Date: Sun, 23 Apr 95 08:01:26 +0800 From: Frank Chappell To: 71361.1127@compuserve.com, 73364.1500@compuserve.com, 73504.1426@compuserve.com, 74732.220@compuserve.com, 75111.3127@compuserve.com, deronsmith@aol.com, dmilnor@freenet.columbus.oh.us, jdunkin@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu, JerrySis@pixi.com, kendall@nna1.omsk.su Subject: Yves report Dear brothers and sisters It is good to hear some of the good news that I heard through Frank. He just came here for a week so that we could talk about different issues concerning the church in Gorno Altaisk, concerning the preaching school in Barnaul and concerning some plans for the future. I was encouraged as well by some of the lessons he gave regularly every evening for the Christians of the church. Non- Christians as well were invited and the attendance has averaged about 15 each evening. His lessons were on Romans. They raised many questions and lengthy conversations afterwards. Last week Max, a student in physics at the university, was baptized in the river of Gorno Altaisk. The water was freezing to death and it was even snowing, but Max did not want to wait any longer for a decision that had taken him a few months to make. He is a very good friend of mine, a great encouragement to the church and the changes he has made from some problems with alcohol to a disciplined and loving life have testified to God's power. As you all know, I am giving a few hours teaching English courses at the university so that I have a reason to stay here with a visa. One third of my class are already Christians and I am working on the other two thirds. I have given them to read a book called, "The Friendship Factor" by Mack Ginnis which presents a lot of the Christian values for relationships. I can see how the book has started to affect the relationship between the Christians and the rest of the class. I am advertising on the local TV every week different new subjects so as to attract many people to come to church. I had one on suffering and had about 30 people attend. You have to understand the church membership is no more than 10. I had one on money where 20 people came and I even had one on sex and 50 people came! I am trying anything I can to get people interested. The challenge is to keep the people. They are very easily distracted by the many problems of the present social economical situation of Gorno Altaisk. And as you will hear it a little bit more through Frank, those problems are not small. Another challenge of which I am starting to see some positive results is equipping the Christians so that they can in turn teach others about the Good News. It takes a lot of time and patience, but it is very encourageing. I will soon finish writing a booklet whose purpose is to help the Christians to study the Bible with their non-Christian friends. This can even be used directly by non-Christians to get some of the basics on how and why to become a Christian. Frank will have a copy when he comes back. I hope that this booklet will not only be useful for my present situation but that it will equip many other Christians throughout Russia to present the gospel in a way that attracts people and meets their needs. I have learned besides the writing of this booklet that if anything worthwhile will be done in this country, it is mainly because people have learned to rely on God. That is a lesson as well that I am learning in my marriage. Anichka has some complications with her health so that the doctors have told her not to wait more than two or three years to have children. Nevertheless, the God who has brought us together is the one who lead us together. I am looking forward to some of you coming to Russia somehow, someday. Other encouraging news - I spent over a week in Barnaul talking with Jonathan and the leaders of the church about the basics for setting up and running small groups. They are now operating and they seem to be going well. They have had eight baptisms already since starting the groups meeting. I am intending some of my thoughts into a small brochure that can be used for small groups. It is exciting to see that when a church has been nurtured for a a while, leaders naturally rise up and some small group organization can take place. I personally believe this to be one of the key stragegies for the growth of the churches in Russia. Please make sure that you all jump at the same time on Frank when he comes back. He has some pictures of your Russian/Swiss couple. You are in our prayers daily, >From Russia with Love, Yves and Anichka