Ministry

Current Ministry Involvement

Right now we are kind of at a tough spot.  We are raising support to go to Russia, yet we still want to be involved in ministry here.  Let's just say that we are not involved in as much ministry as we would like to be.  Right now Andrew teaches a class in our Wednesday night children's program.  Jennifer watches the wee little ones on Wednesday night.  She also helps out with our food ministry and sings in the praise team on occasion.

Plans for Ministry

In the United States

If we do not end up moving to Russia this year, we plan to try and take an internship with a church.  We have looked at a couple of options such as an adult discipleship internship or a church planting internship that happens to reach out to Meskhentian Turks that moved here from Russia along with other people as well.

In Russia

The Opportunity:

There are many diverse people groups in Russia, including some Muslim communities, who are largely disenfranchised and seeking any help that might come their way. Some of these Muslim communities have settled in Krasnodar, a state in southern Russia. One of these communities has even openly expressed a desire to learn about Christianity. Also, this area presents a great opportunity to train and disciple the Russians to reach out to the Muslims in their own area as well as within surrounding nations.

The Plan:

Our plan is to go and serve.  We plan to go to Russia and seize the opportunities laid before us.  More specifically, we plan to enroll in one of the local universities in order to study Russian for about two years while we become familiar with the culture and the people with whom we have been called to work.  At that point, with sufficient language training, we will be more effective in our work with these people.  Our hopes and dreams are to see the establishment of a church, daughter church, and granddaughter church as a result of discipling these people.  Our determination is to see to it that people are not only baptized into the Lord, but also discipled so that they might grow with the Lord and disciple others. 

Other possibilities include opening an affiliate of St. Paul Christian College, as a base for sending disciples into surrounding Muslim countries. There is also much more that the Lord has planned and yet to reveal.  We do not know exactly how long the Lord will call us to Russia, but our plans and hopes are for an extended time (longer than five years).

Desire for Ministry

Ministry Plan

Main Plan

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^ the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,^ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age

-Matthew 28:19-20

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Philosophy of Ministry

If Jesus is to stay alive in His people then it must be done by way of discipleship.  This is done by the method of transferring one life onto another.  We as humans look up to people all the time.  From time to time we really latch onto a particular one.  We begin to emulate them by living the same way. 

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Past Ministry Experience

Together

We have had some ministry experience together, but unfortunately not a lot.  We have visited a couple of VBSs helping out as the missionaries for the week.  We have co-taught children's classes.  We have also began support raising and continue to support raise together.  All these experiences have been good and have begun teaching us how to work together in ministry.  We know that not all ministry will include us working together intimately, but there will be some things.  We are off to a good start I believe and look forward to what is ahead.

Andrew

My ministry experience has involved teaching children and youth formally and informally.  I have preached, mentored, discipled, planned, and prayed in various ministry settings.  Currently I teach Kindergarten through 2nd grade on Wednesday night.  Our theme is searching for Jesus.  We go through the gospel accounts picking out different stories that involve Jesus or were told by Jesus.  I have also taught youth in a youth group close to the college I attended.  It was a learning experience, but I felt comfortable and look forward to getting involved with youth in the future.  I have spent time while interning in one of the cities in California mentoring youth.  It was definitely a cross-cultural experience that taught me a lot about my culture and their culture.  I struggled some trying always  to find the right words to say, but over time I became more comfortable and began to enjoy our time.  My time was short so the impact was small, but a seed is still a seed no matter how small.  I have preached only a small number of times probably more in preaching class at school than actually in the local church body.  I enjoy preaching and am very nervous, but I believe that will change a little over time.    While in school I was able to disciple a young man there.  Like before I did not stay long, but a seed is still a seed.  I look forward to being able to stay in located ministry to be able to plant the seed, water, watch grow, and harvest the crop.  I have been involved in all the different processes, but it would be nice to stay for awhile.  I have lots to learn and like I have mentioned before--look forward to what the Lord has in store.  I pray that Russia will give us the opportunity to stay awhile and get involved.

Jennifer