in people’s hearts, changing them and bringing them new life.

2010—a new year for new life across the former Soviet Union.

Read “Russians and Vodka.”

Prayer and Preparations for Project Hope

Give now are receive our 2010 wall calendar

Christians in Russia and Ukraine are making final preparations for Project Hope: The Great Gift Exchange. Young Next Generation Christians in Russia and parts of Ukraine are now filling gift boxers with Christmas presents containing everything from art supplies to small toys. Each gift also includes a children’s Bible and/or Christian literature geared for kids.

Pray for the outreach efforts, that many children and families in need will discover the truth of the gospel and the love of Jesus Christ.

If you haven’t already done so, it’s not too late to give to Project Hope and help bring the good news of Jesus to a child. Make your gift today—it’s one gift that won’t be returned and will last forever.

Give a gift to Russian Ministries now, and we will send you our beautiful 2010 wall calendar (while supplies last).

CLICK HERE TO GIVE TO PROJECT HOPE.

All across Russia, national evangelical churches and young Next Generation Christians will bring Christmas hope to 50,000 orphans and needy children through Project Hope: The Great Gift Exchange.

This Christmas hope will reach children like Pasha, whose home is a tuberculosis hospital.

When Russian Ministries’ Next Generation Christians arrived at the hospital to celebrate Christmas with the children, all of them happily gathered, ready to play games, watch Christmas skits and open the presents their guests had brought with them.

Except for Pasha. He sat by himself, staring out the window. Soon Elena, one of the young Christian leaders, noticed Pasha. “I took a gift and told Pasha that Jesus loved him very much and prepared this gift for him. Pasha nodded, took the gift from me and walked away,” recalled Elena.

As the boy walked away, Elena noticed that he walked with a limp. The orphanage staff explained that Pasha’s mother didn’t want him, and had injected him with a concoction that adversely effected him as a baby.

“Now Pasha has problems with his eyes and one of his legs has grown at all,” Elena sadly reports. “He was close to his father, but he died from TB a few years ago.”

As dismayed as she was by Pasha’s story, Elena took heart in the opportunity she had to be a part of Project Hope: The Great Gift Exchange.

“I am so thankful to God that He gives us a chance to tell theses chldren about His love and bring them hope and joy!”

Soon, national evangelical churches, School Without Walls students and other young Next Generation Christian leaders will be preparing Christmas presents for 50,000 orphans and needy children.

But Project Hope: The Great Gift Exchange is more than delivering presents. It’s about building relationships in which Christmas hope—the hope of Jesus—is communicated through a loving touch, a friendly conversation, and above all, through God’s Word.

You can have a part in making Christmas a reality for children like Pasha all across Russia.
• A gift of $25 will provide one gift that includes small presents and a children’s Bible.
• A gift of $50 will provide two gifts and two children’s Bibles.
• A gift of $100 will provide four gifts and four children’s Bibles.

Make a secure online gift to Project Hope: The Great Gift Exchange, and start helping Russian Christians get ready for Christmas today!

Russian Ministries appreciated the School Without Walls students who were involved with Project Hope: The Great Gift Exchange this year, working with their local churches to bring the good news of Jesus’ birth to hurting children and families this Christmas.

We thank God that over 30,000 Christmas presents and children’s Bibles were given away this Christmas through Project Hope: The Great Gift Exchange.

To the Least of These
As soon as Svetlana* entered the house, she knew she wouldn’t hear joyful laughter or see a sparkling Christmas tree. Instead, on the sofa, a mother huddled under dirty rags in a drunken stupor. The elderly grandmother wasn’t in better shape either.

The only child home at the time was ten-year-old Tamara, who immediately hid behind her bedroom curtain when she saw Svetlana.

Svetlana and Tamara

Svetlana followed her into the room, where Tamara busied herself with her meager possessions, and then hung a few homemade ornaments on a small Christmas tree.

“Tamara, here is a Christmas present for you.” Svetlana held out one of the Project Hope presents that Russian believers had carefully and prayerfully filled and wrapped.

“But I have everything I need,” replied Tamara, without looking at Svetlana.
This compassionate young Christian leader was dumbfounded. All she saw was a cold wood stove, wet firewood and dirty pots.

Svetlana and the other Next Generation Christians with her did leave behind the Christmas presents as well as dry firewood, warm blankets, clothes and food, and as Svetlana left, she prayed, “Lord, only with You is it possible to have everything! Your light shines in darkness. Pour out your light on this house, in these hearts, so that they can understand that there is nothing more important than knowing Jesus, who gives us everything!”

*not her real name

This a a call to prayer for refugees from the Russian-Georgian conflict and the churches and Next Generation Christians caring for them.

Peter Deyneka Russian Ministries calls upon the churches and people of the world to pray for the grieving families and thousands of displaced people in the wake of last week’s clash between Russia and Georgia. There may be 180,000 refugees in Georgia and 40,000-50,000 refugees in South and North Ossetia. Massive aid is needed by both sides. The US and international organizations are shipping relief supplies to Georgia, but are restricted from sending relief assistance to North Ossetia and areas of South Ossetia under Russian control.

Many of the refugees are near Belsan, the site of the terrorist murders at the Beslan School in 2004. Christians there who suffered so greatly and believers in other regions of North Ossetia want to reach out to the thousands of suffering, homeless people almost at their doorstep. They are doing all they can but need funds to buy food, clothing, and other supplies for the refugees, which will be given by national Christians and churches with the love and compassion of Jesus. Please pray for the funds needed to purchase emergency supplies and Christian literature for the refugees.

Pray for God to use the caring outreach of churches and Next Generation Christians to break through ethnic barriers of race and the horrors of war with the peace of Christ. In North Ossetia, of the 35,000-50,000 refugees who have fled there for safety, an estimated 5,000 refugee children from South Ossetia are currently housed in schools, orphanages and Internats. Some of these children are with their parents; others are not. Pray for local churches and Next Generation Christians as they reach out to these refugee children.

Both Russian and Georgian troops set fire to the violence that lies smoldering in the tinderbox region of the Northern Caucasus, specifically in South Ossetia. The conflict began late last week, and escalated over the weekend.

News sources now estimate that 1,500-2,000 people have been killed, and 40,000-50,000 of the 70,000 residents of South Ossetia may have fled their homes to North Ossetia and other parts of Georgia. They were promised safe passageway and refuge.

On Tuesday, Russia ordered a halt to the fighting, although Georgia insists there is still action.

As Georgian troops retreated from South Ossetia, conflict erupted in Abkhazia, a breakaway republic by the Black Sea.

Sergey Rakhuba, senior vice-president of Russian Ministries, explained that these ethnic areas of North and South Ossetia and other regions of the Caucasus have been trapped in territorial disputes for years, which flared again in the early 1990s. However, they had enjoyed comparatively peaceful times until a couple of years ago.

“It’s a hard issue to resolve,” said Rakhuba.

Sergey Rakhuba’s main concern is for the well-being of the refugees, many of them families and children.

“I am worried that international aid might not be allowed to get to the region because of politics,” said Rakhuba. “I also am praying that the authorities can come to a peaceful, diplomatic solution to this fighting, for the sake of the thousands of people who have already been killed and injured, and those who will be if this war continues.”

Rakhuba fears that the turmoil could drag on for a long time, especially with families wanting revenge for the civilians who were killed in the fighting.

He also received a report that three evangelical churches, with which Russian Ministries has worked, were damaged over the weekend in Zhinvali, South Ossetia.

Meanwhile, Gennady Terkun, Russian Ministries’ ministry director for the Northern Caucasus ministry center in Vladikavkaz, reports that young Next Generation Christian leaders are standing by to provide comfort and counsel to the grieving and displaced.

Terkun and his team are located in Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia, where refugees are pouring in. Many families in South Ossetia have lost what little they had to begin with.

In addition to its ongoing humanitarian assistance to this region, the Vladikavkaz ministry team is already planning additional aid, including medical assistance, food and crisis counseling.

Also, in Beslan—a city well-acquainted with violence and death—Russian Ministries’ center is prepared to welcome and assist at least 30-35 refugee families.

“I want to encourage believers to pray,” said Sergey Rakhuba. “Pray for the families and children trapped in the fighting. Also pray for Mikhail Saakashvili, president of Georgia, and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Pray that God will give them wisdom to resolve this conflict.”

Russian Ministries has been serving in the Northern Caucasus region for over ten years, including the regions of South Ossetia and Chechnya—another region that has been marked by violence and conflict.

With Russian Ministries’ strategic base in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, young Next Generation Christians promote Christian reconciliation and teach Christian values that can help bring stability to families and communities in this shaken region.

Raul Dzhoiyev perhaps best understands the plight of the refugees who are fleeing the region. Almost two years ago, he moved from South Ossetia to Vladikavkaz as a refugee and became involved with the ministry of missionary Gennady Terkun’s church.

Raul is planning to move back to South Ossetia for ministry outreach through the evangelical church in the village of Kvays, helping the church reach out to non-believing families in the community. Pray that the violence and conflict do not hinder his plans for ministry in South Ossetia.

South Ossetia is not forgotten by young Next Generation Christians throughout the year. They distribute humanitarian assistance to needy families, present special Christmas programs and distribute Christmas presents, hold evangelistic summer camps as well as sports camps. They are conducting training seminars for youth, pastors, children’s ministry leaders, and aiding existing churches and helping new churches to begin and grow.

MINISTRY REPORT ON NORTHERN CAUCASUS–click here

International Evangelical Missions Forum
Irpen (Kiev Region), Ukraine
October 24-25, 2008

If you represent an organization that has been involved in ministry to Russia, Ukraine or another former Soviet country, you are cordially invited to participate in an International Evangelical Missions Forum sponsored by Russian Ministries/Association for Spiritual Renewal on the topic: “Missions Today: History, Analysis, and New Approaches: Perspectives for International Partnerships in Countries of the CIS.” This Forum will take place at our ministry training center headquarters located in Irpen (Kiev region), Ukraine on October 24-25, 2008, and will begin with a dedication ceremony for this new facility which is already serving as a national center for our national affiliate, Association for Spiritual Renewal.

During the International Evangelical Missions Forum, leaders and representatives from many different national and international organizations, missiologists and theologians will analyze the experience, results, new opportunities and strategies for ministry in the countries of the CIS. Specific goals of the Forum include:

• To analyze missions during the past 20 years of religious freedom in the CIS;
• To understand the reasons for the crises facing national evangelical churches;
• To outline prospects for partnerships between churches and Christian organizations;
• To study successful models of church growth and effective missions.

The Forum will be designed to encourage networking and the sharing of experiences between national churches and foreign missions, as well as promote future fellowship and expand partnerships between leaders of churches, missions, educational institutions and international organizations.

In addition to plenary sessions, the following four workshops will be organized to discuss:

• Planting new churches: experience and new models;
• Social evangelism as a new form of missions ministry;
• Education as a form of ministry training: diverse approaches with a single goal;
• Theology of missions: in search of new paradigms.

The Forum organizational committee consists of the following representatives: Gregory I. Komendant, Ukrainian Bible Society and UUECB (Ukraine); Sergey N. Rakhuba, Association for Spiritual Renewal/Russian Ministries (USA/CIS); Victor Hamm, “Vozrozhdeniye” Christian Center/ Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (Canada/USA/CIS); Victor K. Kulbich, Center for Christian Cooperation (Ukraine) Alexei I. Melnichuk, Connect International (USA/Ukraine); Valery S. Antoniuk, All-Ukrainian Union of Evangelical Christian-Baptist Churches (Ukraine); Konstantin V. Goncharov, Movement “For A Healthy Church” (Ukraine); Sergey V. Sannikov, Euro-Asian Accrediting Association (Ukraine); Yuri K. Sipko, Russian Union of Evangelical Christian-Baptists (Russia); Sergey Golovin, Christian Scientific-Apologetic Center (Ukraine); Peter Panner, International Baptist Theological Seminary (Czech Republic); Malcolm Johnson, Youth for Christ (Ireland); Gennady Brutsky-Stepanovsky, ASR Director (Belarus); Vladimir Ubeyvolk, MCPC/ASR (Moldova); Ted Rodgers, Russian Leadership Ministries (US); and others.

We would greatly value your attendance and participation in the International Evangelical Missions Forum. To register, please click here. NOTE: Online registration for this event is now closed.

Wednesday kicked off three days of pomp and ceremony in Moscow as Dmitry Medvedev was sworn in as Russia’s new president.

At his inauguration, President Medvedev declared that, “human rights and freedoms . . . are deemed of the highest value for our society.” He also promised to work for a “better” Russia.

Thursday, as expected, Vladimir Putin was named prime minister, and today the week ends with a Victory Day parade.

An annual celebration, Victory Day marks Russia’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. This year’s parade through Red Square shows off Russia’s heavy military—a display that hasn’t been seen since the Soviet years.

While this show of might made some uneasy, Vladimir Putin stated that this wasn’t “saber-rattling,” but a show of “Russia’s growing defense capability.”

As the celebrations wind down today, a new generation of young Christian leaders continues to confront the spiritual and moral bankruptcy of its generation.

These young Christian leaders are being equipped and mobilized to proclaim Christ’s victory over sin and despair to children living in orphanages who need the Heavenly Father’s love, to teenagers roaming the streets in search of purpose and meaning and to men and women who struggle to survive and long for the peace and security only Jesus can give.

Next month, thousands of children and young people will participate in Russian Ministries’ evangelistic summer camps, where they will discover God’s love, learn from His Word and grow in their faith.

The evangelistic summer camp ministry has a broad reach to the youngest and neediest of the Next Generation to young women struggling with HIV/AIDS and to children and teenagers who live in Norther Caucasus, a region scarred by war and ethnic conflicts.

For news about Russia’s new President Dmitry Medvedev, follow this BBC World News link.