Imagine a creationist trying to become head of the Department of Evolutionary Biology at a public university. Imagine what it would be like for an avowed disciple of Jesus Christ to speak for three days at a Communist University. Imagine what an athiest thinks when he/she hears that a Christian pastor is going to deliver this year’s Leadership seminar. After almost four years, I will be teaching once again in Belarus. In the past, I spoke within a non-Christian context in Universities. In 2008, I will be working with a Christian campus group to teach and lead them for four days.
Sergei and ?? with Dr. Gehre and Tom
The IFES national student group invited me last year but I had to turn them down. I told them that if they would invite me again, I would all but guarantee I would come. Thus, at the end of January and the first week of February (Brrrr), I’ll be flying into Minsk, driving to Brest, and teaching leadership principles to about 60 university students from Belarus. Most are already Christians.
Teaching mostly Christians is a deviation from our plan, but it’s a way to get back to God’s call to help the people of Belarus. Belarusian people need hope. Alcoholism is rampant. Freedom of speech curtailed. Inflation high. Chances of advancement are very political. Yet, the rule of law and an acceptance of foreigners is great. Missionaries are still in the country, but not really effective. As one of our friends there says, “With all the evangelism done here since the early 90′s, people have enough conversion records to have 90% of the country saved. That’s a joke. Less than 1% attend a church each week. People just agree, but they don’t believe. It doesn’t make a difference.”
In 2005, we came during the national celebration of the end of WWII. 
and Independence Square were filled with drunken revelers. Later that year, 50,000 protesters gathered only to be beaten and arrested by the government. We know from meeting hundreds of people, the truth of the gospel is not far from people, yet belief is rare. Freedom of speech is rare. Freedom to practice one’s “religion” is strictly regulated.
I hope that by teaching people the ways of influence and the basic foundation of the gospel these few will be true leaders for Christ, shining examples of love and hope in a bleak environment and learn how to pass on the gospel of Christ more effectively in a repressive environment.
Do you know anyone who knows where it is? Has gone there?
