Answers to Prayer

1 The spectacular collapse of Communism in 1990-1991 with little bloodshed was a direct answer to prayer

2 The break-up of the Soviet Union opened up unprecedented opportunities for evangelism, church-planting, re-establishing a Christian infrastructure, many partnering networks, theological education, Bible translation and distribution

3 The Bible is now freely available after years of costly 'smuggling' of God's Word

4 Radio was a primary propaganda tool for the Communists – Radio Moscow and many local FM stations are now widely used by Christians

5 Many hitherto totally unreached peoples – Muslim, superficially 'Orthodox' pagans and Buddhist – were given the opportunity to hear the gospel for the first time, and in many the first churches were planted

Challenges for Prayer

1 Russia is a proud but despairing nation

2 The government faces a daunting task

a) Political wisdom in balancing the need for strong government but with democratic accountability and respect of basic freedoms

b) Economic stability

c) Justice

d) Building a multi-cultural nation after centuries of imperial and Communist tyrannies and, at times, ethnic genocide

e) Upholding constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion

f) Health

g) A facing up to present and looming ecological disasters

Geography

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Area 17,075,400 sq.km. The world's largest country extending across 11 time zones between the Baltic and the Pacific.

Population (2000) 146,933,847 -0.16%AGR

Capital Moscow 13,200,000.

Peoples

Indo-European 88.7%; Turkic-Altaic 8.2%; Finno-Ugric 2.3%; Other 0.8%.

Literacy 98%. Official language Russian; local languages in autonomous republics. All languages 96. Languages with Scriptures 3Bi 8NT 40por 80w.i.p.

Economy

Vast natural resources and potentially the world's wealthiest country. HDI 0.747; 71^st/174. Public debt 26% of GNP. Income/person $2,680 (9% of USA).

Politics

Russia has known little but autocracy or tyranny since it became a country in the 8^th Century.

Religion

Freedom of religion written into the constitution.

Churches in Russia

Missionaries from Russia

382+ in 17 agencies to 12 countries

Missionaries to Russia

2,200+ in 146 agencies from 35 countries

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