FEBC Russian MinistriesUPDATE2016-4 Russia - Ukraine - Central Asia

Best Christmas Present: New FM Stations!In 2017 it will be the 100-year an-niversary of the Russian Revolu-tion. It seems like the country ismoving back to those times insome ways: Political and economicuncertainty, lack of freedom. Manydeclare their Russian Orthodoxfaith, but very few people actuallybelieve in Jesus as their Lord andSavior.

As we announce the miracle ofChristmas, we are connecting people to local Christ-centeredchurches. It is becoming more andmore difficult to evangelize in Russia, but we are using every opportunity we can. And Godopens new doors for us! 

We are beginning broadcasting viaan FM network of stations in theSiberian region of Tomsk. This isnot our network, but we have agood deal which will result inmany new listeners hearing theGood News. We will be on in thefollowing cities: Asino, Seversk,Melnikovo, Strezhevoy, Nizh-nevartovsk, and Tomsk, with acombined population of more than1 million people.

This is a miracle beyond anythingwe hoped for. This is a clear answer to your prayers and theprayers of Russian believers fornew opportunities to broadcast theGood News.

Online listener, Egor from Tomsk,wrote to us: “I became a believerbecause I listened to your onlinebroadcasts. I am so glad thatyour programs will be heard nowon several FM stations here inTomsk. Praise God! I know thatmany will follow Christ now!” 

Ukraine is wide open for evangelism, but the very future ofthis war-torn country is uncertain.

However, God is opening newdoors for us here as well. We havereceived permission to build a station in Kramatorsk, in additionto the one in Odessa. FEBC broadcasts on 99.0 FM will be onthe air soon! 

Kramatorsk is the new center ofthe Donetsk region, and is right onthe border with the rebel territory.

We will be bringing the GoodNews of Jesus Christ to peopleon both sides of the conflict.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers,refugees, and people who lost theirloved ones to war will be able tohear the healing words of Jesus:“Come to Me... I will give yourest.” 

What a great Christmas present!

You can see videos of both Kramatorsk and Odessa onrussia.febc.org.

Because of these new stations, millions of families will be able tohear the Good News in Siberia and in war-torn Eastern Ukraine.

FEBC is broadcasting

on the new network in

Siberia. Praise God!

YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE

We need $2,400 per month tobroadcast in six Siberian cities.

$9,000 is still needed to launch99.0 FM in Kramatorsk.

FEBC is building anew station in Kramatorsk, Ukraine!

I was privileged to teach a group ofstudents in St. Petersburg. Rightbefore my session they spent aweek with a master teacher,Vladimir Sarapulov; studentstalked about him non-stop.

Vladimir was the twelfth child inhis family. They lived deep inSiberia, right after WWII.

“My parents decided they mustprovide at least one of the childrenwith a decent education, and I wasthe lucky one.” He became one ofthe most decorated teachers anduniversity professors in the region.“But my life was a mess,” heshared. “I was not a good husbandor a good father. But everythingbegan changing when my youngerson, Evgeny, became a Christian.” 

As a cadet in the military KGBschool, Evgeny was listening toFEBC broadcasts, thinking that itwas a nonsensical religion fornaive, week people. It was severalyears later when he said yes toJesus.

Today, Evgeny Sarapulov is one of

FEBC-Russia’s most popularbroadcasters. “My main goal is tohelp people like me, people whogrew up in a non-Christian environment, to discover whoJesus is.” That’s 96% of the popu-lation of Russia.

Evgeny broadcasts two hours everyday, helping his listeners understand what it means to be aChristian today. And listeners respond - different circumstances,different ages. Vika, 5 wrote:“When we go to sleep, my Momlays down with me, and we listento your program for a while. Youare so happy that sometimes I wantto jump for joy, too, instead ofsleep. We did not know about Godbefore, but now I pray to Him allthe time. Especially at night when Iam scared.” 

Another group that Evgeny reachesis young people on Periscope, anew system online. He starteddoing this only recently, and already has more than 45,000 subscribers, and millions of likes.And dozens of testimonies fromteens who were suicidal but foundnew hope for living in Jesus.

Russia holds the first place in theworld for teen suicide.

Svetlana wrote to us saying thather teenage daughter was suicidalsince the age of 12. Kids weremaking fun of her at school.

And then someone told her aboutEvgeny’s programs on Periscope.She became a fan, started asking questions, invited others to listen. Svetlana wrote to Evgeny, “Myhusband died several years ago in aterrorist attack, and you became afather figure not only for mydaughter, but for her friends aswell.”  Svetlana and her daughterknew nothing about Christ, but recently they decided to visit achurch, together.

Continued on page 4.

Vladimir Sarapulov:“Helping people rebuilt their father-son relationships is a

privilege. But helping them build a relationship with the Heavenly

Father is pure joy. Than you, friends, for making our

ministry possible.”

Evgeny Sarapulov: “The vast majority of Russian people grew up in families where faithwas never discussed. While people know little about the Gospel, theylong for God’s love, for His truth. We help them meet the Lord.”

Dozens of testimonies from

suicidal teens whofound Jesus.

Father-Son Program Changes LivesbyVictor Akhterov

Helping Orphans in Russia & Ukraine For many years now, FEBC hasbeen active in helping Russian andUkrainian families adopt orphans.Most of them are “social orphans,”children of unfit parents.

Every such tragedy is complex, andoften the system treats these children more harshly than theirabusive families. We work to helpgodly families take children in by becoming adoptive, or long-termfoster care parents. When possible,we help keep families together. Maria, a Christian from Moscow,was helping a single mother with adrinking problem raise her fourkids. Our experts helped her

become a foster guardian withoutrevoking her parental rights.

Tatyana Vaganova, who hosts theExcellent Family program inMoscow says, “We do all we can tohelp millions of families who areon the verge of being disintegrated,to keep their marriages together.” We also provide a lot of practical,down-to-earth support to those whowant to adopt. However, this is alife-changing decision not only forthe orphans, but for the families. Recently, we helped a couple become a foster family becausetheir teenage daughter was not yetready for an adopted sibling. Ourhosts and experts are careful, experienced, and passionate.

In Ukraine, our missionaryVladimir Savenkov zealously promotes adoption on the radio. Heand his wife Elena became fosterand adoptive parents to six children. Vladimir also serves children who still live in orphanages. His biggest reward iswhen those orphans come to knowChrist.

Last week, he received the newsfrom Maxim, who was taken fromhis family when he was seven. Hisalcoholic father was also deeply involved with occult teachings.

“I just learned that Maxim, now17, was just baptized in water,and is the most active teen in hisyouth group,” said Vladimir.

Recently his adopted daughter received an e-mail from her class-mate. Yuri used to be the most disruptive kid in our orphanageBible study group. He wrote, “I’m the happiest person alive be-cause I just made a commitment tofollow Jesus. Please thank your fa-ther for believing that God’s Wordwill get to us one day.”

Our goal is to help people becomefollowers of Christ. While pursuingthis goal, we help save families.And we help abandoned, abused,and unloved children find new, loving homes.

YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE

We need $1,400 per month toproduce and broadcast the Excellent Family program in

Russia and Ukraine.

Even the best government facilities cannot provide a healthyfamily experience for abandonedchildren. Each of the children pictured have a history of abuse.

Some were abandoned becausethey are the “wrong race.” Onewas severely beaten by a drunkenfather. One girl said, “I have never

been hugged before.”

We mobilize the church to bethere for these kids.

We often help orphaned childrenmeet potential adoptive parentsduring weekend outings.

Vladimir Savenkov: “Helping orphans accept the loveof the Father is what I live for.Thank you for helping us bringthis message to millions.”

“I’m the happiest

person alive 

because I made a

commitment to

follow Jesus.”

Oleg Shevkun explains the Bible to non-Christians

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Father-Son Program Saves LivesContinued from Page 3

The most popular program that Evgeny does iswhen he invites his father, Vladimir, to be with himon the program. These father-son dialogues helpthousands of Russian people understand how to com-municate, how fathers and sons can talk to each other,and, most importantly, how important it is to seekGod, for He can be found, in Jesus.

Vladimir Sarapulov, who wrote several books, says,“The fact that I was a far from perfect father helps listeners identify with us. Like most Russians, I dranka lot as my children were growing up. But people seeJesus’ healing power in our relationship, as we talk onthe air. It is still not perfect, of course, but listenerscomment that they feel love and understanding, andacceptance and wisdom, as we talk. I am grateful toGod that He lets me do this with my son.”

Friends, there is nothing better in life than being usedby God, and both Vladimir and Evgeny expressed thisfeeling to me. But we cannot minister without you.Those teens who are being pulled out of the devil’sgrasp of death are alive today because you support theministry of FEBC. Thank you for doing your part,giving power to the voice of the Church in Russia.

- Victor AkhterovDirector of FEBC Russian Ministries

YOUTH:HONEST DIALOG

Every Tuesday in a small studio in Moscow, OlegShevkun, FEBC-Russia’s senior broadcaster, sitsdown with several non-Christian students to read theBible and talk about their reactions on air.

All of the students had very little exposure to Christianity, so they started at the beginning in theOld Testament, then the New Testament and just recently went through the Sermon on the Mountpassages in the Gospels.

Speaking on the audience and style of the pro-gram, Oleg says, “They just want someone to talkto them and talk with them. That’s where wemarried the Internet with talk radio.”

On a recent program in which the woman at thewell was being discussed, one of our students said,“Man, this Jesus, He always surprises me. Thethings He’s doing are totally unexpected; it’s notwhat I would think to do.”

Oleg chuckled and said, “We share a few thingsin common here—He surprises me just as much, infact, He’s been surprising me for the last 30 years ofmy Christian life. And that’s a great place to start.”

With the loss of some of our FM broadcast licenses due to the newest government restrictions,it could be seen as step back, but broadcasters likeOleg are looking towards the growing Internet audience. These are the types of new programs thatare on the horizon for FEBC Russia.

Programs like these prepare atheists, seekersand non-believers in general for conversations with Christians, and in the long-term: salvation.