Church start spreads Gospel through mentorship, support from U.S. believers

Slavic* looked out across the small room in Kazakhstan. With just minutes before the start of the worship service, people quickly filled the area and an adjoining room, leaving a few standing outside.

The Ukrainian missionary remembered when he and a group of 15 people met in a region of their city with almost no evangelical witness. In just eight months the church has grown to average more than 60 people in an space smaller than many Sunday school rooms in America.

Several years ago a U.S. Baptist group began partnering with this church start and others in Kazakhstan. It currently supports four church planters and three new bodies of believers.

“Without the help of this group these new church plants would probably not exist today,” said Joe Ragan, an International Mission Board (IMB) worker. “This partnership is vital.”

Twenty-six-year-old Alex* was the first new believer from the congregation to be baptized. He said he was an atheist until friends invited him to attend services, where he did not understand much that was being said, but liked the music and found the event peaceful. Soon he was in the Word.

“When I started reading the Bible, I quickly understood that I was a sinner,” Alex said. “The Bible says we are all sinners. Of course, I never thought I was as bad as others, however, as I read the Bible, I understood … I am a sinner.”

After hearing a sermon from Matthew 5:8 and the words “blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,” Alex repented of his sins and received salvation.

Since then, Slavic and others have discipled Alex, who tells friends and family members the Gospel message.

“I enjoy sharing what I know and understand with my friends about God,” he said. “Friends will listen, but they don’t always understand. One … has started attending the church, but he is like I was a year ago. He is still living in the world, yet reading his Bible.”

Alex has seen God work in the life of his sister, who prayed to receive Christ after participating in a youth camp this summer. Their mother has noticed a difference in Alex and his sister, and has begun attending services and reading the Bible. Alex said he often has prayed for both women, and is happy they are coming to church.

Yet even with such victories, the task sometimes can seem overwhelming. Alex’s employer did not like him taking off on Sundays and leaving work early on Wednesdays to attend Bible study. Recently his supervisor told him to find a new job.

“Sometimes it is hard to do what I feel the Lord is asking me to do. Sometimes I don’t understand it all,” he said. “So, I ask the Lord to show me the way and to help me understand.”

Slavic knows he has to seize every opportunity to train up young believers like Alex so they can carry the Gospel throughout the country. Please pray for both men to boldly proclaim Christ in Kazakhstan.

* Names have been changed.

Posted Oct 2, 2008

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