The Church in Russia (part of it, anyway)

I am recovering from my last two weeks spent in the Republic of Udmurtia, The Russian Federation. It is nine hours in time away from us, and a world of difference in cultures. But, the Spirit in the brothers and sisters is the same Spirit in us here.

What a privilege it is to be with all the saints there. I spent most mornings in a Bible School speaking to this year’s class of future missionaries, rehabilitation workers, pastors and worship leaders. They were hungry for anything God said, and they wanted to know what everything meant, and how to apply to their lives. They wrote notes furiously (in part, because their notebooks were graded, it’s true), and they were always very attentive. Of course, I spoke in the mornings, and once lunch was over, they tended to drift mentally.

This was my second trip there, and I like going in the spring because the students have heard months of teaching, they have gone out on “practice”, they have been exposed to a number of things, so they are not totally green. It’s good to be able to ask them questions, and get them thinking. They are past the stage by this time of first-time introductions. They want to know the real nitty-gritty of what it means to walk with the Lord. They want to know what fasting really means, when they fast. They want to be equipped with whatever tools are available to them. It s a tough life where they live, the divorce rate is 80%, suicide happens everyday, alcoholism and drug addiction are common among all age groups. Homelessness is everywhere, even when the temperature drops to 40 below zero. The salary they can expect as pastors will be close to $30 a month, assuming they plant a successful church in a village that can support them. They will learn to fast because there will often not be any food to eat. There will be no frills in their lives. No eating out. No creamer in their coffee. No coffee, and tea will be thin. They will have two, maybe three sets of clothes, one fancy, one or two plain to mix and match. There will be no car, and if there is, there will be no gas. After a few years in the ministry, they might have a church with 20 members, mostly older women suffering from a deeply ingrained spirit of religion (it is from a life in the orthodox church). All the people they minister to will be living in the same conditions they are in. All will respond to an alter call. All will desperately want to be prayed for and few will be set free from the weight of the spiritual bondages they are entangled by. Their husbands, if they have one still around, will be damaged by vodka, and useless in the home. There is no understanding of a family, other than people can have children, and children grow up to be just like their parents.

But, if these students walk with the Lord, remain faithful over time, the Lord will bless them. I saw humility. I saw waiting upon the Lord. I saw true pastoral hearts. I saw vision. I was supposed to encourage them, just by coming to their church, but they taught me so much. There are nearly 250 church plantings in the small area surrounding Izhevsk. I could only visit 6 or 7 of them. Time was too short. I needed 6 hours of sleep at night (I only got 3 to 4 most nights).

I learned more from this visit than last year’s visit. I will be months processing, pondering, and shaking my head. How different the church is here, than there? What can I see from all this? What insight can I gain? What can the Lord reveal to me? What do I do with this?

Two things I had on my heart to do. First, I wanted to tell them that we are all equal in Christ. There is no male-female, no bond-free. I had to do more than say that. I wanted to demonstrate it in real manner. So I asked that I be able to eat with the students. This is not usually done. The teachers/staff have a separate dinning room. There is a kind of class structure that separates the students from the pastors/teachers/staff. I wanted to show that there was equality. I was allowed to eat with them. Pretty unheard of, I think, but you would not believe how rewarding it is to be with the students. What a joy to break bread with them (I spoke on that, BTW), and be with them. They responded as well, allowing us into their world. We joked, and laughed, and ate the same food (bowl of excellent soup, three slices of Russian bread, plate full of some carb, usually macaroni, and a different glass of something like tea, apricot compote, chocolate flavored tea everyday, and a vitamin). And, I can tell you most Russians of all sizes eat faster than anyone. Phew!

The second thing I wanted to do, was take some students with me when I visited a local church or work. I was able to do that once, and could have again, but time was so short, and planning was so last-minute. But, if there is ministry to be done, it is very helpful to take some students with us to expose them to it.

There is more, and pictures. We will show them as time goes on, and I think through the whole time. I will be thinking and praying for the students everyday for the foreseeable future. They are the future of the Church in Udmurtia.