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Six of the nine gold onion domes of the Cathedral of the Annunciation, built in 1489 by Muscovite empire-builder Ivan III (the Great), glitter in the Russian sun. The ornate building is one of several Russian Orthodox churches occupying the Kremlin, the walled seat of government in Red Square in Moscow. Georgia Baptists will have the opportunity to join in ministry with Russian Baptists in St. Petersburg and Moscow if they approve a new five-year partnership with two of the world’s largest cities. The vote will occur during the annual meeting at First Baptist Church of Woodstock next week.
First in a multi-part series
This is the first in a multi-part series of the Moscow/St. Petersburg partnership, pending its approval by messengers to the GBC annual meeting Nov. 9-10 in Woodstock.
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Charlotte Chew, an IMB Journeyman from San Antonio, Texas.
MOSCOW, Russia — First came the bowl of hot borsch washed down with Russian tea. Then came the cake and various pastries, all the while interspersed with conversation of strangers meeting new friends and, eventually, the singing of a few Christian songs and a loose-knit Bible study.
The small eighth-floor apartment of International Mission Board missionary Mark Sprinkle had been transformed into a fellowship hall for the May afternoon as he orchestrated the low key social event. Sprinkle, of Las Cruces, N.M., has been serving in Russia’s capitol city for six years but is still networking to expand his ministry base.
“We’re connecting as much as we can, connecting Russian believers with non-believers to explore matters of faith. These kinds of groups are not Bible studies or cell groups; they are the early stages of a loose network of individuals coming to a neutral location to explore what it means to be Christian,” he says.
Networking is exactly what is in store for Georgia Baptists if they approve the state convention’s newest partnership with two of the world’s largest cities during their annual meeting next week at First Baptist Church of Woodstock. The partnership with Moscow and St. Petersburg will replace the previous relationship with Moldova and will join Western Canada as the state convention’s other international ministry partner.
“Old” doesn’t begin to describe the age of Russia’s capitol city. Founded in 1147, it was already 629 years old when the United States was birthed through the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
While the current generation knows little about God due to the atheistic stance of the former Soviet Union, its residents are open to discuss spiritual matters. The Russian Orthodox Church is the historic faith, but for many it’s a token commitment – similar to how many American view their relationship to Christianity.
That’s where Georgia Baptists will play a pivotal role in shaping future opinions about Christianity, Jesus, and a biblical worldview free of political nuances.
For the spread of the gospel to be successful it will need to be seen as free of Western ideology; it is neither Democrat nor Republican in its orientation. It is not a uniquely American gospel but is the message of salvation for all, regardless of their political leanings, even in the former Soviet Union.
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Georgians Tim and Beth Rhodes, spend an afternoon in Moscow’s Victory Park with Russian friends. The Russians are helping the Americans to understand their culture while they, in turn, practice their English on their foreign guests.
Georgians in Russia
Volunteers who travel the 5,400 miles to their Russian ministry sites will not be among total strangers, however. At least four Georgia Baptists – a couple from Snellville in suburban Atlanta and an Eastman couple – will be on hand to ease the transition.
Tim and Beth Rhodes, an International Service Corps couple in their mid-20s, arrived in Moscow on May 18 and are still learning the cultural setting themselves. Tim, a native of Toccoa, and Beth, from Snellville, are halfway into their two-year short-term missionary experience as they consider service as career missionaries.
They are members of Annistown Road Baptist Church, through whom Beth was first introduced to Russia through the church’s partnership with First Baptist Church of Bryansk, near Kiev.
Eastman native Buck Burch, who serves as strategy leader for European Russians, knows how different it will be for some Georgia Baptists to become acclimated to ministering in a city of nearly 11 million residents. Moscow is the largest metropolitan area in Europe and ranks among the largest urban areas in the world.
“I can put Eastman in the apartment complex I live in,” he says as he walks around Red Square. “Nearly 5,000 people live in my complex, the entire population of Eastman. You can take half of that and you get McRae, where my wife Leslie is from.
“Ministering in a city this large can be overwhelming but God has given us the insight to see the social networks that function as small towns. That ability to pick up on the social nuances, the common ground that hold people together, has been very helpful,” he explains.
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The richly colored domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral shine in the afternoon sun in Red Square. The building’s design, shaped as a flame of a bonfire rising into the sky, is unique in Russian architecture and has never been duplicated. It was built in 1555 to commemorate a military victory.
Burch will travel to Woodstock to sign the historic partnership agreement, if approved by messengers, on behalf of the IMB. Joining him will be ministers Misha Chekalin, who will sign for the Moscow Association of Churches, and Paavel Sennikov, Russian Baptist Union (RBU) director of missions in St. Petersburg. GBC Executive Director J. Robert White will sign on behalf of the state convention.
Rural vs. urban
The difference between the Moldova partnership and that of St. Petersburg and Moscow is how church planting is conducted, says Burch. In Moldova the ministry primarily occurred in the rural villages; in Russia it will be concentrated in the urban areas.
Eight Baptist unions, or fellowships, are registered in Russia with the largest being the RBU. That is the group through which Georgia Baptists will partner to spread the gospel to the two cities.
“We are excited about Georgia Baptists coming to walk alongside us and Russian Baptists for the next five years. We view this as a reciprocal partnership; Georgians coming here to minister and Russians from St. Petersburg and Moscow coming to Georgia to share their faith,” he explains.
Burch says any Georgia construction teams will be severely limited in building new sanctuaries due to government restrictions on the availability of land. But, he adds, there will be plenty of opportunities for remodeling existing structures to provide more useable space.
Oklahoma native Ed Tarleton, who oversees International Mission Board work in Russia and lives in Moscow, said he is grateful for Georgia Baptists considering the partnership during the annual meeting in Woodstock.
“I would like to thank Georgia Baptists for praying and voting favorably to come and walk alongside us in these two major world cities. The key to this partnership is the long-term relationships that will develop.
“We want Georgia Baptists to see this as more than just a one-time mission trip. We are praying they will catch the vision for the lostness of Russia and how they can walk alongside fellow believers to reach this nation for Christ. And, Russian believers are praying for the lostness of the United States and want to help bring Americans to faith in Christ.”
IMB personnel said the new partnership is not about Georgia Baptists coming to teach the Russians about how to minister but learning what their Russian hosts are doing and then finding ways to work together to reach the common goal.
Ministry at 2014 Olympics
The Winter Olympics, set for 2014 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, will also provide other ministry opportunities for Georgia Baptists. Though not technically part of the two-city partnership, the site is in the geographic area assigned to Burch and he will be looking for help in providing a Christian witness to the international guests.
Joe Westbury/Index
Maria Samykina pours hot water to steep Russian tea during a low-key fellowship time in Mark Sprinkle’s apartment. Some Russians’ first introduction to the Gospel are made through the casual gatherings around a light meal and open Bible.
It will be the first time Russia has ever hosted an Olympics venue and excitement will be high, he added. Sochi is in a popular area where the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains rise from some of the nation’s warmest beaches.
In the end, the partnership will be all about networking, such as that occurring in Sprinkle’s tiny apartment on the northern edge of Moscow on that May afternoon.
“It’s these kind of ministry opportunities that provide us with entry points into the community as ways to meet people and invite them to one of the small groups. Russians are not necessarily against God as much they don’t know anything about Him. That’s why we are here,” he explains.
Georgians in Russia | ||||
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