USA (MNN) — It was an historic event that brought Slavic youth together outside the former Soviet Union. It was the first Slavic Youth Congress held in Minneapolis, Minnesota March 25-27. While it's been over for more than a week, ministries to that area of the world are excited about what God is doing in young people from that part of the world.
Russian Ministries was one of the main supporters of the conference, says the ministry's president Sergey Rakhuba. He said it was well attended. "Over 3,000 young people came together to celebrate God's faithfulness. And the main challenge was to mobilize them to go into missions work back to their former homeland."
According to Rakhuba, these young people left the former Soviet Union with their parents, who fled persecution during the Soviet days. He says many of these young people have a heart and passion for their native land and people, many of whom still have family members living there.
He says the congress had an impact. "So many young people came forward to pray asking God to give them opportunities — many of them were challenged by great messages from experienced evangelists and pastors there. And I really believe this is just the beginning of the renewal of the missions movement back to the former Soviet Union from the Slavic community here (in the USA)."
But these young people will need help with training and motivation. Rakhuba believes Russian Ministries can be the organization to help facilitate that movement. As these young people receive the training they need, "I truly believe that many of them will become leaders in their churches. They will go to colleges, Bible schools and seminaries. They will become true leaders in the evangelical community. And working with Russian Ministries, we'll expand God's Kingdom."
Some say the need there is diminishing, but Rakhuba says, "The need there is greater than ever before. That need is in training and equipping the next generation for ministry."
