Growing in Glazunovka

Pray for your local church and the local churches in Slavic countries. Ask the Lord to increase the spiritual life of each member of the church. Ask Him to assist your church in the area where you live to seek souls with salvation from sin. And may this assistance extend throughout the whole world. Pray for your pastor and leadership, as well as the pastors and leadership in the Slavic world. Pray for peace in the world. Ask God to restrain evil through the Holy Spirit in order that His Word may have free course in every country.

Following the pattern of Missiology in the book of Acts, it is important to reach large cities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul first went to the synagogue in a certain area to reach his native people and then expanded his outreach to the Gentile community. At times, he reached large groups of people and at other times he communicated with only one or two.

Slavic Missionary Service also seeks to reach as many people as possible in large cities through the activities of the foreign missionaries. And sometimes, it is also important to reach small communities, especially where there is no evangelical church. One such area is Glazunovka, Russia.

This small town has a population of approximately 6,000 with only one evangelical church. A woman who went to her eternal home allocated her property to the believers in the town to establish a permanent place of worship. The church has thirteen members at this time and a Sunday school class for five children.

Last year, SMS assisted the members with funds to install a new heating system. Recently, the pastor and a team of volunteers have reconstructed the new large room for worship services and special meetings. The next phase to be completed will be the reinforcement of the foundation and a brick sidewalk around the circumference of the building. Afterward, new windows will be installed. Then, the floor, ceiling and walls can be finished. The total cost of this construction will be $4000. SMS desires to help the church with (at least) half of this amount.

In August, again an evangelical outreach was conducted for the children of the community. For three days twenty-five to thirty children enjoyed games, crafts, singing, jumping on a trampoline and sliding on an inflatable blow-up slide. Most importantly, they heard the good news of salvation during a Bible lesson. Each night there was an informal meeting for about twenty adults.

SMS is happy to continue this wonderful partnership in a town where no church had ever existed. The believers are extremely grateful that others in the Body of Christ are assisting them in their community. Consider the possibility of giving to this small community through SMS in order that they may grow for the glory of God.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16:11

God’s strategy for world evangelism calls for two equally important elements: Co-missionaries and Go-missionaries, the senders and the sent, the supporters and the workers. A Christian church without missionary enthusiasm is a contradiction. God depends upon the faithful testimony of His people for the evangelization of the world. The Savior expects those who have tasted the sweetness of salvation to spread the news far and wide. He has commissioned His children to share His Word to the lost in every country.