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Friday, July 15, 2011
Camp Yolochka 1968
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1968 to Now. The transformational story of Camp Yolochka, Russia.
In 1968 I was only 11 years old and was unaware of what was happening 8000 miles away from my home. But I was not totally oblivious to what was going on outside my small world while growing up in central Texas. I knew some things: Richard Nixon was the new US president and there were two countries that I was afraid of: communist China, and the powerful USSR. By God's amazing providence 43 years later Patty and I have Chinese international students living in our home, and we work in the former Soviet Union at a youth camp.
I am writing this article early on a beautiful Friday July morning in western Russia. The simple cabin I am in sits on 20 acres of land out in the forest countryside and is part of a campground facility for children. One of the buildings across the way has a date on it of 1968. I think about that date often as I walk by it several times a day and what I was doing the year it was built. I also think about what was going on here that same year, and am amazed that my life and the life of this place came together.
The building I refer to is the camp shower facility and when you walk into it, it has the look and feel of a Russian prison shower (these are my Russian friend's words, not mine). But this campground is called "Yolochka." This is the word for a young evergreen tree, and is often the same word used for a Christmas Tree. And in 1968 this place where I now eat, sleep and live was a Pioneer Camp. With no political insults intended, the Soviet Union had developed a system of training the young minds in the Soviet way of thinking by using not only the school system, but also the summer kids camps. Soviet "theology" as it were taught that life was only valid when it was dedicated to the group. There was little place for the individual. The complete stress was always on party loyalty and everyone was meant to get in line (both figuratively and literally) and work for only for the common good of everyone else. There was no real room for personal goals, personal ambition, personal property, individual value, or certainly a personal spiritual faith. Religion itself was deemed the "opium of the masses" and was taught that it was creation by a few men to control rest of humanity (sadly enough, historically there is some real truth to this statement...). Atheism was the total party line and ones value was determined by how loyal you were to the government.
In 1968 this Pioneer campground named "Yolochka" was part of the system that trained young minds of this country to live, think and totally believe this. The "pioneers" were a level of communist training for a grade school age child. There was another level for teenagers, then your last step was to officially join the communist party. I have a book of photos at home that we found at Yolochka that has photos of this campground in 1968. There are images of children playing, dancing, and singing. But there are also these stark black and whites of kids training with gas masks in preparation for the enemy to come (that was us). There are images of pretend warfare using fake guns; and the parades on the grounds were not just to promote national pride, but were intended to complete the child's pledge of faith in the god of the government. The special pioneer hat, the neck scarf and the pioneer salute were the physical signs of a life dedicated to this cause.
I know that I am a child of the cold war and I have a slanted mind that is still shaped by my countries version of the Soviet world, but I have lots of friends who grew up here that speak of the personal hopelessness that was born in that kind of system. Yolochka was a parcel of land that was used as an effective tool in breeding this mind set until the fall of the Soviet Union.
In 2002 a couple of Russian Baptist Christians brothers (biological brothers) joined in a relationship with a group of us from the states and discovered that this former pioneer camp Yolochka was on the auction block. It has summer cabins, a cafeteria, a sports field and an auditorium room with a stage and even some classrooms. I don't want to get into the details now of its purchase and total transformation, but suffice it to say that the place a wreck. These brothers and others worked extremely hard and poured a lot of their money into this place to get it off the ground. They formed a legal non profit registered religious entity called "New Life Ministries" and this is now the organization that manages and runs Yolochka. For the last 10 years Yolochka has hosted probably as many as ten thousand children and youth for Christian summer camps. There have been a few large events here like the national Russian Baptist Congress conventions, and many small events as like one going on right now, and English language camp for a group from the Kaluga region that it using it for evangelism. For a few decades at this place atheism was drilled. Today from that same stage in the Club auditorium platform, dramas, music and teaching are presented about the only real answer to life in Christ. And I have witnessed hundreds come to a personal moment of faith in Jesus Christ.
Yolochka is just a campground, but it is a unique tool that has been dedicated to honor God. This is really the only Christian controlled facility like this within a thousand miles or so, and one of the very few in the entire country. Right now it is a summer use facility only. We have the legal right with our documents to carry out Christian camps of all kinds; we can do evangelism ministry here and Christian social ministry; and we could run a seminary or even a Bible college if we wanted. This New Life organization also has the legal right to foster, train, and sponsor new legal Churches in Russia. These important legalities are no small thing in the Russia of the 21st century.
Yolochka is also very rustic however, and is in need of a pretty serious upgrade. Even though there has been a spiritual transformation of its use, the physical reminders of 1968 Soviet style facilities are still here. In light of the stories of transformed lives that I have already written about in this blog, I sense there is a strong movement of God underway here. There are existing traditional Churches in this region where a youth movement is emerging. I just finishing the 2nd of two different childrens camps that were totally led by the young adults and teens from their churches, and witnessed them have about 40 percent of the children come from non believer homes. I saw last week about 50 children who had never made a profession of faith before and who come from families who are not believers make a decision to trust Christ. And most importantly, their counselors and Churches are following up with these children in ministry the rest of the year. There is an outreach to secular minded young people happening here that I have not seen in the decade of my presence in western Russia.
Yolochka is not the only tool in this, but I have come to believe that it is playing a miraculous role in the spiritual renewal that is happening in Bryansk and western Russia.
If you want to find out what that could mean for your involvement, I would be thrilled to include you in what I am calling "The Friends of Yolochka". There is a plan forming now that is intended to support the growing youth movement in such a way that we will not only see people come to faith here, but that Bryansk becomes a missionary sending place to the ends of the earth.
A lot has happened between 1968 and 2011. I look forward to the next decade and beyond to see what God will do.
For more information about what it means to be a "friend of Yolochka" you can contact me at:
Barnoldlifeway@gmail.com
July 2011
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I am writing this article early on a beautiful Friday July morning in western Russia. The simple cabin I am in sits on 20 acres of land out in the forest countryside and is part of a campground facility for children. One of the buildings across the way has a date on it of 1968. I think about that date often as I walk by it several times a day and what I was doing the year it was built. I also think about what was going on here that same year, and am amazed that my life and the life of this place came together.
The building I refer to is the camp shower facility and when you walk into it, it has the look and feel of a Russian prison shower (these are my Russian friend's words, not mine). But this campground is called "Yolochka." This is the word for a young evergreen tree, and is often the same word used for a Christmas Tree. And in 1968 this place where I now eat, sleep and live was a Pioneer Camp. With no political insults intended, the Soviet Union had developed a system of training the young minds in the Soviet way of thinking by using not only the school system, but also the summer kids camps. Soviet "theology" as it were taught that life was only valid when it was dedicated to the group. There was little place for the individual. The complete stress was always on party loyalty and everyone was meant to get in line (both figuratively and literally) and work for only for the common good of everyone else. There was no real room for personal goals, personal ambition, personal property, individual value, or certainly a personal spiritual faith. Religion itself was deemed the "opium of the masses" and was taught that it was creation by a few men to control rest of humanity (sadly enough, historically there is some real truth to this statement...). Atheism was the total party line and ones value was determined by how loyal you were to the government.
In 1968 this Pioneer campground named "Yolochka" was part of the system that trained young minds of this country to live, think and totally believe this. The "pioneers" were a level of communist training for a grade school age child. There was another level for teenagers, then your last step was to officially join the communist party. I have a book of photos at home that we found at Yolochka that has photos of this campground in 1968. There are images of children playing, dancing, and singing. But there are also these stark black and whites of kids training with gas masks in preparation for the enemy to come (that was us). There are images of pretend warfare using fake guns; and the parades on the grounds were not just to promote national pride, but were intended to complete the child's pledge of faith in the god of the government. The special pioneer hat, the neck scarf and the pioneer salute were the physical signs of a life dedicated to this cause.
I know that I am a child of the cold war and I have a slanted mind that is still shaped by my countries version of the Soviet world, but I have lots of friends who grew up here that speak of the personal hopelessness that was born in that kind of system. Yolochka was a parcel of land that was used as an effective tool in breeding this mind set until the fall of the Soviet Union.
In 2002 a couple of Russian Baptist Christians brothers (biological brothers) joined in a relationship with a group of us from the states and discovered that this former pioneer camp Yolochka was on the auction block. It has summer cabins, a cafeteria, a sports field and an auditorium room with a stage and even some classrooms. I don't want to get into the details now of its purchase and total transformation, but suffice it to say that the place a wreck. These brothers and others worked extremely hard and poured a lot of their money into this place to get it off the ground. They formed a legal non profit registered religious entity called "New Life Ministries" and this is now the organization that manages and runs Yolochka. For the last 10 years Yolochka has hosted probably as many as ten thousand children and youth for Christian summer camps. There have been a few large events here like the national Russian Baptist Congress conventions, and many small events as like one going on right now, and English language camp for a group from the Kaluga region that it using it for evangelism. For a few decades at this place atheism was drilled. Today from that same stage in the Club auditorium platform, dramas, music and teaching are presented about the only real answer to life in Christ. And I have witnessed hundreds come to a personal moment of faith in Jesus Christ.
Yolochka is just a campground, but it is a unique tool that has been dedicated to honor God. This is really the only Christian controlled facility like this within a thousand miles or so, and one of the very few in the entire country. Right now it is a summer use facility only. We have the legal right with our documents to carry out Christian camps of all kinds; we can do evangelism ministry here and Christian social ministry; and we could run a seminary or even a Bible college if we wanted. This New Life organization also has the legal right to foster, train, and sponsor new legal Churches in Russia. These important legalities are no small thing in the Russia of the 21st century.
Yolochka is also very rustic however, and is in need of a pretty serious upgrade. Even though there has been a spiritual transformation of its use, the physical reminders of 1968 Soviet style facilities are still here. In light of the stories of transformed lives that I have already written about in this blog, I sense there is a strong movement of God underway here. There are existing traditional Churches in this region where a youth movement is emerging. I just finishing the 2nd of two different childrens camps that were totally led by the young adults and teens from their churches, and witnessed them have about 40 percent of the children come from non believer homes. I saw last week about 50 children who had never made a profession of faith before and who come from families who are not believers make a decision to trust Christ. And most importantly, their counselors and Churches are following up with these children in ministry the rest of the year. There is an outreach to secular minded young people happening here that I have not seen in the decade of my presence in western Russia.
Yolochka is not the only tool in this, but I have come to believe that it is playing a miraculous role in the spiritual renewal that is happening in Bryansk and western Russia.
If you want to find out what that could mean for your involvement, I would be thrilled to include you in what I am calling "The Friends of Yolochka". There is a plan forming now that is intended to support the growing youth movement in such a way that we will not only see people come to faith here, but that Bryansk becomes a missionary sending place to the ends of the earth.
A lot has happened between 1968 and 2011. I look forward to the next decade and beyond to see what God will do.
For more information about what it means to be a "friend of Yolochka" you can contact me at:
Barnoldlifeway@gmail.com
July 2011
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Tuesday, July 12, 2011
God Has a Purpose and a Plan for Us: the Luba Lisitsyna story
At 14 years old, the 2nd born child of Gregory and Luba Lisitsyn had a knack for language. At school growing up in the small town of Seltso, Russia she excelled in it. As she grew older she would commute to the big city of Bryansk by train then bus for an hour and a half one way everyday to round out that education. This little girl's name is Luba, which comes from the Russian root word of "love." It was during these years after the fall of communism and the opening up of outside travelers that many western Christians began coming to Russia and to Bryansk for the first time and even to the small town of Seltso. Groups came from Kentucky, Michigan, Texas and from Maine to this small town where the main industry is a bomb factory. It is a bit of a commuter village as it is connected by the "electric train" for those to go to work in the big city of Bryansk 20 miles away. During communist times this whole region was totally closed to outside visitors for security reasons, but in the 1990's these American visitors were passing through and connecting with churches, passing out Bibles, building Church buildings and developing friendships. There was a pastor from Bangor, Maine that developed a special place in his heart for the small town of Seltso having worked there on mission trips with teams from his church, and a special relationship grew between he and Luba's family who were Baptist Christians. Young Luba Lisitsyna was used as an English translator for the first time when this group arrived, and she was so proud to use her English in a productive way. She caught the attention of the group from Maine, and a special invitation came to the table. How about the possibility of this Bangor, Maine family sponsoring young Luba to receive an English speaking American education in Maine?
Why Maine? She had relatives who had immigrated to Seattle, and the Russian population in Washington was on its way to swelling to 100,000. That would make more sense. She also had other American friends they had grown to love from Texas. It was during those tough economic days while the new government was restructuring that huge numbers of the protestant Christians were immigrating to the USA at an astounding pace. Some Russian churches were losing more than half their membership as they were leaving under a policy the Russian government had adopted to let as many Christians go as wanted to leave. Often claiming "religious persecution" the US government gladly accepted them, and many left. But no was immigrating to Maine. Even though her parents had opportunities to leave Russia, and many of their family members who were pressuring them to get away from this land that formerly persecuted Christians, mom and dad did not go. But, strategically (even though they did not know it at the time), they sent their daughter for an education to New England.
When this little 14 year old arrived in Bangor, it was total culture shock for her. She thought she knew English, but was totally overwhelmed with all her school subjects being taught in a foriegn language to her. Math, science, music, and sports were all things she excelled in at home, but now she was quickly finding failure for the first time in everything. She found herself daily after school hiding in her bedroom provided by her host family so that she didn't have to face anyone. She just couldn't handle the pressure of the constant bombardment of a new world, new food, new style of life, and a different language. Even church life was a shock for this little traditional Baptist girl who found herself in a non-denominational contemporary style Maine church. It was just not working at all. After three miserable months the Bangor pastor realized how bad things were and contacted her parents with a translator and told them that the experiment was failing and that Luba should come home. Luba then spoke with her parents on this very long and expensive phone call and begged them to let her come home immediately. Of course they loved her and were going to protect her, but her father finally got on the phone and said something that has totally altered and shaped the rest of her life. He told her that God gave her a gift and he believed a calling, and that somehow she needed to see this through. Somehow he and his wife felt that this was God's plan and that if she would see this through, God would bless it in untold ways. The bottom line is that he told her that she can do it, so finish this task at hand. After a tearful phone conversation on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, she agreed to stick it out. Her attitude and perspective changed, and she says that about three months later, she woke up one day and it all began to click. Her grades began to soar, her involvement in sports and church grew, and it all came together.
After attending Bangor Christian School for awhile she did come back home to Bryansk and finished High School. But with her Maine connections she was offered a scholarship from the University of Maine and graduated there with a degree in International business. Before her senior year she married a fine young man from Bryansk named Pasha and even went back to Maine to finish her senior year while she was pregnant with their first born. All the while her husband was in Bryansk.
Today Luba has been a critical piece of so much of the advancement of Kingdom work in Bryansk. Its not at all just because her English is so strong and she has helped countless Americans (like those from our Church, including me of course). While she was in Maine she got a idea; and inspirations; a dream as it were. A dream of seeing a school come to Russia and Bryansk where Christ is the center. She also felt she could use her English as a way to connect with the growing population of Russians who were seeking to better their business life by learning English. She felt the deep burden of wondering why the traditional Church of Russia so badly overlooks and shuts the door on the secular minded lifestyle of so many around her.
Today Luba has a secular English Linguist School in Bryansk. She and her husband Pasha were key people in starting the History Maker Church in Bryansk, with the vision of reaching the secular young people who were searching. Pasha is the Pastor and is developing a healthy construction business. She has not starting a Christian school and is not sure how to do this yet, but she is only 27. Her father and uncle together coordinate and run the Christian Campground Yolochka in a wonderful strategic way. Two weeks ago at the History Maker Camp Pasha and Luba hosted a camp experience at Yolochka for secular people. She carefully invited several of her students, and many came. They were ALL blown away by the caring atmosphere and the attitude and witness of a relationship to God in Christ. The theme of the camp was "what are your dreams and what is your purpose". On opening night she shared the above story to tell people that God has a purpose for your life, and you can find it too. She told everyone how that her fathers words to her at 14 years old led her to inviting all of them to this camp this week. God wants to work in your life too.
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Why Maine? She had relatives who had immigrated to Seattle, and the Russian population in Washington was on its way to swelling to 100,000. That would make more sense. She also had other American friends they had grown to love from Texas. It was during those tough economic days while the new government was restructuring that huge numbers of the protestant Christians were immigrating to the USA at an astounding pace. Some Russian churches were losing more than half their membership as they were leaving under a policy the Russian government had adopted to let as many Christians go as wanted to leave. Often claiming "religious persecution" the US government gladly accepted them, and many left. But no was immigrating to Maine. Even though her parents had opportunities to leave Russia, and many of their family members who were pressuring them to get away from this land that formerly persecuted Christians, mom and dad did not go. But, strategically (even though they did not know it at the time), they sent their daughter for an education to New England.
When this little 14 year old arrived in Bangor, it was total culture shock for her. She thought she knew English, but was totally overwhelmed with all her school subjects being taught in a foriegn language to her. Math, science, music, and sports were all things she excelled in at home, but now she was quickly finding failure for the first time in everything. She found herself daily after school hiding in her bedroom provided by her host family so that she didn't have to face anyone. She just couldn't handle the pressure of the constant bombardment of a new world, new food, new style of life, and a different language. Even church life was a shock for this little traditional Baptist girl who found herself in a non-denominational contemporary style Maine church. It was just not working at all. After three miserable months the Bangor pastor realized how bad things were and contacted her parents with a translator and told them that the experiment was failing and that Luba should come home. Luba then spoke with her parents on this very long and expensive phone call and begged them to let her come home immediately. Of course they loved her and were going to protect her, but her father finally got on the phone and said something that has totally altered and shaped the rest of her life. He told her that God gave her a gift and he believed a calling, and that somehow she needed to see this through. Somehow he and his wife felt that this was God's plan and that if she would see this through, God would bless it in untold ways. The bottom line is that he told her that she can do it, so finish this task at hand. After a tearful phone conversation on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, she agreed to stick it out. Her attitude and perspective changed, and she says that about three months later, she woke up one day and it all began to click. Her grades began to soar, her involvement in sports and church grew, and it all came together.
After attending Bangor Christian School for awhile she did come back home to Bryansk and finished High School. But with her Maine connections she was offered a scholarship from the University of Maine and graduated there with a degree in International business. Before her senior year she married a fine young man from Bryansk named Pasha and even went back to Maine to finish her senior year while she was pregnant with their first born. All the while her husband was in Bryansk.
Today Luba has been a critical piece of so much of the advancement of Kingdom work in Bryansk. Its not at all just because her English is so strong and she has helped countless Americans (like those from our Church, including me of course). While she was in Maine she got a idea; and inspirations; a dream as it were. A dream of seeing a school come to Russia and Bryansk where Christ is the center. She also felt she could use her English as a way to connect with the growing population of Russians who were seeking to better their business life by learning English. She felt the deep burden of wondering why the traditional Church of Russia so badly overlooks and shuts the door on the secular minded lifestyle of so many around her.
Today Luba has a secular English Linguist School in Bryansk. She and her husband Pasha were key people in starting the History Maker Church in Bryansk, with the vision of reaching the secular young people who were searching. Pasha is the Pastor and is developing a healthy construction business. She has not starting a Christian school and is not sure how to do this yet, but she is only 27. Her father and uncle together coordinate and run the Christian Campground Yolochka in a wonderful strategic way. Two weeks ago at the History Maker Camp Pasha and Luba hosted a camp experience at Yolochka for secular people. She carefully invited several of her students, and many came. They were ALL blown away by the caring atmosphere and the attitude and witness of a relationship to God in Christ. The theme of the camp was "what are your dreams and what is your purpose". On opening night she shared the above story to tell people that God has a purpose for your life, and you can find it too. She told everyone how that her fathers words to her at 14 years old led her to inviting all of them to this camp this week. God wants to work in your life too.
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Tuesday, July 5, 2011
How does a Church develop? Seven Stories of Changed Lives in Bryansk.
The History Makers Church Camp ended last Sunday, and we wanted to share just seven stories of individual lives. These are young people who are currently leaders at History Makers. Enjoy and be inspired!
Babs and Daniel:
Daniel, a key leader-pastor and initial planter of the Church is a Ukrainian-Russian who had moved with his brothers to Bryansk years ago. Born in a good and conservative Baptist home, and one of 11 brothers and 1 sister, he has for years now had a passion to reach the disconnected young people for Christ. Realizing early that evangelism was not something you do effectively in the confines of a church building, he began to go out and meet people by playing christian music with his guitar in Kurgan Park. Kurgan has this huge 3D star looking monument rising 100 feet in the sky as a celebration of communism. A time capsule inside was placed there in 1970 and will be opened in 2020 to honor 50 years of Soviet rule. Babs (his real name is Alexander...but uses this nickname) is a new age modern hippie looking and thinking guy with long dreadlocks and often colorful hair. He is an artist and naturalist who loves to play the congos. He gravitated toward Daniel and the music one day and began playing along. They became friends playing music together and engaging in long discussions of faith. Daniel took Babs to youth group at a church he was attending at the time, and over the years this young man Babs searched for truth thoroughly, and eventually accepted Jesus Christ. Today (about 5 years later) he is a leader of History Maker Church. He reminds us of a modern day Johnny Appleseed as he seems to just go everywhere, know everyone, and invite anyone. He is the best evangelist in the church. Babs will marry to a lovely girl Marina, and their ceremony will be July 17 at Camp Yolochka. That whole week before their wedding he and Marina have been asked by a conservative pastor and now their friend from Seltso to help lead his church's childrens camp. Even though they are way beyond the bounds of traditional dress and lifestyle, they deeply impressed this Baptist pastor with their passion for God and huge heart for children. Marina and Babs have felt that God wants them together to use their unique gifts in ministry all their days. We've never met a couple quite like them. We know God has used them in amazing ways so far. We pray for the years ahead, praying for God's hand on their lives and ministry.
The Twins:
Veeka and Lira are identical twins and were hanging around Kurgan park where Daniel gathered up friends to play music together. In an attempt to meet more peopke Daniel decided to hand out invitations to his birthday party to everyone he passed by in the park. Veeka and Lira thought it was funny and decided to show up. They became friends with Daniel and the group hanging out together and started meeting with them to discuss spiritual truth and the Bible. Veeka and Lira were not raised in a Christian home. These sweet, sensitive and talented girls began to investigate faith with this group. The group was meeting in a home sometimes, and during summer days they would have church in a field down by the river. These girls accepted Christ into their lives through the influence and teaching coming from this group. They are extremely talented young artistic dancers, and now use their abilities to dance to glorify God and gather up others to dance and share Christ that way. At the camp this year not only were they small group leaders, but they taught a master class in dance.
Katia:
Katia has dreadlocks and a few piercings and does not look like your everyday hostess, but she and Natasha have an amazing ability of making people feel loved and cared. She is an organizer and a wonderful hostess with a flair for the creative. At camp this year she set up a creatively decorated tea tent that was used small group disussion time and tea events for ladies. She has a passion for helping women face the tough challenges unique to them. To hear Katia talk about her faith in Jesus and how one should conduct their life in a way that is glorifying to God is like age old wisdom coming from such a young woman. It is amazing. She like so many others in the group, came to be exposed to faith in Christ through a simple invitation in the park not long ago. This was certainly not her background, but is the center of her life today. At camp this year, Katia was a strong small group leader and organizer of womens ministry events.
Nikita:
Babs meets people just about everywhere. Nikita had recently been released from prison on drug dealing charges. He was discouraged with his life and was looking for something to fill the void he felt. But with no family Christian influence or strong moral background, it was natural when old drug friends immediately connected with him with a call to fall back into his dead end lifestyle. A hopelessness flooded over his life, but Nikita just didn't know where to go or how to deal with it. One night after coming back from being with his old friends he decided that they did not really care for him and that he needed new friends. Babs entered his life after a simple encounter through music in the park. Babs invited him to the group. Nikita was quickly intrigued with words of faith in God. On a summer day 3 years ago, the group was gathering in a field by the river. Billy happened to visiting that day and while waiting for others to arrive Nikita came over to Daniel and Billy and asked how he could have this faith in Christ for himself. On that summer day in a simple prayer his life was transformed. He was baptized in that same river on a snowy day in March. He is a talented bass player for History Maker Church today. Even though Nikita has moved to Moscow for work he travels 6 hours by train 3 of 4 weekends a month to help out the HM band by playing the bass. He also is involved in ministry in Moscow. At camp this year, this young believer was an outstanding small group leader.
Julia:
I can still remember Julia at our first summer kids camp held in that run down school at Selso 12 years ago. She had the same long straight dark hair but in pig tails with 2 big pom poms on each side , the same big brown eyes and long eyelashes, and a bright smile. She was sitting in a desk in summer kids camp class led by Diane Arnold (now Jackson) and Alise Pommer, LifeWay Church summer missionaries that first year. It was the 6-8 year old kids camp class that was made up of about 60 children stuck in the hallway of that old school. When it rained a river of water flooded down that hall. Julia, 8 at the time, loved 12 year old Diane and a friendshop blossomed. A dozen years later they are both married, and both are missionaries, and they are very close friends, talking on skype frequently and spending summers in ministry together. Julia is married to Daniel and as a minister herself she has the amazing ability to connect with non-believers. Coming out of a more traditionally oriented and conservative church, Julia has had to stretch herself and she has risen to the occasion. At a previous History Makers camp several Muslim friends she worked with were invited and came. They were blown away by the fact that our group prayed for them and explained God clearly. Julia has a passion for the down and out people of the world and her city. Julia was baptized 2 years ago in a frozen March river with 4 other History Maker believers. She believes she is called to the mission field, and I believe she is already living out part of that calling now.
Patty and Billy Arnold
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Saturday, July 2, 2011
A Church Was Born Here
It was on these grounds on July 4th weekend 2008 that a church was born. Most westerners have a visual in their minds of a group of people in a semi circle with shovels in hand posing for the local newspaper as they break ground for their "new church". In other words, that church's image for decades to come is often defined by the building that comes up from the ground and constructed in the image of the architectural drawings. But that's not what happened here.
The place I'm referring to is at a campground called "Yolochka" (translated into English means small tree, and is often the phrase used for a Christmas Tree). We are 20 miles or so outside the city of Bryansk, Russia and a million miles from where the rest of the world 20 years ago thought a church for young people would be born.
The Church calls itself "History Makers". Four years ago Patty and I were challenged to seek out ways to lay a foundation for a movement of God in Bryansk. Even though we had worked here for several years by then, there was no real church planting going on. And the most open field seemed to be among young people who were seeking answers. I remember before we traveled to Russia to spend those 2 months, we had prayed for an open opportunity to find that "person of peace" who would open the door to starting a church for a young generation. We had no idea that an answer would come so quickly. We barely got off the plane in Moscow when we received a call from our dear young friend Luba for some help, advice, and direction. A small group of young adults, most of whom were from Russian Baptist traditions, felt the great need to start a new church that would focus on reaching the secular young people of Bryansk. And they had encountered great roadblocks, not from the government, but from their Baptist relatives and leaders. They were criticized, ridiculed, called heratics, and instructed to fall back into line and attend the normal church structure. The group was made up of about 10 core young adults, ages ranged from 16 to 28 years old. Since being run off from a local church youth group for being too energetic and opening the door to non-believers who looked different, they had been meeting in a home on Tuesday nights. That group grew in number but didn't know where to go. Some of their parents were so upset with them they wouldn't talk to them about this subject. It was a painful time.
So here comes Patty and Billy seeking ways to find those that God had appointed to start a church among a young generation in Russia. We had worked by then for 7 years here and we knew most of the local church leaders. We sat with these young people for a few days listening to their stories of what they felt they should do in planting a church, but they were so torn. I knew this was also putting me in a vulnerable position as well, because I was working so closely with summer camps out of traditional churches. And many of these people I was working with were the most upset about this new group. But through those weeks of listening and counsel Patty and I couldn't come to any other conclusion than the fact that a church was emerging here. Over the next months in visit after visit we played adviser, counselor, referee, vision guide, and maybe most importantly, protector, as this group began to make plans to forge ahead with plans to move from a small house group, to becoming a church in Bryansk.
Early the next summer, in 2008, I was in Bryansk planning out the details for teams of Americans that were to come and help with different camps for the summer; things we had traditionally done for 8 years at that point. We had a childrens camp planned that was just not coming together, and we also had a college age young adult group from Dallas, Texas coming to serve in any way they were needed. The Yolochka campground that we had originally scheduled a kids camp for was now open, and we had this team coming. Luba and Pasha and I felt that this was the time to have a camp for this young group so they could invite their friends to the warm and friendly confines of this special place, Yolochka. This discussion and decision was agreed upon at a German restaurant in town over dinner. And even a couple of the older resistent people agreed. Even though this group had met in a home for almost 2 years, and had held a couple of public concerts with their emerging music team, the first official event was this camp in early July 2008. The team from Dallas was called "Glowing Heart" and about 16 of them came to join 40 or so of the History Maker group. Henry Loftin, the leader of Glowing Heart spoke at the evening sessions, and the GH band played music that stirred the souls of this generation. This college age group from Texas connected in deep ways with this college age group from Bryansk. At the Sunday morning finish of the 4 day camp, the Glowing Heart team, following the pattern of Jesus with his disciples, took buckets of water and washed the feet, one at a time, of every Russian young person at that camp. Learning to be a servant is how you boldly lead. A Church was born.
There have been lots of powerful and significant events that have taken place with History Makers, and their have been some painful ones as well. But right now as I sit in the midday sunshine at Yolochka and hear the sounds of the 75 young people here at this camp, this church is now part of a movement of God among this generation. They have planned this camp. They are leading it. Some young people who came to faith at that first camp are now the small group leaders and missionaries today. This church will NEVER own a building. They have no paid staff, and may never have any. They have no bylaws officially except the Scripture. But they have a faith in Christ that they freely share.
In the days ahead in this blog I want to share a few of those individual stories. But join me in prayer for this young church as it touches the lives of a generation seeking answers.
This place, Yolochka, is holy ground for me. I believe that are seeing a movement of God coming right out of this ground.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
The place I'm referring to is at a campground called "Yolochka" (translated into English means small tree, and is often the phrase used for a Christmas Tree). We are 20 miles or so outside the city of Bryansk, Russia and a million miles from where the rest of the world 20 years ago thought a church for young people would be born.
The Church calls itself "History Makers". Four years ago Patty and I were challenged to seek out ways to lay a foundation for a movement of God in Bryansk. Even though we had worked here for several years by then, there was no real church planting going on. And the most open field seemed to be among young people who were seeking answers. I remember before we traveled to Russia to spend those 2 months, we had prayed for an open opportunity to find that "person of peace" who would open the door to starting a church for a young generation. We had no idea that an answer would come so quickly. We barely got off the plane in Moscow when we received a call from our dear young friend Luba for some help, advice, and direction. A small group of young adults, most of whom were from Russian Baptist traditions, felt the great need to start a new church that would focus on reaching the secular young people of Bryansk. And they had encountered great roadblocks, not from the government, but from their Baptist relatives and leaders. They were criticized, ridiculed, called heratics, and instructed to fall back into line and attend the normal church structure. The group was made up of about 10 core young adults, ages ranged from 16 to 28 years old. Since being run off from a local church youth group for being too energetic and opening the door to non-believers who looked different, they had been meeting in a home on Tuesday nights. That group grew in number but didn't know where to go. Some of their parents were so upset with them they wouldn't talk to them about this subject. It was a painful time.
So here comes Patty and Billy seeking ways to find those that God had appointed to start a church among a young generation in Russia. We had worked by then for 7 years here and we knew most of the local church leaders. We sat with these young people for a few days listening to their stories of what they felt they should do in planting a church, but they were so torn. I knew this was also putting me in a vulnerable position as well, because I was working so closely with summer camps out of traditional churches. And many of these people I was working with were the most upset about this new group. But through those weeks of listening and counsel Patty and I couldn't come to any other conclusion than the fact that a church was emerging here. Over the next months in visit after visit we played adviser, counselor, referee, vision guide, and maybe most importantly, protector, as this group began to make plans to forge ahead with plans to move from a small house group, to becoming a church in Bryansk.
Early the next summer, in 2008, I was in Bryansk planning out the details for teams of Americans that were to come and help with different camps for the summer; things we had traditionally done for 8 years at that point. We had a childrens camp planned that was just not coming together, and we also had a college age young adult group from Dallas, Texas coming to serve in any way they were needed. The Yolochka campground that we had originally scheduled a kids camp for was now open, and we had this team coming. Luba and Pasha and I felt that this was the time to have a camp for this young group so they could invite their friends to the warm and friendly confines of this special place, Yolochka. This discussion and decision was agreed upon at a German restaurant in town over dinner. And even a couple of the older resistent people agreed. Even though this group had met in a home for almost 2 years, and had held a couple of public concerts with their emerging music team, the first official event was this camp in early July 2008. The team from Dallas was called "Glowing Heart" and about 16 of them came to join 40 or so of the History Maker group. Henry Loftin, the leader of Glowing Heart spoke at the evening sessions, and the GH band played music that stirred the souls of this generation. This college age group from Texas connected in deep ways with this college age group from Bryansk. At the Sunday morning finish of the 4 day camp, the Glowing Heart team, following the pattern of Jesus with his disciples, took buckets of water and washed the feet, one at a time, of every Russian young person at that camp. Learning to be a servant is how you boldly lead. A Church was born.
There have been lots of powerful and significant events that have taken place with History Makers, and their have been some painful ones as well. But right now as I sit in the midday sunshine at Yolochka and hear the sounds of the 75 young people here at this camp, this church is now part of a movement of God among this generation. They have planned this camp. They are leading it. Some young people who came to faith at that first camp are now the small group leaders and missionaries today. This church will NEVER own a building. They have no paid staff, and may never have any. They have no bylaws officially except the Scripture. But they have a faith in Christ that they freely share.
In the days ahead in this blog I want to share a few of those individual stories. But join me in prayer for this young church as it touches the lives of a generation seeking answers.
This place, Yolochka, is holy ground for me. I believe that are seeing a movement of God coming right out of this ground.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
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