Preaching in Novosibirsk, Russia
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Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
We Are Foursquare
This past Saturday, October 22, we completed seven days of ministry in the city of Novosibirsk. During those days we preached or taught 14 times, usually ministering 10-12 hours each day. We had the joy of teaching a group of 60 young men and women who are training to plant churches across Russia. We saw 15 people pray public prayers of repentance, and we prayed for healing for many people and counseled others.
During the last session of Bible school men and women began to weep while listening to a message of forgiveness and healing from anger and bitterness. The Spirit of God has been powerfully in evidence during this time. We take no credit for this. It is the Spirit of God who is doing the work here.
After our last teaching session at the Novosibirsk Bible School we made a 6 hour trip by car to the city of Acino in the Tomsk region of Siberia. That evening we attended a gathering of Russian missionaries and leaders. We were also part of a small contingent of international missionaries in attendance, including one from Norway and one from Cameroon. On Sunday, Oct 23, Michael preached at the Acino Cornerstone church. This congregation was celebrating their tenth anniversary. The church is not large. There were about 60 people in attendance this day. When Michael called for those who would make a decision to publicly follow Christ ten people responded. It was a wonderful sight.
Later in the day we went to the local rehabilitation center to minister. Before the teaching we had a time of singing and worship and the Holy Spirit moved in a powerful way. There was a call to pray for anyone who might have aids, hepatitis, or cirrhosis. All sixteen of the men who were present came forward for prayer and we prayed for each one. The teaching time was powerful as well. The Gospel message was given and you could see that these men were beginning to grasp the simple power of the Gospel.
From Acino we traveled 5 hours by car to the city of Kolpashovo. We ministered for 2.5 days in Kolpashovo, preaching at the church two times and at the local drug rehabilitation one time. We also visited several homes and prayed with the families. During our time in Kolpashovo we saw four people publicly repent and decide to follow Christ.
After leaving Kolpashovo we stopped in the small city of Krivosheino and spent several hours sharing a meal and fellowship with the small church there.
Last night we arrived in Tomsk, where we spent the night. In just a few hours we will leave by car for the 5 hour drive to Achinsk. We will spend the next four days in ministry in the Achinsk region. During that time we will speak in two churches and several rehab centers.
We covet your prayers as we travel and minister. Please pray that the Spirit of God ministers through us. Pray for safety as we travel the Russian roads. Also we ask that you pray for our finances. In January we will be losing one of our largest sources of funding. We will need to replace $450.00 in support per month. We trust God for this. We know that our time in Russia is not at its end. We believe that where God leads, He provides.
After our last teaching session at the Novosibirsk Bible School we made a 6 hour trip by car to the city of Acino in the Tomsk region of Siberia. That evening we attended a gathering of Russian missionaries and leaders. We were also part of a small contingent of international missionaries in attendance, including one from Norway and one from Cameroon. On Sunday, Oct 23, Michael preached at the Acino Cornerstone church. This congregation was celebrating their tenth anniversary. The church is not large. There were about 60 people in attendance this day. When Michael called for those who would make a decision to publicly follow Christ ten people responded. It was a wonderful sight.
In the Acino church
This cow was right outside the church.
Later in the day we went to the local rehabilitation center to minister. Before the teaching we had a time of singing and worship and the Holy Spirit moved in a powerful way. There was a call to pray for anyone who might have aids, hepatitis, or cirrhosis. All sixteen of the men who were present came forward for prayer and we prayed for each one. The teaching time was powerful as well. The Gospel message was given and you could see that these men were beginning to grasp the simple power of the Gospel.
Prayer for the brothers for healing
From Acino we traveled 5 hours by car to the city of Kolpashovo. We ministered for 2.5 days in Kolpashovo, preaching at the church two times and at the local drug rehabilitation one time. We also visited several homes and prayed with the families. During our time in Kolpashovo we saw four people publicly repent and decide to follow Christ.
Karen speaking to leaders, and our co-worker Paulina
Praying for this family in their home
A small weekday evening gathering in the church in Kolpashovo
After leaving Kolpashovo we stopped in the small city of Krivosheino and spent several hours sharing a meal and fellowship with the small church there.
House church in Krivosheino
Last night we arrived in Tomsk, where we spent the night. In just a few hours we will leave by car for the 5 hour drive to Achinsk. We will spend the next four days in ministry in the Achinsk region. During that time we will speak in two churches and several rehab centers.
We covet your prayers as we travel and minister. Please pray that the Spirit of God ministers through us. Pray for safety as we travel the Russian roads. Also we ask that you pray for our finances. In January we will be losing one of our largest sources of funding. We will need to replace $450.00 in support per month. We trust God for this. We know that our time in Russia is not at its end. We believe that where God leads, He provides.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Busy, Busy, Busy
We have been in the city of Novosibirsk for 1 week and it has been a very busy week indeed. Every day we have been teaching a group of 60 Russian missionaries. These precious brothers and sisters are members of 18 teams who will go to Russian cities and begin new churches in the spring.
We love these young people. They are true faith missionaries. They will go to their target cities, find part time work and at the same time begin evangelizing. One year from now there will be 16-18 new churches reaching Russia for the Gospel! We are privileged to be a small part of their training. 
We also have been teaching in the rehabilitation centers in Novosibirsk. Several of them are actually far from the city and it takes two hours by car to reach them them. Yesterday we drove for one hour on a mud road, slipping and sliding our way to a rehabilitation center. 
We covet your prayers.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Holy Spirit ministry in Siberia
We are currently in the city of Novosibirsk, which is the largest city, and in many ways, the capitol city of the Siberian region of Russia. It is a city of more than 2 million people. There are few churches for such a large city, perhaps 25 in total.
We are here to teach in the missionary school and preach in Cornerstone Church of Novosibirsk.
On Sunday October 16 we participated in the Sunday morning gathering where there were nearly 550 people present. The church has many young families with children. This is always delightful to see. In most Russian Protestant churches the children are brought to the front of the hall and prayed for before they are dismissed to the children’s meeting.
The church also has a really talented worship team. We enjoyed the time of song and praise very much.
Pastor Vasily Dotsenko led the service. Vasily is a former drug addict and criminal who came to Christ about 10 years ago. Today he is a powerful, but gentle leader.
His beautiful wife, Natalia, is the worship leader and is our friend and co-worker as she helps us with our translation needs. Michael had the privilege of preaching in the morning service.
It was an interesting time. The Holy Spirit moved in a quiet but powerful way. The message was very simple. The Scripture text was Luke 6:6-11. Michael asked that each of us put ourselves into this story. Each of us is like the man with the damaged hand in the story. Something in each of our lives is broken. Most of us live with shame, anger, bitterness and woundedness, however, just as Jesus met this man and made him whole, Jesus wants to meet us at our place of brokenness and He wants to restore our lives and make us whole. As the message began to draw to a close there was a real presence of the Holy Spirit in the hall. People began to weep as they realized that Jesus was truly there to bring wholeness into their lives.
In the Scripture passage Jesus ask the man to “Stand, come here, and stretch out your hand.” When the man did so Jesus made him whole. Michael asked everyone in the hall to do the same. Stand, raise their hands and ask Jesus to heal the broken places in their lives. It was a powerful moment. The Holy Spirit was present in a very real way. People were being touched and we believe that God did a healing work in many lives. Michael then called for those who had never publicly proclaimed Christ as Lord and Savior to come forward and do so. Nine people came publicly to repent and make a decision to simply follow Jesus. One young man was weeping openly as he gave himself over to the Lordship of Christ.
It was a wonderful, powerful, miraculous morning! Christ was glorified and people met the Risen Christ! The next day we heard many people testify to the fact that Christ touched their lives through this simple Gospel message.
Romans 1:16a For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…
On Sunday October 16 we participated in the Sunday morning gathering where there were nearly 550 people present. The church has many young families with children. This is always delightful to see. In most Russian Protestant churches the children are brought to the front of the hall and prayed for before they are dismissed to the children’s meeting.
The church also has a really talented worship team. We enjoyed the time of song and praise very much.
Pastor Vasily Dotsenko led the service. Vasily is a former drug addict and criminal who came to Christ about 10 years ago. Today he is a powerful, but gentle leader.
His beautiful wife, Natalia, is the worship leader and is our friend and co-worker as she helps us with our translation needs. Michael had the privilege of preaching in the morning service.
It was an interesting time. The Holy Spirit moved in a quiet but powerful way. The message was very simple. The Scripture text was Luke 6:6-11. Michael asked that each of us put ourselves into this story. Each of us is like the man with the damaged hand in the story. Something in each of our lives is broken. Most of us live with shame, anger, bitterness and woundedness, however, just as Jesus met this man and made him whole, Jesus wants to meet us at our place of brokenness and He wants to restore our lives and make us whole. As the message began to draw to a close there was a real presence of the Holy Spirit in the hall. People began to weep as they realized that Jesus was truly there to bring wholeness into their lives.
In the Scripture passage Jesus ask the man to “Stand, come here, and stretch out your hand.” When the man did so Jesus made him whole. Michael asked everyone in the hall to do the same. Stand, raise their hands and ask Jesus to heal the broken places in their lives. It was a powerful moment. The Holy Spirit was present in a very real way. People were being touched and we believe that God did a healing work in many lives. Michael then called for those who had never publicly proclaimed Christ as Lord and Savior to come forward and do so. Nine people came publicly to repent and make a decision to simply follow Jesus. One young man was weeping openly as he gave himself over to the Lordship of Christ.
It was a wonderful, powerful, miraculous morning! Christ was glorified and people met the Risen Christ! The next day we heard many people testify to the fact that Christ touched their lives through this simple Gospel message.
Romans 1:16a For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
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