No More Huts with Chicken Legs
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The Dreams of Victor Ryaguzov
Report
M o s c o w – Superintendent Victor Semyonovich Ryaguzov from the „Preobrazhenie" (Transformation) congregation in Samara on the Volga wanted to do the Baptist preachers of Russia a good deed. “We do a lot for young people, we hold summer camps and spiritual conferences und much more,” he explains. “But we do little to train our new preachers.” He therefore founded a preacher’s school in 2000, which has already trained 150 preachers in homiletics. He states: “We do not expect our graduates to preach like Charles Spurgeon. But we have already achieved much if they preach better.” And success stories can be told.
The Superintendent dreams of congregations that might work harder to reform themselves. “If it were strictly my choice, I would concentrate our efforts on the inner life of congregations. I hope for a deeper spiritual fellowship, a spirit of fraternal love and a willingness to help each other.” He also hopes for higher-quality music and a deeper form of worship.
He wants to apply those same concerns to the external realm: Baptist chapels have no need to compete with Moscow’s “Christ the Redeemer” cathedral, but they should nevertheless be “attractive, homey and comfortable”. “But that’s where the difficulties start,” he adds. “Even when we succeed in purchasing a piece of land, church construction can become extremely expensive.” He cites the example of Dimitrovgrad in Ulyanovsk region. The congregation has only 30 members; they’ve been constructing a new chapel for seven years. But finances are insufficient. “For that reason the congregation still gathers in a house more like a hut with chicken legs. Who would voluntarily go there? Only supernatural powers can bring people to a place like that.”
It pains the Superintendent of Samara and Ulyanovsk deeply that Baptists are still seen as a socially-isolated fringe element. “We don’t expect respect from the government. It would suffice if they would not disdain us and also call on us to help out with certain public functions. The situation will only change if we ever get access to mass media.”
He also does not demand the ultimate in relations with the Orthodox. It is not a matter of attempting to alter each other’s theology. “I am convinced that not nearly all people in our country want to become Baptists. Orthodoxy liturgy and its stress on the mystical is of greater appeal to them. But others certainly are open to becoming Baptists – they appreciate the strict demands on oneself and the commitment to God’s Word. That’s why the existence of both churches is justified. We only want to be accepted as fellow Christians. We desire a peaceful and reasonable cooperation. We should at least not slur each other and contribute jointly to humanitarian projects.”
He also believes: „Had the majority church in all modesty chosen to be tolerant, it would have only strengthened her authority in society. It would not have cost her nearly as many of her own members. But she states instead: ´Only we are correct – everyone else is a sect.´ That puts her in the position of a persecutor of churches, and that is very, very unfortunate.”
Baptists in Russia and the USA
North America’s evangelical movement is known for its countless divisions. Victor Ryaguzov therefore regards it as impossible to “simultaneously hold to all theological schools“. We are therefore only called to accept that which can be applied to our own context. One should not forget “that we in Russia are living in a situation involving a state-sponsored Orthodox religion. The media only describe us as sectarians, and we are thrown black-white into one pot with all other churches and sects. People are even afraid of losing their health policies or living quarters if they dare to join the Baptists.” He continues: “Mass evangelisation doesn’t work any more. I believe the time for personal evangelisation has returned. That’s how we existed during the Soviet era.”
The Superintendent appeals for understanding and patience regarding those Russians who have emigrated to North America. He explains: “In America, immigrants are concerned about retaining their identity. Clothing, the sermon, the order of church service, they should remain as they were in the USSR. They are afraid their youth might accept the American form and they want to protect them from that. But in the third or fourth generation, this change will come anyway. We need to give the congregations time – using pressure to change something would only split them. In time, the Russian churches will become churches with modern, American contents.”
Biography
Thanks to the influence of God-fearing parents and a particularly gifted preacher, Yuri Grachev, Victor Ryaguzov came to the faith in 1967 at the age of 16. After the state had brought his medicine studies to a halt, he was elected pastor of the Kubishevski (now Samara) congregation in 1980. That congregation now has 800 members. He was named Superintendent for the regions of Samara and Ulyanovsk 12 years later, where he now oversees 30 congregations and groups with a total of 3.000 participants.
In January 2002 something rare occurred: He as a Baptist pastor was presented with the Russian state’s Friendship medal for his efforts in “strengthening friendship and cooperation between the peoples”.
He has two brothers and a sister – the sister is living in California. Their beloved mother is also buried there. Pastor Ryaguzov has been married to Valentina since 1980. The couple has four children.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 20 December 2007
This piece desires only to inform readers. It is not an official statement of opinion by RUECB-leadership.
A release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #56, 890 words.
Beginning with Oneself
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The Women´s Department of the RUECB
Report
M o s c o w – Diana Kondratyeva sees the road to freedom not in the struggle for women´s rights, but rather in prayer. Director of the Women´s Department for the “Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists” (RUECB) in Moscow, her thinking is sometimes highly conventional. Citing Adam and Eve, she supports a prioritisation of the sexes: “There was first of all the man, then the woman. The brothers and sisters came after that.” The West thinks in terms of partnership, but “according to my view, men and women have their own clear, God-given roles”.
Married for 30 years, she concedes that Russian men are often best-known for their weakness and love of alcohol. Yet if something is to change, women will need to begin with themselves. “We often make mistakes,” she admits. “Through our behaviour, gestures and intonation, we attempt to push through our own superiority. But God will only help if I can begin with: ´Here am I, change me.´ I can only begin by admitting that I am not a wise woman. That´s how things were with me and my husband. We were very near a divorce, but then I asked God to change me. Thereafter I was changed, then my husband was changed through me. He was an Army officer and never had any plans for becoming a believer. Yet today he is lay helper in a large congregation. God did that through my prayers.”
For 10 years, this 52-year-old woman played a leading role in the Russian Protestant prayer movement. That dedication is easy for her to explain: “Through prayer, God changed my life and the life of my family. I have seen how many miracles can happen to women and their families through prayer.” A pedagogue, she is convinced that one can penetrate into the world of spiritual secrets through prayer. She reports that she therefore has no fear of the “secrets” of family and upbringing or of the interaction between men and women.
This woman’s second passion – she’s the mother of two sons – is the family. She believes the success of church life is dependent upon the condition of its families: “Family problems are quickly transported into the congregation.” Satan can destroy a congregation by initially destroying its families. There can be no strong church without strong families. She advises women with a deficient family life to initially put off going to church: “Stay with your man. Gaze into his eyes and try to reach a common understanding. You should try 1, 2 or even 125 times! He will notice your good intentions and something will begin to change his heart.”
This department director has no ready solutions for the large number of single women and mothers. “We cannot help in any way,” she maintains. Yet such a woman can peer over and beyond her own problems and into the heart of God: “He can help.” When she was very near divorce, she pleaded with God according to the prayer of Jacob: “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” But a way out of one’s own troublesome circumstances demands “a terrific sacrifice of time and labour”. Very often she confronts women with the question: “Have you really done everything you possibly could in the relationship with your husband/brother/son?”
The Women’s Department only began its official existence at the RUECB´s official conference in Bryansk (Western Russia) in Summer 2006. Diana Kondratyeva was called to head the new department, forcing her to put the prayer movement on a back burner. Women’s service though has been a part of the Union’s repertoire for 15 years. The second staff person in the Union’s Moscow offices is Svetlana Svedlova.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 14 December 2007
A release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely.
Forgiving Those Whom God has Forgiven
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Public Council of Russian Baptists convenes in Moscow
M o s c o w – At the vital conference of 150 representatives of church unions within the Baptist tradition in Moscow on 16 February 2007, Yuri Sipko (Moscow), President of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB), had proclaimed a “Year of Forgiveness”. On 4 December, 50 representatives gathered in the RUECB´s central offices in Moscow at the invitation of the “Public Council” (Obshestvenii Soviet) to review progress during the past year. At least five of the 10 church unions of Baptist orientation, which belong to the Public Council umbrella organisation, were present.
Open discussions on 4 December made clear that a process of reconciliation has begun: “Congregations and pastors have been reconciled with each other after years of estrangement.” One participant added: “Those who want peace must surrender their own ambitions. Those whom God has forgiven, we also must forgive.”
In a sermon, Alexei Smirnov (Dedovsk), head of the RUECB´s Department for Pastoral Care, stressed: “Reconciliation is necessary not only for the sake of our own brotherhood. People on the outside, who view us all as inhabitants of the same village, react with sarcasm and a derisive grin. It is very important that we take steps towards unity.”
Participants reacted with chagrin to the news that disputes over trivia have a long history. Alexei Sinichkin from the RUECB´s Department for Theology and Catechism reported that in 1920 the movement had quarrelled over the merging of an evangelical and a Baptist union. In addition to the heated discussions on leadership, baptism and the expulsion of members, deliberations focused on the issue of a hyphen. Should the new union be called “Evangelical Christians and Baptists” or simply “Evangelical Christians-Baptists”? Sinichkin added: “Debates on issues such as these lasted for as long as three days. This dispute centred around a single word. We are still people like that.”
In the ensuing discussions a participant stated: „We should do more than simply stare at our past. Now we need to proclaim the Gospel jointly and strive for total unity in the future.”
A few days after the event, the Public Council’s Secretary, Pastor Valentin Vasilizhenko (Moscow), added: “The relationships among us are becoming warmer and more intensive. We are talking about starting joint evangelistic and humanitarian projects.” He reported that the still-unregistered “Initiativniki”, who separated from the Baptist Union in 1961 and today call themselves the “International Union of Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists”, find themselves in the midst of a restructuring phase. Their President Gennadi Kryuchkov died last July after 32 years in office. A new leadership team has been formed. The International Union, which today represents no more than 20,000 believers within Russia and has its offices in Tula south of Moscow, was present at the session on 4 December. It has observer status within the Public Council.
The RUECB, Russia’s largest unified Protestant church, represents approximately 80.000 adult members meeting in 1.750 local congregations and groups.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 11 December 2007
Press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #54, 480 words.
Spontaneity on One Hand, Planning on the Other
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Russian RUECB visits the German BEFG
B e r l i n – In a meeting between the „Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists“ (RUECB) and Germany’s „Federation of Evangelical Free Churches“ (BEFG) in Elstal near Berlin on 3 December an obvious truth was repeated: Germans and Russians have differing strengths. Russians think in the shorter term: They welcome spontaneity, improvisation and creativity. That clashes with the German requirements for planning, agreement and structure. An exampled mentioned were preparations for the successful Russian transcontinental bike tour from Germany to Vladivostok in 2007.
The discussion on structures was particularly helpful in Elstal. The BEFG possesses an encompassing overview: Most Federation activities are part of an overall, general budget. A department’s financial plan for youth or missions is part of the general budget and requires the blessings of the entire Union. This permits a clear setting of priorities. This would mean in Russia that a department would not be dependent strictly upon the income which it could collect by itself. A department’s size could not be determined by financial powers outside of the Union. Vital but financially weak departments would receive funds from central Union offices.
In Elstal, the RUECB´s Department Director for External Church Relations, Vitaly Vlasenko (Moscow), also explained: „We must make clearer to our pastors and congregations the necessity of a national union.” Regina Claas (Elstal), the German Federation’s General-Secretary, answered: “We do that which the local congregation is incapable of doing.” These include a centralised educational programme as well as international, government and inter-church relations. A German “Confidential Council” (Vertrauensrat) offers pastors counsel and support when they find themselves in conflict with their congregation. German youth work is accomplished on three levels: congregational - regional – federal (union).
Pastor Vlasenko maintained repeatedly that Russian Baptists are in need of a stable identity capable of relating to contemporary society. He expressed the hope that his union’s theological education could contribute strongly to the creation of a Baptist identity for all. Pastor Claas stressed that her Federation continues to be willing to continue its support for theological education in Russia.
RUECB-President Yuri Sipko made the last visit to BEFG headquarters two years ago. Yet the BEFG had not been the official host at that time – Pastor Sipko had been invited to Germany by German-Russian “Aussiedler” congregations. The second member of this year’s delegation was Dr. William Yoder, a member of the RUECB´s Department for External Church Relations.
On 4 December, the two-man delegation visited the Evangelical Church in Germany’s (EKD) foreign office in Hanover. They were hosted by the Russian-speaking Michael Hübner, their foreign office’s Secretary for Central and Eastern Europe. This union of 23 Lutheran, United and Reformed churches has been in continuous contact with the Moscow Patriarchy since 1952. The two dialogue on issues such as theology, society, reconciliation and diaconia (social care). Russian Baptists are interested in a fruitful exchange with Russian Orthodoxy and conversations with the EKD could be a significant help for Baptists.
Unexpectedly, Secretary Hübner offered Russian Baptists the possibility of a theological or diaconic studies programme (or continued education) in Germany. Most German churches have broad and varied experience in the realm of diaconic (nursing and social) care. German Lutherans have trained volunteers to care for the home-bound aged in the Kaliningrad region – a service, which Baptists could also pursue.
Michael Hübner announced a reciprocal visit to Moscow. Vitaly Vlasenko commented on the visit: “Such visits are an expression or our desire to work more closely with European churches.”
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 7 December 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #53, 570 words.
Staying Put Until God Calls Me Elsewhere
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A Brazilian footballer aims to continue his service in Russia
Report
M o s c o w – Marcelo Mauricio Santos, a Reformed (Presbyterian) pastor, preached in Moscow’s Second Baptist Church on 25 November. That’s not an every-day occurrence in Russia: a black person holding Christian sermons in the national tongue. But this may unfortunately soon be history: On 10 December he and his family will need to leave Russia. At home in Recife and Sao Paulo/Brazil, the family will wait and hope for a new visa. But Marcelo has already purchased round-trip tickets: “My work in Russia is not yet over,” he declares. “It was God who sent me to Russia, and I need to stay put until he calls me elsewhere.”
Marcelo played professional football (soccer) in Brazil for 16 years. When he was 32, he hung up his spikes and went into full-time mission work. Marcelo has spent most of his time since 2000 in Russia – even his daughter was born here. Sent here by a Presbyterian mission, Marcelo partners with the international “Athletes in Action” missions programme. He has founded a football programme called “Goal”, which attempts to teach 10- to 18-year-olds the tricks and tactics of Brazilian football. He is also trainer for the Second Baptist Church’s football club. “My work here continues,” he states. “I want to prepare the trainers so that they will be able to continue on with my work. I want to introduce the lay trainers to professional athletes, so that the trainers can help bring the Gospel into professional sport.”
Non-professional sport (football, hockey, volleyball, basketball) is a well-developed part of the „Athletes in Action“ sport programme in Russia. The professional sector is more problematic. Yet Marcelo does all that he can: When Brazilian football stars come to Russia, he tours through schools and children’s homes with them – and the hosts never say “no”. Autographs and sport articles are handed out; “the kids are always thrilled.” He’s been on the road more than once with Revaldo, the world star who played until recently for Barcelona. Marcelo reports that six Brazilian believers are now playing for Russian football teams. With one of them - de Souza Dudu (or „Dudu“) from CSKA Moscow – he frequently makes visits. Such contacts are not difficult for Marcelo to make, for he himself stems from a famous football family. His father,
Djalma Santos (born 1929), played together with Pelé on the national team when Brazil won the World Cup in 1958 and 1962. His father is counted as one of the world’s 125 best, still-living footballers.
Marcelo is deeply convinced of the evangelistic opportunities spawned by sport. “When I preach with a suit and a Bible, only the Christians will come to listen. But yesterday I pulled on the uniform and went out to a snow-covered pitch. Very soon 20 young guys gathered around to help play. Later, I talked to them for 20 minutes about God.”
But a heavy cloud darkens the work of this elegant, Presbyterian pastor: the cloud of racism. He needs to worry about scuffles and insults continually; he has suffered broken bones and cuts. Being called a “monkey” is probably one of the smallest evils. From the police he expects little. Policemen have advised him more than once that he should for the sake of his well-being leave for home as soon as possible. In order to protect his wife Nilbe and the two children, he is very cautious about giving out the address to his flat. Moscow football clubs have graciously shown him mercy by loaning him one of the cars usually reserved for visiting foreign teams. Were he forced to use public transport, not a day would pass without incidents. He states: “The authorities in my mission would understand immediately if I would pull up my stakes and leave. They think I’m living very dangerously here. But God is my protector. My life and well-being are in his hands.”
He is perhaps must hurt though by the behaviour of some fellow Russian believers. It happens at meetings for ex. that the person beside him will stand up and find another seat once he has taken place. A believer told him once: “You have a black heart, but I have a white one.” He has seen drawings by the children of Christians showing all the bad persons as black.
„Christians are much too passive in the face of evil!“ he exclaims. “Where are the preachers who preach out against racism? When I tell people about my suffering for Christ in this country, they respond: ´You’re really great! You are a great encouragement to us.´ But they are themselves not ready to stand up and fight against racism.”
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 30 November 2007
An article of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #52, 775 words.
Voronesh Celebrates a Common Spiritual Heritage
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Peter the Great is part of the story
M o s c o w – Inter-confessional highlight of a five-day visit to Voronesh by the ensemble Blagovestie (Proclamation) was a concert on 23 November in the city´s Orthodox seminary. In his talk there to 100 seminary students and professors, the group`s Director Boris Berezhnoi (Moscow) emphasized that his group had come to share the joint spiritual and artistic heritage of all Russians. Being that this 17-year-old ensemble restricts itself to Russian folk instruments, its connections to Russia´s cultural heritage are obvious. “We ourselves also stem from the Orthodox faith,” Berezhnoi stressed. “My parents were Orthodox, and my grandfather was a ministrant in his Orthodox congregation. Today our ceremonies may differ, yet we Baptists and Orthodox are united by the person of Jesus Christ.”
In a word of greeting, the seminary Prorector Nikolai Makeev told his students: “We only know of the Baptists from our books. Yet today we have the rare chance to become acquainted with each other and to feel the spirit of togetherness.” The musicians were overwhelmed by the cordiality of the students. Following the concert, a tour through the seminary and a joint supper with prayer, the Prorector continued: “We don`t know whether you have really liked us. But we in any case have liked you. He invited the ensemble to come back for an additional visit. Being that the seminary`s Rector had already preached at a Baptist church in Voronesh, the concert was essentially a return visit.
Yet the local club of war veterans stood up the ensemble repeatedly by failing to show up for two concerts. Instead, the club sent forth an 80-year-old female veteran as scout to record everything on tape. After the seminary concert she exclaimed: “Before I could not have imagined such high-quality music and level of professionalism. You have given me moments of joy comparable to being in 7th heaven!” It´s been a long time since I have felt so near to God.
Concrete spiritual results were also countable. During the concert series approximately 25 persons accepted the Christian faith. In one evangelistic service alone at the “Mir” house of culture, 17 accepted Christ.
Pastor Berezhnoi attributes the city`s excellent inter-confessional relationships in part to no one less than Peter the Great (1672-1725). The Tsar had fostered shipbuilding in the city on the Don River by hiring on German and Dutch specialists. Soon thereafter, a Lutheran church became a part of the city´s skyline. Berezhnoi assures: “This city has a long tradition of excellent relations between Protestants and Orthodox. Today, those relations are again beginning to blossom.” An Advisory Council of Churches includes virtually all: Baptists, Pentecostals, Adventists, Orthodox and Catholics. “This Council is attempting to start the kind of dialogue which prohibits any kind of enmity among the people of God.” In his closing, Prorector Makeev had declared that Christ´s teaching, his spirit and love “unite all true believers”.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 28 November 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #51, 475 words.
Promoting Thanksgiving – not Halloween
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Responses to an open letter in „Sovietskaya Rossiya“
M o s c o w -- An open letter condemning Moscow’s “Russian-American Christian University” (RACU), appeared in the Communist-supported “Sovietskaya Rossiya” newspaper on 25 October. The letter, signed by playwrights, journalists and professors, asserts that 15.000 signatures have been collected in a bid to thwart the building of a new campus. The open letter even claims that RACU fosters satanic worship by celebrating Halloween. RACU-Provost Dr. David Broersma responds: “This is an old charge. Our detractors keep mixing up Thanksgiving with Halloween. We do celebrate Thanksgiving annually, but we have never commemorated Halloween. I am told though that students at some secular Russian universities have begun to celebrate Halloween.” Taking its cue from the narcotics world, the letter is entitled “On the Baptist Needle”.
RACU (only called an institute or “RACI” in Russian) has needed to move several times since setting up shop in Moscow in 1995. Protests against the university came to a head in early 2006 when ground was broken for a much-needed new campus. Over 10 demonstrations have taken place at the building site next door to an Orthodox cemetery in North Moscow. After a court-ruled construction stop, Broersma reports that construction work is back on track and that completion of the campus is scheduled for Spring 2008.
The open letter expresses amazement that the institution was granted official accreditation, citing a lack of scholarly excellence. Broersma, a US-American responds: “The accreditation commission checked us from top to bottom back in 2003. There is no basis to that charge. We believe we will again meet all requirements when that accreditation is up for renewal in 2008.”
Broersma is at a loss to explain the barrage of accusations of proselytisation being levelled at the university. The open letter labels the institution as “Baptist” - yet nearly half of RACU´s professors (and some students) are Orthodox. The non-Baptist Provost admits: “All of our students are required to write a statement professing their Christian faith when they apply. But Orthodox statements of faith are readily accepted. We are not in the business of replacing a person’s Christian faith with another one.”
RACU is one over 70 learning institutions in 24 countries affiliated with the Washington D.C.-based “Council of Christian Colleges and Universities”. The CCCU represents 102 universities and colleges in North America alone – only some of those are Baptist. The idea of a Christian, liberal-arts university in Moscow was born among recognised Russian educators during a visit to Christian colleges and universities in North America in 1990.
This open letter heavily nationalist in flavour faults Washington-based RACU-President Dr. John Bernbaum for stating: “Our primary objective is educating the potential leaders of a new Russia.” Broersma interjects: “That’s the hope of every university in the world. But we don’t say that anymore – that sentence can be misunderstood.” The letter infers that it was precisely such Protestant-trained persons who engineered Ukraine’s Orange Revolution. “But RACU is an educational institution. We are not engaged in any kind of political activities,” the Provost adds.
RACU-Orthodox relations took a turn for the worse in March when Rev. Vsevolod Chaplin, a spokesperson for the Moscow Patriarchate’s “Department for External Church Relations” headed by Metropolitan Kirill, voiced public criticism. In an article entitled “Baptising Caesar”, John Bernbaum had cited low church attendance as proof for the claim that Russians are no longer an Orthodox people. He added: “Despite all the hopes and self-denying efforts of thousands of Western and Russian evangelists, Russia has not experienced a significant spiritual awakening.” Chaplin retorted: Bernbaum has reduced the development of spiritual life in our country to “the proselytising efforts of Protestant preachers”. Further comments in the text led Chaplin to the conclusion that the RACU-President harbours personal animosity toward Orthodoxy.
Rev. Vitaly Vlasenko, Director of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists` own Department of External Church Relations, comments: “While RACU is not a Baptist organisation, we do wish RACU would cooperate more closely with Baptist and Orthodox institutions in Russia. But this is certainly no reason to deny RACU its right to exist. We want RACU to survive. Without it, Russia would lose a part of the traditional, non-sectarian, confessional diversity which it so desperately needs. We do not want a monolithic or totalitarian Russian future. Respected Orthodox leaders such as Kirill and Chaplin have spoken negatively of RACU. We believe that misunderstandings exist, for these two leaders cannot be described as Russian nationalists. All sides must dialogue earnestly and attempt to clear up misunderstandings.”
A lawyer for Moscow’s Protestant-supported Slavic Legal Centre, Anatoli Pchelintsev, reports that RACU faculty and students have every legal right to demand the publishing of a counterstatement by “Sovietskaya Rossiya”.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 29 November 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #50, 772 words.
No Breakthrough – But a Good Start
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Baptist delegation visits one of Russia’s most Orthodox regions
M o s c o w -- Ioann, the youthful Archbishop of Belgorod and Stary Oskol, graciously received a Baptist delegation in his residence on 16 November. The city administration also granted the Moscow-headed delegation a meeting. This is remarkable in view of the fact that the Belgorod region has in recent years gained a reputation for militant Orthodoxy. As recently as 25 September, Norway’s “Forum 18” news service reported that Belgorod authorities “have no intention of halting compulsory instruction in Orthodox culture to some 140,000 state school pupils. Belgorod is one of the Russian regions that has gone farthest in promoting the Foundations of Orthodox Culture subject, an initiative of the Russian Orthodox Church.” Six years ago, Belgorod City Duma adopted a law prohibiting any public religious gatherings of the non-Orthodox where minors were present. The law also made it virtually impossible for non-Orthodox groups to rent facilities for meetings. In 2002, a Roman Catholic community was denied permission to register. Some rulings were later overturned by higher courts and parliaments.
This region, ravaged by World War II, was long known as part of the “red belt”, a hot-bed of communist persuasion and activity. Much more recently, its border location has raised fears the area could be inundated with missionary activity spilling over from Ukraine, where religious tolerance has made major inroads.
Delegation leader Vitaly Vlasenko, head of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists´ Department for External Church Relations in Moscow, reports that local Baptist relations with both the Orthodox church and the city administration have been virtually non-existent for five years. “We ourselves are therefore partly at fault for the poor state of Protestant-Orthodox relations in Belgorod. We must actively seek contacts and become personally acquainted with church and city officials. We must learn to host and be hosted by others.” Vlasenko points out that no interdenominational work - with or without the Orthodox – has been developed there. The crass social needs prevalent within society as well as the Islamist challenge demand much closer co-operation between all Christian denominations.
The Department head adds: “Not much can be done in Belgorod region without the sanction of the Russian Orthodox Church. Archbishop Ioann has great influence. He is a key person and has the respect of government officials. I cannot call our meeting a breakthrough, but it was a productive meeting and we made a good start. We Baptists must work very hard now to develop this relationship.”
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 22 November 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #49, 400 words.
A Bitter Pill
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Yuri Sipko on the upcoming elections in Russia
M o s c o w – In an interview with the magazine „Christian Herald“ from the far eastern city of Blagoveshchensk, Rev. Yuri Sipko, the President of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB) voiced his concerns regarding the upcoming Russian parliamentary elections on 2 December. The direct election for Russia’s new President is scheduled for 26 March 2008.
In the interview, Yuri Sipko is asked for whom he will vote in the upcoming Duma elections:
„I don’t know yet for whom I will be voting. It’s very bitter for me: A free election campaign with equal rights for all election candidates – those kinds of elections are no more. The OSCE`s decision to refrain from sending any election observers to Russia was a very bitter pill for me personally. This means that we no longer even claim to hold democratic elections. We have abandoned transparency and any readiness to play the game honestly.”
„So you may guess, my dear friend: Which party, which unity party will enter the Duma as a result of the free and democratic elections of December 2007? It also makes no sense to say something now about the future President. He (Putin) has already stated very clearly, that he as a result of these democratic elections will be given the right to control both the Duma and the future President. So everything has already been decided. The election lists are ready, the votes have been distributed and calculated. The briefcases have been passed out. Please sit quietly. Everything will be OK.“
The entire interview can be read in Russian on the RUECB`s official website: “www.baptist.org.ru”.
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 20 November 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #48, 263 words.
Pitching Out the Player and Listening Up
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The Russian Union’s Youth Director reports
Report – Feature
M o s c o w – Though Russian Baptists have lost half of their substance, much still remains. That’s the opinion of Evgeny Bakhmutsky (Moscow), four years on as Director of the Department for Youth Work for the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB). He claims: “There are congregations which have lost 80% of their members to emigration; others have ceased to exist.” He imagines that if the mass departure for the USA and Germany after 1990 had not occurred, there might be as many as 300.000 Baptists in Russia today, “and we Baptists would be far-and-away the most influential evangelical confession in Russia”. Though fewer than half of all Baptists moved westward, the Youth Director reckons with a quality loss of over 50%, for “it was the most active and capable church members who left”. Today, the RUECB has roughly 80.000 adult members.
Nevertheless, the National Youth Director remains convinced that the weakened but still perky Baptists of Russia have something to offer the world. He maintains for ex. that in congregational life all generations are direly in need of each other. No generation should be allowed to detour around the church. “That’s why we refuse to create a youth movement alongside the church. The service of our youth goes straight through the middle of the congregation. Unfortunately, I keep running into youth work in various European Baptist unions leading a life of its own. We think that is not a Biblical way.”
In view of its many decades of experience and contacts, Pastor Bakhmutsky regards Russian Baptists as an avant-garde highly capable of coming to the aid of Charismatic churches. “The Charismatics are not just pro-Western, they are totally immersed in Western culture. Sometimes when they remember that they actually intended to be a Russian church, they come to my office and we have a talk.” He continues: “I have the impression that Charismatics know how to put on a good show. But they do now know how to work with their people.” Charismatic congregations are known for their high rates of fluctuation. He has experienced more than once how Russia’s traditional free churches have offered the disenchanted refuge and something to hold on to. “Very recently 200 young persons from Charismatic circles came to me for counsel. They were wanting to leave their congregations.”
Evgeny Bakhmutsky flies to the U.S. on a regular basis. He has the impression that the Russian Union needs to support the children of Baptists who have emigrated. “Their young people are cut off from their roots. They don’t see themselves on the side of their fathers any more, for they speak English. But they also remain separated from other American youth, for they attend a Russian-speaking congregation. So they are not realising their potential.” Parents attempt to impose a Russian subculture on their offspring, which no longer exists in Russia proper. “But we understand their kids better and we invite them to come serve with us for a time in the old country.” Here they can find themselves again; here they have better chances of recognising their own identity. But Bakhmutsky sees no reason to decry a past emigration which has occurred and cannot be overturned. He believes God will use the departure of so many to open new doors of opportunity. “We are very eager and open to work with our Baptist brothers and sisters in the West.”
Generally, the Youth Director is alarmed by the superficiality of American faith. “We know what it means to really believe in Jesus, for our spiritual fathers and grandfathers paid for their faith with their blood. Yet the American churches have never been persecuted. So we have been able to preserve an earnest and authentic faith.” According to him, one result of an unchallenged faith can be an “extreme liberalism” expressing itself for ex. in the ordination of practicing homosexuals.
The Baptists of Russia also take evangelism very seriously. North Americans tend to see themselves as surrounded by believers. “They can only imagine evangelisation as necessary on other continents, or at best perhaps in Mexico. It’s often a new idea for them that personal evangelisation is necessary right in their own midst.”
Evgeny Bakhmutsky is convinced of the talents of his young people and hopes they can play a major role at the Baptist World Alliance youth convention scheduled for Leipzig, Germany from 30 July to 3 August 2008. A meeting will be held with Western organisers in Kiev on 7 December regarding Leipzig. Despite the fact that the Russian Baptists´ annual conference will be held nearly simultaneously in Moscow, Bakhmutsky wants to win 200 young persons from throughout the ex-Soviet CIS-countries for the trip to Leipzig. “We have terrific music in Russia,” he assures. “And it isn’t just one more form of music. This music is truly one-of-a-kind in the world!”
The Catch-Up Game
This young Baptist from the Siberian city of Kemerovo would never claim though that everything is in the best of shape in his country. The paradigm change in his society has been breathtaking. Congregations have suddenly found themselves in a completely new political and cultural age; the congregations themselves even consist at times of a completely new crowd. The Youth Director informs that over 50% of the young people in his congregations are not from Christian homes. Bakhmutsky himself is no exception. Due to state pressures, his parents stopped attending church. He found faith and the church on his own when he was 14 (in 1990). Probably, the majority of youth having pious, Russian Baptist parents are now living in the West.
It can also be noticed in Russian congregations that not every young person manages to keep the CD-player turned off until the end of a church service seemingly incapable of ending. But Bakhmutsky does not want to go too far on the question of alternative forms of worship. Three sermons, 10 hymns and four poems – they’re not the problem. “Content is the issue.” If the programme offered meets the spiritual needs and questions of today’s youth, they will “pitch out the player and the headphones and listen up”.
Being that political changes occur much more rapidly than our ability to adjust, Russian congregations are also continually forced to play catch-up. The break between generations is clean and dramatic; a subculture born in the era of repression is no match for the challenges of the present. “The older generation needs to understand that it dare not pass on its culture to our youth. But their moral values, their lessens of life and spiritual knowledge must be passed on at all costs. We were once taught how to survive in a repressive setting. So we didn’t know how to manage under free and libertarian conditions. That’s what we’re learning now.” Living on the fringe in the shadows – that needs to be a thing of the past. We must find our way back into the midst of society.
Structures
Due to several false starts, the RUECB was not blessed with a functioning youth department until 2001. Bakhmutsky has been department head since March 2003. The department has five salaried workers in its Moscow offices. Seven branches, each with one salaried worker, are scattered across the wide expanses of the country: Habarovsk (Far East), Krasnoyarsk, Pensa, Mozdok (Caucus), Perm, St. Petersburg and Moscow.
The department places great stress on training: In Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan it holds seminars on working with youth. Working relations exist with the Baltic states as well as Portugal and Romania. The smallest and weakest unions, Tadzhikistan and Turkmenistan, for ex., are also supported financially.
Evgeny Bakhmutsky was educated as an economist and manager. He graduated from theological studies at the Baptist seminary in Akademgorodok near Novosibirsk. He and his wife Tanya have two small children.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 21 November 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #47, 1.293 words.
What Donation Recipients Need to Keep in Mind
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An Editorial
1. Problem
At least the Catholic and all Protestant churches of Russia are in international terms receiving churches. All of these receive more donations from foreign countries than they send to foreign countries. Generally, the relationships formed between Russian and Western congregations are labelled partnerships, yet it would be more honest to call them sponsorships. They will indeed remain sponsorships as long as the money is flowing in only one direction.
The Western world, one hears, has grown weary of giving for Eastern Europe. The Western donator after all is no great friend of continuity. He tends to donate there where destruction has most recently occurred: Beslan, 11 September, the Tsunami-catastrophe. Or where an Iron Curtain has suddenly fallen.
Resolution starters
Matching funds. A Western group will donate $2 if the Russian recipient agrees to donate $1 more. Normally, the Russian project with then collect all $3. But if the smaller Russian contribution is given to a Western project, vestiges of true partnership may begin to appear. This could help Western churches overcome their strong reservations regarding “partnerships”.
Western support for small businesses in Russia. Economic development has long been acquainted with that vital saying: “If you give someone a fish, he will be hungry again tomorrow. But if you teach him to fish . . . .” A truly noble cause! Such Western projects have frequently met their doom when confronted with dishonest, East European “businessmen”. But the West dare not give up. Only through economic growth among Russian Christians will their congregations ever become financially independent.
2. Problem
Foreign donations are unevenly distributed. Probably all denominations are forced to deal with an income gap. The central Moscow offices of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists have departments which tend to be either richer or poorer. The departments for youth or mission are more attractive than legal or theological ones. There are also relatively wealthy and relatively poor congregations. Moscow congregations have more contacts in the West than do congregations in Chita (Siberia). That is quite understandable and logical – but also objectionable. If the Western visitor only gets to see the “wealthy”, then that will curtail his willingness to help. And the poorest suffer most from a decrease in giving.
There are church workers in Russia better-equipped with computers and electronics than their Western partners. And when a Western donor has a hunch that the donation recipient has a higher standard of living than he himself has, irritation is sure to result.
Resolution starters
A modest standard of living. Those receiving more donations than they give are clearly called to live modestly. The issue is not one of how I can best keep my computers and vehicles out of view when donors arrive – I refuse to buy them in the first place. Our modesty is not simply paraded – we are in fact so. Among believers, there is no room for intentional deceit.
I need to care about cutting costs – more funds are then available for others. Even when others are paying for my flight, I search diligently to find the cheapest one. All of our donations stem from the same source – God. There are church representatives who tend to purchase their tickets two days before departure – precisely when air tickets are the most expensive. It frequently would have been possible to purchase tickets a month earlier.
When a person wealthier than I invites me to a restaurant, I don’t order from the top of the list (the most expensive meals).
Clear understandings between givers and receivers. An example: My expenses to attend a conference in the West are paid by the conference organiser. The Western conference guest needs to cover his own expenses. Because of the gratis trip, I can afford to take along my wife. Yet the spouse of the Western participant stays home – for financial reasons. The Eastern recipient regards the free flight as a price reduction making it possible to bring along the spouse. Yet the Western donor had believed the free flight was necessary for the Easterner to attend the conference at all. From the Western perspective it was therefore highly improper to bring along the spouse, even if her husband covered all expenses. Frequent irritations in this realm show the need for clear understandings between the giver and the receiver.
Transparency is required, so that trust might abound. Not all Western missions can serve as an example in this matter. Yet those who receive donations are called to demonstrate transparency – towards the giver as well as the sisters and brothers back home in Russia. Transparency should lead in time to a redistribution of income favouring the poorer.
3. Problem
Uncontrolled investing without sufficient consultation. This issue is related closely to Problem #2.
We had the best of intentions and wanted to prove our optimism and the extent of our faith – or also to impress the Orthodox. The result was – or will be - an oversized church building. Such structures guarantee dependence upon Western giving for decades. Perhaps several of these structures never will be completed.
Here a fundamental judgment is called for. What is more important to congregations: Impressive church structures or growing financial independence from the West? For the foreseeable future, both are not to be had simultaneously.
Seminaries or Bible schools have come into being without clearly verifiable need. Local church leadership was in favour of this and a willing donor was located in the West (or Korea). Or it may also have come about in precisely the opposite fashion: A willing Western donor was searching for a local church in Russia.
Resolution starters
More authority for central church offices! For a decentralised church union organised from the bottom up, this is a truly frightening thought. Yet the injustices must be reduced and the congregational income gap lessened. The wise spending of donor money demands greater scrutiny and care. Weary donors in the West expect greater efficiency. Wide consultation and approval of new church structures is needed. No longer should theological schools be opened without the sanction of central offices.
Central offices need specialists with tried and proven expertise. The RUECB has created commissions of experts – a very good place to start! Central offices must shoulder the tasks at hand. The experts in central offices will then indeed know more and have a better overview than the local church leaders and their foreign partners. The goodwill and proven expertise of central offices need to convince the local congregation.
Of course, a gradual power shift away from the countryside demands a careful and sure instinct. Communication gifts are of utmost importance. Decisions can only be made after sufficient consultation with the local congregation. Central Moscow offices are known for their unpopularity elsewhere – also in the church realm. Insensitivity can lead to a congregation’s departure from the Union – the Western donor then becoming its primary point of outside contact. The Western donor will usually care most about his project – its effects on relations between that congregation and the national Union are secondary.
There are centrally-structured churches: the Roman Catholics, Methodists and Adventists for ex. Such pyramidal structures dampen personal initiative and creativity. Both configurations, be they organised from above or below, have strong and weak points. Baptists need to find their way somewhere down through the middle.
4. Problem
In Russia, it’s very expensive and inefficient to drop donations into the collection basket. State taxes can eat up 40% of the whole. This situation is not easily changed. A majority church usually does not want minority churches to enjoy the same rights it does. In such instances, the dependence of the small on foreign donations is intentional.
Resolution starters
In Russia, a long-winded and broad struggle for political reforms benefiting humanitarian and religious organisations is indispensable. Well-intended Christians of Orthodox faith could help out – also secular persons supporting the need for freedom of conscience and religion. Donations for humanitarian, educational and religious causes must be tax-free! This has been the case in developed democracies for many decades.
The financial needs of Russia’s Christians remain clear. The hard question is: How can all of us better contribute to the elimination of serious need?
Dr. William Yoder
Media spokesperson
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 16 November 2007
This is not an official press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. It expresses above all the opinion of its author. #46, 1.358 words
A Table with Room for Conservative Evangelicals
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„Non-traditional churches“ gain new recognition in Kenya
M o s c o w – The world’s tried-and-proven, historic Christian churches have opened themselves to dialogue with non-traditional churches. That was emphasized by the delegates from 72 countries who gathered in Limuru near Nairobi/Kenya from 6 - 9 November for the first large „Global Christian Forum“. The Forum’s list of delegates reflected the shift of major Christian life from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere. Of the Forum’s mostly high-ranking 245 delegates, over 40 belonged to a Pentecostal or Charismatic denomination. The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) alone was permitted to send an additional 35 delegates. Geneva’s World Council of Churches (WCC) restricted itself to six delegates. In Kenya, the WEA´s General-Secretary, the Canadian Geoff Tunnicliffe (Markham/Ontario), concluded: „The Global Christian Forum provides a new table of dialogue of which we can clearly say, ‘it's our table, not theirs.'"
Approximately 15 Baptists were along in Kenya. Six of them were sent by the US-based Baptist World Alliance (BWA). Besides its past (Denton Lotz) and new General-Secretary (Neville Callam), the delegation included Moscow pastor Vitaly Vlasenko, Director of the Department for External Church Relations for the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists” (RUECB). Vlasenko was one of numerous delegates who expressed reservations regarding the term “ecumenical”. In Moscow he stated: “We weren’t talking about ecumenism there. The WCC never did look like this Forum. It was a meeting at which we discussed how we could accept each other as Christians. Of course there are big theological and cultural differences. But we also call ourselves Christians and we want peace. We dare not disqualify any and all inter-confessional gatherings as ´ecumenism´. All Christians are facing a lot of big problems: Aids and the Islamist challenge, for ex.”
In Russia itself, the Russian Orthodox Church is attempting to force out precisely those who were celebrated in Kenya: the world’s up-and-coming, non-traditional churches. The Russian Orthodox nevertheless sent three delegates to the Forum. Pastor Vlasenko reported: “Each evening the delegates met according to region. We discussed our differences and had very, very good discussions.” The Baptist told his Orthodox colleagues: “We do not at all want to be your opponents. But unhappy incidents keep on occurring.”
The three Orthodox delegates were Vsevolod Chaplin, Igor Vyzhanov und Mihail Gundiaev, a nephew of Cyril, the Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad. Cyril is regarded as a welcome partner by numerous Russian Baptists. Pavel Okara, President of the Pentecostal “Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith”, was the fifth delegate from Russia. No Ukrainians or Byelorussians attended the Forum.
The Forum movement, which seeks to get into dialogue with the many denominations not belonging to Geneva’s WCC, has existed since 1998. The Global Forum in Limuru had been preceded by numerous regional Forums. It will be decided this coming spring in what form this broad dialogue should be continued.
Baptists have been present in Russia for 140 years and do not consider themselves a “non-traditional” faith. Their “close cousins”, the Mennonites, have been in Russia for 220 years.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 16 November 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #45, 493 words.
Foreign Church Workers in Russia Facing New Restrictions
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New laws in force since 17 October
M o s c o w – Within less than a year, the number of resident foreigners living in Russia may drop drastically. New Russian visa restrictions that came into force on 17 October 2007 stipulate that persons with six-month or one-year multi-entry visas issued after this date will only be allowed to spend half of their visa period on Russian soil. This means that a six-month visa will only allow for 90 days within the Russian Federation.
It is not likely that these new regulations are directed primarily at Western or Korean church workers, for Russia also hosts hundreds of thousands of migrant workers from China and elsewhere. Yet church workers are also affected and the stipulations may prove a true hardship for church workers with families – for ex. school-aged children – living in Russia.
Government circles can view the new restrictions as an adjustment of Russian law intended to match the stipulations of West European Schengen visas. A 90-day visa for a Russian citizen to visit a Schengen-country such as Germany also allows for only 45 days of actual presence in that or any other Schengen-country.
The primary loophole and source of hope for foreigners is a work permit circumventing the 50% time stipulation. Large Western firms in Russia have long offered their foreign employees work permits. Such permits require a great deal of bureaucratic effort and the payment of high-percentage income taxes. As in the West, permit seekers will need to prove that a national cannot adequately fill their position, etc.
Westerners married to Russian citizens have additional options for achieving long-term residency. Yet this is small comfort to the hundreds of foreign Roman Catholic priests active in Russia.
A specialist working for the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists in Moscow states: “Each case is different. Each case will require individual effort. But we are still waiting on exact information from government offices.” The coming weeks will need to reveal the exact nature of the new demands being placed on church workers.
The popular 30-day tourist visas for visiting Russia are not affected by the new rulings.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 14 November 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #44, 342 words.
Russian Baptists Reunite – in California
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Yuri Sipko pays the Slavic Diaspora a visit
M o s c o w – The Russian and Ukrainian Baptists of North America are doing well. That was the conclusion of Yuri Sipko (Moscow), President of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB), following his fifth visit to the state of California. In Moscow he stated: “The refugee syndrome has been overcome; nostalgia for the home turf has disappeared. They are no longer asking: Who are we, where are we from, and why are we here.” From 25 to 27 October Sipko had taken part in festivities marking the 80th anniversary of the “Pacific Coast Slavic Baptist Association“ in West Sacramento.
In Moscow, Sipko continued: “The brothers and sisters there are secure regarding their desires and values. They are planning to expand their work.” No less than 300.000 Slavic emigrants reside in the vicinity of Sacramento. Twenty-six congregations form this Baptist association; three more are in planning or were recently founded. “I’m not jealous,” assured Pastor Sipko. “I’m glad in human terms that my brothers and sisters are managing well. All are taken care of – including the old and the young.”
Regarding past tribulations the Pastor stated: “Of course, grief remains regarding the land of their childhood. Long years of repression and religious persecution, the terror that lasted for generations, have left their mark. But they still love their country.” Sipco’s primary concern for the future involves the consequences of consumption – on both continents. “Material blessings do not increase our passion for serving God. But also in Russia, moral values are in transition because of material gains.”
Yet the joy of reunion dominated events in West Sacramento. “Almost all of our hosts came from the Soviet Union. We had served together until emigration, most of us knew each other.” The Sipkos are among the multitude of Baptist families divided since Perestroika. Yuri Sipko’s brother, Alexander, left Russia 14 years ago and is today President of the 11-member „Northwest Association of Slavic Baptist Churches“ and pastor of a congregation in Spokane/Washington. Other guests from Europe included Waldemar Zorn from the “Light in the East” mission located near Stuttgart, Germany.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 7 November 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #43, 343 words.
Cooperation Without Forgetting our Differences
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European Russia has a new Catholic Archbishop
M o s c o w -- “Jointly with Catholics, we Protestants want to serve the Russian nation and people to the glory of God. But we will do so without forgetting our differences.” That was the statement of Vitaly Vlasenko (Moscow), Director or the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists´ (RUECB) Department for External Church Relations, following the installation of the Italian Paolo Pezzi as Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Moscow Diocese on October 27. Orthodox, Lutheran, Pentecostal and Baptist church representatives were among the throngs of - mostly Italian - well-wishers, who attended a reception following the celebratory mass. The service had attracted over 1.000 worshipers to Moscow´s massive Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Mary,
A congratulatory letter from RUECB-President Yuri Sipko (Moscow) presented to the 47-year-old Archbishop at the reception states: “By accepting this responsible position, we believe you are revealing yourself as a person committed to the creation and development of positive relationships between the Christian confessions of Russia. Your firm position on questions of moral values and morality instils us with optimism and hope.” The letter concludes with a proposal that the two leaders meet shortly for the sake of becoming acquainted.
Conversations at the reception made clear the Protestant desire for the creation of mutual Catholic-Protestant social projects. Though no Catholic-Baptist projects were mentioned, Pastor Konstantin Bendas (Moscow) representing the “Associated Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical-Pentecostal Faith” reported on a joint Catholic-Pentecostal feeding programme and aid for children`s homes in Novosibirsk. Pentecostals also cooperate with the Catholic Caritas mission on a centre for the rehabilitation of drug addicts in Leningrad district near St. Petersburg.
Paolo Pezzi, who most recently served as a seminary director in St. Petersburg, replaces the popular, 61-year-old Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, who will be returning to his native Belarus as Archbishop for the Diocese of Minsk and Mogilev. In his farewell visit to Yuri Sipko on 10 October, the outgoing Archbishop had expressed a strong desire for the creation of joint social projects. Yet Protestant circles also hope that the installation of a new Moscow Archbishop will lead to an improvement in the nearly-stalled Catholic-Orthodox relationship.
The Moscow Diocese stretches from Kaliningrad in the West to Nizhni Novgorod in the East, including St. Petersburg and the north of Russia. The RUECB, Russia’s largest unified Protestant church, represents approximately 80.000 adult members meeting in 1.750 local congregations and groups.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 29 October 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #42, 385 words.
Reflections on Escaping From the Ghetto
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Russian Baptist academic symposium held in Moscow
M o s c o w – The belief that many persons can be won for faith in Jesus Christ from a position far removed from society is mistaken. That was a general conclusion resulting from an academic symposium in Moscow on 19 and 20 October on the occasion of Russian Baptists´ 140th anniversary. The religion sociologist Professor Remir Lopatkin (Moscow) spoke of a “voluntary-involuntary ghetto, from which not all believers desire to escape for fear of colliding with the realities of life”. Another speaker spoke of the pressing necessity to liberate ourselves “from a complex of social marginalism”.
According to the Moscow scientist and Baptist Michael Nievolin, the route out of the ghetto and into society demands a rejection of all extremism – be it liberalistic or fundamentalistic in nature. “Unfortunately, extremism does not appear only among Baptists. It’s a characteristic common to Russian society. We are nearly incapable of dialogue. Yet in the 21st century we should finally become capable of respecting other-minded opinions. And that should be true both within and outside of Baptist circles. But respect for other views does not imply that one must surrender one’s own view. We must learn how to discuss.”
Questions of identity and perspective remained at the forefront. Michael Ivanov, Director of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians- Baptists` (RUECB) Department for Theology and Catechism criticised a “negative religious identity” growing out of a position of enmity. He mentioned as an example the free church Molokhan movement of the 19th century: its identity had been sustained by animosity towards the Orthodox. The mindset – prevalent not only among Molokhans - was: “We are not like they are.” Yet through the Bolshevist revolution, the Orthodox suddenly became fellow sufferers. A church with nearly a million supporters soon shrivelled to a tiny minority. “We Baptists were more creative,” Ivanov continued. “Initially, we were anti-Orthodox, too, but we soon transformed ourselves into anti-atheists. That saved us. Since the 1990s were are taking an anti-society stance. We have always needed to be against somebody.”
Ivanov noted that Baptists cannot look to Orthodox or Catholics for answers to the complex matter of locating one’s own identity. Baptists are without a body of traditions. They are no ethnic grouping and have no claim to a general, majority – “Catholic” – faith. Baptist identity can therefore only result from its commitment to the Bible.
Nievolin confessed he could not imagine the Baptists ever becoming Russia’s largest confession. “But the perspective that the faith among us grows and emanates ever more influence on society – I certainly can imagine that occurring.”
Russian Baptists ascribe the beginnings of their movement to the adult, believers´ baptism of the first ethnic Russian in Tiflis/Georgia on 20 August 1867. The person baptised was Nikita Voronin (1840-1905).
The RUECB, Russia’s largest unified Protestant church, represents approximately 80.000 adult members meeting in 1.750 local congregations and groups. Its President is Pastor Yuri Sipko.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 23 October 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #41, 477 words.
New Structures for Theological Training in Russia
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Russian Baptist superintendents are headed for the classroom
M o s c o w – Russian Baptists intend to unify and coordinate their theological education programmes. That was the decision made at Council sessions of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptist (RUECB) convening in Pokrovskoe near Moscow, 16 to 18 October. Afterwards, Dr. Peter Mitskevich, President of Moscow Theological Seminary (MTS), explained: “We want to unite all Baptist theological education in Russia under the umbrella of our seminary. We want to network all of our schools and develop a standardised curriculum with standardised degrees. We will stress the exchange of teachers and professors between the different schools. Of course, it will take some time to achieve this goal.”
Union President Yuri Sipko (Moscow) added: “We are very enthusiastic about this new approach and have high hopes that it will serve our churches well.”
Particularly novel is the creation of a new studies programme designed to fit the needs of the RUECB´s 50 regional superintendents (also called “bishops” in English). Most of them have served as pastors for years without ever having the opportunity for formal theological training. Their three-year programme, with the students meeting twice per year at the location of the Union’s regular Council sessions, will end with a Masters degree. “This programme is a terrific idea,” exclaimed Vitaly Vlasenko (Moscow), the RUECB´s Director for External Church Relations. “All appear willing to attend. This should help create good relations between the superintendents and MTS. They will get to know the seminary teachers personally and soon they will even be graduates of this seminary! The process of education will help modify many traditional points-of-view.”
Russian Baptists were allowed to begin theological training by extension in 1968, which led to the formation of Moscow Theological Institute (MTI). In 1993, MTS was founded; the two institutions were combined in 2007. MTS offers a Masters and a Bachelors programme. The later programme is named in honour of MTI.
President Mitskevich calls the new educational policy “centralised as well as decentralised”, for much instruction will take place away from the Moscow campus. Four regional learning centres located in Chita, Noyabrsk (Northern Siberia), Chelyabinsk and Leninsk-Kuznetskii (near Kemerovo) have already become branches of MTS. New branches are planned in Rostov-on-Don and Prohladno (near Krasnodar). MTS presently enrols 250 students with 160 of them studying for certain periods on the Moscow campus. Russian theological education has struggled with the lack of students capable of full-time study. MTS is therefore transitioning into a non-residential institution with students present on campus only part-time.
More than 10 seminaries and Bible schools stretching from Habarovsk in the Far East to Kaliningrad in the extreme West regard themselves as part of the RUECB. At least three of the better-known ones remain outside the MTS umbrella: Akademgorodok (near Novosibirsk), Samara and Kursk. The same holds true for the liberal-arts-oriented “Saint-Petersburg Christian University”. The Union has not yet formed a national Department of Education. It could be a part of the umbrella uniting all Baptist theological schools.
A visual presentation at Pokrovskoe listed the past problems of Russian theological education: alienation from local congregations, a lack of connection to everyday life and frequent changes in school leadership. Past school autonomy, which meant that an institution answered only to distant, usually North American sponsors, led to disarray and strife. Little headway has been made in reaching Russian intelligentsia for Christ.
The list of positive developments since 1990 included a new strength in combating heretical teachings, the ability of pastors to study the Bible in its original languages and a broadening of the worldview of congregations.
In Pokrovskoe, Peter Mitskevich, a pastor and medical doctor with theological training at Dallas Theological Seminary, was formally installed as President of MTS. He has been serving in this capacity since 1 July. President of MTS until 2005 was Dr. Alexander Kozynko.
Primary partner for MTS is the North American “Russian Leadership Ministries” (RLM), an independent, evangelical and largely Baptist mission with additional support from Presbyterian and Mennonite circles. Its President is Prof. Ian Chapman (Edinburg/Virginia); Executive Director is Ted Rodgers (Wheaton/Illinois). Dr. Chapman was President of Northern Baptist Seminary in Lombard near Chicago until his retirement. Persons wishing to contact RLM can reach Director Rodgers at 001-630 580 5628 or “ted.rodgers@sbcglobal.net”. The mission’s webpage should be up-and-running by 1 December: “www.russianleadership.org”.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 22 October 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #40, 710 words.
Without Passion Nothing Happens
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Bill Hybels visted Russia for the first time
M o s c o w – Without passion nothing happens. That was a central theme of the US-American Pastor Bill Hybels speaking in Russia for the first time on 13 October following a conference in Kiev. His platform was a „Global Leadership Summit“, which brought together 450 mostly youthful pastors and laity in Moscow`s „Rossa“ (Dew) free-church congregation. Hybels is pastor of „Willow Creek Community Church“ in South Barrington near Chicago. That “megachurch”-congregation is visited on Sundays by roughly 20.000 worshipers.
Hybels was the only leading speaker present in the flesh at the Moscow event. The remaining ones appeared on a large video screen. A Co-President of the conference, the Baptist Pastor Vitaly Vlasenko (Moscow), reported: „The video transmission was not really a problem. Some people think one can only really learn if the speaker is live. But that is not necessarily true.”
Global Leadership Summits, which have been held in 31 countries since 1996, feature a strong pastor- and congregation-centred approach. They state: If a pastor allows himself to be changed by the Spirit of God, then that pastor can contribute to the transformation of his congregation. The transformed congregation can then change the city, country, and even the entire world.
It was also mentioned at the Summit that church growth in itself should not be the actual goal. It is totally insufficient for a pastor to – as is often also the case in Russia – wish himself a large congregation. Yet the goal can only be, that he and his congregation truly comprehend and embody the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The primary goal must be to become a truly Biblical church. Congregations in which its people love and support each other are irresistible. Congregations emulating the Book of Acts are always sure to grow, for human beings harbour a deep longing for that kind of fellowship.
In Moscow Bill Hybles also spoke of “a vision worth dying for”. “If we really trust God and are truly willing to die for our convictions, then God will honour that. Nothing will then be able to stop us.” A pastor must be able to spread enthusiasm and convince others. He must place his whole life behind the vision that he has.
Pastor Vlasenko mentioned in conclusion: „Actually nothing really new was said at the conference. The old truths were simply described in a new and creative fashion. And the listeners were thrilled by it. I liked that very much, too. I hope we will be able to have another Summit during the coming year.“
This conference, which took place in Moscow for the first time last year, is only indirectly supported by the large free churches. Two more Summits are planned for Russia this Fall: in Krasnoyarsk/Siberia from 26-27 Ocotber and from 2 to 3 November in Krasnodar/Southern Russia.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 17 October 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #39 460 words.
Views on Morality Converge
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Russian Baptists come to the defence of the Orthodox Patriarch
M o s c o w -- The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB) has hastened to the defence of Alexei II, Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. He had faced broad criticism following his speech – and the discussion thereafter - at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on 2 October. The RUECB sent a letter to the Patriarch, and on 11 October an interview similar in content was published on the RUECB´s webpage. The interview was signed by Alexander Semchenko, Secretary of the Union’s “Department for External Church Relations”. The letter begins with the statement: “The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists holds in high esteem the speech by Alexei II, Patriarch of Moscow and all of Russia, at a session of the European Union’s Parliamentary Assembly. Many of the positions of the Russian Orthodox Church as expressed by the Patriarch converge with the views held by the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists.” Both Baptist documents underscore Alexei’s statement in Strasbourg: “Those who do not reckon with moral values, cannot in the end reckon with freedom either.” Freedom is imperilled when moral values are not respected.
These Baptists statements applaud Orthodox stress on the Christian roots of European society, culture and science. The RUECB does not diverge from the Orthodox position on the need to publicly uphold and fortify Christian moral values. Both are against „banning“ Christianity from the public realm. Public propagation of that which undermines society should be strongly discouraged.
Stress on individual rights – for ex. the right to accumulate wealth - can impinge on the collective, social rights of others. Alexei attacked the social imbalance in Russia and elsewhere, citing the “beggar status of millions who labour honestly”. The Baptist papers note that many similar tones had been struck at the Protestant National Prayer Breakfast last March.
The clearest reference to the issue of homosexuality in the speech itself was the Patriarch’s thesis that an unduly broad understanding of tolerance can undermine Christian morality. Alexei’s lecture was widely interpreted as an attack on gay rights, yet the issue was only mentioned explicitly in the ensuing discussion. In other contexts, the Patriarch has condemned the holding of a march by homosexuals in Moscow last July.
These two Baptist statements do not mention homosexuality by name either. But the general position of both churches is similar. Whilst respecting the rights of individual homosexuals as human beings created in the image of God, public propagation of their lifestyle should not be accepted. Its practice is regarded as sin.
The Baptist statements laud the fact that in Strasbourg the Patriarch underscored the Orthodox intention to continue dialogue with the other “traditional faiths” of Russia – meaning Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Animist, Catholic and Lutheran. The Russian Baptists, who will be celebrating their 140th birthday during the upcoming week, appeal to the Patriarch to be granted recognition as an additional “traditional faith”.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 15 October 2007
This press release reflects the personal assessment by its author and should not be automatically interpreted as an official RUECB position. May be published freely. Release #38, 470 words.
Call for Joint Catholic-Protestant Projects
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Departing Archbishop Kondrusiewicz visits Baptist headquarters
M o s c o w -- In a farewell visit with representatives of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB) in Moscow on 10 October, Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, the departing Roman Catholic Archbishop-Metropolitan of Moscow, called for joint charitable projects between Russian Catholics and Protestants. “It would be truly magnificent if we could do something together!” he exclaimed. Alluding to Russia’s underdeveloped inter-confessional relations he added: “Sometimes neighbours cannot get on with each other. It would therefore be a remarkable witness to the world if Catholics and Protestants could cooperate on projects of charity.”
Referring to earlier activities of the joint Catholic-Orthodox-Protestant “Christian Inter-Confessional Advisory Committee” (CIAC), he noted that its last activity before a period of hibernation had been a youth conference. “It was a truly splendid event,” he noted. “The young people understood each other immediately – between them there are no barriers. Yes, each side remains true to its theological convictions, but we belong together. It is like a garden with various flowers. And the garden is so beautiful because the flowers are all different!”
The departing Archbishop related that he had co-operated closely with former RUECB-President Peter Konovalchik within the important CIAC committee. He had gotten to know the Baptist Konovalchik as a person truly committed to proclaiming the Gospel to the world – and that not only with words. In defending moral values and in swimming against the tides of secularism,. Kondrusiewicz appealed vehemently for the continuation of inter-confessional dialogue and the CIAC. That could result in a witness which would indeed be much more than just a simple sermon. Pope Paul VI had stated years ago that “the world listens more to witnesses than it does to teachers”.
Kondrusiewicz sees no reason why joint Catholic-Protestant declarations protesting military conflicts or violations of human rights should not be issued.
Kondrusiewicz will be succeeded in Moscow by the 45-year-old Italian Paolo Pecci, who served most recently as head of a seminary in St. Petersburg. The Archbishop, who had headed the Roman Catholic church in Russia from his seat in Moscow since 1991, will be returning to his native Belarus. There he had been born into a Polish family in 1946. He will serve as head of the Archdiocese of Minsk and Mogilev.
Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz was hosted at RUECB headquarters by President Yuri Sipko and Vitaly
Vlasenko, Director of External Church Relations. The CIAC committee was refounded in December 2006, but it has not yet convened.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 11 October 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #37, 382 words.
Not Liberal – Just Different
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Russian report on the European Baptist Federation Council sessions in Budapest
M o s c o w -- „The Baptists of Western Europe are not ´liberals´, they are simply different from us in some ways.“ That was the conclusion of Rev. Vitaly Vlasenko (Moscow), Director of the Russian Baptist Union’s „Department for External Church Relations“ following his visit to the annual European Baptist Federation (EBF) Council sessions. These were held in Budapest from 26 to 29 September and involved 150 delegates from most European and several Middle Eastern countries. Vlasenko continued: „Liberalism is the wrong word to use when describing our differences. „Liberalism“ is an ideology, an academic theory. It’s an „ism“ much like Marxism. We Baptists are united by the same belief, the same baptism and many common principles. That’s more reason than enough for us to accept the differences that do exist.“
Vlasenko described the reception in Budapest as „wonderful“. „I really love the atmosphere of EBF meetings. Everyone wishes us well, everyone is willing to help. I felt welcome and accepted from the very beginning. It was also a great experience to become acquainted with older brothers from Western Europe who had come to visit us in the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s when the EBF was still young. Now they can see some of the fruits of their work – we Russians are a part of that fruit.“
The Department head insists that membership in the EBF is of vital importance to all post-Soviet republics: „We must continue on and foster this relationship. We belong together“. Though roughly five delegates from Ukraine were present in Budapest, no delegate came from EBF-member Belarus. Vlasenko, who participated in an EBF-Council session for the first time, was the sole delegate from Russia. The Baptist Unions of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are no longer members of the EBF. Joy was expressed in Budapest over the fact that the Romanian Baptist Union under the leadership of Dr. Otniel Bunaciu (Bucharest) has after a 12-year absence again become a member of the EBF. Its 99.000 members make Romania Europe’s third-largest Baptist Union.
Rev. Vlasenko hopes the Russian Union is again beginning to make its mark on the European Baptist scene. In Budapest he was asked to report on this year’s highly-successful transcontinental bicycle expedition from Germany to Vladivostok on the Pacific Ocean. In Budapest, German leaders expressed regret that they had not given more of their time to the expedition during it’s short sojourn in Germany last May.
Relief24, a Hungarian Baptist emergency relief effort, has helped build a very positive reputation for Baptists in that country. Its teams attempt to be on location around the world within 24 hours after a catastrophe. Germany is making plans to partner with this organisation; individual Russians are also invited to participate. Persons trained as doctors, nurses, firemen, mountain climbers, cave experts or radio operators are needed.
The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB), Russia’s largest Protestant church, represents approximately 80.000 adult members meeting in 1.750 local congregations and groups. Its President is Pastor Yuri Sipko.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 9 October 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #36, 495 words.
Baptists Desire a Strong and Positive Orthodox Church
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A brief compilation of RUECB news items
M o s c o w -- “It would be good if the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) would truly become a spiritual leader in our country, if its authority were rooted in the merciful and reconciling power of love.” This sentence stems from a paper earlier this month on the issue of religious education in schools authored by Viktor Ryaguzov, Baptist Senior Pastor (or Bishop) for the regions of Samara and Ulyanovsk (Volga). The paper continues: ““Instead the church opts for the wealth of national resources and oil, for the symphony between secular and spiritual powers.”
Similar complaints stem from a roundtable of nine Protestant groups meeting for the first time on 12 September in the region of Tuva, Eastern Siberia, to discuss its relations with the government. Regional and Orthodox representatives chose not to attend the meeting. In a statement the roundtable complained: “No one in the European countries in which the Orthodox are a small minority in comparison with the Protestants would consider defaming the Orthodox as a ´sect´.” Religious historians in the meeting noted that it was Baptist settlers who initially brought the Christian faith to this remote region early in the 20th century..
But sometimes the churches discover themselves on the same side of issues. A law proposed by the Moscow City Duma on 14 March 2007 triggered protests from both Orthodox and Protestant quarters. This legislation forbade “religious agitation” in public places. The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB) press service reports that this Article 3.8. would have transformed street evangelism into a public disorder on the level of begging or prostitution.
Early in July RUECB-President Yuri Sipko responded with a letter to the city government requesting clarification. The letter noted that such a law would be at odds with all international standards on the freedom of religion and speech. The municipal politicians then announced in a letter in early September that the matter of “religious agitation” would be dropped from legislation.
Despite all Orthodox advances on religious instruction in schools, Pastor Vitaly Vlasenko, Director of the RUECB´s Department for External Church Relations, concludes: “We must not give up prematurely. In Russia the struggle for an open, multi-confessional society has not yet been lost. Our discussions with the Orthodox are not over.”
Regarding the numbers to which the Tuva roundtable referred: The Baptist World Alliance (BWA), based in Falls Church, Virginia/USA, represents 38 million of the roughly 100 million Baptists on the globe. That makes Baptists the world´s largest Protestant confession.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 17 September 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #35, 409 words.
Preaching Without Words
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New church soup kitchen opens in Moscow
M o s c o w -- Once the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy (MPC) ran four soup kitchens for the needy in Moscow. Then there was one. Since the festive opening of a new kitchen on 10 September, there are again two. MPC-Pastor Robert Bronkema explains: "Our soup kitchen ministry began in 1991, but later our focus shifted to helping minorities in Moscow. So many of our resources were moved to help people of color. We believe we are now in a position to concentrate on both."
The original soup kitchen, located in a remote location on Mosfilmofskaya Ulitsa, is still feeding 200 persons every weekday. This new kitchen – which also served the MPC once before - has been chosen because of its central location very near the Kuznetskii Most metro station. The new, reopened kitchen intends to serve only women with children. Ninety mothers and children are already registered for these meals, yet the present amount of funds and volunteers only suffices for 50.
Not all wishes have been fulfilled. MPC-staff person Viktoria Spieth believes that food bags would be a significant help. She states: “It`s a big chore for mothers with children to come here every day in order to eat.”
Primary financial sponsors for this new effort are Moscow`s International Women`s Club the German embassy and MPC. Occasional sponsors have included the Canadian embassy and the Anglo-American school.
Church-wise, this social project is truly an inter-confessional one. Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant representatives were present at the opening. The city administration and Orthodox social services are supplying the names of needy mothers. There is consequently little room to suggest additional names for the list of the needy. “But the sky is the limit,” Pastor Bronkema, a Presbyterian, hastens to add. “We will do as much as our resources (money and volunteers) allow.”
Bronkema stresses that the MPC, which was initially created in 1962 to serve the English-speaking diplomatic and business community, is very open to cooperation with Russian Baptist congregations. Pastor Ruvim Voloshin, responsible for Baptist social ministries at Baptist headquarters in Moscow, has expressed interest in supporting joint social programmes. The MPC is supported by a coalition of Lutheran, Reformed, Methodist and Baptist denominations in the USA. The Valley Forge-based “American Baptist Churches” have long been involved. A recent interim pastor was Charles Mercer and his wife, Marie, from this church.
Why be involved in social ministries? The US-American Bronkema responds: „This is a most natural result of our faith. We do this out of love – not out of fear. We can do no other. St. Francis of Assisi once stated: ‘I use every opportunity I have to preach the Gospel. Sometimes I also use words.’”
MPC holds its English-language worship service Sundays at 15.00 hrs at St. Andrews Anglican Church, Vosniesenski pereulok 8. The community also has a website: “www.moscowprotestantchaplaincy.org”.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 14 September 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #34, 445 words.
Still Strangers in the West
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Russian Baptist Union present at the Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu
M o s c o w -- “For European society we Russians are still strangers – and that includes me.” That was the comment of Vitaly Vlasenko (Moscow), Director of External Church Relations for the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB), following the subdued response to the lecture of Metropolitan Cyril on 5 September at the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu, Romania. Cyril, Russian Orthodox Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, had appealed for a revival of European conservatism and the Christian society. Vlasenko had agreed with many of his basic premises. The contrast between East and West was sharpened by the fact that the previous speaker, the German Catholic Cardinal Walter Casper, is a favourite among the ecumenically-minded of Western Europe.
Vlasenko, the only Protestant delegate to the Assembly from the countries of the Former Soviet Union (excluding the Baltic states and Georgia), added: “Our participation in the Conference of European Churches (CEC) is therefore very important. We must become acquainted with the European spirit, after all, we are also a part of Europe! We must get to know the Catholic point of view. Sibiu was a great platform for discussion – also about our own situation as Protestants in Russia.” The CEC was a major organiser of the event, only the third such meeting of all major Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches in Europe. From 4 to 9 September the Assembly hosted 1.500 delegates as well as 1.000 more interested Christians and journalists in Sibiu.
Russian Baptists share with other Baptists a common confession; with the Russian Orthodox they share a common language and culture. This bridge function was apparent in Vlasenko`s description of his contacts with Russian Orthodox delegates: “We had a great time together, we had a lot of discussions. All 20 of them were very helpful and open, they were willing to discuss anything.” His contacts with the 20 other Baptist delegates from throughout Western Europe were no less pleasant. “I was accepted fully. They were very grateful that our Union came. We have some theological differences among us and we speak different languages, but we experienced a true brother- and sisterhood. We were truly united in our love for Jesus Christ.”
At Moscow Baptist headquarters afterwards Vlasenko noted that the three-member (Catholic – Orthodox – Protestant) “Christian Inter-Confessional Advisory Committee” created last 20 December has not yet met. It is hoped that discussions in foreign countries could strengthen inter-church relations in Russia and help bring a breakthrough for this committee.
Despite the joyful encounters in Sibiu, the External Relations Director emphasises that Russian Baptists are not a part of the ecumenical movement as represented by Geneva´s
World Council of Churches. “We are only indirectly members of CEC. The European Baptist Federation (EBF) is a member of CEC, and we are members of EBF.”
In a paper the Baptist delegates in Sibiu expressed disappointment over the fact that the Assembly´s closing document does not reflect Baptist concerns. Due to differences in the understanding of baptism, Baptists do not view baptism as a topic which could bring together the confessions of Europe.
The RUECB, Russia`s largest Protestant church, represents approximately 78.000 adult members meeting in 1.740 local congregations and groups.Its President is Pastor Yuri Sipko.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 13 September 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #33, 526 words.
A Symphony with the State Costs a Pretty Penny
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Baptist president responds to worship service held for Russia`s nuclear fighting units
M o s c o w – On the occasion of 60th anniversary of the creation of Russia’s (or the Soviet Union’s) nuclear defence, a first-ever service was held in Moscow’s “Christ the Saviour” cathedral honouring the nuclear-equipped fighting units. Leading the festivities was Alexei II, Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). Pastor Yuri Sipko (Moscow) is President of the Russian Union of Evangelical-Christians-Baptists (RUECB), Russia’s largest, nationally-organised free church.
My first question to you, Pastor Sipko: Why were church anniversary festivities on 4 September necessary? What is the ROC hoping to achieve?
The ROC believes it has state-moulding characteristics. That type of claim harbours enormous dangers. The century of state-sponsored atheism has been followed by an era of religious freedom. Religious competitors are now struggling for as large a piece of the prize as possible. The ROC is not shrinking back from intermeshing with the state, and is hoping with state help to overwhelm the competition. But a symphony with the state costs a pretty penny. A church sanctifies the dealings of the state; the state in turn favours that church. The ROC is striving to make its influence on the state absolute. Yet an institution which participates massively in government activities becomes co-responsible for its political and military decisions.
Is there a difference for Baptists when a church only blesses guns and flags, or when it also blesses atomic weaponry? Are Baptists allowed to serve in a nuclear fighting unit?
I believe the church of Jesus Christ must never allow itself to become the political office of an army or navy. And when she does that, the difference between that, which she is, and that which she intends to bless, disappears. The ROC finds itself in this kind of danger. One can also note incidentally that up to 35.000 people are killed on Russia’s motorways every year. And that happens despite the fact that nearly all Russian automobiles have been blessed by the ROC. I also believe that the devastating might of atomic weaponry has not yet claimed all of its victims.
The RUECB does not give its members orders regarding military service. They and all other citizens of Russia have the choice of serving in the regular army or opting for alternative service.
In 1958 the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) almost split regarding the question of whether Christians – and military chaplains – were allowed to serve in an army equipped with atomic weaponry. Should that be a topic for Baptists today?
That question is currently not a pressing one. The RUECB is located outside the political realm. Such issues could reappear if international tensions increase once again. Here we are very dependent upon the mercy of God.
The Lord has called his church to carry the Good News to the ends of the earth. This message is necessary for soldiers, government officials and every person anywhere. Which means that the service of a military chaplain or any pastor working with soldiers is indeed a holy calling.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 12 September 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #32, 497 words.
A Church Gets Moving
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Bicycle tour from Germany to Vladivostok reaches goal
Report
M o s c o w – A major bike tour is finally over. On the evening of 3 September in the Moscow offices of the “Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptist” (RUECB), many of those who participated in the transcontinental bike expedition “The Gospel to the Peoples of the World” gathered to celebrate its completion. The tour had started in Varel, Germany on 13 May and ended as scheduled on 2 September in Vladivostok. Anyone wanting, as this group did, to scoop water from the North Sea near Varel and deposit it into the Pacific at Vladivostok, now knows exactly how many kilometres need to be covered: 14.711 (9.102 miles).
Even the eight cyclists’ nine-hour flight from Vladivostok back to Moscow on 3 September was tiresome. Vladivostok is located seven time zones (or hours) ahead of Moscow – or nine zones ahead of Germany. Transporting the bikes back to Moscow in the two acoompanying, motorised vehicles will take between 10 and 14 days.
Heat and cold played a part on the tour. Siberia offered temperatures as high as 40 Centigrade (104 Fahrenheit) and swarms of flies. West of Kassel, Germany on 16 May, the thermometre dropped to 8 Centigrade (46 Fahrenheit) with a cold rain. But probably the dust clouds in Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East were the most trying. On incompleted, rough gravel roads, the cyclists achieved only a little over 100 kilometres (62 miles) per day. The best performance for a single day lay far to the west: 318 km (196 miles). Daily riding distances of 250 km (154 miles) were common.
Four stages with four teams of riders were planned. Yet only one of 31 total riders stayed in the saddle for the entire distance from Varel to Vladivostok: the 50-year-old church deacon and father of 10, Vladimir Skovpen (Klintsy near Briansk). He was the USSR`s national cycling champion in 1980. There would have been two, but German officials had in their wisdom denied entry visas to all participants with Ukrainian passports. The hearing-impaired Moscow Baptist Victor Kabachevski was therefore forced to begin his tour on the Belarus border in Briest. At the closing Moscow festivities on 3 September, this athlete still appeared vigourous. The dentist Levon Sarkisov (Krasnodar) was also along for the entire distance from Varel to Vladivostok, but he occasionally needed to spend time recovering in an accompanying vehicle.
Yet the people contacts – and not the atheletic performances - stood at the centre of this missionary expedition. As many as 500 persons attended the events scheduled for most every evening. Once the children`s team had 100 children to deal with. Moscow pastor Alexei Markevich, who was along for a portion of the 4th stage, reports: “We were a well-coordinated team. Each person had specific responsibilities: music, preaching, children`s hour, sound, logistics. It functioned very well.” Even the composers had their day: A song about the tour was composed and sung on the way.
Finding lodging for the group was no easy endeavour in Poland and Germany. Yet two days before Chita in Eastern Siberia, the expedition was hosted by a congregation featuring a total membership of 1. Markevich reports that even then the group had plenty to eat and everyone was offered a place to sleep.
“Our church is up and moving,” concluded Valery Pashkovetz, one-time military pilot and current pastor of the Kaluga congregation, at the Moscow festivities. “Until now we have been lethargic, living isolated from the world. But now we are getting up out of our couches and moving out into the streets.” Not only did Pashkovetz peddle the entire first stage from Varel to Briansk in Western Russia, he afterward organised along with 33 persons from his congregation (16 of them on bicycles) a 10-day tour through the villages of his region. During this summer, bike tours took place in 32 of the Russian Baptist Union`s 52 church districts. Next summer, all 52 should be involved.
That is in any case the intention of Leonid Kartavenko (Moscow), Director of Home Missions and spiritual head of the cycling movement, now into its third year. He concluded: “One has many more possibilities for conversation when sitting on top of a bicycle. We get a very different kind of access to people. The uninvolved young person standing off to the side is forced to provide himself with an answer: “They are believers and ride bicycles. I am an unbeliever and I drink. Why am I not out riding?”
Valery Pashkovetz adds: „You can`t start out cold turkey with God and heaven. That`s too much for the listener. But sport, health and sustance abuse – almost everybody knows something about that. That creates an immediate bridge to people – especially to youth. Young people can`t imagine owning a car, but bicycles are something much more attainable.” The arrival of expedition members in the early years in motorised vehicles was interpreted much more readily as agitation and was of interest - if to anyone - only to adults.
After countless conversations with government authorities this summer, Kartavenko is convinced they should be regarded as allies. “We held our meetings on the central market place. And the local authorities almost always helped us organise things – for free. We have the impression that the government authorities suffer from the sorry state of their people. How can one provide people with a positive future? We are seen as strong and healthy people capable of helping Russia overcome its crisis. We can give people hope for the future. The government is not against us. There are only certain religious interest groups wanting to turn the state on us. Official religion is attempting to damage us through government channels.”
Besides pouring water into the Pacific on 2 September, the invitation of the Vladivostok region’s Vice-Minister for Youth and Sport is regarded as a second glowing finale for the tour. On that day he had approached the region`s leading Baptist pastor with the request that a joint Baptist-government tour back to Moscow be organised for next summer. Back in Moscow a pleased Kartavenko responded. “That`s something very new for us – that the government would request a favour from us!”
An initial Orthodox cycle tour took place in August in region of Belgorod. It was financed by the regions`s youth ministry.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 4 September 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #31, 1.040 words.
Baptist Church in Lipetsk – Most Secure Location for the Defusing of Explosives
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Police choose Baptist churchyard for bomb search
M o s c o w – On 6 August, city authorities chose the grounds of a Baptist church in Lipetsk south-east of Moscow for the bomb search of a local city bus. On that Monday morning the bus and a group of police and security officials arrived just as the congregation`s pastor and a colleague were standing in the churchyard. Church pastor Vladimir Boyev reported later that the unwelcome, surprise visit was completely unannounced. Entrance to the church building was immediately sealed off. Pastor Boyev`s unsuspecting wife, who arrived later, was arrested and taken to a police station prior to her release. She had expressed the desire to remove supplies from the building intended for a church-sponsored vacation camp.
It soon became clear that the sniffer hounds had been mistaken – the suspicious package contained nothing more than laundry soap. The all-clear signal was given and the security forces retreated. Local radio reported shortly thereafter: “The defusing of a city bus occurred at the most secure location of all – the grounds of the Church of the Holy Trinity.” No thank you or word of apology was ever offered by police officials.
A staff member at headquarters of the Baptist Union in Moscow asks: „Why did they not do their inspection in an open field, at a garbage depot or on the grounds of an unused factory? It is unthinkable that such a check would take place in the vicinity of an Orthodox church. I believe they wanted to make clear that Baptists are an inferior social group”
A press release from the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB) reports of discrimination and calls the incident illegal and “simply absurd”. The Lipetsk congregation has suffered repeatedly from tensions with local authorities.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 31 August 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #30, 283 words.
The Road is Still Long
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Initial meeting between Baptists and the administration for the Moscow region
M o s c o w – The regional administration responsible for the territory is not informed on church developments in the city of Chekhov (Moskau region) and the ruling of the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg. This became evident at an initial meeting in Moscow on 24 August between Baptists and the “Ministry for Territorial Development in Moscow Region”, to which the office for church affairs belongs. The meeting had been initiated by Vitaly Vlasenko (Moscow), Director of the Department for External Church Relations within the “Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists” (RUECB). In a conversation with the press afterwards he reported: “Our partners had already done some research on us. But they knew nothing about the events in Chekhov which have been reported on widely throughout Europe.”
On 26 July, the EU Court for Human Riights had sentenced the Russian government to a payment of 6.000 euros. After the chapel in Chehov was destroyed by fire in 2001, the congregation there had been forbidden to meet under the open skies. Further incidents in Latoshino and Balashikha were an additional reason for Baptists to request the meeting.
This ministry for the region surrounding Moscow is known among Baptists for its closeness to the Russian Orthodox Church. The ministry`s representatives also stated in this meeting that 98% of their region’s residents are of Orthodox faith. In the later press conversation Vlasenko responded: “In view of the fact that the region around Moscow is also home to hundreds of thousands of Muslims, Jews and – above all – atheists, this number can only be regarded as pure fiction.”
The second Baptist present at the meeting was the businessman Alexander Semchenko (Moscow), who represents Protestants in the political “Advisory Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations at the Seat of the President of the Russian Federation”. He remarked in the meeting that Baptists did not expect big changes immediately. Yet the RUECB would always be ready to develop relations with this local administration. He added in the meeting: “We want to help the people of Moscow region grow in their knowledge of God. We want to help them be good citizens, and we also want to teach our young people to be such.”
In his conversation with the press Pastor Vlasenko concluded: “The meeting did not fulfill all of our expectations. The road is still long. But we want to be patient and not lose the hope that we will someday still meet with Regioinal Governor Boris Gromov, for he is an important figure.” Primary government representative at the meeting was Sergei Komarov, Vice-Minister for Territorial Development in the Moscow region.
The RUECB, Russia’s largest Protestant free church, represenhts roughly 80.000 adult believers active in 1.750 local churches and groups. Its President is Yuri Sipko (Moscow).
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 26 August 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #29, 455 words.
Texan Finds Refuge in Naberezhnye Chelny
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A missions visit with unexpected results
Commentary
M o s c o w – Five years ago Mike Fisher, a Texan nearly as large as Texas, decided the time had come to begin a side activity as short-term missionary. Dr. Fisher, owner of a dental practice near Rockwall, a suburb of Dallas, then paid his first visit to a congregation of the “Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists” in Naberezhnye Chelny near the Western edge of the Ural Mountains. That church is pastored by Alexander Mandzuk. Now, in a conversation in Moscow`s Golgotha Church on 17 August he conceded: “I didn’t go to Tatarstan initially with any burning desire to engage in missions. I thought it would be interesting and fun. I thought I would try Russia, then maybe China and Cuba.” He wanted to see the world and fill up his passport with interesting visas. Yet today, after 10 trips to Naberezhnye Chelny and surrounding areas, his pass displays little more than Russian visas.
On the floor of a pastor`s flat during the third night of his first visit in 2002, it suddenly dawned on the dentist that there were still major matters he needed to learn. In the conversation at Golgotha Church he explained: “I realized then that I had just worshiped with Christians who according to our standards had nothing at all materially. They had nothing more than a shelter and a few personal possessions. And yet they were because of their faith the most contented people I had ever met. God used that moment as a real Epiphany experience for me. I was on a track headed for houses and cars and all that America tells us are important. But that had never made me content.”
Mike Fisher conceded: “I still struggle with slipping into that lifestyle.” That pursuit is still prevalent everywhere in the US. “That’s why I need to get out of America about every six months and get my bearings again. I need that to get regrounded in the basics of the faith.” Yet I do not have the impression that the Texan wants to overstate the extent of his internal conversion. It is of course dishonest to idealise the lives of the poor if one oneself is still living in the best of conditions and has no plans to share the fate of those who are not by choice poor. Nor is Russian society in general worthy of idealisation. Also in Russia the New Rich have lost no time internalising the worst of Western tendencies – selfishness and antisocial behaviour. Yet Fisher is convinced that believers in the Naberezhnye Chelny region have uncovered truths which are vital for the witness of the churches in Texas.
The giant dentist is nevertheless proud and thankful for his congregation: the 10.000.member Lake Pointe Church with ties to the „Southern Baptist Convention“. Interestingly enough, this church elder labels America`s widespread “Prosperity Gospel” a “horrible thing”. “It simply isn’t true that all my troubles will be solved if I come to Christ. That didn’t happen for the Apostles and Christ didn’t even have a pillow on which to lay his head. Frankly, God does not call all of us to be successful in business.”
Number-wise, Lake Pointe Church is also not labeling its cooperation with Naberezhnye Chelny a grand success. It counts as success the new relationships formed between existing local church members and non-believers. They form the basis for long-term relational evangelism. Past mission projects have included summer camps for children, English-language camps and street work. The very first seminars on business topics were held from 11 to 19 August by a five-member team in Naberezhnye Chelny, and for the first time also in Moscow (Golgotha Church). The dentist states: “Some trips in the past consisted strictly of my wife and I visiting dental clinics. But it is essential that we care enough to keep coming back. Only that will lend us the trust and credibility we need, only that will open doors.” He is concerned that one-time, short visits “all over the place are often responsible for wasting a lot of God’s resources”. The relationship with Texas therefore intends to be a long-term partnership going very deeply.
In Moscow Mike Fisher concluded: Our friends in Russia “know much better than we what we can best do for them. Evangelistic techniques successful in the US might fall flat here. We can therefore only be servants. The Russians tell us how they can best use us. Then we figure out together what we can do to meet their suggestions. Our greatest desire is that the church will grow through more people coming to faith in Christ.”
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 21 August 2007
As a commentary, this text reflects only the opinion of its author. This text is not an official statement of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. Republication is permitted. Release #28, 764 words.
Baptists are a Traditional Russian Religion
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Conversation with businessman Alexander Semchenko
M o s c o w – In the course of the many years in which “Protestants were persecuted and repressed, we have earned the right to be regarded as one of Russia`s traditional churches”. Alexander Semchenko (Moscow), a Baptist businessman and philanthropist, made this claim in a conversation with church workers in Moscow on 15 August. Semchenko, who represents the “Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists” (RUECB) in the “Advisory Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations at the Seat of the President of the Russian Federation”, added that Baptists had in the course of their 140 years on Russian soil gained a solid place within society. “Our constitution declares Russia to be a secular state and guarantees every citizen religious freedom.” Yet the religious legislation of 1997 had determined that only “traditional” religious communites would be tolerated in Russia.
Forming the background for the conversation was the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France in late July in favor of a Baptist congregation in Chechov/Moscow region. After the congregation`s chapel (house of prayer) was burnt in 2001, its members were forbidden to worship under the open sky. The Court sentenced the Russian government to a fine of 6.000 euros.
In a further instance, Vladimir Kalinin, a Baptist pastor in the village of Kaspilya/ Smolensk region and highly-decorated former army officer, addressed President Vladimir Putin in an open letter. Persons who had repeatedly come to his services were threatened with having their throats slit. A burning of their house of prayer was regularly forecast.
Semchenko is highly disappointed that the Chechov congregation only found favour with a foreign court. “But it was not a ruling against Russia.” It was rather a ruling against ”government officials ignorant and uncaring about religious affairs. Yet the majority of government officials act according to Russian law and do not simply do as they like”. It makes sense to appeal to Russian officials and courts. He attributed the drastic wrongdoing to new, lay Orthodox believers without knowledge of historical developments. The guilty were attemping in their overeagerness to go beyond the instructions of their spiritual teachers. “Generally, the relationship of our church to the Orthodox is positive.”
This businessman speaks out against the ghetto-like existence of the past and appeals for the Protestant minority to approach society with an open mind and ready hands. He calls the open letter from Kaspilya one indication for the growth of a civil, Russian society. He closes his remarks with the sentences: “God calls all of us to serve our country. It is impossible to be a citizen of the heavenly kingdom without simultaneously being a good citizen of our earthly home.”
Alexander Semchenko is also publisher of the Moscow weekly “Protestant”, one of the RUECB’s official papers. He has worked closely with Union leadership for more than 20 years.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 16 August 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #27, 467 words.
Clericalism Truly Does Exist
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Russian Baptist President Sipko comments on a national debate
M o s c o w – “It is an irrefutable fact, that clericalism is present in our political and social life.” This statement by Pastor Yuri Sipko (Moscow), President of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB), agrees with a major claim made in an open letter signed by 10 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The radical, Orthodox movement “National Assembly” had answered this open letter from 23 July by pressing charges against one of its signers, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Vitaly Ginsburg, for “fostering religious discord”. Patriarch Alexei II, head of the Russian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchy (ROC), detected an “echo of past atheistic propaganda” in the letter. Vladimir Vigilyanski, director of the Moscow Patriarchy`s press office, accused the Academy members of fulfilling a political order, calling them „rowdies and swindlers“. Yet support arrived in the form of Vyacheslav Glasychev, a member of Russia`s Public Chamber. In a lecture he decried “hefty church interference in state affairs”.
In a conversation with colleagues at Moscow church headquarters in early August, President Sipko pointed to an incident in the West Siberian city of Omsk as an indication of increasing clericalism. During a visit there, German Gref, the Russian Minister for Economic Development, had criticised the lack of progress on airport, metro and road construction. The regional governor responded with the assurance that “we will throw all of our efforts into the economic tasks before us as soon as the ROC’s next church is completed”. In the region of Moscow alone 200 new Orthodox churches have been built in the last seven years.
Not only Sipko is convinced that ROC demands to be present at the oath-taking of soldiers and the visits of state officials to outlying areas conflict with the legal principle of state neutrality in religious affairs. This is also true regarding the frequent expectation that the holding of Protestant music festivals or meetings on topics of health require the prior sanction of a local Orthodox priest.
In this conversation Yuri Sipko also pointed to the ROC’s weakness, noting that it has not mustered sufficient internal strength to rid itself of the obsolete Julian calendar. The ROC must therefore fall back on administrative, government means to guarantee its preferred status vis a vis its adversaries. The Baptist President is therefore concerned about the long-term consequences for Orthodoxy. He concluded that “rudeness” on the part of the Academy members was only a reaction to prior church rudeness. “We also reap that which we sow.”
Particularly contentious is the ROC’s attempt to make Orthodox religious instruction a required subject in public schools in this multinational country with 23 million Muslims. This has already occurred in four Western provinces. Sipko regards the course book for Orthodox religious instruction entitled “Foundations of Orthodox Culture” (OPK) as indoctrination. It does more than report on culture and basic church history – a section on “extremism” calls for resistance to all “sects”. The Baptist President does not believe the ROC has the best interests of children in mind in its struggle for school access. This confrontation is instead part of an “unprincipled and dirty struggle for power. And all means are acceptable if they lead to the proper end.” He forecast: “The seed will find its way back to us when the souls of today`s children display tomorrow the fruits of this deceit and selfishness. How can one increase morality with immoral means?”
The 10 academics as well as the Baptists believe increased clericalism will split society. Sipko called the attempt “playing with fire”. Both therefore demand respect for existing Russian legislation supporting freedom of conscience and equal footing for all religious communities. In this instance Sipko quoted President Vladimir Putin: “Only the dictatorship of the law has a right to exist within the Russian Federation.” The Baptist Pastor nevertheless accuses him of displaying too much patience regarding the keeping of this demand.
Rather than expecting the presence of an Orthodox priest, Yuri Sipko called on Russia`s government officials and its President to swear an oath of loyalty to the national constitution and already-passed legislation. Representatives of the State Prosecutor’s office in particular should be required to take tests proving that they have knowledge of major legislation. The Baptist President concluded that “ignorance (on the part of state officials) is not to be overcome with ignorance”.
Yet major portions of the scientists’ open letter deal with Orthodox interference in the natural sciences. In this case Yuri Sipko is again on the side of the ROC. He, just as they do, “wishes with all of his heart that schools would teach the option of creation along with the theory of evolution”.
The entire interview with President Sipko is available in Russian on the RUECB’s website:
„www.baptist.ru.org“.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 13 August 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #25, 780 words.
An Exchange of Hearts Creates Unity
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Russian Baptists helping to plan Amsterdam 400
M o s c o w - The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB) has decided to play an active role in events sponsored by the Prague-based European Baptist Federation (EBF). Recent proof was Vitaly Vasenko`s (Moscow) presence at initial sessions of the Amsterdam 400 Planning Group in Prague, 3 and 4 August. Pastor Vasenko is Director of the RUECB`s “Department for External Church Relations”
Due in part to the fact that the EBF cannot be regarded as a financial heavyweight, interest in it had waned in Russia. Vlasenko states: “In recent years I have felt a kind of break between ourselves and EBF. Some persons regarded the EBF as a superfluous organisation, that it was better to spend our time working with other international bodies and missions. But I can confirm that the EBF is indeed a very constructive and useful organisation.”
Vitaly Vlasenko continues: “We Russians are located in the middle of Europe and Asia. It is very important to feel the shoulders of our brothers – and sisters - in Europe. We are connected not only geographically, but also spiritually. Our hearts are connected. It is important for the Baptists of Europe to know what is going on in Russia, and we want to know what is happening among them. This exchange of hearts can create unity, and that is what chuches are all about. Jesus says that the world will believe if they notice the love that we have for each other. We must actively demonstrate our unity in Christ.“ The desire for stronger EBF contact was one reason for the reintroduction of the External Relations department in January 2007. Pastor Vlasenko will also be attending the EBF`s annual Council Sessions in Budapest, 26 to 29 September.
Amsterdam 400, scheduled for 24 to 26 July 2009, is intended to commemorate the founding of the first Baptist congregation on the European continent by the former Anglican priest John Smyth in 1609. The celebrations are expected to bring 1.750 Baptists from throughout Europe to this Dutch city.
The European Baptist Federation was founded in 1949 to help heal the wounds of WW II. It unites 52 Baptist Unions with a total membership of 800,000 stretching as far as the Russian Far East and the Middle East.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 10 August 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #24, 370 words.
Active in No-Man’s Land
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Christian Soldiers’ Union of Russia suffers setbacks
M o s c o w – The Baptist Oleg Askalenok (Moscow), President of the „Christian Soldiers’ Union of Russia“, reported on 12 July that an article in „Red Star“, the periodical of the Russian Ministry of Defense, has caused signficant damage. Entitled “Mission not Accomplished?” the article reported in drastic terms about the Soldiers’ Union and the retired officers from the West who have been its guests. Askalenok complains that he himself is - according to the demands of the moment - branded either a US-American, German, South Korean or Canadian agent. He reports: “Practically all doors were slammed shut following this article. All that often remains for us to do is to pray or to hand out our magazine to soldiers waiting at railway stations.”
But Askalenok, himself a former officer, attests to his continuing willingness to cooperate with government officials. “We are ready to visit military units and do what we can to help overcome evils like alcoholism and hazing. We are willing to work with the most difficult cases.” In an earlier talk with the Christian broadcaster “Radio Teos” he assured: “We have the experience. Our Soldiers’ Union has worked with such cases before and we can point to positive results.”
Yet an officer usually responds to offers of help with: „Have you gotten the blessings of an Orthodox priest? Do you have an official contract with the Ministry of Defense?” Only the Russian Orthodox Church has succeeded in obtaining such agreements – all other confessions find themselves in a legal no-man’s land when they become active in the military realm. Muslim and Jewish clergy were invited to a conference of military chaplains in Novogord in late June. But Askelenok adds that only the Orthodox are permitted to bless units of soldiers, flags and military hardware. In view of the state`s supposed neutrality in religious matters he asks: “How should Muslims and Protestants handle Orthodox military hardware? In such instances we simply think of the army as an Orthodox entity.”
Due to the lack of written agreements, Christian Soldiers’ Union workers are completely dependent on the good graces of any officer in authority when hoping for cooperation. Except for casual acquaintances with officers resulting from a train trip for ex., Askelenok must repeatedly fall back on contacts stemming from his own time as an officer when he entertains hopes of getting past a barracks gate.
Though the mission has only three salaried workers in its Moscow offices, it can count on the cooperation of up to 500 helpers even in very remote Baptist congregations. These helpers visit barracks in their vicinity and attempt to befriend and aid the enlisted.
But it is not only the Orthodox who oppose these efforts – ministry among soldiers also has its detractors within Baptist circles. Jakow Zhidkov, a leading representative of the Soviet-era All-Union Council of Baptists, lost two sons as soliders as early as World War II. Yet the pacifist convictions within a segment of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB) remain.
Yuri Sipko (Moscow), President of the RUECB, responded to the questions of an army officer on the church`s website on 13 July. Citing the priesthood of all believers as justification, the President described military service and the swearing of oaths as issues best left to the conscience of the individual believer. He added: “We have church members who could not imagine pointing a weapon at another human being. We respect that conviction. And so does our government, for it has passed a law providing alternative service. But we also have soldiers and officers in our congregations who have committed their lives to the defense of the Fatherland. Unfortunately, the army is closed to workers acting in the name of our Union. I am confident that opportunities will still open up for our workers to help young Christian soldiers make right decisions at critical times in their lives.”
Despite its setbacks, later this year the Christian Soldiers’ Union of Russia will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of its official, government registration.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 18 July 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #23. 665 words.
Gennadi Kryuchkov is dead
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RUECB mourns the passing of the long-time leader of Russia`s unregistered church
M o s c o w -- Gennadi Konstantinovich Kryuchkov, President since 1965 of the church now known as the “International Council of Evangelical Christians-Baptists”, died in Tula on 15 July 2008. He would have been 81 years old this October and had been suffering from a heart condition for the past one-and-a-half years.
Gennadi Kryuchkov’s life and ministry were closely tied to the church best known originally as the “Council of Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists” or “Initativniki”. Largely because of disagreements on how to best respond to government repression, his group split off from the “All-Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists” in August 1961. It reached its peak membership of perhaps 155.000 in 1966. Today, after large-scale emigration, probably no more than 20.000 of its members remain in Russia. A focus point of its activity is the restored church building in Tula, located 200 kilometres south of Moscow, where a major convention took place in October 2005. This denomination remains committed to the principle of state non-interference as well as church non-involvement in government affairs. For this reason, its congregations remain unregistered with the state up until the present. Officially they still are an “underground” church.
The first two leaders of the “Initiativniki”-church were A.F. Prokofev and Boris Zdorovets. But the two were quickly imprisoned and needed to be replaced by the team of Gennadi Kryuchkov and Georgi Vins in 1962. Vins was perhaps the better-known of the two because of mass press coverage in the West. Imprisoned in 1966 and again in 1974, Vins was deported to the USA in 1979. There he remained active in Initiativniki affairs until his death in 1998 at the age of 70.
Pastor Kryuchkov was also no stranger to human suffering. His believing father was sentenced in 1931 to five years labor camp when Gennadi was only four. Conscripted into the Soviet Army in 1943 at age 17, he was not released until 1951.
After a public demonstration by dissident Baptists including Vins and Kryuchkov at the Kremlin in 1966, both were imprisoned. Kryuchkov was released in 1969. But due to the possibility of imminent, renewed imprisonment, he disappeared and went into hiding the following year. This father of nine then spent the next 20 years as a refugee “on the run” from a government bent on capturing him.
In recent years, much has been done to heal inner-Baptist wounds stemming from the divisions of the 1960’s. Pastor Valentin Vasilizhenko (Moscow), Secretary of the “Public Council”, an umbrella organisation committed to dialogue with all groups of Russian Baptists, reports that he frequently conversed with Pastor Kryuchkov. His “International Council” church enjoyed observer status within the “Public Council”.
In a letter of condolence, Yuri Sipko (Moscow), President of the “Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists” (RUECB), writes: “Gennadi Konstantinovich gave his whole life to the service of God. He was confronted in his life with more than a few trials and tests, which he mastered with honour, dignity and a deep faith. He remained true to Christ and His church. The brotherhood of Evangelical Christians-Baptists has lost a worthy brother, a loyal servant, blessed leader and loving father. Today, we all grieve his passing.”
The funeral of Gennadi Kryuchkov will be held in Tula on Saturday, 21 July.
The RUECB is the legal successor to the Soviet-era “All-Union Council of Evangelical Christians-Baptists”. it now has roughly 75.000 adult believers active in 1.300 local churches and groups.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 17 July 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #22, 564 words.
The „Demise of Big“ Hampers Evangelistic Campaigns
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Interview with Yuri Sipko, President of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists
M o s c o w – In an interview with the Moscow Internet portal „The Other News“ on 12 July, Pastor Yuri Sipko (Moscow), President of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, noted that it is not only the government and the Russian Orthodox Church which are blocking large evangelistic campaigns. Thanks to media overkill, Russia is also experiencing the “demise of big”. Stadiums and halls are remaining largely empty for sport and theatre perfomances. Sipko regards it therefore as more effective, if “each believer at his place at home, at work or among friends”, uses his example and his words “to witness to the fact that we belong to God`s kingdom”.
Sipko stressed that he does not mean to criticise the mass rallies held by Franklin Graham in Kiev, Ukraine. Yet for the foreseeable future, Russian authorities “will not be tolerating such mass meetings”. For three days beginning on 6 July, Franklin Graham spoke at Kiev rallies attended by a total of 125.000 persons. In October 1992 his father, Billy Graham, had preached to 155.000 attending three rallies in Moscow`s Olympic stadium.
Yuri Sipko described the government position as one of „observing from afar“. He also senses this in the legal realm. At Duma sessions on 15 June, Sergei Ryahovski (Moscow), Bishop of the charismatic „United Russion Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith“, had called for the legal recognition of Protestants as traditional Russian churches. Yet the state refused to act on this initiative. Sipko maintained that government distance is also apparent in the fact that attacks on Baptist-owned buildings never find their way into a courtroom. For this reason, among others, the Baptist concluded that the ground rules of democratic interchange are not being kept. “Not nearly everyone in our country can count on equal protection from the courts and the Ministry for Internal Affairs.”
In the interview, the President of the Baptist Union also addressed a favourite national topic: What is to be done with Lenin`s body? He voiced his opposition to church participation in any of the populistic exploits proposed such as a spontanous removal of the waxed corpse from Red Square. He added that Christians are “located outside the political realm”, but conceded that “dust must be returned to dust”. This kind of fetish “should no longer be allowed to darken our minds and the minds of our children. It is wrong, that an unburied body remains at a very central location in our country, to which thousands still come to pay homage. This is a shameful manifestation which should seem highly odd to all of us.”
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 14 July 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #21, 427 words.
Without Sparing Their Own Bellies
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Third stage of bicycle tour from Germany to Vladivostok started
M o s c o w – The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists’ cycle “expedition” from Germany to Vladivostok on the Pacific is proceeding as planned. On 6 July the 3rd team of cyclers took over as scheduled in the West Siberian town of Tiumen. Increasing distance has even lead to higher speeds: constant speeds of 40 km/h are no longer rare. The group set a new record for itself in the region of Chelyabinsk/Ural: the cyclists covered 210 km in less than seven hours, making for an average speed of 33 km – or 20,33 miles – per hour.
But the physical challanges have also risen. Cyclists have needed to give up before the end of their stage. Shortly after the Ural Mountains, Siberia`s heat arrived with brutal force and temperatures soared to over 30 degrees Celsius – 86 Fahrenheit. Near Kugan, on 4 July, the group was attacked by almost larger-than-life flies. Being that the black, Mercedes SUV, which had been along already in Germany, is without air conditioning and has to drive with opened windows, the support staff remained within full range of the airborne critters. Three days later near Zavodoyukovsk the area’s primary motorway turned full of potholes. Even the hardened Russian cyclists were struck by the abject poverty of the region.
Since Moscow, a mammoth Kamaz lorry has been leading the parade; the flag-studded Mercedes, which had been out front in Germany, is now on the rear. (See photo.) The new lorry, paid for by the Dutch “Dorcas Aid” relief agency, is to be used later as a mobile church and missions station.
In the saddle since Varel on the North See (that was the beginning on 13 May) are the team leader and former national cycling champion Vladimir Skovpen (Klintsy near Briansk) and the dentist Levon Sarkisov (Krasnodar). The Moscow Baptist Victor Kabachevski has been along since Briest on the Polish-Belarus border. Eight new riders took to the road in Tiumen – they are to be replaced in turn by the 4th and final team in Irkutsk near Lake Baikal on 27 July. This 4th team is then scheduled to arrive in Vladivostok on 2 September.
Fortunately, the exhausted cyclists are not usually primarily responsible for evening festivites, which usually take place in a church. The support staff are not only responsible for medical aid and some cooking – they also do the evening programmes. Due to a cool reception among adults, the team is concentrating increasingly on children`s work. Specialists for children`s work from the German-sponsored “Light in the East” missions society in the distant, sourthern city of Vladikavkas have been along for longer stretches. They are heavily engaged in puppet theatre and their excellent and widely-known children`s magazine “Tropinka” (The Path) is finding hundreds of eager takers. Orphanages and schools are visited regularly.
In a conversation with the Christian radio station „Teos“, Union President Yuri Sipko deluged the cyclists with praise: “I am especially delighted by the fact that our youth is capable of such heroic feats. They are willing – without sparing their own bellies – to fight their way through on foot or on bicycles to reach even the most remote village and the most despairing persons in order to bring them the message of God`s kingdom. And they do this so that Russia might be awakend to new life.”
Persons capable of reading Russian can follow the cyclists’ daily journal on the Internet: „www.baptistyouth.ru“ or „www.baptist.org.ru“.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 10 July 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #20, 562 words.
Late, But Not Too Late
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Baptists intend to shape their own future
M o s c o w – Sixteen years after the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists intends to take its future into its own hands. During intensive sessions at “Moscow Theological Seminary” (MTS) from 26 to 28 June, an expert commission of 25 persons decided to present the 54 bishops meeting this fall with completed studies regarding a new orientation for the RUECB. The studies, on which the bishops will need to express a verdict, should cover all aspects of the church’s service.
Vitaly Vlasenko, Director of the Department for External Church Relations, explained: “Our society is in the throes of total transformation. We cannot stand aside and watch. The walls surrounding us, constructed during the decades of persecution to protect our congregations and families, aren`t holding any longer. Internet and television have driven cracks into our protective walls. We must develop a church presence geared to times of peace and the free market (on religion). The time may be late, but it is certainly not too late.”
Pastor Vlasenko, a member of this commission initially formed last November, assures that a break with the the 140-year-old traditions of Russian Baptists is not desired: “We do not want to alter our theology. But society has undergone a basic transformation and we must take that into account when we apply Biblical theology.” We must think hard about the future. The commission has therefore tried to find the most strategially-oriented Baptists and make their counsel a part of future planning.
The Department Director stresses that the concerns of the grassroots level must be a top priority. That which serves and supports the local congregation must remain uppermost. The Union’s most pressing issues include a definitiion of pastoral service, the nurture of children, youth and their education, finances and administration, church construction, PR and the media. He asks: “What criteria do we have for measuring the relative success of pastoral service? The size of the church building and the number of Western partners may not be the decisive factors. More essential is the question of whether a pastor is producing disciples of Christ.” Theological education must address true needs. Vlasenko attributes the excessive number of small educational institutions to decentralized and uncoordinated foreign funding. A concept for education is therefore of utmost necessity.
The counsel and advice of foreign partners remains nevertheless highly welcome. The Union is considering dividing the functions of President and General-Secretary. For that reason the structures of the Baptist Unions of Germany and South Korea were studied at this consultation. Foreign literature on questions of upbringing and the family are also needed at present.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 30 June 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #19, 483 words.
Durable but Full of Holes
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Russian Duma discusses the law on religion and freedom of conscience
M o s c o w – Russia`s controversial „Law on the Freedom of Conscience“ was honoured with a round of discussions in the Duma on the occasion of its 10th birthday, 15 June. Though one speaker appealed for a total union of Orthodoxy and the state, Sergei Ryahovski, Bischof of the charismatic “United Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith” called for adding the word “Protestant” to the law`s preamble. In conversations afterward, the also-present Rev. Vitaly Vlasenko from the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists explained: “The preamble only speaks of the Russian Orthodox Church ‘and other Christian organisations’. That means nothing to many local officials who are not aware of the fact that Protestants are also Christians.”
In his address at the Duma, Andrei Sibintsov from the Russian Federation’s Office for Religious Affairs reported on an ongoing undermining of this legislation and called for renewed efforts to enforce government neutrality on questions of religious faith. Yet, as he noted, the constant political privilege being extended to Orthodoxy`s Moscow Patriarchy makes this law irrelevant. Not least of all, public schools in Muslim-ruled provinces (Tatarstan for ex.) are injecting their pupils with heavy dosages of Islamic dogma.
Particularly troublesome for evangelicals in this law on freedom of conscience from 1997 was the stipulation that only faith communities who had already existed in Russia for 15 years (from 1982) were to be granted state registration. According to Sibintsov, this ruling has been constantly circumvened by evangelical groups, among others. Those able to open a central, national office with government sanction can then easily register house communities elsewhere. Yet both the Moscow Patriarchy and the Roman-Catholic Church have welcomed the time clause hoping that it will help keep splinter groups from appearing within their own ranks.
Andrei Sibintsov also appealed for legislation to guarantee the separation between church denominations and business. Business enterprises such as the gold and silver trade are constantly squeezing under the roof of the Orthodox church in hopes of participating in its freedom from taxation. This is a privilege enjoyed only by the Moscow Patriarchy – in 2008 many thousands of acres of long-lost farmland are to be given back to it.
On the evening, of 15 June, Rev. Vlasenko, who serves as Director of the Baptist Department for External Church Relations, participated in the Orthodox reception marking the 17th anniversary of Alexei II’s crowning. Though Russian Lutherans had also been invited, the Baptist pastor was apparently the sole Russian Protestant in the crowd of 500 invited guests. Vlasenko reports that the elites of both government and business were present; for him even visually the merging of official Orthodoxy with government and business was readily apparent.
Pastor Vlasenko regards changes in the legislation of 1997 as unlikely. “This law may be full of holes, but it looks very durable. We have no real religious freedom, but that is not a problem for most of this country`s movers and shakers.” All that can probably be hoped for is a continuing, hesitant toleration of Protestants by the national majority.
The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, Russia’s largest Protestant denomination, has 78.000 baptised members worshiping in 1.930 local congregations and groups. Protestants make up less than 1% of Russia`s population.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 18 June 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #18, 532 words.
Peter Mitskevitch named Rector
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Baptist seminary developments in Moscow
M o s c o w - Rev. Peter Mitskevitch was unanimously elected Rector of the Moscow Theological Seminary (MTS) on June 13, 2007 by the Board of Trustees Executive Committee. The pastor of Golgotha Baptist Church and Senior Vice-President of the Russian Baptist Union, Rev. Mitskevitch is widely known in Russia for his pastoral leadership and Christian radio broadcasts.
The Moscow Theological Seminary and the Moscow Theological Institute merged this year to form a united pastoral training seminary. The seminary has 223 students and meets in five locations in Russia.
When asked what excited him about becoming the Rector Rev. Mitskevitch said, “I am excited about the great opportunity to serve my Lord and my nation Russia. The people of Russia need the Lord.” A native Muscovite, Rev. Mitskevitch is married to Tatiana and they have five children.
Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of MTS
Moscow, 15 June 2007
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Further information from the Department for External Church Relations:
The seminary’s four locations outside of Moscow are: Chelyabinsk (Ural), Kemerovo (Western Siberia), Chita (east of Baikal) and Noyabrsk (Northern Siberia). Of the seminary´s 223 students, 199 are studying by extension and are not full-time students on location at the Moscow seminary.
Founding Rector of Moscow Theological Seminary was Alexander Kozynko, following him as Interim Rectors were Yuri Chubienko and Alexander Mitrofanov. Most recent Rector of Moscow Theological Insitute was Vladimir Ryaguzov.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 15 June 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #17.
Evangelisation Rooted in Performance
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Cycle Tour to Vladivostok Reaches Moscow
M o s c o w – The Russian Baptist cycle tour from the Atlantic to the Pacific celebrated the begin of stage two with an excursion through three Moscow congregations on 10 June. This tour began on the North Sea in Varel, Germany on 13 May and has covered 3.400 kilometres. Plans are to use four teams on this four-stage tour; the first stage was completed in the Western Russian city of Briansk on 6 June. The second stage is scheduled to end in Tiumen, Western Siberia on 5 July. Yet two of the tour`s currently eight cyclists have been along since Varel and hope to surmount all 15.000 kilometres enroute to Vladivostok: the dentist Levon Sarkisov (Krasnodar) and the church deacon and father of 10, Vladimir Skovpen (Klintsy near Briansk). Being that the 50-year-old Skovpen was already national USSR champion in 1980, it can be accepted with relative certainty that he will be along when the tour arrives in Vladivostok on 2 September. Daily treks of up to 300 kilometres will be no rarity. A third cyclist, the hearing-impaired Moscow Baptist Victor Kabachevski, also intends to arrive in Vladivostok. Yet, as a Ukrainian citizen he was refused a visa for Germany and was forced to begin the tour on the Belarus border in Briest.
This tour is a part of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists’ annual missionary “expeditions”. They take place under the motto “The Gospel to the Peoples of the World” (or Russia) and are frequently undertaken with motorised vehicles. Yet successful evening events demand thorough preparation by local hosts. On the present tour as many as 1,000 persons attended evangelistic meetings in the Briansk district and in Rovno, Western Ukraine. But only a sole service took place in Poland (Warsaw).
In time, the cycle tours may grow into a mass movement. The RUECB home missions department has already scheduled 32 cycle tours for 32 districts of Russia this summer. The department reckons with as many as 10.000 participants – not all of whom will be pedaling. The Union itself owns 154 bicycles and has portioned them out to the varying districts. Some are already dreaming – not only in Russia – of a star-shaped cycle tour to the World Baptist Youth Conference beginning in Leipzig, Germany on 30 July 2008 with cyclists arriving from all geographic directions.
Home Missions Director Leonid Kartavenko (Moscow) enjoys repeating a recent anecdote when asked about the purpose of cycle tours. When an outsider was told that Russian Baptists were undertaking a major cycle tour the person responded: “Can grandmas also ride bikes?” Kartavenko, who carries primary responsibility for the trek to Vladivostok, explains that Baptists need to prove that they too are “real men”. “We want to show that we can do more than just preach words. We want to show that our words are rooted in real perfomance.” Besides proclaiming the Gospel, the riders intend to demonstrate that a fit and atheletic lifestye without drugs and alcohol can also be meaningful and happy.
The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, Russia’s largest free church, has 78.000 baptised members workshiping in 1.930 local congregations and groups. General-Secretary is the 54-year-old pastor Yuri Sipko (Moscow).
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 11 June 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #16, 524 words.
Russian Protestants Request Clarification
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Secret-Service head warns of religious „sects“
M o s c o w –The “Advisory Council of Leaders of the Protestant Churches of Russia” has resolved to ask the Russian FSB secret service for clarification. Its Moscow sessions on 7 June deliberated on the fact that FSB-head Nikolai Padrushev and Justice Minister Yuri Chaika had recently warned in public statements of dangerous religious and Protestant “sects”. Pastor Vitaly Vlasenko, head of external relations for the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB) explained: “These men did not specify which kind of sects they are talking about. We would like to know that, for otherwise their statements cast a negative light on all of us Protestants.”
Only the day before a Baptist pastor in the town of Uzlavaya near Tula was forced to break off preparations for a Christian open-air-festival. Anonymous individuals in civilian clothes had threatened to violently halt the event and burn down its tent. Vlasenko added that such developments cause confusion, for they stand in stark contrast to the excellent, top-level relations between Russian Orthodoxy and the RUECB.
At these sessions, Sergei Melnikov from the Church Affairs Office in the administration of the Russian President explained the position of his government regarding the introduction of Orthodox religious instruction as a required, non-elective topic in schools. Russia regards itself as a secular state. For this reason the guest described the federal government’s position as deliberate and cautious. Moscow is watching regional developments closely.
The Advisory Council has existed since 1998 and consists of the heads of four Protestant denominations: the RUECB, the 7th-Day Adventists, the Pentecostal “Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith” and the charismatic “United Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith”. Lutherans and certain mission initiatives participate as observers. The Council convenes on the first Thursday of every second month.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 08 June 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #15, 290 words.
Protestants Lay Wreaths at the Kremlin Wall for the Second Time
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Protestants allowed to participate solely as Protestants for the first time
M o s c o w – For only the second time in their history, representatives of Russia´s Protestant churches laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the walls of the Kremlin on 8 May, the Day of Victory in WW II. New was the fact that Russian Protestants were allowed to visit present-day Russia´s most honoured place for the first time strictly as Protestants. Before the first Protestant commemoration a year ago, the event’s second host – the social department of a part of the metropolitan government – contributed strongly to the granting of permission. This year`s sponsors were two organisations also present a year ago: the “Consulting Council of Heads of the Protestant Churches of Russia” and one of its members - the “National Prayer Breakfast”. The latter is headed by the Baptist pastor Vitali Vlasenko (Moscow).
The transfer of the delegation`s 30 participants into the cordoned-off zone around the Tomb was overshadowed this year by the vehement protests of a female passerby who claimed that a Russian can only be Orthodox. That appeared to only strengthen the delegates resolve to ceremonially proclaim their status as a part of the Russian nation.
In conversations afterward, Pastor Vlasenko explained: „For decades we were regarded as a foreign entity and suspected of being a fifth column.” But we too are Russians. We too love our land and share all the joys and suffering of its people. We owe our own people at least that much solidarity.” The pastor regards participation in a holiday military in nature by no means as bowing to the spirit of militarism.
Approximately 110 persons participated in the ceremony a year ago, yet only a very few Protestant war veterans appeared this time. The small numbers were due partly to the fact that 8 Mai fell on a weekday this year. Vlasenko is nevertheless certain that Protestants will continue to participate in these state celebrations. He also expects little or no opposition from the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow,11 May 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #14, 318 words.
Not Interested Enough in Caring for People´s Bodies
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The Saddleback Church talks about Aids in Russia
M o s c o w – It wasn’t evangelisation in the narrow sense which brought three women from the world-renown, Saddleback Church in California to Russia in the week after 29 April. In Moscow, Kay Warren, Executive Director of the congregation´s HIV/Aids-Initiative and spouse of Senior Pastor Rick Warren, concluded: “We´ve been concentrating on getting people saved and getting them to heaven, which is absolutely correct. But the Gospel and Jesus cared at the same time for people´s bodies. We have not done as much as we should to care for the weak, the widow and the orphan.”
The three women regard care for the victims of Aids as a profundly Christian concern. Jesus cared “for the least of these” and according to these women Jesus is especially near the downtrodden and outcast – those stricken with Aids, for ex. Even in very practical terms the church could play a vital role in the distribution of medication combatting Aids. Elizabeth Styffe from this Initiative noted that in Ruanda congregations outnumber clinics by as much as 100-to-one. Being that Russia is also hampered by problems of distribution, Christian churches could play a similar role here. She assured: “It is the churches who should be the greatest foe of Aids.”
In Russia the women visited Protestant rehablitation centres in S. Petersburg, Vladimir, Voronesh and Moscow. Kay Warren explained: “We have come to see what Russian believers are doing.” Saddleback views the local congregaton as the key to the church´s success. The local congregation and all of its members should be mobilised to achieve something also in the social and medical realms for the benefit of the entire society.
Regarding the criticisms of Saddleback which have surfaced in the USA and traveled as far as Russia, one of the guests responded: “Certain church leaders criticise us, but we don´t criticise them in return.” The women reported that their congregation´s lack of expository, verse-by-verse preaching bothers some. The worship styles at Saddleback are too contemporary and open for others. Yet Saddleback continues to be a member of the distinctly conservative Southern Baptist Convention – the USA´s largest Protestant denomination.
The Saddleback Church, located in Lake Forest, California, was founded by Rick Warren in 1979 and is now attended by 18,000 persons per Sunday. The Pastor’s best-known book, “The Purpose-Driven Life”, has sold more than 16 million copies. That breaks all the records made by the books on Harry Potter. Warren´s book has also appeared in Russian.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 08 May 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #12, 440 words.
Films Ready to Hit the Road
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Second Petersburg Film Forum heading for the wide expanses of Russia
M o s c o w – The second annual “Vremya zhits“ (Time to Live) film forum ended in St. Petersburg on 8 April. Christian congregations in 26 cities and regions are now waiting to show the prize-winning films. The 26 locations reach from Krasnodar in the south and Norilsk in the north to at least as far as Krasnoyarsk in the east. The start was made by public schools in the Leningrad Region, which are showing seven of the best films during the period from 1 to 15 May. This forum, Russia´s first major film forum on topics of social relevance, showed 85 films during a 10-day period in three large Petersburg cinemas. Approximately 24.000 persons paid the Forum a visit. The programme is geared to viewers below 30 years of age and deals with issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, Aids, prostitution, smoking, child vagrancy and poverty. Concerts, seminars and discussion forums with filmmakers and public personalities complement the showings. Its makers intend to be more active than reactive.
This year´s first prize went to Nora Hoppe´s German-French-Italian film „La fin del mare“ (The End of the Sea). Special recognition was given to a very religious film stemming from the traumatised city of Beslan: “Eleven Letters from God” by Akim Salbiev. The Georgian film “Tblissi” by Levon Sakareishvili brings alarming scenes of drug abuse among children.
Coordinator for showing the films throughout Russia is the Moscow Baptist and classical percussionist Alexander Belenkii. He notes that socially-relevant, not specifically religious projects can detour around the barricades usually placed in the way of evangelistic events. He assures: “Prisons are open for us, also schools, hospitals and the army. It all depends on those who make the decisions locally.” Although Baptist congregations are coordinating the showing of films in their regions, it was the Orthodox “Blagovest” TV channel which footed the bill for printing the festival programme. One leading partner is the government´s “Federal Service for Limiting the Distribution of Narcotics” (FSKN). Other partners include “Rossiya” Television, the leading newspaper „Rossiiskaya Gazeta“ and the German “Goethe-Institute”.
„We´ve taken the first step,“ concludes Belenkii. The films need to be shown in as many schools as possible prior to summer vacation; the prisons will be next-in-line during the summer. One major hurdle remains the costs of showing the films. A loan many need to be taken up if donations do not reach the hoped-for level. Belenkii assures: “We are no pirates. We will pay the required honoraries for the films.” But being the films are no glamorous Hollywood products, honoraries will remain reasonable.
Persons wishing to reach the Forum can do so through our department in Moscow: baptistrelations@yandex.ru, Tel/Fax: 007-495-954-9231.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 04 May 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #11, 440 words.
No Longer There, Where We Thought They Were Stuck
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Moscow Protestants celebrate their 4th Easter Concert
A Commentary
M o s c o w – The Protestant Easter Concert in a Moscow concert hall on 8 April had plenty in it for the younger set. The 1.300 in attendance were treated to ear-bending rock, ballet, cosmetics, a pinch of punk, high boots and evening dress, computerised stage choreography much like that featured on Russian state TV, and not least-of-all - Jesus cheers. Groups and soloists sported a punch and harmony which many Western Christian groups would have great trouble imitating.
And the evening’s honoured guests were no foreign extension of some unstoppable US-charismatic mission, but rather the historically tried-and-proven free churches of Russia: the Russion Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, the 7th-Day Adventists and two Pentecostal denominations. The organiser of this 4th annual Eastern concert was the “Foundation of Christian Businessmen” headed by Alexander Semchenko, a well-known Baptist
philanthropist and sponsor of the Moscow newspaper “Protestant”.
Another “far-out” event is in the offing: Russian Baptists are planning a cycling tour through Germany in May enroute to Vladivostok on the Pacific. The organisers had initially planned to send along an orchestra ensemble for the swing through Germany, reasoning that the dour evangelical kids of Germany could not handle a hot-and-happy Christian sound. It strikes me that the Western understanding of Russia’s Protestant scene is of similar, modest quality. We are still far-removed from each other, and not just in geographic terms.
Both Russia and the West allow Russian and Russian-German (Aussiedler) emigré congregations to colour their understanding of a whole country. We from the West view conservative emigré congregations among us as representing the typically-Russian; the stay-at-home Russians regard Russian-German emigré groups as regular German fare. Yet it would be extremely short-sighted to equate evangelical, emigré life with church developments in the great cities of present-day Russia.
Spoken text for the evening including a word of greeting and applause for the Orthodox delegate from the Moscow Patriarchate. In a press conference during intermission church heads from the denominations listed above proclaimed their good will to all who would listen. Yet, secular and Orthodox journalists have not yet grown accustomed to showing up at Protestant events.
Undoubtedly, Russian Protestants – and most other evangelicals - still have territory to cover before they have completely attuned their ears to the surrounding world. The faith ghetto, in which one feels most at home among those of one’s own kind, has not yet crumbled. But Russians have understood that in mission, the bait must be tasty for the fish - not for the fisherman. Clearly, the vast majority of emigré congregations remain far removed from the Moscow concert of 8 April. Russian Protestantism is no longer there, where we Westerners had thought they were stuck.
Dr. William Yoder
Moscow, 11 April 2007
As a commentary, this report should not be considered an official press release of the “Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists“. Publication is possible. Release Nr. 9, 424 words
An Idea Whose Time has Come
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Reconciliation talks among Baptists in Moscow
M o s c o w – The third convention of the Russian Baptist “Public Council” (Obshestvenii Soviet) ended on 16 February in the central Moscow offices of the “Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists” (RUECB) with hugs and a strongly-worded document. Initiated by the RUECB and the “Association of Brethren Churches”, this loose organisation represents nine churches as well as additional mission agencies and initiatives of Baptist origin. Approximately 150 church leaders attended this event – they represented 12 different churches and associations.
Referring to the splitting off of the unregistered Baptist “Initiativniki” churches during the early 1960s, Pastor Valentin Vasilizhenko (Moscow), Secretary of the Public Council, spoke repeatedly of “100 joint years” of Baptist fellowship followed by 40 years of separation leading up to the present.
This most-recent Council declaration is entitled „Appeal of Three Generations of ECB Workers“ and was motivated by concern for the forwarding of a fractured heritage to the Baptist leaders of tomorrow. The middle generation states in this declaration: “We do not want the tragic separation caused by our fathers to determine the fate of our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We will do all we can to overcome the injuries caused by the separation and leave them behind us.”
The generation of grandfathers makes for its part clear, that it was not only the atheistic state which brought suffering to the Protestants. Their own “mistrust and mutual condemnations” had also caused wounds. “We request pardon from all those who have been injured through our deeds and words. We also forgive all who caused us pain through their dishonesty, violence, slander and incomprehension.” Baptist divisions were in more than one instance attributed to their own transgressions and failures. The “Brotherhood of Independent ECB Churches’” Yevgenii Kravzov (Rybinsk) reported not only of “totalitarian church leadership”. He included the remark that their own fathers had succumbed to the temptation of Adam and Eve to be as gods.
Convention participants repeatedly expressed their disappointment that steps towards reconciliation have not occurred sooner. Joseph Bondarenko (USA) stated that he had been praying for 30 years for such a development. A pastor from the southern city of Vladikavkas assured that the “war had ended a long time ago”. The long-imprisoned Peter Rumachek (Dedovsk), pastor of a church belonging to the “Association of Brethren Churches”, concluded: “God has chosen to put a stop to the centrifugal powers. We no longer see only ourselves – we see each other. The Lord has shown that we need each other in order to fulfil his will.”
Yet the goal of pervasive reconciliation has not yet been attained. Victor Abramov, second-in-command among Latvia’s ethnic-Russian Baptists, reported that the “disease of unforgivness” remains very current. Another participant agreed that reconciliation among Baptists is needed, “but we dare not open the door to Pentecostals and charismatics”.
The Public Council has remained modest since its inception. RUECB Vice-President Peter Mitzkevich assured: “We are concerned above all about unity in spirit and understanding. This is a spiritual movement, not a structural one. The letter kills, but the Spirit enlivens. It is important to comprehend that we truly are brothers and sisters. We are not competitors, gossipers or covetors.“
A founding paper 10 months ago assured that the Public Council was “no new ecumenical organisation”. Its goal instead was spiritual unity. Although the important “International Council of ECB Churches” – once the CCECB or Initiativniki – is in continual dialogue with the Public Council, it has only observer status there.
That this movement reflects an idea, whose time has come, is supported by the fact that a next-of-kin has arisen in Ukraine. On 2 and 3 March 2007, a congress committed to seriously interpreting the historical events of the post-WW II period was held at Donetsk Christian University. The event was entitled “Remembering the Whole Story” (Pomni ves put) and was sought out by 230 visitors, a few even from overseas. This meeting was also marked by hugs and words of reconciliation. Representatives of the various Baptist-allied churches prayed publicly for the well-being of churches with whom they had once been at great odds.
The Donetsk group plans to convene next time in a year – the Moscow Public Council plans to do so this Fall. The Public Council possesses its own webpage in Russian: „www.bpcr.org“.
The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, today Russia’s largest Baptist denomination, represents 78.000 baptised believers in 1.930 congregations and groups. The Union’s General-Secretary is Yuri Sipko (54).
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 23 March 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #8, 730 words.
From the Atlantic to the Pacific
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Russian Baptists plan to pedal from France to Vladivostok
M o s c o w – Persons hoping to transfer a little water from the Atlantic to the Pacific are invited to take part in a Russian Baptist-sponsored bicycle tour. Yet interested parties should reckon with 15.000 strenuous kilometres (8.600 miles) in the saddle. The Russian tour through Germany is scheduled for 13 to 20 May, the party of 14 riders and approximately six support staff are hoping to arrive in Vladivostok on 2 September.
Following the start on France’s Atlantic coast, the planned route through Germany should include the cities of Troisdorf (Bonn), Kassel, Espelkamp, Porta Westfalica and Berlin. In Germany the group hopes to ride 150 – 200 km per day. A lively, Russian-Ukrainian youth band, the “Living Drop”, is expected to supply the music for evening events in Germany. The tour will then continue on through Poznan and Warsaw in Poland to Brest in Belarus.
Russian Baptists are no newlings regarding such tours. In 2005, 24 groups toured through 24 regions of Russia; a year later a group of well-trained cyclists pedaled from Bryansk near the border with Belarus to Omsk in Western Siberia. These tours are a part of the missions programme “The Gospel to the Peoples of the World”. Responsible for the ride to Vladivostok is Leonid Kartavenko (Moscow), head of the department for home missions.
Katya Kolesinskaya (Moscow), a home missions worker, was asked why Russian Baptists go to the trouble of holding such tours: “We want above all to proclaim the Gospel and accustom and train young people to spread the Word. We want to show unbelieving young people what a fulfilled life without drugs can be like. We want to encourage and awaken small and forgotten congregations.”
The group is asking German friends if they know of youths capable of impressive tricks on cross-bikes who would be willing to entertain young people at evening meetings. In Russia, a recumbent bicycle would be a great attention-getter. A minibus is still needed to accompany the tour through Germany.
Exact dates and locations for the German tour are to be made public no later than the end of April.
Anyone willing to assist or to drive along – even for a single day – is invited to contact Baptist offices in Moscow. The contact persons are Katya Kolesinskaya, kolesinskay@gmail.com (Russian) and William Yoder, kant50@gmx.de (German and English).
The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists represents 78.000 baptised believers in 1.930 congregations and groups. The Union’s General-Secretary is Yuri Sipko (54).
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RU ECB
Moscow, 17 March 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #7, 405 words.
Loyalty to the Same Spiritual Values
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National Prayer Breakfast in Moscow
M o s c o w – At the seventh breakfast in the course of the past 12 years, a Russian-Orthodox priest spoke at the Russian Protestants’ National Prayer Breakfast on March 13 for the first time as an official emissary of his church. In his statement to 250 businessmen, politicians, pastors and journalists in Moscow’s Presidents’ Hotel, Father Igor Vyzhanov (Moscow), Secretary of the Orthodox department for external church relations, supported the sentiments of the previous Protestant speakers. He stated, for ex., that the struggle for a “constructive conservativism” unites all Russian believers. He attributed the survival of interconfessional work during the recent phase of economic and political dissolution to “our unified loyalty to the same spiritual values”. A rabbi also spoke at the Breakfast; in another speech the Muslims were mentioned as partners in the struggle for the retention of moral values.
Sergei Ryahovski (Moscow), Bishop of the charismatic „United Russion Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith“ and a member of the political Fatherland’s Chamber, assured that this consensus must unite more than just the leading church representatives. Nowhere in the vastness of Russia may any pastor or cleric any longer “be humiliated” for upholding such values.
In conversations following the official session, Russian participants conceded that some of their compatriots regard the Orthodox-led struggle against Western-style liberalism as a call to “replay the finals” for a match held long ago.
Baptist Pastor Vitali Vlasenko (Moscow), Board Chairman of the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation, reported on general developments: “We are making progress. Never have so many politicians and figures of public life been present. But the main issue is not, who comes to our event, but rather, whether society registers the Protestant voice. The people of Russia must hear about our concern, our activities and our love. They must understand that we also want to improve Russia. We are not foreigners – we are also a part of Russia’s churches.”
This foundation is independent of the over 60 other National Prayer Breakfasts of the world and intends to retain the event as a decidedly Protestant one. Yet the Breakfast is no longer the foundation’s sole activity. Concerts and a commemoration of the Soviet victory over German fascism are expressions of the foundation’s desire to portray Russian Protestantism as patriotic and loyal. The first-ever Protestant commemoration of the 1945 victory took place at the Kremlin’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on May 9, 2006.
The spark is beginning to catch elsewhere. On March 14, a second regional Prayer Breakfast was held in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia; the very first Ukrainian Prayer Breakfast is scheduled for this coming November. Moldovan believers have expressed strong interest in holding a Prayer Breakfeast of their own.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB (Baptists)
Moscow, March 20, 2007
In this instance not an official press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #6, 450 words.
Undecided, but Open
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Russian Baptists represent Protestant churches on ecumenical committee
M o s c o w – The Conference of European Churches’ (CEC) Moscow sessions on 27 and 28 February concluded that Baptists would represent the Russian Protestant denominations in the newly-revived “Christian Inter-Confessional Advisory Committee”. (CIAC). This CEC-committee intends to ease communication between churches in the countries of the former Soviet Union and make joint statements on ethical and societal questions more feasible.
This cooperation is one indication of Russian Orthodox readiness to regard the other Christian confessions as partners in the struggle for the renewal of Christian faith and values in Central and Eastern Europe. Cyrill, Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, will represent the Russian Orthodox in the committee’s three-person leadership; a Roman Catholic and a Baptist member will be named shortly.
Pastor Vitaly Vlasenko (Moscow) Director of External Relations for the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB), explains: “We are not participating strongly in ecumenical activities. We want to take part, but we need time. We are waiting and observing developments within CEC. We have regarded CEC and the Geneva World Council of Churches as theologically liberal and it is clear that we cannot act without unity among our leadership on these issues. We remain undecided, but open.”
This conference in Moscow’s Orthodox Pilgrims’ Center involved churches from all CIS-states and the Baltics and understood itself as a preparatory session leading up to the 3rd European Ecumenical Assembly taking place in Sibiu, Romania from 4 to 9 September. Russian Baptists are considering participation at the Romanian Ecumenical Assembly. Russian Baptist representatives - as with other Baptist Unions not belonging to the World Council – already attended the last Ecumenical Assembly in Trondheim, Norway in 2003.
The CEC, founded in 1959, is a fellowship of 126 churches from all countries of Europe.
Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Moscow, 2 March 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #5, 285 words.
Hope for Greater Unity in Thought and Desire
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Saddleback Church visits Russia
M o s c o w – Two pastors from California’s Saddleback Church, Mark Carver und Dave Arnold, visited Moscow and St. Petersburg during the week of February 13-17. They convened there with leading pastors from the Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. Their visit resulted from an invitation expressed by Pastor Yuri Sipko, President of the Russian Union, during a visit to their church in the past year. Plans are now afoot to hold a major conference this fall in Russia introducing the primary concerns of the Saddleback movement.
Moscow Pastor Vitaly Vlasenko, head of the Union’s Department for External Church Relations, explains: “We in Russia have not stressed all aspects of the Gospel. Sometimes we have failed to spell out the meaning of discipleship. Too often lives were not really changed. Our members all do and think as they feel best. We need greater unity in thought and desire. We must more precisely understand who we are and what we need to do.”
The Saddleback Church, located in Lake Forest, California, was founded by Rick Warren in 1979 and is now visited by 22,000 persons on a given Sunday. The Pastor’s best-known book, “The Purpose-Driven Life”, has sold more than 11 million copies. A Russian version also appeared and has already produced results in the southern region of Krasnodar.
Russia’s Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists consists of 78.000 baptized believers in 87 church districts. They meet in 1,900 local congregations and groups. National headquarters are located in 117105 Moscow, Varshavskoe Shosse 29, corpus 2.
Dr. William Yoder
Moscow, 28 February 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #4, 247 words.
Films on Social Topics Sought
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St. Petersburg film forum scheduled for late March
M o s c o w – A Russian film forum is searching until 1 March for high-quality films no older than 2003 on social topics. From 30 March until 8 April 2007, “Vremya zhits“ (Time to Live), Russia’s first major film forum on topics of social relevance, will be holding events in St. Petersburg. The programme is geared to viewers below 30 years of age and deals with issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, Aids, prostitution, smoking, child abandonment and poverty. The very first forum between 31 March and 9 April 2006 featured 120 films from 20 countries ranging from China to the USA; 38 showings where held. The first forum attracted a mostly-young audience of 24.000 persons; an additional 10.000 had seen some of the films by 20 April.
The 10-day event involves much more than non-stop movie showings. Concerts, seminars and discussion forums with filmmakers and public personalities complement the showings. Its makers intend to be more active than reactive: The initial forum included an art exhibit and a day for athletes on the topic of healthy living.
St. Petersburg seems ideally suited to films of this nature. Very high rates of addiction are coupled with local politicians, universities and non-governmental organisations committed to helping solve the country’s social ills. Coordinator Alexander Belenkii (Moscow) states: “Raising funds is always a highly problematic endeavor. But a year ago the Petersburg municipality donated much advertising and offered us one of the city’s largest movie theatres.” Until now, the forum has had to survive without paid employees. No honoraries are paid to those who offer films, yet the top prize includes a cash payment of 5.000 Euros. The best short film in 2006 was “Leroy Cleans Up”, produced by the German Armin Velkers. Stefan Spielberg also entered films into the contest a year ago.
Following the forum, much effort is placed into showing the best films throughout the country. Usually in conjunction with seminars and discussion forums, the prize-winning films of last year were shown in cities such as Moscow, Rostov-na-Donu, Yaroslavl, Krasnoyarsk, and even in Habarovsk and Sakhalin in the Far East.
Belenkii reports that films clearly evangelistic in character – the film „Jesus“, for ex. - usually stand before locked doors in today’s Russia. Access to schools is becoming increasingly difficult, yet prisons and jails remain open for the showing of films on self-betterment. The forum for this reason appeals to general spiritual and moral values. That makes it possible not only for Orthodox priests, but also for Rabbis and Imams to contribute. The forum’s leadership has strong Charismatic and Baptist ties. Yet Metropolitan Vladimir of St. Petersburg gives the forum his blessings and sees to it that Orthodox clergy are involved.
The forum’s President is V. I. Holodov of St. Petersburg. Coordinator is the Moscow Baptist and classical percussionist Alexander Belenkii. Film offers and queries should be addressed to: Forum Time to Live, ul. Karavannay 12, 190011 St. Petersburg, Russia, tel/fax 007-812-572-1063, 007-950 027 1058 or 007-917 539 2925 in Moscow, E-mail: newvolna@inbox.ru, webpage: http://Time-to-live.ru.
Dr. William Yoder
Moscow/Berlin, 13 February 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release # Y-3, 500 words.
A New Face both Outward and Inward
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Russian Department for External Church Relations restarted
M o s c o w – In the 140th anniversary year of its inception, the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists is transforming more than just the outward appearance of its Moscow headquarters. Inner changes include the refounding of a department which had not survived the Perestroika period: the Department of External Church Relations. Its new director, the Moscow pastor Vitali Vlasenko is convinced: “If we Baptists come together and share our resources across all European borders, we can create synergetic effects benefiting the entire kingdom of God!”
This revived department has three primary branches: Its diplomatic and representation desk intends to propagate the Union’s activities and convictions both externally and internally. It hopes to contribute strongly to the strengthening of inter-church relations both in Russia and abroad.
A second desk will focus on the exchange of information with other churches and countries. Publications and press conferences will appeal for understanding for the concerns of Russia’s evangelical Christians. The country’s Protestants continue to make up less than 1% of the total population.
A third desk will concern itself with the legal protection of Union interests regarding property rights and finance. Religious freedom is an additional concern which this branch hopes to defend.
The department’s director, Vitali Vlasenko (37), was from 1993 until 2006 head of the Russian ministry of Campus Crusade/Young Life. His colleague Yevgenia Kushnir is responsible for legal matters. Though both of them speak English, the German-American Dr. William Yoder will be officially responsible for media work in German and English. The department’s phone and fax number is: 007-495-954-9231. Email is: „vitaly.vlasenko@promail.ru“.
Russia’s Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists consists of 78.000 baptized believers in 87 church districts. They meet in 1,930 local congregations and groups located between Kaliningrad in the West and Vladivostok in the East. The Union’s General-Secretary is Pastor Yuri Sipko (53). National headquarters are located in 117105 Moscow, Varshavskoye Shosse 29, corpus 2
Dr. William Yoder
Moscow, 23 January 2007
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release # Y-2, 310 words.
For the Joint Protection of Traditional Religious Minorities
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Second summit talk between Orthodox and Baptists in Moscow
M o s c o w – A new, joint Orthodox-Baptist communiqué lists “care for the national and traditional religious communities” among the values which all Russian Christians should support. The communiqué is a result of the second summit between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB) which took place in Moscow’s Orthodox Pilgrams’ Center on December 20. Baptists are among the country’s “traditional religious minorities”. Noting human rights, the document also calls for “resistance to crimes stemming from religious or nationalistic motives”. The churches should defend certain values against the decrees of “political correctness”. The paper mentions the era of mutual suffering during the communist period.
The talks, entitled “The Rightness of Traditional Christian Values and Freedom of Conscience”, were attended by 20 representatives from each of the churches. The delegations were headed by Cyrill, Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, and Yuri Sipko, the RUECB’s General-Secretary. Baptists holding lectures alongside Sipko were Michael Ivanov, Director of the Department for Theology and Chatechism, and the lawyer Anatoli Pchelintsev, Editor of the magazine “Religion and Law“.
The theologians were left virtually to themselves for the continuation of the discussions after lunch. Pastor Vitali Vlasenko, new RUECB-Director for External Relations, reported that this second, cozier round was blessed with a healthy and light-hearted atmosphere. Metropolitan Cyrill himself contributed strongly to the first-rate climate.
The paper ends with the recommendation that the dialogue between these churches continue. The third summit is already scheduled for February 2007. The first summit talks were held in April 2003.
Dr. William Yoder
Moscow, December 22, 2006
A press release of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. Free for publication.
Release no. Y1, 250 words
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