Amazing Grace - Another Changed Life

This week we sat and talked with one of the brothers who found freedom from drugs through the ministry of the church and rehabilitation center. This is his story.

By the time I was twenty years old I was a hard core drug addict supporting myself primarily by pick pocketing and stealing the cash. One day while riding a bus a young woman and I realized that were trying to steal the same wallet! We thought that was pretty funny so we got off the bus together at the next stop and began to talk. We discovered that we liked each other and started living together, stealing and doing drugs.

After some time my girlfriend became pregnant. We had no desire to change our lifestyle, and neither of us wanted the burden or responsibility of a baby, so we decided to simply end the pregnancy with an abortion. Before we were able to do this we were both arrested. In Russia the law gives a lesser sentence to a pregnant woman so my girlfriend took all the blame, received a short jail sentence, and I was set free. Although the prison sentence was short, by the time she was released it was too late for her to get an abortion so we were stuck with an unwanted baby. Soon a little girl was born, but as unrepentant drug addicts we had no use for a baby so we left it with my mom and continued in our life of crime and drug use. I see now that even in my life of crime and addiction God was watching over me and today I thank Him for His mercy by not allowing me to murder my daughter.

I was arrested a second time and because of the long sentence my girlfriend decided to not wait for me. Instead, she started living with a good friend of mine. While in prison I remember burning with anger at her unfaithfulness and planning my revenge, how I would stab her to death after I was released. Fortunately, I never carried out my plans and we just went our separate ways.

I continued in my drug use and crime for years being utterly self absorbed; totally uninvolved with my little daughter. Her mother had also completely abandoned her. Since I persisted in using more and more drugs I was in and out of prison several more times and I understood that someday I would die from an overdose, but that was just the way life was. I had no hope for life; no hope for freedom from addiction. While my life continued to spiral downward my mom had been faithful to raise my daughter who was now 10 years old.

I began selling drugs to support my habit but I got caught and arrested. I was afraid because I knew that this time it would mean a very long prison sentence so I began to pray and said, “God, I don’t know if you are real, but if you are and you get me out of this mess, I will serve you." All I can tell you is that God in His grace and mercy works in mysterious ways. Not only was I able to avoid serving this long prison sentence, but the conviction for this particular crime disappeared from the court records. In my limited way I was sincere in this prayer, but sadly, as soon as the crisis was over I forgot about my promise to God.

One day a young guy, who could see that I was a drug addict, came up to me and handed my a small yellow flyer which read – Real Hope – Freedom from Drugs. He told me to call the number if I was tired of my life as an addict and that the people there would help me. As low as I had become in life, I still hadn't hit the bottom so I wasn’t really interested but I stuffed the flyer in my back pocket.

It wasn't long after that encounter when I resigned myself to the fact that my life was no longer worth living. I decided to hang myself and get it over with. I climbed up on a chair, tied a rope over a pipe and around my neck, and was about ready to kick the chair away when I stuck my hand in my back pocket. By this time I had completely forgotten about the yellow flyer so I can not explain why I did this, except to say that God was with me and remembered my prayer. I recalled that this young man had said I could find help, so I decided to call the number.

I spoke to a very kind brother, named Zhenya, who told me that they could help me. He seemed like a nice guy who was genuinely interested in me so I decided to enter the rehabilitation program and it was there that God finally got a hold of me and began to really work in my life. It was there in the rehab center that I learned about Jesus Christ and it was there in the center that He set me free from drugs. The first stage of the rehab course is four months long, but after only two months, with good intentions, but bad judgment, I violated one of the rules and I had to leave. During these two months I had become a follower of Jesus Christ and the work that God began in my life had really changed me. I started going to church and trying to serve God. I reunited with my daughter, who today is 14 years old, and now we have a good relationship. I have been completely drug free for three years. I have my own small business as a long distance truck driver and own my own truck. I love my new life, I love my work, I love my daughter and most of all l love God and thank Him for the great things He has done in my life.

Dmitry

We hear testimonies like this every week. God is doing amazing things as the Gospel brings hope and life to hundreds of ex-drug addicts. At the same time, every week on the local news, we see young men and women without hope who have ended their lives Thanks you for standing behind us as we serve the churches who minister to these young men and women.

Prostitution in Russia

As we drive around the city of Nizhny Novgorod and to areas outside the city limits we occasionally see young women selling themselves openly on the streets. At least five times during this past week we saw working prostitutes soliciting overtly during the daytime on pubic streets.

Within the city itself there are several locations where prostitutes congregate regularly. It is sad to see these young women standing at the bus stops obviously trying to get the attention of men driving by who might be interested in what they are offering. Many of the young women look to be college age, noticeably dressed and openly soliciting business. We often wonder if they are earning money in the only way they know how, are they drug addicts, or worse, are they slaves.

Outside of the city you can often see young women standing by the side of the road, waving down trucks and cars. They usually hang out near truck stops or major intersections, but occasionally you will see a sad, young women standing in what seems to be the middle of nowhere selling herself.

The women outside the city are nearly always more rough and desperate looking. We believe that many of them are being pimped out into sexual slavery. A large case of forced prostitution and mass murder was uncovered in 2007 near the industrial town of Nizhny Tagil according to the Russian newspaper, Komsomolskaya Pravda. A gang of pimps had abducted girls and forced them to work as prostitutes in their brothel, killing the ones who refused. A mass grave with up to 30 victims was found. The law in Russia prohibits prostitution but we have read that the fine is only about $65. Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases are rampant here. Addicts and sex workers are prime targets for HIV, hepatitis and AIDS.

It is difficult to imagine the forces in life that drive some women to prostitution. Obviously one of the big factors is drug addiction. Pray with us as the Cornerstone church planting movement continues to bring the good news of the Gospel to those who are addicted. The Gospel brings hope to the hopeless and breaks the chains of addiction and spiritual bondage. Every week we see young people who were addicted to drugs set free by the power of the Gospel.

Ministry in Russia

We have been very busy for the last few weeks with our regular load of ministry responsibilities.

Of course, Sunday is a day of worship and we gather together with our friends at Cornerstone Church. Church attendance this summer has averaged about 185 people. This fall Pastor Dimitry has decided to go to two services because the rented hall is getting too full on Sundays.

Today's church service was in many ways pretty average. We had about 190 people with about 15 visitors. The worship was loud and exuberant, if not always in tune. We celebrated one graduation from the Social Center - a six month course which teaches homeless people how to get back on their feet and back into society.

Homeless Center Graduate

We also saw four former drug addicts graduate from the drug rehabilitation program. All four of these youg people have graduated from the second course and will continue to serve the church and the center by ministering to those who are going through the rehabilitation program.

Former Drug Addicts Now Serving Christ

Pastor Dmitry preached a short but powerful sermon about the grace of God and casting your sin upon the Cross of Christ. Many people responded to a call for prayer and were encouraged to trust Christ completely for the forgiveness of their sins.

Pastor Dmitry also gave a call of repentance for those who had never trusted Christ and nine people responded and prayed a prayer of repentance. Afterwards the entire church celebrated communion together.

9 People - Most of them addicts - Praying To Receive Christ

Every Wednesday we visit the Social Center for Homeless People and the new Dzerzhinsk drug rehabilitation center. We spend time in fellowship and teach for at least an hour each visit.

With Our friends at the
Homeless Center for Social Rehabilitation

Dzerzhinsk Drug Rehabilitation Center

On Fridays we visit the Bogorodsk drug rehabilitation center. This center is the main one operated by Cornerstone Church of Nizhny Novgorod. It takes almost 1 1/2 hours to drive to this center. The center usually has about 30 people who are going through either the first or second course of rehabilitation. We often sit for a while and have tea and talk with the leaders, then there is a time of worship led by the rehabilitants and afterward I teach for 1 1/2 hours. Often after teaching we have a question and answer period where I will take any question about the Bible or the Christian life and try and answer it for these new believers.

Bogorodsk Drug Rehabilitation Center

This week we will begin a regular time of teaching at the new drug rehabilitation center in the city of Gorodets where there is a new church being planted. This will probably become a regular Thursday appointment.

Pastor Oleg (left) and His Church Planting Team

Mondays are sometimes a day off and sometimes a ministry day, depending upon the need. Tuesday is a study day for me as I try and prepare most of my teaching outlines on this day. We are currently giving pre-marriage counselling to two couples and because of their work schedules we find ourselves skiping our day off to meet with them.

We love what we do. We wouldn't want to be doing anything else or living anywhere else at this time in our lives. Our ministry is fruitful as we help disciple a church full of new, young believers.

Siberian Adventure

We have just returned from a 15 day trip to the Siberia region of Russia which is all of the Russian land mass east of the Ural Mountains. When most Americans hear the word “Siberia” they assume that it is always cold there, but the truth is that in the summer it can be quite warm. We experienced weather from the mid 70s to the low 90s on this trip.

We had a full schedule planned where we were to present a marriage seminar in the city of Sharipova, preach in Achinsk, and then attend both a pastor’s retreat and the annual conference of the Association of Cornerstone Churches which is the indigenous church planting movement we work alongside.

Our trip began with an overnight train to Moscow and then a 4.5 hour flight to the city of Krasnoyarsk. Even though we had crossed four time zones we were still just a little more than 1/3 of the way across Russia!

From the airport we continued by car, about 300 kilometers further east, to the city of Sharipova. It was a planned Soviet city of about 50,000 people, built only 26 years ago, but it quickly went into decline after the collapse of the communist government and is now plagued by unemployment, and drug and alcohol abuse.

In Sharipova

Pastor Zhenya and his wife

Karen and I had three exciting days in Sharipova. Every evening we taught a seminar about building “Foundations for a Healthy Marriage”. The Sharipova church is small, less than 30 people, so we were surprised and pleased that 40+ people came out every night for the seminar, many of them unbelievers.

First Evening of the Seminar

Teaching with our Interpreter, Valentina

she was very nervous, having never worked with an American before

On our second day in Sharipova we were interviewed by the local TV station and they ran a 2.5 minute spot on us that evening on the local news! On the last evening Karen and I spent over two hours praying for people individually at the conclusion of the seminar.

Preparing for the Interview

We were hugely impressed with this new church and its pastor Zhenya. In a very decrepit shell of an apartment building that lacks doors and most of its windows, the church has a youth ministry. The city allows the church to use two rooms that have heat and electricity.

This is the Building - like a destroyed housing project

Our apology for the poor picture it was taken at midnight

This small church remodeled these rooms and here they have a large children and youth ministry to the poorest of the poor in a poverty stricken city. Most of these children come from broken families with addicted or absent parents. Some of the young girls are being pimped as prostitutes. The church holds youth services, Sunday School, after school fun programs and provides food for kids who never get enough to eat.

Youth Rooms the Church has remodled

Kids do crafts and eat here

Pastor Zhenya wants to hold a summer camp next year for these kids. The church could use ten tents. Pastor Zhenya didn’t ask for our help, but if you would be interested in providing a tent or two let us know. They can be purchased here for about $75.00 - $100.00.

On to Achinsk

We left Sharipova on Saturday morning and drove to Achinsk were I preached in two services on Sunday. The Achinsk church is large and has two services with a total attendance of almost 600 people. Despite being sick with food poisoning, and losing my place in my notes, the Holy Spirit moved and ten people repented that morning, some of them weeping as they prayed and asked Jesus to be their Lord.

Preaching in Achinsk

I was really sick

Signing Bibles for Teens after the service

Before the national conference began on Thursday,we attended a gathering of Russian leaders at a hostel outside the city for two nights. It was a fun time of relationship building and some teaching. We all went to the banya, and we had a large cookout Wednesday evening.

With Pastor Oleg from Achinsk

He is a former drug addict who now leads a 450+ person church

Leaders Cookout

Karen with Russian friends

Russian Pastors - all former drug addicts

More Pastors & Leaders

On Thursday we returned to the city for the start of the annual conference. The conference was attended by over 1500 young Russian believers. The first night pastor Oleg asked everyone who had once been a drug addict or alcoholic to stand up. About 1400 people stood to their feet! The atmosphere was charged with excitement and joy as they have had their lives dramatically changed by the Gospel.

At the Conference

The blue tint is from the plastic roof on the pavillion

Friday and Saturday were conference days. We had times of really wonderful worship and the teaching and preaching sessions were great. Karen and I were pleased when one of the pastors, who was from Sweden, preached in English. What a treat for us!

Saturday afternoon we said our goodbyes in Achinsk and drove 4.5 hours west with another young couple to the city of Tomsk. During the conference Karen and I received an unexpected invitation to visit this city and minister there and were delighted by the opportunity.

Lena and Maxim

We drove with them to Tomsk

Tomsk City Limits

While there we attended two church services and ministered in two of the church rehab centers. The Tomsk Cornerstone church is the first church that was planted out of Achinsk ten years ago and today the church is more than 650 people. The church publishes a monthly magazine, hosts a radio program and has many other ministries as well as over 100 house groups meeting during the week.

Sunday Church Service, Tomsk

People who responded to call for Repentance

Our friend, Pastor Oleg Tikonovf

Fromer drug addict and criminal - now leads a 650 member church

With our friend Alonya - City Center - Tomsk

The Tomsk church owns a large tract of land and two buildings about 4 kilometers outside the city. In a miracle of God’s provision these buildings and land were purchased by the church for what it would cost to purchase a two room apartment! One of the buildings houses a rehab center and a center for homeless people. The second building, which has never been finished, is even larger and is currently in the process of being built out for occupation. It will have apartments, office space, a meeting hall and dorms for the growing church and rehab ministry.

This building houses recovering addicts and homeless people

This Building is being slowly built out - for offices and rehab ministry

The church has plans for a 2000 seat auditorium on this property

Karen with sisters at the prison halfway house operated by the church

Here we are with the entire group of former prison inmates

They now have hope for a better life -

Thanks to Jesus Christ and a church who cares about them

1:00 AM Tuesday morning we were taken by car 100 kilometers to a train station were we caught a 4:00 AM train to Krasnoyarsk, ten hours and 600 km back east. In Krasnoyarsk we stayed overnight in the local rehab center operated by the Krasnoyarsk Cornerstone church. We really enjoyed our time with the young church planters who are sacrificing so much in order to see the Kingdom of God advance.

Brothers and Sisters

at the Krasnoyarsk rehab center

The smaller brick building in the center

houses the Krasnoyarsk rehab minsitry

Early the next morning we headed to the airport for our long trip home and after traveling nearly 3000 miles in 18 hours we made it back to Nizhny. We were tired but, pleased with the great things that God had done. Despite the length of this post we could tell many more wonderful things that happened on this trip, but those stories will have to wait for another time.

Another Busy Month - Now, Off to Siberia!

Young women at the rehab center
All former drug addicts
Now they have new life in Christ!

Wow, it has been one month since I posted anything here. I usually try and out up an article every week. we have had a busy month.

The highlight of the month for me was an opportunity to preach at Cornerstone Church, Nizhny Novgorod. The title of my message was "Come To the Waters". It was gratifying at the conclusion of the message to see seven people respond to the call to commitment and repentance, and begin the walk of discipleship. Our prayer is that the word fell on good soil.

An Old Guy Preaching

Of course we continue to minister in several rehab centers, and to the residents of the social Center, sponsored by the church.

Here are a few photos.

Rehab Center in Bogorodts

Brothers and Sisters Worshipping
Rehab Center - Dzerzhinsk

The "Pavilion"

Rehab Center - Dzerzhinsk
Keeping things simple allows them to be self-supporting

Karen and I with some beautiful young women
with the Glory of the Lord on their faces.
All Former Addicts - Now Following Christ

Lena, 26 years old - and addict for a number of years
Now Set Free!
We watched Lena struggle during her first few weeks in rehab
Now she is a radiant new believer

Going to Siberia!

As I write today Karen and I are making last minute preparations for a two week trip to central Russia.

We have been invited to conduct a marriage seminar for Cornerstone Church, in the city of Sharipova. we have never been there and have yet to meet the pastor or leadership. We should have fun. The seminar is schedule for three days. Details are a bit sketchy, so we will just have to wait until we arrive to see what will actually happen.

We will also be preaching in Achinsk Russia, and possibly Krasnoyarsk. We are assuming that we will minister in a few drug rehabs, as all the churches we will visit operate a rehab center. In Achinsk we will also attend a two day leadership meeting for Russian pastor and leaders, and then attend the annual conference of the Association of Cornerstone Churches. The actual conference will be attended by nearly 2000 believers, most of whom are former drug addicts, criminals and alcoholics.

It promises to be another busy month. We are so happy to living in Russia and being a part of the work that God is doing here. It is an amazing and humbling thing to see so many lives changed.