News > C.I.S

Our Moscow Center held the Summer Bible conference 2015 at Rebkoba Retreat Center in the Moscow suburbs from August 28 to 30 2015 with about 100 attendees. 

Three weeks ahead of the conference, M. Caleb Kim, Riga Latvia had suddenly passed away and moreover M. Katherine found thyroid cancer a week ahead of the conference. Russia is still in a difficult time of economic and political recession. In this situation, studying the book of Hebrews with sincere prayers, we all could not but depend on our Lord, the great high priest only to prepare the conference. 

The conference theme was "Lord, Change Me." All the conference programs were prepared by young people and planned for the young generation.

Sh. Alexey Belykh preached the opening message based on Mark 10:46-52, in which Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” Sh. Alexey personally confessed that he just wants to be changed. 

On the first day of the conference, the first main message delivered by a 2nd gen missionary, Paul Choi, was about Jesus who has almighty power to change everything based on John 2. In this message he confessed his sins of pride, smoking, drinking and wandering after being broken by a girlfriend. But by his parents’ help and prayers he could make a decision of living a new life of inviting many friends to our Lord. 

In the evening, four speakers shared their heart moving life testimonies. 

Brother, Kosza Zeljascob graduated from the Moscow State University Law School this summer. He had a difficult early childhood with divorced parents. In 2012, however, he met M. Andre Mun and started Bible studies. By the grace of God he graduated from the University this summer. He was deeply grateful for learning faith in God’s grace.

David Park Jr. was full of complaints about following his parents’ will and coming to the SWS by force. However, he came to know the meaning and value of spiritual things through attending of 2nd gens Bible conferences in USA two times. Now he is not only voluntarily attending the SWS, but serving the SWS every week and coming to the brothers’ meeting with thankfulness. 

Brother, Sasha has been in our meeting for two years. His character is very simple and pure like a child. But through being beaten and hospitalized he repented his selfishness ant worldly value system. He made a decision to live a shepherd life by serving the neighborhood.  

Brother, Hee-Jin Chang is a freshman of MGIMO University. He followed his father who got divorced and came to Almaty. He was envious of other families. He committed many sins hanging out with bad friends. However, when he became 17 years old, he met Jesus through 1:1 Bible study with Sh. John Ildar from Moscow UBF. He entered MGIMO University this year and introduced to Sh. Daniel Zhivaev who is pioneering MGIMO campus. 

The program of the first day was nicely ended with a hip hop dance by all 2nd gens, in which the spiritual meaning of sin, death and salvation was well expressed. 

On the 2nd day, the 2nd main lecture was served by Luke Choi, a 2nd gen missionary with the title of “Jesus healed a 38-year-old paralyzed man.” He was a schoolboy and very diligent, but could not overcome meaningless and despair by himself. Rather he skipped classes to play games and took make-up exams. However, through this message he could stand all by himself overcoming spiritual paralysis. 

The 3rd main message was delivered by Sh. Arzom Dacenco testifying Jesus who saved a demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes based on Mark 5. 

In the 4th main lecture, Sh. Augustine Zhdanov (Odessa UBF) delivered a message of Jesus’ death on the cross. He confessed that he was destined to die in deep despair because of alcoholism and various sins like his father. However, by believing in Jesus who died on the cross for his sins he came to live a new and changed life. 

Meanwhile, Sh. Sergei who attended this conference from U of I, USA deeply accepted the love of God who has trained him to repent his pride through living in desert-like USA for the last seven years and through serving house church ministry. Most of all, he was thankful that God restored his holy desire to live for the glory of God from deep heart. 

Brother, Anton graduated from the University of Moscow with a major in mathematics. He has been in our meeting for 12 years. But he always used to say that he has no sin and he doesn’t believe in God. But this time he sincerely repented and confessed all his sins one by one. We all thanked God and praised the love of God who never gives up toward one soul. Even all the 2nd gens were moved by his testimony. 

On the third day, the 5th main lecture entitled, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” was delivered by Sh. Daniel Zhivaev (MGIMO). In this message, he prayed to grow to be a man of mission who sincerely serves souls. 

All programs of this conference like messengers, orchestra, special songs, and sing-along were planned and served by 2nd gens. In the beginning, we doubted, but we realized that it was only our worries out of over care. I was thankful when I see that God is practically working for inheritance to our 2nd gens.

Personally, through this conference I could learn and have confidence that if we make a good environment so that the Holy Spirit can work, then people will come to repent and be changed through the words of God and then many more miracles will happen through us. I repented that I was not alert to pray making many excuses out of my laziness and lack of faith. I pray that I may depend on the Holy Spirit only in having each 1:1. Lord, please continually bless and use me as a Russian Bible teacher!

By M. Sarah Song, Moscow