Russia (MNN) — Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Pyongyang this week with Kim Jong Un, the supreme leader of North Korea. It was Putin’s first visit to the North Korean capital in 24 years.
The two world leaders signed a partnership deal — an indicator of deepening anti-Western ties in the region.
Growing anti-West sentiments don’t bode well for Russian Evangelical Christians. Although Russia is a largely Orthodox Christian nation, Evangelicals and Protestants are often viewed as extensions of the West, not aligned with Russian values.
Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) supports Evangelical churches in Russia. But SGA’s Eric Mock says, “We live in difficult days where it’s impossible for me to meet with them at their churches in their country.”
This photo sent by Eric Mock shows the vibrant, zealous young Russian Bible Church congregation at worship. (Photo, caption courtesy of SGA)
Yet, the Gospel is for everyone! SGA equips these churches not to advance the kingdom of the West but the Kingdom of God.
There are over 100 unreached people groups in Russia that don’t know Jesus Christ, and many of them are in the Far East.
“We have always been seeking to equip the faithful indigenous Bible-preaching churches in the countries of the former Soviet Union to reach their people with the Gospel and to disciple them in God’s Word.”
Mock says there is great need for missions work, “especially in Far East, Russia, and in Siberia where there are hundreds and hundreds of villages that have never heard the Gospel.”
SGA supports aviation ministry for Russian Evangelical churches, which involves flying the Gospel to remote villages. Sometimes, this also means driving long distances.
“These villages are still centered on shamanism and paganism in its different forms, as well as atheism. They’re just full of alcoholism and hopelessness and no answers and brokenness of families,” says Mock.
“We’re serving churches that are going to these villages, sharing the Gospel, and reaching these families in need. We do this in unison with our compassion ministry program.
“We’re also supporting missionary pastors that are in these remote areas, sacrificing all to reach these villages. We’re also doing biblical training in the vast region of Yakutia in the Far East…. We’re helping train up their pastors and leaders in God’s Word.”
Pray for people in the Far East and all across Russia to follow Christ!
Learn more about supporting Russian pastors with SGA.
Mock says, “We want to see the light break upon many villages that have known no hope!”
Header photo of Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un meeting in September 2023. (Photo courtesy of Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=137506879)
