FAITH IN ACTION TRAINING COURSE
(Formerly FAITH IN ACTION BIBLE SCHOOL)
Vladivostok, Russia
Supported by Faith Ministries &
Faith Bible College in New Zealand,
Faith Ministries Japan, and World Outreach.

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RUSSIA REPORT October 2003
 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."    

2 Timothy 3.16, 17

 "The first step is to have a Bible. 
The second is to know what it says"

 

FLASHBACK TO 1994

My interest in Russia began soon after I became a Christian. One of my heroes has been Brother Andrew who smuggled Bibles behind the Iron Curtain. I have prayed for the church in Russia, and for Bibles to get there and to change that Nation.

When the Iron Curtain fell, and when the Lord led me to Russia in 1992, I still had the feeling that bringing the Word of God to the Russian people was a priority, but as Bibles became available, understanding the teaching of the Bible became the next priority. Of course this was one of the main purposes of starting Faith in Action Bible School in April 1994.

Just after the first semester had been completed, I experienced perhaps the most moving vignette in my ministry to Russia.

One of my friends, John Carthcart, an American Missionary, had raised funds to buy and ship a container of Russian Bibles to Vladivostok. This container arrived in June, and it was cleared through customs without too much trouble.

That afternoon a truck brought the container through the gates of the Bible School. We could hardly believe it. A whole container full of Bibles! We waited for a crane to come to unload the container. And we waited. Nothing ever happens on time in Russia. Finally an old truck with a rickety crane on the back rolled through the gates to where we were sitting in the sun.

Can you imagine how heavy a twenty foot container of Bibles weighs? No? Well the crane driver didn't know either. That is, until he tried to lift it without success. The only solution: to partially unload the contents. We needed to move some to another storage anyway, so we opened the container doors, formed a chain and began passing cartons of Bibles from one to another.

With about half the load removed, the struggling crane finally landed the container on the ground. As we began to take stock, we discovered that there were about 32,000 full Bibles. There were even some cartons of prized study Bibles for pastors and our students.

For me to realise that I was standing in Russia with so many Bibles was an overwhelming experience, and we all gathered around and gave praise to the Lord for this provision of His Word.

The cartons of Bibles were distributed among the churches in Vladivostok and the surrounding towns, making many Russian hearts glad.


THE BIBLE & OLEG

Oleg was a criminal. For his crimes he was sent to a prison camp in Eastern Siberia. He was 31 years old and this was not the plan he had for his life. While in the camp he quarreled with a Muslim about his faith. Oleg thought he was an orthodox believer and tried to prove his opinions, even though his heart was far from Jesus, and Christianity was superficial to him. Neither Oleg nor the Muslim could prove their arguments. Unknowingly the Holy Spirit had started to work in Oleg's heart. There in the prison he asked himself "What do I know about Jesus?" and came to the conclusion "I know nothing!"

He made a decision to read through the entire Bible.

The prison had an extensive library so he borrowed a Bible and began his reading alone. As he read he found God was speaking to him and giving him an understanding of how mighty and awesome He was, and how foolish and sinful his own life had been. He wanted a relationship with God but no one told him how to find it. He continued reading.

(You can read the rest of Oleg's story online at: http://homepages.globe.net.nz/faith/fiapages/rspages/oleg.html



THE BIBLE & EVGENNI

In 1994 in the Khabarovsk Railway Station, Evgenni and another man had teamed together to rob a foreigner - me! The police caught him as he ran away. My young interpreter gave Evgenni his pocket New Testament and a small yellow tract I had.

Evgenni was sent to the prison in Sovietskaya Gavan on the East Coast of Russia, but he continued to read the little New Testament. There was nothing else to do except wake up, eat and sleep. Slowly the Word of God began to penetrate his spirit.

Pastor Peter visited the prison to evangelize, and Evgenni gave his heart to Jesus. At first he tried to justify his crime, but the conviction of the Holy Spirit finally broke him, so that he wrote to the Judge and acknowledged his guilt. Jesus set him free inside.

"I had the New Testament, but I did not understand. I saw but couldn't see, I heard but couldn't hear. But now I thank the Lord in my prayers for the gift of eternal life. He changed my life, and he refined me and changed my attitudes and my mentality. I have no desire at all to go back to my former life."



NOEL'S TRIP TO JAPAN AND RUSSIA

Noel Morris will be visiting supporting churches in Japan from November 12th to 25th before going to Vladivostok to teach at "Faith in Action" in Vladivostok.

His schedule begins in the Tokyo area, spending time with Pastor Tim Tazono, the Japan representative for "Faith in Action". He will then travel to Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe. There are many churches and individuals who have been faithful supporters of the work in Russia, and Noel hopes to visit as many of them as possible during his time there.

From November 26nd to Dec 4th Noel will teach in the school in Vladivostok. Alistair Reese from New Zealand, who is also a member of the International Board of FIA, is planning to join Noel to plan strategy for the future for the school.

While Noel is away he will not be receiving full income, and the concern is that God will provide financially for him and Edith from alternate sources during this ministry trip.


PRAY FOR:

  • Pastor Alexei and his family, the staff and 24 students at Faith in Action.
  • finances needed to run the school. Approximately US$2,000 per month (NZ$5,000, 250,000 Japanese yen.)
  • the finances needed for the new dormitory.
  • Noel Morris's travel to Japan and Eastern Russia, and for their family provision while he is away.
Gifts for our support and continuing ministry to Russia can be sent:
In NZ: C/o P.O. Box 12357 Hamilton
In Japan: Postal Furikae 01150-8-74597 Faith Ministries
From other countries:
Bank: A/c name: Faith Ministries,
A/c No. 060603 0000421 00
National Bank of NZ, Chartwell Branch,
Routing No. NBNZ22

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