Western Missionaries:  Con and Pro

Valentina A. Karchazhkina

It would be difficult to exaggerate the contribution of the majority of Western missionaries in the work of spreading the Gospel in our country. Without their unselfish labor in Russia and in the rest of the former Soviet Union, millions of people would have been deprived of the opportunity to hear about the redeeming sacrifice of Christ. The multitude of evangelistic campaigns conducted by Billy Graham, the Navigators, New Life [Campus Crusade], International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, Biblical Education by Extension [now Church Leadership International], East-West Ministries, and others were all directed at spreading the word to the people of Russia. I myself accepted Jesus Christ at an evangelistic meeting at Moscow State University in May 1991. Since then, I have taken part in spreading the good news in institutes of higher learning here in the capital.

Evangelistic methods change as conditions change. Nowadays, one of the most successful forms of spreading the good news is academic conferences held for various disciplines where Christians bear witness to Christ.  Small-group Bible studies have appeared wherever evangelistic campaigns have been held and follow-up with new believers has been conducted patiently, persistently, and on a regular basis.  We are also indebted to Western missionaries for the method of organizing these small groups.

Thanks be to God for the zeal of Western missionaries for the preparation of national workers. Special schools were created for the training of these workers, and existing schools, institutes, and seminaries have also been helped by missionaries. Without donations from foreign missionaries and the churches that sent them, the enormous amounts of money and effort invested in the spiritual development of my country would have been impossible. The generous help, initially in providing Bibles and afterwards in the organization of Christian publishers, has also helped disseminate the Gospel.

I especially wish to call attention to the compassion which Western missionaries have shown in rendering aid to orphanages, to the homeless and incarcerated, and to the poor.  In their work for the spiritual development of our society, Western missionaries have made many other contributions: the organization of prayer meetings; the use of various kinds of prayer at conferences; and the "prayer chain" method.  Many countries have also supported us in prayer.

The work of spiritual mentoring is especially urgent in the post-Soviet period. No Christian literature alone can guide the living spiritual growth of new believers.  No one, save a spiritual mentor, can teach them to pray regularly and to walk with God.  All of this is especially important for the spiritual nourishment of young Christians.  Nowadays, I am in charge of educating the leaders of women's ministries at newly formed churches.  Especially helpful in this work has been Rol'  zhenshchini v tserkvi, a translation of Susan Hunt's Leadership for Women in the Church (Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan, 1991).  Other valuable books translated, or being translated, include Susan Hunt, Spiritual Mothering:  The Titus 2 Model for Women  (Wheaton, IL:  Franklin, TN:  Crossway Books, Legacy Communications, 1993); Susan Hunt, By Design:  God's Distinctive Calling for Women (Wheaton, IL:  Crossway, 1998); Evelyn Christenson, What Happens When Women Pray (Wheaton, IL:  Victor Books, 1975); and Vickie Kraft, Women Mentoring Women:  Ways to Start, Maintain, and Expand a Biblical Women's Ministry (Chicago:  Moody Press, 1992). The use of books by foreign authors will undoubtedly lead to the appearance of more Christian authors in Russia.  However, at the present time we need to adapt existing foreign publications to our specific national culture.

I would also like to note several shortcomings in the work of foreign missionaries. In the first place, there is frequently an antagonistic relationship among mission groups. This lessens the effectiveness of evangelism. In the second place, the lack of any central clearinghouse prevents people from receiving necessary notice of published material and hinders negotiations for publication rights.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the many authors and missionaries who have helped me and my fellow Russians to come to know and follow Christ. 

Editor's Note:  To purchase a copy of Susan Hunt's book on leadership in Russian, please write to:  V.A. Karchazhkina, Box 17, Moscow 107113, Russia.

Valentina Aleksandrovna Karchazhkina, born in Rostov-on-Don, graduated from the Moscow Foreign Language Institute in 1965.  She holds a candidate (doctorate) degree and is a docent in philology.  In 1991 she received Jesus Christ at an evangelistic meeting at Moscow State University and was subsequently trained in discipleship by East-West Ministries.  Dr. Karchazhkina works in the Word of Christ Church and at East-West Ministries, where she coordinates the preparation of leaders for women's ministry.

Valentina A. Karchazhkina, "Western Missionaries and Spreading the Gospel in Russia," East-West Church & Ministry Report 6 (Spring 1998), 8-9.

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© 1998 Institute for East-West Christian Studies
ISSN 1069-5664