Siberia – a light shines in darkness

I have just arrived to China after a very early arrival after a night flight from Siberia. While waiting for my connecting flight I sum up my experiences over the weekend in Novosibirsk. Siberia might be mostly known for their GULAG camps during the soviet times. Siberia is so much more than that.

The Cornerstone network, which is part of Word of Life in Russia, is centred in Siberia. They had their yearly leadership conference. Pastors and leaders came in from far distances and we had a great weekend together. The work is quite unique, because of their success in reaching out to and getting drug addicts free.

Leaders' Conference in Novisibirsk

Here we see evangelisation, church planting and social mercy work in a winning blend. It all started 17 years ago as Pastor Sergey Nepomnjashikh came to a conference in Abakan, where Ulf Ekman prayed for him and prophetically mentioned the exact prayers Pastor Sergey had prayed. Very soon thereafter the work started to grow significantly. And they started to see how they could help drug addicts coming off drugs. They started a rehab and this has since become a central tenet in their work.

Today they work in about seventy cities, where their churches have an average of two or three small rehabs. Currently they have about 1500-2000 in their programs. Faith in Jesus is the remedy. The newly saved drug addicts join for a four-month program where prayer, studies in the word of God and discipline start to transform their lives. Many choose to stay for another period of four months to help new arrivals. After this they can go to missionary school, which this year has about seventy students. After school they are sent to new cities to plants churches and open rehabs. I need to point out though, that the churches consist of people from very varied backgrounds.

It is a joy to fellowship with these brothers and sisters. First of all, looking at them you witness miracles. Secondly they are so thankful to God for their second chance and a new life. Further, they are very committed to serve God and reach out to people in need.

My heart is filled with gratitude and a strengthened faith in God’s ability to transform peoples’ lives, even those who seem to be beyond rescue!

Now I will spend two weeks in the great land of China. Very exciting!

St Petersburg - a window to the west and to the east!

I am spending some hours in St Petersburg's Pulkova airport and am on my three week trip eastward. First stop is Novosibirsk, the geographical centre of Russia's vast landmass, where the Church Cornerstone has its annual conference. They do a fantastic job, having started about 70 churches and about 200 rehab centers for drug addicts. Truly impressive! I will get back to that later on.

It is nice to be back in St Petersburg and memories return. This beautiful 300 year old city was built by Peter the Great as a window to the Europe in order to modernize Russia, which had basically skipped the Renaissance and the Reformation. In one stroke Russia now accessed the fruits of these plus of the great discoveries and the scientific revolution.

Outside St Petersburg Word of Life's work in the Soviet Union started. Carl-Gustaf Severin preached in Gatchina, home of one magnificent palace built by Peter the Great. In the dog stables, the meetings were held as people travelled in from allover. Sign and wonders, miracles and transformed hearts and from here it spread to other parts of the country. For us St Petersburg became a window to the east.

In september 1992 I flew in from Magadan which is on the other end of Russia, 9 time zones away. We were to conduct three big events. First we filled the Lenin indoor stadium with approximately 10 000 people. It was broadcast on national television. Carola sang and Ulf Ekman preached. Then we had our first pastors conference with 200 pastors. These conferences were later moved to Moscow and gathered up to 4500 people. And then we put up our big tent that had been transported from Sweden. It was Europe's biggest circus tent that could seat 8500 people. We later gave that to a growing church in Mombasa, Kenya.

Now 22 years later, I rejoice over the fact that there are now Word of Life churches allover Russia and the other former republics of the Soviet Union. There is no need to be nostalgic. We thank God for His great work those very eventful years early 90:s. But we look forward to further growth, expansion and development. The work is vital and progressive! The best is yet to come!