Faith Giving

What an incredible day in ministry here in Ryazan, Russia! We traveled to two different cities today and met with pastors of churches...Ryazhsk with Pastor Oleg Yeponichnikov and Korablino with Pastor Dima Mikava. Both churches are very active in social ministries such as meeting needs of food and clothing and other practical expressions of love, as well as youth and children's ministry.

The highlight of the day for me was hearing from Pavel Jirov and Dima Mikava sharing the collective vision for the churches of the Ryazan Baptist Union (RBU). Let me give you some details about Ryazan. Ryazan is an called an oblast (equivalent to a state in the US) and is divided into 25 districts (or counties). There are presently 14 churches or small house groups in the RBU that meet in 9 different districts. As the church in the RBU have been coming together and doing ministry and planning as a group, they are laid a vision before the 500 members of these churches to reach the entire region of Ryazan. They are a vision to see a church or small house group in all 25 districts of Ryazan! What an incredible vision the Lord has given to them.

In order to care this out, they knew they would need the help of missionaries from other oblast of Russia or other countries. So they proposed to all the churches of the RBU to pledge faith gifts over and above their regular tithes to the church. In January 2011, they asked every church member who was interested in giving to this special ministry expansion...of the 500 members of the churches of the RBU...380 made a faith pledge in the amount of 880,000 rubles (approximately $29,000)! We were blow away by this amount and so where Pavel and Dima. They are sacrificing so much for the furtherance of the gospel here in Ryazan. Most of the people who are giving don't have much money, but they are committed to helping people in this oblast hear the gospel message. The 880,000 rubles will be enough to invite 4 families to come and begin ministry here in Ryazan. They are so excited to see the work of God among the people of Ryazan and so am I.

As I heard this...my only response was WOW and Praise the Lord! It is such a tremendous testimony of setting a God sized goal and then seeing God meet that goal. I know that they will continue to take the same steps of faith in this area and other areas of ministry.

These verses came to mind as soon as I heard this story today:

We want you to know, brothers,^£ about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (ESV)

The people of Ryazan have places their lives first and foremost in the hands of the Lord. They want to see the kingdom of God expand and grow and they are giving sacrificially to make that happen. What a testimony!

I have been reflecting on my own steps of faith for the Lord. It is so easy to life out of my comfort zone and have the nice things I have and rely on my own strength and ability to provide...and I have to ask the question...do I live by faith? Do open up my life to what God is doing around me and see the work of God take place. I want to be a person who walks by faith and not by sight. I want to set God sized goals in my ministry and see God provide and guide and direct. I want to be part of God's work in me, through me and around me.

I guess it begins with my surrendered heart!!! With my willingness to give and live by the provision of God and nothing else. Thank you God for the reminders of how you want me to live for you!