IBS In St. Petersburg

Last week, it was our great pleasure to do an IBS seminar in Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg. On Sunday the fourth Svetta and I went to both Central and South Calvary Chapels to make an announcement about the seminar. It was great to come back and see people that I had known while I lived in St. Pete in 2008-2009 and went to CC Central. After spending three days back in Cherepovets working, we returned on Wednesday with Alexey to do the seminar on Thursday and Friday. In Russia, March 8 is Women’s Day, so they had a three day weekend. We used that opportunity to do a two day seminar.

There was a huge difference between the people at this seminar, compared to the people we usually encounter at Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Baptist churches in Russia. Like in the States, Calvary Chapel in Russia puts a lot of emphasis on the teaching of the Word, and as a result, the people that go there are more grounded. However, people are still not used to studying the Bible and thinking for themselves.

One of the difficulties of or our ministry is that we are not only trying to teach people to study the Bible, but how to look at the text and pull out truth that cannot be seen at first glance. Learning how to study the Word requires work, but it is worth it! Once the participants were able to dig into the Scriptures themselves, the Bible came alive like never before and their Christian walk became much deeper.

Everyone was encouraged by the ministry of the Word and the personal application we received. Pastor Dima has invited us to come back to do more seminars, possibly to do the second course, and to attend a pastor’s conference that will hopefully open new contacts. We look forward to working together to equip God’s people to grow in their relationship with Him and to raise new Christian Bible teachers.

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