Rebuilding Russia
By Jay Rogers
Published May 2008
Christian Political Reform in the former USSR
MOSCOW – Russia and the republics of the former Soviet Union must be rebuilt by the people of God. The only hope for lasting freedom for theformer USSR is to teach biblical principles for the reformation of society to the younger generation. To do this, we must begin with the new generation of leadership in the Church and teach these principles from the Word of God.
In April 1991, I first visited Moscow with the hopes of starting a youth-oriented Christian newspaper which would sow the seed of biblical reformation into the hearts and minds of the younger generation. At that time, signs of communism still abounded. I hoped to complete our first press run of 100,000 copies that year. The very day we were scheduled to print our first issue of Predvestnik (The Forerunner), a communist coup attempted to put Mikhail Gorbachev out of power. All newspaper presses were seized by the Soviet army. The coup failed and our newspaper was printed in late August of 1991 in Moscow.
Four years later, Russia is much better off today than it was during the time of communism. There is no doubt that reform is taking hold. Politically, Russia is still at a crossroads, but don’t believe the hype of the western press! The liberal press is distorting the truth and actually mourning the death of communism! It’s difficult to even imagine a reversion to hard-line communism here. The Church in Russia has a great opportunity to be on the vanguard of the social and political changes. Many of the young pastors realize that the Church has this opportunity to be a body of reformers which can rebuild Russian culture. This was the theme of my six week trip which took me to four cities in Russia in August.
- Christian Youth International Conference – During the last week in August, I participated as a workshop speaker in a Christian Youth International (CYI) conference in Yaroslavl. This conference marked an increased emphasis on outreach to the university campuses. Most of the institutes and universities in the former Soviet Union are completely unreached. Yet here is the very place where the future leaders of this society are being trained! If we want to change Russia, then we must change the university campuses first. One night, we went to Moscow State University and held a cell group meeting for campus leaders. Moscow State is to Russia what Harvard University is to America. Some of the top students in the world attend this university, including young people from Vietnam, China, North Korea, Mongolia, many nations in Africa, the Middle East and even Cuba. This is a strategic spot for evangelism and teaching of Christ’s liberating power for whole societies. We spent our time encouraging the Christian students to action and praying with them. At this meeting, out of the 24 present, two young people invited to the meeting by their friends gave their hearts to the Lord.
- Russia’s National Pro-life Movement – Present at the CYI conference was Elena Uteshinskaya, the leader of a growing network of pro-life ministry throughout Russia. The last day of the CYI conference was an eight hour pro-life seminar. This was extremely significant because in Russia abortions outnumber live births by more than two to one. Elena is very advanced in the compilation of statistics on abortion and has a keen understanding of how the abortion holocaust relates to Russian culture. In the initial stages Elena is educating churches in how to minister to women who are victims of post-abortion syndrome, to begin counseling women in crisis pregnancies, and organize a nation-wide prayer rally on November 23, 1995 to mark the 40th anniversary of the legalization of abortion in Russia. We want to help Elena get better organized in Moscow by providing some much needed computer equipment, and to train her to begin publishing pro-life literature relevant to Russia’s situation.
- Christian Political Party – Also present at the CYI conference were three candidates for the Duma (Russian Parliament) who are delegates of a newly formed Christian Political Party. The upcoming December parliamentary elections are crucial to the future of this nation. Russia has monumental problems, but Christian candidates will be taking biblical principles for reformation into the political sphere. These Christian political leaders see the Church in Russia (and especially the young student leaders) as potentially the most powerful and organized political force in Russia in days to come.
Even with limited resources, the Church can change Russia and all the republics of the former Soviet Union. God can give us the resources to preach the Word to the whole world from this nation. Will you be a part of what is happening in the great nation of Russia and the republics of the former USSR? Pray with us and believe God for a miracle that together we might rejoice in the Lord!
Forerunner - Home » Pass The Word » Pass The Word - November/December 1995
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The Silent Scream (DVD) Eight Languages
“When the lives of the unborn are snuffed out, they often feel pain, pain that is long and agonizing.” – President Ronald Reagan to National Religious Broadcasters Convention, January 1981
Ronald Reagan became convinced of this as a result of watching The Silent Scream – a movie he considered so powerful and convicting that he screened it at the White House. More recently, it was by catching just a glimpse of what this film reveals that Planned Parenthood director and abortion advocate Abby Johnson turned and became a strong advocate for the pre-born.
The modern technology of real-time ultrasound now reveals the actual responses of a 12-week old fetus to being aborted. As the unborn child attempts to escape the abortionist’s suction curette, her motions can be seen to become desperately agitated and her heart rate doubles. Her mouth opens – as if to scream – but no sound can come out. Her scream doesn’t have to remain silent, however … not if you will become her voice. This newly re-mastered version features eight language tracks and two bonus videos.
“…a high technology “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” arousing public opinion just as Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 antislavery novel ignited the abolitionist movement.” – Sen. Gordon Humphrey, Time Magazine
Languages: English, Spanish, French, South Korean, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese
Running Time: 28 minutes
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The Four Keys to the Millennium (Book)
Foundations in Biblical Eschatology
By Jay Rogers, Larry Waugh, Rodney Stortz, Joseph Meiring. High quality paperback, 167 pages.
All Christians believe that their great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will one day return. Although we cannot know the exact time of His return, what exactly did Jesus mean when he spoke of the signs of His coming (Mat. 24)? How are we to interpret the prophecies in Isaiah regarding the time when “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:19)? Should we expect a time of great tribulation and apostasy or revival and reformation before the Lord returns? Is the devil bound now, and are the saints reigning with Christ? Did you know that there are four hermeneutical approaches to the book of Daniel and Revelation?
These and many more questions are dealt with by four authors as they present the four views on the millennium. Each view is then critiqued by the other three authors.
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Massacre of Innocence (DVD)
Exposing The Occult Roots of Abortion
This presentation looks at the spiritual roots of abortion and exposes the myths surrounding child killing. Little known historical facts about abortion and how they relate to modern feminism are presented logically and accurately. Has been effective in converting many to a pro-life position.
Massacre of Innocence goes where no pro-life presentation has gone before in “tearing the lid off abortion” to reveal the spiritual realities we must battle if we will bring an end to this crime. The presentation is absorbing, fast-paced, informative and incredibly devastating to any attempt to justify abortion.
“… an extraordinary statement … a powerfully articulate presentation about what abortion really means, and why a great and moral nation like the United States must not allow the slaughter to continue.”
— Congressman Robert K. Dornan
Running time: 85 minutes
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Dr. Francis Schaeffer - A Christian Manifesto (DVD)
That Swiss Hermit Strikes Again!
Dr. Schaeffer, who was one of the most influential Christian thinkers in the twentieth century, shows that secular humanism has displaced the Judeo-Christian consensus that once defined our nation’s moral boundaries. Law, education, and medicine have all been reshaped for the worse as a consequence. America’s dominant worldview changed, Schaeffer charges, when Christians weren’t looking.
Schaeffer lists two reasons for evangelical indifference: a false concept of spirituality and fear. He calls on believers to stand against the tyranny and moral chaos that come when humanism reigns-and warns that believers may, at some point, be forced to make the hard choice between obeying God or Caesar. A Christian Manifesto is a thought-provoking and bracing Christian analysis of American culture and the obligation Christians have to engage the culture with the claims of Christ.
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Abortion Clinic 911 Calls (DVD)
Exposes the Dangers of Abortion to Women!
These shocking eyewitness accounts expose the dangers of abortion not only to unborn children, but to the health and lives women as well. An antidote to the smokescreens of the liberal media, these six short clips show what really happens in and around abortion clinics.
Although the content is emotionally gut-wrenching, these videos have been used in church seminars and small groups to educate Christians on the abortion issue and to lead people toward a pro-life position.
Watch these pro-life videos on-line.
“These videos helped change my mind from pro-choice to pro-life. Your videos are what did it for me. I will be walking in next year’s March For Life in San Francisco.” — A. Jackson, California
“I was going to have an abortion until I saw your video. Praise Jesus!”
— M. Drew, YouTube Commenter
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