Russia Ministry Marches On

Our Russia ministry became reality in 2006, with the Russian translation of Surprised by Faith, and by Oleg Voskresensky joining our staff. Because FaithSearch exists to proclaim the Gospel with evidence to all peoples everywhere, Oleg has made multiple trips abroad to proclaim this message in churches, seminaries, Bible colleges and communities throughout the vast expanse of the Russian Federation.

In the summer of 2008, we received a surprising announcement from the Russian Federation Academy of Pedagogy. They recommended FaithSearch Discovery as an elective in the public schools all over the country as a part of their World Religions course. Oleg was informed that "the non-denominational nature of our ministry combined with its highest degree of cultural sensitivity distinguishes the FaithSearch materials from any other program–imported or indigenous–they have seen so far."

Oleg equipped these future humanities teachers at the Lenin Pedagogical University in Moscow, to include the FaithSearch presentation of evidence for historical, biblical Christianity in their classroom curriculum.

The potential impact of this development was staggering. It was an opportunity we could not afford to ignore. To finance this amazing opportunity, God provided a matching grant challenge from a friend of the ministry. On the day before the expiration of the grant, the match was fully met. Fifty-eight donors took the challenge and fully funded our 2009 Russia budget.

As a direct result, public high school teachers whom Oleg trains will themselves be presenting the rational foundations of the Christian faith, as part of their regular curriculum in the classroom, without offending traditions and cultural preferences. This will open the objective truth of the Gospel to potentially millions of students and their families.

Even before the funding was in place, we stepped out in faith to undertake this important work. In October 2008, Oleg began training current and future teachers, equipping them with a Russian version of FaithSearch Discovery and a set of teaching notes and worksheets–in Universities and at Teachers' Continuing Education classes. The Academy of Pedagogy wanted to test the material on, and discuss it with as many different audiences as possible–historians, psychologists, current and future teachers, school kids, sociologists, artists, journalists and theologians–before they approved it for high schools all over the Russian Federation.

Each institution was required to provide their reaction and feedback on what they heard and saw. "Those documents reveal that the testing went really well," said Oleg. One of them reads, "This is definitely a breakthrough material and method in the whole area of equipping teachers with what they absolutely need to know today–a reasonable, clear and sound presentation of the case for Christianity. We all talk a lot about it. Now, somebody is actually doing it!"

We don't know how long the door will remain open for thie exciting FaithSearch opportunity in Russia.

The event facilitator at Lipetsk Technological University wrote, "This presentation catches the students' attention. It is very different from anything they have ever heard about faith–so exciting, encouraging and motivating. You probably didn't know that they actually started a real riot against their college administration demanding the event to be continued and completed after your time was out."

Encouraged by initial feedback, Oleg planned five trips for 2009, in conjunction with the Russian Federation Academy of Pedagogy. He agrees to show up and provide training and materials; they schedule the venues and assemble the teachers. Two of these trips have already been completed, with strong results, and not without a few challenges. [See "God at Work" on page 1 for a summary.]

Each presentation has been followed by a sometimes long and vigorous discussion, each of which was recorded and later analyzed by the Academy of Education specialists. Some of the teachers come from a background of the Soviet era, carrying the baggage of a very authoritarian teaching style: "That is what we were taught and thus that's what it is." Many more are deeply touched and impressed. A history teacher from St. Petersburg said, "I can take this material and start teaching it in my class right away. And you are simply giving it away? At no cost? How come nobody ever told us this material was available?" A high school student said, "Thanks. It was SO different from what we usually have in class! Wish all our classes were so interesting and so clear."

In each event and throughout his hectic schedule, Oleg reflected, "I felt–almost physically–that somebody was holding up their hands in prayer and not letting the sun to go down until this battle is won." Thus, he was encouraged and empowered to continue, even when arrangements were beyond his control. "In fact," he continued, "learning to trust the business and communication style of these academics was perhaps the most stressful part. They didn't always tell me the dates and locations ahead of time, simply because they do not normally plan far ahead for themselves. Miraculously, all of the events actually did happen and my days, including some of the weekends, were indeed packed."

This unique door of opportunity–opened to our ministry suddenly last summer–offers much for us to do, and nobody knows how long it will stay open. Cultural, political, and economic issues–even changes in the relationships between Russia and the USA–these are a few of the factors at play in Russia today which may affect our ministry opportunities there at any moment. Please continue to pray and to support the ministry of FaithSearch International. It is only by God's provision through His people that we are able to proclaim the Gospel with evidence to all peoples everywhere.

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