Post by DKTrav88 on May 8, 2018 9:36:16 GMT
An interesting message from a Christian missionary in Russia. I was unaware of this myself, but it seems the Russian government passed antiterrorism laws that target evangelical Christians by persuasion of the Russian Orthodox Church. I didn’t think Russia was so antichristian, nor did I think the Orthodox Church was against evangelical Christians so much so that they would feel threatened enough to persuade the Russian government to target them as terrorists. Sad days we live in.
www.chick.com/m/bc/2016/russia.asp
“This recent letter from a missionary shows how quickly a mission field can close. This missionary is back in the states after many fruitful years on the field. The Russian government recently passed an anti-terrorism law targeting extremists. The Russian Orthodox Church persuaded the government to include evangelical Christians along with the targeted Muslim terrorists. The Orthodox Church is deeply imbedded in the strong Russian nationalism and moved quickly to take advantage of the new law.
I just talked to my wife in St. Petersburg, Russia. She is there for 17 days and is meeting with as many of our church members as she can. She told me yesterday that the new laws are firmly being put in place and if fully activated it will be worse than the old Soviet Union. I lived in Russia for 16 years and my wife all her life.
We distributed over 50,000 'This Was Your Life' from 1992 to 1995. We registered over 40,000 precious Russians praying to receive Jesus Christ as Savior. Many of those are the results of Chick Tracts. We gave out another 50,000 tracts during the remaining time we served there.
The Russian Orthodox church was at first our friends. In fact Alexei II, Patriarch of Russia, furnished our first visas and did so until he realized that we were there to plant Evangelical churches. We had helped many Christian businessmen start new businesses with American knowhow.
The Orthodox were very happy at first as they saw ways to fill their coffers. The 8 churches we planted in Russia have gone underground or meet in small groups. My wife said some members from other churches said that government officials stand at their church doors and take everyone’s name when they enter.
Other churches who invite foreign missionary workers are having difficulties in inviting them. They are told that a missionary must get a religious workers visa and then get a religious work visa. The only problem is that there is no such thing. Please keep praying for these wonderful brothers and sisters.
There is a move of God now around the world. I personally feel that the great awaking in Russia has spread all over third-world countries. Presently our third-world pastors have planted their 50,000th church since 1986 and work in 87 countries. We support around 1000 third-world pastors and have in training about 5,000 more men.
I am thankful for Chick Publications. Presently my wife and I keep This Was Your Life in Hindu, Russian, Chinese, and English. As we travel all over America we find these language groups in most restaurants and gas stations.
I feel that God is up to something very big and is harvesting many souls for His Son’s Bride.
God bless you in abundance.
Yours by His Wonderful Grace,
Dennis Ellis
Final Frontiers Foundation, Louisville, GA”
Some details of the laws passed in Russia can be found here:
www.gospelherald.com/articles/65215/20160709/religious-new-persecution-law-in-russia-thousands-of-church-members-fast-pray.htm
- Foreign guests are not permitted to speak in churches unless they have a "work permit" from Russian authorities.
- If a friend or relative from outside Russia wishes to share his or her faith in a Russian home, the guest will be fined and expelled from Russia.
- Any discussion of God with non-believers is considered missionary activity, and will be punishable.
- Missionary activity will be permitted by special government permission. Example: If one who is traveling on a train shares his faith without written permission, the offender will be taken into police custody for the duration of the journey and will be fined 50,000 rubles, or $1,000.
- Offenders from the age of 14 will be subject to prosecution.
- Religious activity is no longer permitted in private homes. Most churches in Russia meet in homes.
- Every citizen is obligated to report religious activity, especially of neighbors, to the authorities. Failure to be an informant is punishable by law.
- One may pray, read the Bible at home, but not in the presence of a non-believing person. Such activity will be breaking the law and be punished.
- If the church has purchased property, it cannot be converted into a place of worship.
- In church buildings, it is not permitted to invite people to turn to God. Worship services are permitted but making a non-believer a follower of Christ is against the law.
www.chick.com/m/bc/2016/russia.asp
“This recent letter from a missionary shows how quickly a mission field can close. This missionary is back in the states after many fruitful years on the field. The Russian government recently passed an anti-terrorism law targeting extremists. The Russian Orthodox Church persuaded the government to include evangelical Christians along with the targeted Muslim terrorists. The Orthodox Church is deeply imbedded in the strong Russian nationalism and moved quickly to take advantage of the new law.
I just talked to my wife in St. Petersburg, Russia. She is there for 17 days and is meeting with as many of our church members as she can. She told me yesterday that the new laws are firmly being put in place and if fully activated it will be worse than the old Soviet Union. I lived in Russia for 16 years and my wife all her life.
We distributed over 50,000 'This Was Your Life' from 1992 to 1995. We registered over 40,000 precious Russians praying to receive Jesus Christ as Savior. Many of those are the results of Chick Tracts. We gave out another 50,000 tracts during the remaining time we served there.
The Russian Orthodox church was at first our friends. In fact Alexei II, Patriarch of Russia, furnished our first visas and did so until he realized that we were there to plant Evangelical churches. We had helped many Christian businessmen start new businesses with American knowhow.
The Orthodox were very happy at first as they saw ways to fill their coffers. The 8 churches we planted in Russia have gone underground or meet in small groups. My wife said some members from other churches said that government officials stand at their church doors and take everyone’s name when they enter.
Other churches who invite foreign missionary workers are having difficulties in inviting them. They are told that a missionary must get a religious workers visa and then get a religious work visa. The only problem is that there is no such thing. Please keep praying for these wonderful brothers and sisters.
There is a move of God now around the world. I personally feel that the great awaking in Russia has spread all over third-world countries. Presently our third-world pastors have planted their 50,000th church since 1986 and work in 87 countries. We support around 1000 third-world pastors and have in training about 5,000 more men.
I am thankful for Chick Publications. Presently my wife and I keep This Was Your Life in Hindu, Russian, Chinese, and English. As we travel all over America we find these language groups in most restaurants and gas stations.
I feel that God is up to something very big and is harvesting many souls for His Son’s Bride.
God bless you in abundance.
Yours by His Wonderful Grace,
Dennis Ellis
Final Frontiers Foundation, Louisville, GA”
Some details of the laws passed in Russia can be found here:
www.gospelherald.com/articles/65215/20160709/religious-new-persecution-law-in-russia-thousands-of-church-members-fast-pray.htm
- Foreign guests are not permitted to speak in churches unless they have a "work permit" from Russian authorities.
- If a friend or relative from outside Russia wishes to share his or her faith in a Russian home, the guest will be fined and expelled from Russia.
- Any discussion of God with non-believers is considered missionary activity, and will be punishable.
- Missionary activity will be permitted by special government permission. Example: If one who is traveling on a train shares his faith without written permission, the offender will be taken into police custody for the duration of the journey and will be fined 50,000 rubles, or $1,000.
- Offenders from the age of 14 will be subject to prosecution.
- Religious activity is no longer permitted in private homes. Most churches in Russia meet in homes.
- Every citizen is obligated to report religious activity, especially of neighbors, to the authorities. Failure to be an informant is punishable by law.
- One may pray, read the Bible at home, but not in the presence of a non-believing person. Such activity will be breaking the law and be punished.
- If the church has purchased property, it cannot be converted into a place of worship.
- In church buildings, it is not permitted to invite people to turn to God. Worship services are permitted but making a non-believer a follower of Christ is against the law.
