Pastor Alexander in Russia’s Far East

Russia’s vast Far East region could really be called Earth’s “last frontier” in terms of Gospel witness. As noted previously, the land area is nearly the size of the lower 48 United States. More than six million people of differing ethnic origins live there—some so remotely they can only be reached via a small airplane. The majority of towns and villages have no evangelical churches.

Pastor Alexander serves on Sakhalin Island off the Pacific coast of Far East Russia. It’s a forbidding climate and difficult ministry conditions are there, but his ministry is fruitful. He recently shared about a phone call that led to an eternal life change for one Korean man . . . 

Leonid’s zeal to serve as a new believer knows no bounds!

We distribute New Testaments regularly as part of our ministry on Sakhalin. And finally, it has yielded results. One day I received a phone call from a young man whose name is Leonid—he is an ethnic Korean. He told me that he wants to come to our church. I met with him personally and shared the Gospel with him. With tears in his eyes, he received the Gospel and repented of his sins.

Afterward, Leonid attended church faithfully and completed a study course for new believers, then we prepared for his baptism. At the end of September, our church as a whole went outside the town to a baptismal spot, and Leonid was baptized. 

This is an example of how God causes the seeds of His Word being planted to grow, and Leonid is the fruit that grew by God’s mercy through our planting. As we witness publicly, people usually take the New Testaments, while some reject them. Whenever we have opportunity, we try to talk to people about the Lord Jesus. If a person is willing to take a copy of the New Testament, then they are willing to hear about God, and we share. Thank you for your part in our ministry!

There are many more like Leonid across Far East Russia. With the provisions of the new anti-missionary law looming, we do not know how much longer Alexander will be able to distribute Bibles and witness in public. That is why SGA’s Reach Russia Now initiative is so vitally important. Please pray for the resources needed to take the Gospel across this vast region while we still can.