Unexpected Alliances

With more than 25 years of ministry invested into Eastern Europe and Russia we have established more than a few patterns. One of those patterns is that our deepest partnerships have been with the many evangelical churches across our 11 time zones. Despite significant efforts from time to time to work with the “national churches” of our 19 countries, the result has been a mixed bag. Even when such alliances have emerged it is difficult to know what should be written about them, because quite often a priest who enters into deeper collaboration with us could have a price to pay for his actions.

In light of such concerns we will also forgo both the names of our staff involved, as well as the exact locations of the following story.
One our JESUS Film workers was deeply surprised one day when his doorbell rang and there on his doorstep stood an priest who had sought him out in order to discuss a potential working relationship.

The priest’s request was simple; he wanted assistance in putting together an evangelistic effort in the neighboring town.
After a good discussion our colleague and priest came to solid agreement. The priest would set up a “camp” in the courtyard of the church and invite several young people who had demonstrated that they had a heart for the Lord. (14 such young people attended). Our friend joined the camp as a teacher and trained those young people how to share the Gospel and relay their personal testimony.

Throughout that week of “camp at the Orthodox church” the young people learned how to share their faith using the 4 laws (Orthodox version), learned to how explain assurance of salvation, learned how to explain the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and finally they learned what it meant to work with disciples.

The camp culminated in an evangelistic outreach. The Jesus Film was shown on the church’s property, in the very courtyard where the youth had been trained. And the priest and the young people followed up those who were interested in knowing more, using an Orthodox-friendly version of the Four Spiritual Laws.

Various attempts to establish partnerships or collaboration with national churches have resulted in all sorts of experiences over the years. Often the effort invested in such collaboration has ended in disappointment. But this summer, in this “parish” and in many other places there seems to have ignited a new hope that God can open doors that seemed to have been jammed for many years.