This Fall has been different form any other Fall since we had moved North. It’s been really busy with the ministry. Here I will try to tell what has happened this Fall in chronological order.
1. Second semester in Seminary.
Sep 6 I went to Moscow with my friend and pastor of Murmansk Church, Nikolay Utkin. We started the Seminary together with him last January, so that was our second semester.
I spent there 2 very packed weeks. Classes all day long. Interesting students, very interesting teachers. The Seminary is becoming a true blessing for me. Before the 1st semester, I was pretty nervous about it. I was afraid of dry scholarship, dead science trying to comprehend the living God I know, and have known for 2 decades. But how wrong I was! It is only building up my faith, helping me develop more intimate relationships with Him, helping me understand his Word deeper. I’m happy I’m there.
2. Leadership conference in Sweden.
Late September there was a very important meeting in the North of Sweden, in a place called Rosvik. Almost all leaders from Murmansk region gathered there to see Martin Reen, the pastor and missionary, who was taken hostage by Syrian branch of Al Qaida. He spent almost 2 years in prison in Syria. Now he is released and back home in Sweden. We had very good fellowship; I translated at the conference. We’ve done some events for the men during past 5 years, and now we are building plans for future work – both in Russia and Sweden.
3. Our local church in Polarny.
Our home church here in Polarny is very small, but yet full of action. The latest story is about a 41 year old man, addicted to alcohol, whose life and marriage we have been trying to save. After his latest soak he went to the Rehab, but spent there only 2 weeks. Now we are fighting for him here. His wife (ex already) attends every meeting of our church, reads the Bible and even prays, although he was the first who came to the church and was considered as a believer, and she was not.
4. The ministry for men.
The meetings with the Navy are going on more or less regularly. Right now it is 100% outreach ministry. On each meeting there are mostly new guys, and every meeting is basically a presentation of the Gospel.
I’ve been ministering at the Rehab since last spring again, and this Fall I’ve been there 3 times. Each time I do 2 classes for the men. We are following our “Manhood Forge” program. The guys are interested and I love teaching there and be with them. I usually go there once a month, I wish I could do it more often. But it is pretty far – 350 km (220 miles) each way. Pretty long drive.
I’m working on the program, the Fall is usually the best time for that – no camps and retreats, lots of time for small groups and more research. Right now I’m working on the program for the future work with the men here, and on recovery program for porn addicted.
It looks like God is opening new doors – we are going to Naberezhnye Chelny, a city 3 hours flight south east from us. We were invited by their Bishop to visit and minister in their churches. He is very much interested in ministry for men and wants to take a big team of men to our next Summer camp. One more thing, I talked on the phone with a guy, a pastor from Ekaterinburg, who does men’s retreats too, and we have decided to bring together all men in Russia, who have the desire to minister to other men. This will mean a national men’s conference somewhere in Moscow area. We’ll see when we have it and where it will take us.
At the same time God is opening doors in Norway. The team there is a dream team. We meet regularly, pray and I enjoy being with those men, who share the same passion to serve to men’s hearts, and same vision how to do that. Right now we are preparing our next event – Nordic Men Base Camp 2016. We will have it in June, 17 – 19, in Lakselv, with a 3 day extension – a hiking trip over beautiful rocky tundra in Lakselv area. At the same time we are working on registering an organization, which will be responsible for all fork with men in Nordic region – Northern Norway, Finland and Sweden – Arctic Men Fellowship.
Some interesting changes are about to happen, and I’m looking forward on seeing what God has prepared for us.
5. Masha is doing well, too. She is doing meetings for the women here in Murmansk Region, and will have a meeting with the leader’s wives during our visit to NC.
This Fall she has done a meeting for the women in Monchegorsk, Olenegorsk, and right now is preparing a meeting in Murmansk. I enjoy watching her prepare these meetings, to see how passionate she is, how she loves these women.
We are grateful to all the people who have been supporting us. Without your help we would never be able to do this work as we are doing it now. I didn’t have to start my English School this year, and that is a blessing. I was able to complete my second semester in Seminary instead. And now I have time for the program work and travels to other parts of Russia and Norway. This is an open door.
