Russian Ministries’ in-country affilate, the Association for Spiritual Renewal, is passionate about puppets, and this was abundantly evident at the Puppet Festival that took place by the shores of the Sea of Azov in Ukraine.

In describing the purpose of the ministry, Sofia Gorbatiuk, who was part of the puppet festival team, said, “This is not just an excellent opportunity for Christian artistry, but it is a very effective means to witness to the secular world. Children are our future, and the puppet theater is a unique way to tell them about God and faith.”

Elena Milua, who conducted scriptwriting workshops at the puppet festival, wrote the following article.

They Came to Learn
By Elena Milua
Kiev, Ukraine
Editor of Pathways Magazine

Each of the puppet teams is unique, and each is needed and valuable because it conveys the good news about Christ to a dying world. We know that each team is actively involved in ministry. We heard amazing testimonies about presenting shows in Internats, hospitals, nursing homes and juvenile prisons. All of these performances are achieving one goal: to show people the way to God’s Kingdom.

No proof is needed to show that children love puppet shows. It is even difficult for adults to hide their emotions when fairy tales are brought to life on the stage. But these tales have meaning and wisdom behind them—the wisdom of God.

This was the first time I attended the Puppet Festival that the Association for Spiritual Renewal has held for six years. Sixty teams with 400 participants came from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Azerbaijan. Some of these teams were formed recently; others have been in existence for several years. Children are members of many of the teams, while other teams are made up of adults.

The shows presented during the five-day festival represented various topics and themes including Christmas shows, Bible stories, moral fables and fairy tales.

During the festival, we discussed topics such as: What is the difference between a miracle and magic? How should evil be portrayed on the stage in a way that does not make it too attractive for the viewer? How can biblical truths be included in the plot so that the plot affirms and explains those truths using the puppet show as a vehicle?

At the evening discussions, festival participants shared their opinions, which varied widely. But they were unanimous about one thing: these festivals are absolutely necessary for puppet teams.

Experienced and strong puppet theaters such as “Candle” from Zaporozhye, Ukraine, “Rainbow” from Odessa, Ukraine ,“God’s Colors” from Kislovodsk, Ukraine and others set the standard that the less experienced theaters strive toward. A valuable aspect of the festival was the generous sharing of ideas, scripts and other resources among teams.

Classes provided participants with the opportunity to improve their skills in the art of puppetry. These classes were taught by professional puppet theater actors and directors. I taught a seminar on scriptwriting during the festival.

During the festival we saw a variety of performances. The “Magic Lantern” theater from Sevastopol gave an effective presentation that used shadows along with live actors. The “Candle” Theater from Zaporozhye made a very vivid impression with its use of actors and marionettes.

But the undisputed favorite of the competition was the show presented by the theater from Makeeva called “My Enemy” which combined live actors with puppets. They used dramatic effects including a battle scene with very realistic weapons and a cannon that actually fired!

A theater from Kislovodsk simply charmed the audience with its surprise storyline, excellent puppet work, and the way that the personalities of the puppets came through in their voices, dialogue and humor.

I would also like to say a few words about the newer puppet theaters. The team from Samara won first place for its performance, “Believe in Miracles.” This team immediately won over the audience. Puppet theater teams from Dnepropetrovsk, Brovarov, Azov, Belaya Tserkov and Tyumen presented interesting shows that revealed a great amount of effort and artistry.

“YOU +” CONFERENCE ATTRACTS 800 CHRISTIAN YOUTH

On May 30, approximately 800 young national Christians gathered in Chisinau, the capital city of Moldova, for “You +”—a special event that was part of a “Time to Live!” rally sponsored by Russian Ministries in the former Soviet Union. About 100 young people from non-Christian backgrounds also participated in the event.

The conference was designed for youth to look at themselves from a positive perspective—no small feat in a country where young people face unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse and even human trafficking. Moldova ranks first in human trafficking in Europe.

However, through the redemptive work of Christ, God has a positive perspective on these young national believers. The conference zeroed in on 2 Peter 1:13, which states that God has blessed His followers with the gift of righteousness, and in Him they are strong. Young people are already a “plus” in God’s eyes, in church and in society.

This theme was emphasized by local Pastors Peter Litnevsky and Viktor Myrza, who are passionate about reaching out to youth, along with Michael Cherenkov, vice-president of Russian Ministries’ in-country affiliate, the Association of Spiritual Renewal. (Cherenkov traveled from Kiev, Ukraine to attend the event.)

Three local churches in Chisinau participated in the conference, with the support of 15 other local congregations. The three main churches were Agape Church, Light to the World, and the Veritas church—a church “without walls.” The Association for Spiritual Renewal/Russian Ministries initiated and funded this rally that motivated and mobilized the Next Generation to be proactive in their Christian walk and witness.

Along with the seminars, “You +” also featured Sergei Briksa, a popular musician and the band “Sons of Day,” from the U.S. They filled the meeting with music and their positive attitudes toward their faith. The musicians also talked about their return to Jesus after a period of meaningless wanderings. They are now using their talents in evangelizing this young generation.

About 20 students from Chisinau’s School Without Walls volunteered at the meeting, and passed out fliers, greeted and seated participants, maintained order in the facility, and put into practice some of the training they received in the classroom.

Near the end of the conference, participants were challenged to renew their commitment for ministry. A sea of hands went up in the packed community center as an affirmation that God is at work, and that “YOU+” is in fact God working through them.

“Each time I see young people who are being inspired for the ministry and rejoicing in Jesus, I realize that all of our efforts were not in vain. It’s worth the risk to give ourselves for their sake, for the sake of the Kingdom in their hearts, and for the One who saved us all,” declared Vladimir Ubeyvolk, director of Russian Ministries’ ministry center in Moldova.

Many young people came that night with intention only to listen to the music and left with their hearts changed for deeper commitment and ready to spread His Kingdom. As the young people left the conference, hundreds of excited voices echoed, “You are a plus.” And indeed this Next Generation is a plus to God, their churches and society—a positive force poised to bring Jesus to their generation.

Conference organizers were pleased to see a group of 20 teenagers from an orphanage at the event. Afterwards, they connected with Christian youth, and asked all s orts of questins about the issues the “You +” conference addressed.

Here are some comments from participants.

“Thank you very much for setting up the festival. These days we hear so much about what we should do, and so little about who we are.”—Inna

“We had a blast! Briksa and our pastors explored and showed to us the other side of our minds—the positive one.”—Sergei

“Before this event I just couldn’t visualize how people from various denominations could simply be together, vibrantly rejoicing in God, and not blaming one another.”—Pavel

“I was pleasantly surprised that no one at the meeting attempted to advertise their own church, instead the organizers would encourage us to stick to our churches and inspired us to live out a ‘plus’ lifestyle.”—Anya

The recent NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania, in some ways echoes the Cold War period, when political tensions between the West and Russia reached a fevered pitch. Even today the world’s attention remains focused on the former Soviet Union—often with more questions than answers about international policies and strategies.

Now more than ever the evangelical church in Russia, Ukraine and the other former Soviet Union countries needs to be well-prepared and equipped for the future, and led by a new generation of strong leaders. This is a generation of young leaders who, despite the changing political landscape, is able to confront and challenge society, and avoid slipping into survival mode as the church did when it was severely persecuted under communism.

Today, the church and these young Christian leaders are an effective missionary force as they confront the social and spiritual problems in their communities. They not only proclaim the hope of the gospel, but also deal with issues such as poverty, alcoholism, street children, broken families and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Russian Ministries is committed to the effective ministry strategy of equipping and training the Next Generation of church and ministry leaders today for tomorrow’s victory over sin and despair.

And even as Ukraine’s bid for NATO membership has stalled, young Next Generation Christian leaders in Ukraine move ahead at full speed in their ministries.

• Last month, enthusiastic young national leaders from the various countries of the former Soviet Union gathered at the new national ministry training center just outside of Kiev to sharpen their ministry skills and investigate new ministry opportunities. Russian Ministries’ Senior Vice-President Sergey Rakhuba played a strategic role at these sessions.
• As the rate of HIV/AIDS infections steadily rises in Ukraine, public schools in Belaya Tserkov have been open to young Next Generation Christians presenting programs that promote healthy lifestyles, which are based on biblical principles.
• With Russian Easter celebrated on April 27 this year, churches across Ukraine—as well as Russia, Belarus and Moldova—are planning a variety of evangelistic services to share the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. For example, in Cherkassy, special youth services are planned as well as Easter programs in various orphanages.
• As summer approaches, hundreds of School Without Walls students along with other young Christian leaders are inviting children and teenagers to participate in Russian Ministries’ evangelistic summer camps across Ukraine.

To read more about NATO’s expansion in the former Soviet Union, click NATO expansion.

In the bleak mid-winter, hundreds of young Next Generation Christians, churches and ministry partners went to the streets, orphanages, hospitals and run-down apartments to shine the light of Christ into the dark despair of sickness, neglect and poverty.

Here are some stories of hope and joy from Russian Ministries’ Project Hope: The Great Gift Exchange.

• Church leaders and young Next Generation Christian leaders went to an orphanage in the town of Ostrogozhsk on Christmas day to distribute gift boxes and share the good news of Jesus’ birth. Alexander Shmakov, pastor of the church there, described the children as “social orphans,” children whose parents are unable or unwilling to care for them.

“It was wonderful to see how happy they were, showing their gifts to each other and their teachers,” recalled Pastor Alexander.

Then he noticed one boy who hadn’t rushed to open all of his presents. The only thing that caught the boy’s attention was the Bible that had been included in each box. He quickly assured Alexander that he was interested in the other gifts, but he liked to read.

“I told him that this was a book about God and asked him if he knew anything about Him,” said Alexander. The boy replied the he knew a little about God. Alexander and the young boy sat down and had a long conversation about Jesus.

“I also told him that he would learn more about Jesus if he reads this book,” said Alexander.

The pastor later learned that this young boy was only seven years old. His father is in prison, and his mother went to Moscow to work and appears to have forgotten all about her son.

• Anna spent her Christmas holidays as a counselor at a winter camp METRO Ministries organized in Moscow for orphans and street kids. Russian Ministries provided gift boxes for the campers.

Nastya and her sister recently arrived at the Internat (a state-run orphanage and boarding school). As other children went home for the New Year’s holiday, Nastya knew that her mother, a drug addict, would not be coming for her and her sister.

Withdrawn, and struggling with learning problems, Nastya slowly warmed up to the games, Bible lessons and other activities. As Anna spent time with Nastya, the young girl revealed her troubled family life.

One day Nastya told Anna, “I am very happy I am here at the camp, and not at home.” Nastya had never experienced such love and care as she had at camp.

Since the camp, the counselors have returned to the orphanage, and Anna was pleased that Nastya was reading the Bible every day and praying.

“I am sure that God called me to this camp because of Nastya,” Anna says. “I know that this camp was a great gift to her from God.”

• In the cities of Ryazan and Ryazhsk, young Next Generation Christian leaders have been planting new churches as well as reaching out to nearby orphanages and hospitals. Altogether, 140 gift boxes were given away to needy children in orphanages and at a hospital where children have cerebral palsy.

This team of Next Generation Christians has been involved with one particular orphanage in Ryazhsk for three years now. Diana, a teenager, lives at the orphanage. Her mother is an alcoholic, and Diana has never known her father.

Right before the Christmas holidays, Diana sunk into a depression and wanted to commit suicide. When the young Christians heard about Diana’s condition, they gently talked to her about the new life, acceptance and forgiveness that Christ offers. Soon Diana’s outlook changed, and she looks forward to every meeting and event the team of Christians has at the orphanage.

To listen to a CBN report on Project Hope in Siberia, click here

Evangelical churches in Belarus frequently encounter obstacles to their rights to carry out ministry—not surprising in a country that has been described as Europe’s last dictatorship, and which is often cited for its human rights violations.

None of this pressure has stopped evangelical believers from actively defending their right to worship freely, nor has it slowed the church’s outreach to the outcast and hurting. This ministry is clothed in mercy as young Next Generation Christian leaders proclaim the good news of Jesus in hospitals, orphanages and prisons as well as to other at-risk and vulnerable people.

Investment in the Future

On December 18-19, 2007, “School Without Walls” ministry leaders met in Minsk to discuss the continued training and motivation of young ministry leaders.  As Mikhail Kornev, the youth ministry leader from the Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptist Churches of Belarus, declared:  “Investing in youth is making a contribution to the future of the church. The creation of youth teams and the training of leaders will help the church be relevant in its ministry to contemporary society.”

During the two-day meetings, 25 church leaders met and shared the work of “School Without Walls” in their regions. They also discussed issues related to the further expansion of this ministry in Belarus.

According to Nikolai Sinkovets, the president of the Union of Evangelical Christian-Baptist Churches of Belarus, “Churches are not buildings but people, fellowship and ministry.  If we fail to raise up a new generation of church leaders, churches will not be effective in the fulfillment of the Great Commission. We are called to act and not to defend ourselves.”  Students and graduates of  “School Without Walls” are actively taking part in social ministry while developing new approaches and models for ministry.

“School Without Walls” coordinators such as Dmitry Polyukhovich, from the city of Pinsk, are committed to developing this Next Generation of young church leaders. “We must help youth become integrated in ministry so that they can take their first independent steps,” explains Polyukhovich.

Effective Equipping

According to participants, “School Without Walls” has helped them form a new mindset about the Next Generation of young Christians, and how best to equip them for effective and innovative ministry in church leadership and in the community.

The seminar was led by bishop Gennady Brutsky, the national representative of Russian Ministries’ Moscow affiliate, the Association for Spiritual Renewal, who challenged participants to focus on youth in order to pass the baton of ministry on to them.

Seminar participants also included Pavel Tokarchuk (Moscow), Vladimir Ubeivolk (Kishinev, Moldova), and Mikhail Cherenkov (Kiev, Ukraine).

“School Without Walls” currently runs programs in 16 locations in Belarus.

To learn more about religious persecution and freedom in Belarus, click here.