January 24, 2008

Marvelous Work of the Lord in Slavic Lands

Ingrid began this Crosstalk with a letter from a pastor in the Slavic nation of Azerbaijan. Pastor Zaur Balaev was falsely charged with resisting arrest, but the real reason he was arrested was for holding a worship service. He is now in prison, and is suffering from a heart condition. In addition, he has arthritis in his hands and legs due to dampness and poor circulation, and he is often ill with colds, flu and other viruses because of unsanitary conditions.

After mentioning Pastor Balaev's plight, Ingrid introduced Eric Mock. Eric is Vice President of Ministry Operations for The Slavic Gospel Association, an organization that works in 11 nations of the former Soviet Union. Nations ministered to include the already mentioned Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia and others.

According to Eric, Azerbaijan and other central Asian countries have been undergoing great transformation. These countries are primarily Muslim. Under Soviet rule there was quite an influence that brought increases due to education, and along with that came exiled believers that were spread under many years of persecution. They pushed into Muslim lands, and rather than hiding, they stepped forward in their faith. The result was that churches began to be planted. So even today, following the breakup of the Soviet Union, these countries are struggling to find their identity as they work to get going economically while restructuring their governments. In spite of all this, faithful believers continue to teach and preach the gospel there.

Eric said Pastor Balaev's situation is close and parallel to many situations where believers will gather together in places of worship and either the neighbors or local authorities will call them unregistered churches. Churches apply for registration under government status, the government then rejects the registration. Then when the believers gather in someone's home under what we might consider a Bible study, the government views that as an illegal gathering.

More Information

Slavic Gospel Association sites:
http://www.sga.org
http://www.sgaradio.org