New Web Site

To read our newsletters, receive daily prayer requests, view pictures, take virtual prayer walks, learn about partnership missions in Kamchatka, and other information concerning Kamchatka please check out our web site at www.kamchatkaforchrist.com

Thanks for holding the rope!
The Roberts,
Marty, Suzanne, Lee and Emma Grace

May Prayer Calendar

Please join us in daily, specific prayer for the peoples of Kamchatka throughout the month of May.

The Month of Prayer for Kamchatka
May 2010



2 New Churches
Currently, there are 2 Baptist churches and 1 new church plant in Petropavlovsk (PK). We’d love to see the number double annually. Please pray that new churches with an intense love for God and a vision for seeing Kamchatka come to Christ will be planted in each of the 31 districts in the city.

3 North Horizon
Pray for this small group to:
*develop into a church

*leadership to rise

*start a new group this year

4 The Fields
Less that ½ of 1% of the population of PK have a genuine relation-ship with Jesus. Please pray that this will change and many will come to know him.
Jesus said “Look!! The fields are white for harvest!”

5 Emmanuel
Emmanuel is the key church plant in PK which is serving as the model for more churches. Ask the Lord to allow the roots of this church to grow deep in Him resulting in much fruit that lasts!

6 Good News
Good News is the oldest Baptist church in Kam-chatka celebrating over 40 years. Pray that they will catch a vision that goes beyond themselves and participate in reaching the peoples of Kamchatka for Christ.

7 AZS
There are several new believers in the AZS district. Please pray that a BS group will form that will lead to a new church in this district this year!

8 Goodwill
Currently, all avenues of long term residence have been adamantly denied revealing a staunch resistance to our presence. Pray for people of goodwill to be placed in the government positions that have influence over our lives in Kamchatka.


9 Natives of Kamchatka
Please pray for the salvation of the Natives of Kamchatka—the Eveni, the Koryak, and the Chukchi. Please pray for the gospel to spread to villages inaccessible by road and isolated by distances.

10 Mil’kovo
The church in Mil’kovo is with-out a pastor but has 6 faithful ladies who continue to meet regularly. Pray that the Lord will raise up leadership. Pray for strength and encouragement for the women there.

11 Esso
Pray for the new church plant (the Way to the Source church) in Esso that they will grow spiritually and multiply.

12 Village K
Pray for the church in Village K that they will thrive and grow spiritually in the midst of the harsh climate and isolation.

13 “A” Village without a church
*95% native
*Animistic/
Shamanistic
Pray for:
*dreams & visions among the people
*the North American Native mission team ministering to this village in August that they will reap a great Harvest!

14 Villages S, Sh, L, Al, R
Pray for wisdom and vision for these villages with no churches and with no laborers working for the sake of Christ.

15 Camps
Please pray for the summer youth and adult camps and other projects engaging in evangelistic activities. Pray that villages will be open and responsive.


16 Sasha & Tanya
Pray for Sasha as he leads Emmanuel church, trains Russian leaders, and supply preaches—all in addition to working full-time. Pray for Sasha and Tanya that God will give them full health and wisdom in ministry and family.

17 Future Leaders
Please pray for these future church leaders in Kamchatka:
*Yuri
*Misha
-*Igor
*Dennis
*Sasha
*Sergei

18 Putnams
Pray for the Putnam family that they will experience His grace as they lead in church planting and leadership training in the city. Pray for strength as they renew visas every 90 days.

19 Roberts
The Roberts finish their first term on the field in October. Pray that God will give them a fruitful first summer in Esso and that they will finish well.

20 Valodya and Nadezheda
As Valodya seeks to lead the Good News church, please pray for an increasing love for God in his heart, a clear under-standing of the Word, and the ability to com-municate the Word clearly to the church.

21 Zhenya and Sveta
Please for this couple as they lead Way to the Source Church in Esso. May God grant wisdom, strength and perseverance as they:
*raise 3 kids
*he works 2 jobs
*desire to plant
churches across
Kamchatka.

22 WANTED
Wanted: Volunteers and Full-Time laborers

Ask the Lord to send laborers into the fields of Kamchatka to help with:
*evangelism
*logistic coord.
*church planting
*church camps
*construction
*leadership training


23 Volunteer Teams
The first of 2010 volunteer teams will arrive this week. Teams will come and depart throughout the year. Please pray for quick adjustment to the time and culture. Please pray for safety and a spiritual harvest as they travel around the city and villages engaging in evangelism and Bible distribution.

24 Appointments
We are looking for open hearts and open homes. Please pray for divine appoint-ments with people who are ready to be saved and willing to open their apartments and homes in the city and villages to study the Bible.

25 Translators
Please pray that the translators that will be helping our teams will accurately communicate the gospel and will be faithful in serving in this role.

26 Weather
Ask the Lord to provide nice sunny days that will bring lots of people outside while the volunteer teams are here.

27 No Trouble
Ask the Lord to shield and protect the volunteer teams from any trouble from local opposition.

28The Multitudes
Please pray that God will save the multitudes! Please pray that churches will be planted across Kamchatka and many strong followers of Christ will emerge!

29 The Continued Vision
Please pray for:
*volunteers to spread the vision of world missions
*a prompt and precise follow-up to newly found contacts
*A thriving, multiplying church in every district in the city and every village in Kamchatka!

Thanks for holding the rope!

February & March 2010

Matthew 9: 37-38 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.

Here is another great way you can help send laborers into His harvest in Kamchatka.

Joel Strahan, former pastor of Ingram Baptist Church and now singer, songwriter, missionary has written 10 songs that are being released this month. While in the states I obtained a copy of the CD from Joel and it is an awesome CD. Listening to the CD will challenge you through song and worship to “GO”, pray for God “To Stir These Waters” and for the Church to “Arise.” If you like contemporary style Christian Music you will be very pleased with this CD. Now, here is the great part. All the proceeds from this new album will be used to send teams to Kamchatka. Here is some information from Joel about the CD:

Hey Guys,
I just wanted to let everyone know that I am ordering a batch of CD's that will be here in two weeks. If you would like a CD, please go to the following link to reserve your copy. This will help me know how many we need initially. Remember, the profits from the CD sales are used to send short-term mission teams to Kamchatka, Russia. The first team leaves on July 8. If you reserve a copy through this website, you will get your CD for $12 (12% discount). http://www.thenowweekly.com/reserve-a-cd.html
The following link will give you a short overview of the songs on the CD if you haven't already heard them: http://presskit.weebly.com
Thanks,
Joel

Family: WOW….I am writing a newsletter that covers February and March. In February we traveled to the states for visa renewal and some vacation time. It was great to see our family and friends despite having the H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu. I guess the Lord knew I (Marty) needed some rest and the only way I would slow down was to put me to bed. Lee also had a smaller case of the virus and Suzanne was sick on the return trip and is just now reaching full recovery. Thanks for praying for our health.

We were very excited to be able to speak in 11 different locations about what God is doing in Kamchatka. A very special thanks to all the churches who hosted us, to all the people who came to our aid, offering vehicles, gifts, attending birthday parties and joining us as new prayer partners for Kamchatka. We are truly blessed to have faithful “Rope Holders” like you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
We returned to Kamchatka almost running…in fact we had to run through every airport and missed a flight on the trip to the USA and also on the return trip due to weather and late planes. We are very thankful to be back in Esso and as soon as we returned we had ministry opportunities awaiting us.

Ministry Opportunities: Once we landed in PK and spent one night there with the Putnam’s we made the drive to the village and got our registration processed the next day. We arrived in the village on Monday and Saturday made a 150 mile drive to the village of Milkovo to join Team PK and Emmanuel Church in an evangelism project. While in Milkovo Mesha, the young man being baptized that many of you saw on the slide show while we were in the states, led his first person to the Lord on the streets of Milkovo. Praise the Lord! ONE + WON = MULTIPLICATION.

Here are a few stats from the Milkovo project.
Total
Total People Engaged 69
Received Bible – for the first time. 32
Heard Full Gospel Presentation 31
Accepted Christ 3
Blow Offs – would not listen. 16

We joined the Church in Milkovo for Sunday services and had a great time of worship. After the service many of the church members went back out on the streets with us to experience street evangelism first hand. By the close of the evening Sasha had gone back to the church and trained many of the people in evangelism. Pray for this church as they seek a pastor. Pray also they will continue to reach out to the people in Milkovo with the Gospel Message.

We left Milkovo on Sunday evening and made the drive back to the village. Early Monday morning we began to prepare for the Spring Camp in Esso. The teens from Village “A” arrived in Esso on Monday evening. One of our prayer requests has been for God to open a door of ministry to us in Village “A.” There is currently no church in that village. Seven of the native teens in that village contacted Zhenya and wanted to have camp in Esso during spring break. We went to work to make it happen. The Putnam family made the drive to the village to help us with this camp. There were seven great youth who came and attended the camp. We built relationships with them throughout the week and on Thursday night four of them gave their lives to Christ. Praise the Lord! How great is our God! We took the teen’s home on Saturday and they called us on Sunday still excited about camp. We are seeking a place and time to start meeting with them soon. Pray for the new believers as they return to their village to face many obstacles that could hinder their faith. Pray for open doors as we attempt to pursue opportunities in that village.

I, Marty, am writing this newsletter late Sunday night March 28, 2010. On Monday the 29th I will leave the village again and drive to PK to catch a flight to Vladivostok on Tuesday. I will be in Vladivostok for a week attending a team strategy leader training meeting. We will have one day focused on ministry to engage people on the streets of Vladivostok. Pray for open hearts to hear the Gospel, an effective meeting, safe travel, and for my family while I am away.

Language: As some of the “old timers” use to say, “We just keep plugging along.” Suzanne and Marty study with a tutor 3 hours a day, 3 times a week. Our tutor has also started staying late and helping Lee and Emma for an additional 30 minutes each day. While in the states, we purchased several new Russian workbooks that we believe will strengthen our language abilities. Pray for us as we continue to study language.

School: Once we returned to Esso Lee and Emma buckled down once again and even studied on Saturday and Sunday before camp so that they could be servants. Lee did an awesome job leading music, playing the guitar and sharing time day and night with the campers. Emma also served helping with scrapbooking, cooking, cleaning and just being the smiling, laughing, servant hearted child that she is.

Lee’s favorite subject is guitar and geography. Emma has a love for science and history. She loves turning our kitchen into a science lab. Pray for them as they study. Suzanne has the remainder of the year scheduled and the kids are anxious to finish school so that they can be fully involved with the mission teams that will be coming to Kamchatka this summer.

Prayer Request:
If you are not receiving our Thursday prayer updates please let your prayer representatives at your church know this and he or she can forward them to you.
-Pray for {Путь к Источникy (Poot k Ee-stoch-ne-koo) - The Way to the Source Baptist Church} a church plant happening in the village of Esso.
- Pray for the TSL meeting in Vladivostok and the day of ministry there.
-Pray for the new believers in Village “A” and for an open door in that village.
-Pray for Zhenya and his family as God continues to use him in Esso and the surrounding villages.
-Pray for Alexander (Sasha) and his family as God continues to use him in Petropavlovsk.
- Pray for the new believers in Kamchatka as they continue their walk with the Lord.
- Pray that we will be faithful to serve the Lord on a daily basis in the midst of __________ (just fill in the blanks).
- Pray for laborers. (We invite you to join us physically in the work – for more information about bringing a mission team to Kamchatka…..just ask!)
- Pray for the summer mission teams coming to Kamchatka this year. The teams are already processing paper work and spiritually preparing for their trip.

Thank you for holding the rope!!! We would love to hear from you!

Jan. 2010

Please take a moment and visit this web site http://www.stirmyheart.com and click on the link Get ready to VOTE FOR "ARISE" in Tate Music Group's Artist of the Year contest!

"Arise" is the first song on Joel's new CD which will be released soon.
Joel Strahan, former pastor of Ingram Baptist Church and now singer, songwriter, missionary has written several new songs and will be releasing a new CD in Feb. The link will allow you to listen to the song “Arise” and view some video footage from Esso and Northern Kamchatka. Please take time to pass this link on to others. Joel’s desire is for this to help make others aware of the needs in Kamchatka and for the Lord to use it as a tool to open many doors. Thanks for your vote Feb. 1-5, 2010.

Psalm 61:8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Matthew 9: 37-38 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.

How you can become “HANDS ON” in Kamchatka? Just ask and we will begin to plan your trip.

Family: We had a great first month of 2010. We experienced very cold temperatures and snow this month. We were also able to meet and spend time with some new friends in Esso. Please continue to pray for further contacts to be made during the long winter months. Please pray that we would be wise to every opportunity that is given us.

Family time this month was spent in local activities around the village. We swam in the public hot springs many times, did some snowboarding and cross country skiing. Lee and I also took part in some men’s volleyball at the local school. Volleyball is a very serious sport in the village and they are good at it.

The family also spent some time planning our trip to the USA. Below is our schedule for our time in the states. We hope to see many of you while we are there and we are very excited about getting to see our families again. Please pray for us as we travel and speak at several different locations while in the states. We will also be meeting with a couple of the mission teams for 2010.

February – March
• Feb 11, travel to USA for visa renewal and vacation
• Feb 14 am – Preaching at Light House Baptist (New Albany, MS)
• Feb 14 pm – visiting our home church – Wheeler Baptist
• Feb 21am & pm – preaching and mission team meeting at Malesus Baptist Church (Jackson, TN)
• Feb 28 – Woodland Baptist Church (Pontotoc, MS)
• March 7 – (Journey) Church plant in Olive Branch, MS and mission team meeting.
• March 9 – preaching at Food Pantry, (Baldwyn, MS)
• March 11 - Back to Far East Russia

How long does it take to travel from Esso to Mississippi? First 8 to 10 hour drive from Esso to PK. Overnight in PK, fly from PK to Moscow (9 hours in air), overnight in Moscow, fly from Moscow to Stockholm (2 hours in air), Stockholm to Chicago (10 hours in air), Chicago to Memphis (2 hours in air) and then a 2 hour drive to MS (total 76 hrs with all transfers and layovers). Pray for us as we travel in just a few days.

Ministry Opportunities: Thank you for continuing to pray for the new church plant in the village, Путь к Источникy (Poot k Ee-stoch-ne-koo) - The Way to the Source Church. The Church grew spiritually this month. The nationals wanted to start meeting on Thursday nights in the village for prayer. It was very exciting this month to watch God work in the hearts of the few believers in Esso as they prayed for one another and for their lost friends and family. Many prayers were also lifted up for you. The believers here are very excited that people around the world are praying with them. For that reason we started emailing the Thursday night prayer requests to our prayer representatives at each church. If you would like to get these requests and have not been just ask the prayer representative at your church and he or she can forward them to you. Please keep holding the rope for us and with us.

We were able to travel to a village north of Esso this month and hold service there. The small village “K” has a handful of believers who meet weekly. There are about 10 women, 3 grandchildren, and one man who regularly meet. They were very excited to have us come and fellowship with them. Zhenya and his family traveled with us. Zhenya and I (Marty) preached while Suzanne, Emma, Lee and Sveta sang. After the service we shared a meal with them and then drove back to Esso. Please pray for village “K” as we learn how we can be a partner and help mate to them.

We were also excited to have several English, Russian speaking Germans in our home this month. Most of them are college age students and are currently in Esso on an exchange program working with the nature park. Pray that this bridge will become stronger, that they will fully understand and believe the Gospel, and that it will open up other doors to minister to the natives of Kamchatka.

Language: As some of the “old timers” use to say, “We just keep plugging along.” Suzanne and Marty study with a tutor 3 hours a day, 3 times a week. Our tutor has also started staying late and helping Lee and Emma for an additional 30 minutes each day.

School: Lee and Emma have been doubling up on some subjects this month in order to be ahead once we travel to the states. They will have school while we are in the states but have worked ahead enough to only take about half of their books to the USA. Pray that they stay focused the next couple of weeks and are able to work ahead as planned.

Prayer Request:
If you are not receiving our Thursday prayer updates please let your prayer representatives at your church know this and he or she can forward them to you.-Pray for {Путь к Источникy (Poot k Ee-stoch-ne-koo) - The Way to the Source Baptist Church} a church plant happening in the village of Esso.
-Pray for Alexander (Sasha) and his family as God continues to use him in Petropavlovsk.
- Pray for the new believers in Kamchatka as they continue their walk with the Lord.
- Pray that we will be faithful to serve the Lord on a daily basis in the midst of __________ (just fill in the blanks).
- Pray for laborers. (We invite you to join us physically in the work – for more information about bringing a mission team to Kamchatka…..just ask!)
- Please take time each day and pray for the new law that is being pushed through Russian congress. Pray for the speed and spreading of the Gospel. (You can read more about this law on our blog at http://robertsinrussia.blogspot.com)

Thank you for holding the rope!!! We would love to hear from you!

December

Wow! As the old saying goes, “time sure flies when you are having fun.” It’s almost hard to believe that 2009 has gone and 2010 has arrived. Just a couple of years ago when leaving the USA for Russia we looked forward to 2010 because that would be the year we would return to the states to start our state side assignment. Although our stateside assignment does not begin until the last day of October 2010 it will be upon us very soon. We have already calendared many speaking opportunities from Nov. 2010 – April 2011, if would like for us to come and share with your church about missions in Kamchatka please contact us soon due to limited dates.

While taking some time to reflect on 2009 and think about 2010 I was reminded of the words Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 3: 13-14).

Throughout 2009 the Roberts family has faced some difficulties and celebrated some triumphs while serving in Far East Russia. We thank you for holding the rope for us throughout the year. We praise the Lord for every high and low as we learned and are still learning every step of the way. Please remain faithful to pray for us throughout 2010 as we attempt to press on for His honor and glory!

Below is just a snapshot of 2010 before we leave on stateside assignment in October. Please pray that we finish our first term in Russia well.
January
• Lee returns to Kamchatka from youth camp in Germany.
• 2nd week preaching and singing in Kazarevsk, a village 150 KM North of Esso.
• End of January – First of February – Joint mission project in Milkovo with Team PK. (220 KM south of Esso).
• Ministering in Esso and other northern villages.

February - March
• Feb 11, travel to USA for visa renewal and vacation
• Feb 14 – Preaching at Light House Baptist (New Albany, MS)
• Feb 21 – preaching and mission team meeting at Malesus Baptist Church (Jackson, TN)
• Feb 28 – Woodland Baptist Church (Pontotoc, MS)
• March 7 – Church plant in Olive Branch, MS and mission team meeting.
• March 9 – preaching at Food Pantry, (Baldwyn, MS)
• March 11 - Back to Far East Russia

April
• Ministering in Esso and other Northern villages

May
• Kids complete home school for the year
• Prepare for summer mission teams
• Ministering in Esso and other Northern villages
• 1st mission team arrives last of May

June
• 1st week mission teams
• Second week leave Russia for visa renewal and Annual General Meeting
• Last week – return to Russia – prepare for next mission team arrival

July
• 1st week – mission team arrives
• 3rd week – youth camp and float trip in Esso

August
• Mission team from Canada arrives.
• Ministering in Esso and Northern villages.
• Follow up
• Kids start home school

September
• Ministering in Esso and Northern villages
• Follow-up
• Leave Russia for visa renewal

October
• Ministering in Esso and Northern Villages
• Preparing to leave for state side assignment
• Head to the states.
• We will post our states side speaking calendar at a later date which will define the remainder of 2010 and a large portion of 2011.

Family: Our family enjoyed another very white Christmas. We were blessed to be able to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ with 12 Russian guests. Suzanne baked up some yummy favorites and everyone wanted her recipes. We all ate too much and laughed a lot, especially when the Russian men took over the BB pistols and started a target shooting tournament in the house.

We brought the New Year in while in Petropavlovsk waiting for Lee to return from Germany. Lee was able to travel to Germany and attend MKR (Youth Camp) for missionary teen agers. He came back home refreshed and excited. We are very grateful for all the people who volunteered their time and gave funds to make this possible for our teens.

Both the kids and the grownups enjoyed a break from home school and language school.
Marty and Lee had the opportunity this month to take in a day of ice fishing. It was a new experience for them. They enjoyed it very much after they thawed out. While ice fishing they witnessed a volcano explode. You can see pictures of this on our face book page. It was a cool demonstration on just how powerful this land is and how much more powerful is the Creator.

Ministry Opportunities: This month we celebrated the opening of the new church plant in the village, Путь к Источникy (Poot k Ee-stoch-ne-koo) - The Way to the Source Church. We celebrated Christmas during our first service with singing, 2 messages, a Christmas play, and dinner after the service. We were very excited to have 31 in attendance for the opening of the new church. Praise the Lord! Please pray that the church will grow and flourish in Christ.

We were able to host Russians in our home on different occasions throughout the month of December.

During our time in Petropavlovsk we were able to attend a worship service at Good News Baptist Church. We also met with a few people in the city at different times to encourage and pray with them.

We praise the Lord for the opportunities to share the simple Gospel message with others. Please continue to pray for open doors and open hearts.

Language: We were able to take a couple of days off from formal language class. Although we use the Russian language daily a break from class work is always refreshing. Sometimes the language flows easily for us and other days it feels like we are in a survival situation. Suzanne and I take 9 hours of language a week. 3 hours a day, 3 times a week. We have come a long way in 2 years but still have a long way to go in the language learning process. Please continue to pray for our language ability.

School: Lee and Emma were both excited for Christmas Vacation from school. Both did very well the first semester and will start the second semester January 6, 2010. Please pray that they will finish well in their studies.

Prayer Request:
Please take time each day and pray for the new law that is being pushed through Russian congress. Pray for the speed and spreading of the Gospel. (You can read more about this law on our blog at http://robertsinrussia.blogspot.com)
-Pray for {Путь к Источникy (Poot k Ee-stoch-ne-koo) - The Way to the Source Baptist Church} a church plant happening in the village of Esso.
-Pray for Edict and Eger. They have both heard the Gospel many times. Pray for their salvation
-Pray for Sergei and his family of 4. (A new family visiting our fellowship in Esso.)
- Pray for the many visa struggles throughout Russia.
-Pray for Zhenya and his family, our Russian partner in the village. Zhenya is now working 2 jobs plus working in the church.
-Pray for Alexander (Sasha) and his family as God continues to use him in Petropavlovsk.
- Pray for the new believers in Kamchatka as they continue their walk with the Lord.
- Pray that we will be faithful to serve the Lord on a daily basis in the midst of __________ (just fill in the blanks).
- Pray for laborers. (We invite you to join us physically in the work – for more information about bringing a mission team to Kamchatka…..just ask!)
Thank you for holding the rope!!! We would love to hear from you!

November 09

Luke 2:10-11 and the angel said unto them, fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

Praise the Lord for the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus came for ALL.

We want to say thank you to all the people who pray for us on a regular basis. We could not live here without the support of prayer partners like you. Also, there is the reality of giving that keeps us on field. Without the funds that are made available to us through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering we could not live where we live and serve the Lord in Kamchatka. The Christmas season is the time of year that the majority of our supporters will give to International Missions through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Last year the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering did not reach the set goal. In fact the LMCO was short several million dollars. Because of the decrease in budget many changes have occurred over the past year and many people who feel called to the foreign field will be unable to go. The task at hand is larger than any one person but with a combined effort and the guidance of our Lord and Savior we can reach the ends of the earth. Please take time and ask the Lord how you can pray, give and go to help spread the Gospel around the world.

Here are a few statistics from our European Affinity Group:

EUROPEAN AFFINITY STATISTICAL HIGHLIGHT

Total population 778,795,029
Unreached People Groups (UPGs) 662

Unreached Population 636,552, 281

Unengaged UPGs, over 100,000 population 41

Mark Edworthy, leader of the European Affinity, states to the missionaries across Europe, “While we are certainly facing a difficult year ahead, there is also much that should encourage and embolden us. Earlier this month, we shared with trustees our annual report on the previous year’s work. Last year, you and your national partner’s implemented church planting strategies among 1,159 people groups and 208 major urban centers. 93 people groups and 34 urban centers were newly engaged during the year. Particularly encouraging were reports of more than 11,000 new outreach groups, more than 500,000 baptisms, and more than 24,000 new churches!”

The holiday season is here. We want to take a moment and wish everyone a Merry Christmas Season. The Thanksgiving festivities have ceased and Emma and Suzanne are ready to put up our Christmas tree. I expect that to take place later on today, December 1, 2009.

Family: It seems as if this month has “flown” by. That is probably due to the traveling that we had to take part in to renew our visas and get driving documents in order. We traveled to Seoul, South Korea and received our new Russian visa, spent 2 nights in Vladivostok, Russia, 2 nights in Petropavlovsk, Russia and traveled to and from the village. We were back in the village only a couple of days when Marty had to take the bus back to the city to get our vehicle documents in order. Praise the Lord after 2 weeks of traveling we are back in the village with ALL documents in order. I honestly believe one must live here in order to understand all the paperwork that must be done. This is certainly one of my (Marty) struggles that you can pray about. I don’t enjoy the document processing and being very dependent on a Russian native to help with the processing.

We had a great time celebrating our first Thanksgiving in Esso. We managed to find a turkey in the city and bring it back to the village for our traditional meal. We had turkey, dressing and all the trimmings including many Russian dishes prepared by our friends. We had 15 people crammed into our living room/dining room for our meal. A great time indeed!

Everyone always wants a weather report especially if they are from MS. So, how’s the weather in Esso? We have plenty of snow and more will come, temperatures are usually high 15 below zero and low 35 below zero. The lowest temperature we have experienced thus far 37 below zero. Weather that cold is very strange to a MS boy especially when his mustache freezes on his face.

Ministry Opportunities: During our travels this month we were able to share the Gospel in Seoul, South Korea, join a small group Bible Study in Vladivostok and in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka, preach and teach in Esso and have dinner guests in our home. Our territory was wide spread and God used us where we were for His purpose. Praise the Lord for opportunities.

Language: Suzanne and I take 9 hours of language a week. 3 hours a day, 3 times a week. We have come a long way in 2 years but still have a long way to go in the language learning process. Please continue to pray for our language ability.

School: Lee and Emma are doing very well in their studies. Emma has found a new love for science and each week our kitchen turns into a lab for the latest experiment. Of course, Suzanne also loves science and this makes for a great class. Emma also loves geography and can name the 50 states and capital cities of each. Lee has maintained a great GPA this term and is really enjoying the Bible program. He is using a DVD program with books and enjoys the majority of his teachers. His guitar ability has flourished this year and he now plays the guitar at all of our worship services in the village.

Prayer Request:
Please take time each day and pray for the new law that is being pushed through Russian congress. Pray for the speed and spreading of the Gospel. (You can read more about this law on our blog at http://robertsinrussia.blogspot.com)
-Pray for {Путь к Источникy (Poot k Ee-stoch-ne-koo) - The Way to the Source Baptist Church} a church plant happening in the village of Esso.
-Pray for Edict and Eger. They have both heard the Gospel many times. Pray for their salvation.
-Pray for Sergei and his family of 4. (A new family visiting our fellowship in Esso.)
- Pray for the many visa struggles throughout Russia.
-Pray for Zhenya and his family, our Russian partner in the village. Zhenya is now working 2 jobs plus working in the church.
-Pray for Alexander (Sasha) and his family as God continues to use him in Petropavlovsk.
- Pray for the new believers in Kamchatka as they continue their walk with the Lord.
- Pray that we will be faithful to serve the Lord on a daily basis in the midst of __________ (just fill in the blanks).
- Pray for laborers. (We invite you to join us physically in the work – for more information about bringing a mission team to Kamchatka…..just ask!)
Thank you for holding the rope!!! We would love to hear from you!

October 09

Please allow me this month to take a brief moment to update you on the happenings in Esso and our family. My desire is over the next month you will focus on the prayer request that takes up the majority of this month’s newsletter. Thank you so much for partnering with us through prayer. Holding the Rope is a vital part of our team. Thanks!

Family: The family is doing great and getting excited about the snowfall. Lee and Emma are anticipating the day they are able to strap on the snowboards and take off. If the snow keeps falling like it is today it will not be long. Lee has constructed a snowboard ramp in the side yard and looks forward to using it. Pray for no broken bones and teens to show up and use the ramp.
Nov. 11 we will be flying to Seoul, Korea for visa renewal. Please pray that our travel and re-entry are normal and without problems.

Ministry Opportunities: Please continue to pray for us as we learn how to minister to people in the village during the winter months. Winter creates shorter, colder, darker days. Many people are not out and about much during the hard winter. Pray that we will find creative ways to meet people during this time.
The construction continues on the church in Esso. Please pray that we will have the upstairs opened with heat installed before the hard weather. We continue to meet in a home every Sunday for worship.

Language: Suzanne and I study language 3 hours a day, 3 days a week. Just when you think you understand a little more….well, I (Marty) usually find a setback. Pray for our language skills to continue to develop.

School: Lee and Emma are doing very well in school. They both have made awesome grades and are ahead of schedule. They are looking forward to some ½ days of school while in Seoul for visa renewal.

Prayer Request:
-Pray for {Путь к Источникy (Poot k Ee-stoch-ne-koo) - The Way to the Source Baptist Church} a church plant happening in the village of Esso.
-Pray for Edict and Eger. They have both heard the Gospel many times. Pray for their salvation.
- Pray for the many visa struggles throughout Russia.
-Pray for Zhenya and his family, our Russian partner in the village. Zhenya is now working 2 jobs plus working in the church.
-Pray for Alexander (Sasha) and his family as God continues to use him in Petropavlovsk.
- Pray for the new believers in Kamchatka as they continue their walk with the Lord.
- Pray that we will be faithful to serve the Lord on a daily basis in the midst of __________ (just fill in the blanks).
- Pray for laborers. (We invite you to join us physically in the work – for more information about bringing a mission team to Kamchatka…..just ask!)
Thank you for holding the rope!!! We would love to hear from you!

Please take time each day and pray for the new law that is being pushed through Russian congress. Pray for the speed and spreading of the Gospel.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
(1) Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.
(2) And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

We have been asked to enter into prayer and fasting with the Russian Baptist Union regarding new legislation that is being pushed through Russian congress. Please pray that it will not pass into law. If it does, our missionary activities and the regular Christian life of Russian Baptists will be severely restricted:

1. Children under the age of 14 would not be allowed to attend church without express written permission of parents.

2. Missionaries would be restricted to preach/teach only within Baptist church buildings with a letter of permission from sending and receiving organization for the specific dates he is to preach.

3. Rehabilitation centers would be shut down. No Baptists could work in orphanages or other places of ministry outside the church building.

4. Baptist churches would not be allowed to offer ESL classes, VBS, or any other social work.

5. Preachers will have to monitor the way invitations are given so as not to appear influential.

6. Foreigners who come to be involved in any way at any time in missionary activity would have to ONLY have religious visas, not tourist or any other.

7. Even a simple Baptist church member witnessing to someone inside a public building would become a crime.
Russian Baptist reaction to new draft legislation on missionary activity

M o s c o w -- New draft legislation introduced by the Russian Ministry of Justice on 12 October will, if it becomes law, greatly curtail religious freedom in Russia. On 20 October, the “Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists” (RUECB) published an open letter signed by its President, Yuri Sipko, and addressed to Dmitry Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation. The letter states: “We observe with alarm and puzzlement the development of church-state relations. Planned changes in the law on freedom of worship will reduce that freedom to a declaratory level” present only on paper. This new legislation intends to exacerbate the already-restrictive current law “On the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” of 26 September 1997. Sharper legislation had been proposed previously – the present proposals are in some instances a milder form of those initially introduced in 2006.

Baptist leadership is also offended by the fact that government representatives at a roundtable of religious leaders in the Justice Ministry on 18 September, which Yuri Sipko attended, did not reveal all segments of the new draft legislation. Yet Baptists understand that the new legislation of 12 October already enjoys the approval of Russia’s four official, “traditional” religions: Russian Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. They are defined as such by the legislation of 1997. Rev. Vitaly Vlasenko, the RUECB’s “Director of External Church Relations”, believes the new laws are directed above all against Roman Catholics and Protestants – those without their own geographical territories in Russia.

This new legislation will attempt to register and regulate all forms of mission activity while also determining how it is to be carried out. Mission activity must occur without psychological pressure or the offering of material gain. Activities to the contrary will result in fines.

Proposed changes

The new draft legislation stipulates that only religious groups registered in Russia for at least 15 years will be allowed to apply for permission to engage in missionary activity. Only members of a religious organization will be allowed to evangelize, and the individual’s sponsoring body will also be held responsible for any infractions the missionary commits. But one church organization may officially delegate a member to work for another church body.

Persons excluded from engaging in missionary work include anyone ever sentenced for engaging in extremist activities and foreigners in Russia on a temporary (for ex. tourist) visa. Missionary activities must exclude all “offers of material, social and other benefits” while avoiding “any threat of physical violence, psychological pressure and manipulation of consciousness”.

Mission activity shall not occur in hospitals, orphanages or homes for invalids or the aged without the approval of government and institution officials. Such efforts may also not take place within or on the grounds of government buildings, nor in the vicinity of a religious structure of another faith. The journalist Roman Lunkin (Moscow) notes that this requirement should also trouble the Orthodox, for they have several chapels within government buildings in Moscow.

Central to the draft legislation is the stipulation that minors may not be present at religious activities – nor may they be given printed, audio or video materials - without the express permission of their parents or guardians. The Baptist response points out that requiring pastors to turn away the young flies in the face of Jesus’ commandment to “let the little children come to me and do not hinder them“ (Mark 10:14). The absurdity of such a law is backed-up with an example: “Ill-wishers can send minors to a church service and law enforcement will then fine the church for their presence. This will be a convenient and profitable way to ruin a congregation and supplement the city budget. Why should the pastor need to serve as policeman?” The paper continues: “Why should a teenager need parental confirmation to attend church when the same is not demanded from cinemas, stadiums and discos? Is a place of worship more dangerous than a secular location? This legislation wants to define religious organizations as harmful, and that is clear discrimination.”

Baptists resent being placed in the same category as foul language and property damage. The paper asks: “How can unauthorized religious activity be more malicious than a drunken uproar?”

According to the draft legislation, fines could run as high as 15.000 rubles ($517 US or 349 €) for organizations. The average Russian salary presently consists of 24.600 rubles ($848 US, 572 €) per month. The paper assures that a curtailing of missionary activity will also negatively affect the social work of Protestants. “Without missionary activities, drunkenness and the abuse of narcotics will only increase. Protestants have been involved in the rehabilitation of alcoholics and addicts with very good results. If the state begins to destroy the social ministry of churches, it will be forced to build more prisons.”

Protests against ambiguity

Baptists are worried by the ambiguity of these legal proposals. In a society known for its tendency towards anarchism, growth in the quantity of laws will generally only contribute to greater abuse of the legal system. Their statement asks, for ex: What is meant by forbidding churches to offer “other benefits” beyond material and social ones? Promising an alcoholic sobriety through church attendance could also be listed among “other benefits”. In addition, the paper states, “virtually any discussion could be defined as a form of ‘psychological pressure’”. Roman Lunkin adds that a sermon on the Last Judgment and the necessity for the forgiveness of sins could be defined as “psychological pressure” and “manipulation of consciousness”. The fine for that is 5.000 rubles ($172 or 116 €).

Baptists note that the bill does not distinguish between professional missionary activity and the conversations held by laity in the course of living their daily lives. “Practically all believers will become susceptible to penal sanction” – any one of them could be legally punished whenever the need might arise. Parallels are drawn to the cult of denunciation from the terrorist year of 1937: “The murky formulation of legislation will bring to full bloom a fat tree of possibilities for the denunciation of Christians by hostile neighbors, colleagues and acquaintances.”

Generally, the Baptist statement believes the introduction of such legislation would lead to a further moral decline of Russian society. It would also lead to greater alienation between the privileged and the non-privileged faiths, for it offers no guarantee against the renewed religious persecution of minorities. After all, in the 140 years of the Russian Baptist movement, Baptists “have experienced hardly more than 25 years of freedom”.

Not least of all, according to the Baptist paper, this new legislation would “contradict the Universal Declaration on Human Rights accepted by the United Nations and ratified by Russia”. It clearly impinges upon the freedom of the individual to believe as he or she feels fit. Such legislation would “damage the international authority of Russia”. “There is no objective necessity for a new law on missionary activity,” the paper concludes. “There is enough legislation already in place to deal with those who deceive law-abiding citizens.” On the topic of extremist and terrorist groups it adds: “We doubt that any changes to existing law will be a serious obstacle to their activities.”

Vitaly Vlasenko assures: “The RUECB is not against regulation of missionary activities per se, but we are certainly against their prohibition.” The Union will be asking its 1.750 congregations and groups to “unite for prayer and fasting”. Foreign churches are also welcome to participate. He adds that his church is interested in foreign legal expertise and would like to hear from churches who have had similar experiences in their relations with the state. Letters of concern addressed to Russian embassies worldwide are always welcome.

William Yoder, Ph.D.
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB