I have just returned from a ten day trip to the city of Achinsk about 2000 miles from Nizhny Novgorod, in the Siberian area of Russia. I attended a conference sponsored by the Cornerstone churches of Russia, an indigenous church planting group with whom we are working.
The whole trip was bit overwhelming as I saw and experienced so much. The most exciting thing I saw was a growing indigenous fellowship of Russian churches which is growing by conversion growth. This group is reaching those bound by drug addiction and the various problems associated with drug use. The conference was attended by almost 1300 people most of whom were former drug addicts or their families. The conference was a combination of intense praise and worship, teaching and fellowship. Here are a few photos from the conference.
A former Russian military training center
Now filled with Russian young people
worshiping the God the Communist government denied existed!
Over 1000 people
the majority former addicts, homeless people and criminals
Worshiping with wild abandon
Former Addicts
Worshiping the God who has set them free
Worship Team
Russian PastorsEveryone (except for me) a former drug addict.
Now they each lead a local church and rehab center
The highlight of the conference was the setting apart of 7 new missionary teams to attend missionary school in anticipation of planting seven new churches in the next year.
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