God's transforming work has gone on through HopeRussia as we…
train nationals in Gospel ministry
and plant churches.
Through this, Christ...
rebuilds lives and families
and cares for the needy.
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. Ezra 7:10
Ezra 7:9-10 is the theme verse of HopeRussia Seminary because we want men to develop Christ-like character in addition to knowledge. Sunday we got to see the fruit of our labors, by God's grace.
First of all, after a month in the hot USA, it is good to be back in cool Russia. Our kids were ready for us to be home too!
You may be keeping up with the ongoing tensions between the USA and Russia, and within our own people, as in the following news articles
I wanted to write and share with you the bitter-sweet news that I was able with your help to fly to Bejing last week and in 48 hours receive my father's, Ivan's, remains, and bring them back to our home here in St. Petersburg, Russia.
On September 25th, 15 Russian pastors plan to meet in St. Petersburg to study what the Bible says about worship,perhaps, for the first time in their lives. These pastors represent more than 800 members in churches where they minister weekly.
Saule and I wanted to write to say thank you so very much for one of the most fun and interesting times of our lives. Tomorrow we leave for New Hampshire, then to Moscow on Tuesday. Our kids are ready to see us!
A couple of days ago we heard the sad news from one of our most faithful pastor/seminary students, Sergei Sukharev, that his father had passed away suddenly and tragically at only 60 years of age.
Sergei is unique in many ways, he is the pastor of a downtown Presbyterian church, just a few blocks from the Czar's Winter Palace. But more than that, Sergei is literally the only student in our seminary who was raised by a believing father. His father, Ivan, was an evangelical pastor during Soviet times, loving Christ and outspoken about his faith .
There are almost 900 people in all churches where our students and pastors minister, and 50% of the members are children. Hence the importance of teaching how to achieve peace and see fruits when raising children in the Lord. That's what Rev. Blake Purcell did the first week of our Intensive Course.
"Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul". (Proverbs 29:17)
Whenever Blake and Cathy come to Saint Petersburg it is always a chance for us to see Cathy and hear from her about her relationship with God. We all know that she raised 6 children all of whom have done well in life and are being a good influence in the world.
On Saturday, March 10, women from three Evangelical churches and one Russian Orthodox church came to the Purcells' to encourage one another and hear Cathy teach. It's always a treat to hear such an experienced woman talk about how to be a virtuous wife.
What's the first thing you think about when you receive a letter asking to support our seminary training in Russia? May be, "Oh, this seminary costs too much!" But do you know how much this training costs RUSSIAN PASTORS?
Here is a great example of the new harvest field God is opening for us in the Russian speaking world.
Dear Friends of SRS!
We have only one month before the spring intensive course of St. Petersburg seminary. It will be really intense and the largest in our history: 16 students, 6 pastors and 2 visiting professors from America. We hope it will bless both Russian ministers and American teachers. Alone we can't reach our goal. But together we can. Please help Russian pastors get a good education and the Church of Christ grow in Eurasia!
Eight Latvian men attended the conference “What Is a Real Man: God's Perspective” held by SRS in Jurmala, Latvia in March 2017. The goal of the conference was not to gain new members for the local Reformed church where Pastor Timur Anichkin ministers but to enter into a person-to-person relationship with men of the city to study the Word of God.
Was it worthwhile? Read Timur's report.
Dear friends! Believe it or not but...
WE WORSHIP THE LORD IN OUR OWN BUILDING!
In the photo you can see what it looks like today. Smoke from the stovepipe shows that it's already warm inside!
I'm sure, it's God's miracle, His gift from heaven. We have been dreaming about it for a long time. The Lord has heard our prayers and answered! He has provided helpers in Russia and sponsors in the United States who have made our dream come true.
The Vision
A movement of individuals, families and churches committed to seeing the Gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ planted and growing in the Russian speaking world numbering 275 million in Eurasia.
Small beginnings have led to churches and auxiliary ministries that are equipping believers with tools to teach others also!
The Churches
The planting of local churches is our first priority. In the context of a biblical church structure effective preaching and growth in Christ can take place.
We prioritize the raising up of both elders to lead these churches and godly men to lead their families.
The Stories
"Behold, I am doing a new thing… I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert… to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise."
Hope Russia focuses on training men for the ministry, but stretches far beyond that border to minister to wives, daughters, sons, widows, orphans, and all that their lives touch.
Every year my wife and daughter invite me to watch the mini-series Pride and Prejudice. In the first episode Mr. Darcy gives the impression of being a proud man and it takes 5 more episodes for Elizabeth Bennett’s prejudice against him to be uprooted by contradictory evidence.
This is an appropriate template for how many evangelicals view Orthodox believers in Russia. The Orthodox here, often, give the first impression of being proud, and our prejudice makes it very hard to see them as otherwise.