Alive church

Evangelical Christian-Baptist Church

BETHANY

The “Bethany” Church was founded in Moscow in 1992 after the evangelization campaign by Billy Graham. In the 90-ies in Russia there was a spiritual revival and people started looking for new values. During that time in Russia there appeared many Protestant churches.

The beginning

Before 2000 the “Bethany” church grew on the wave of that spiritual awakening when people still came to big evangelization meetings. By the beginning of 2000 in the church there were about 40 people, 40% of which were elderly sisters, long time believers, making the main body of a newly established church.

Before 2000

In 2000 pastor Alexander Zanin (having been a pastor since 1998) started the inductive Bible study in the Biblical Institute «Precept Ministries» and began to teach the church the Word of God. Since that time the church has begun to grow spiritually. Before that there was no Bible study group in the church.

In 2004 the pastor left his job in the world and the “Bethany” church began to pay him a salary.

In 2005 in the “Bethany” church a Sunday school for adults started its work. In Russian churches as a rule Sunday schools are organized only for children whose parents attend the church. In the majority of churches there are no Sunday schools for adults. In the “Bethany” church we started studying the Bible by courses of the Euro-Asian Bible Institute by inductive methods «Precept Ministries». In 2005 in the church there were only 2 teachers who could teach the Bible and 60 members of the church.

The story

At this present time in the “Bethany” church we have: 95 members and more than 100 people coming to

meetings; 18 teachers of the inductive Bible study; In the church there are 10 Bible study groups which

attend 75 people; 5 home Bible study groups (14 people); Members of our church lead 5 Bible study groups in other

churches with 44 participants in attendance; Members of our church lead Bible study groups with

unbelievers with attending 35 people.

Now time

Every month we hold yard games to which we invite teens who live in the district where the church is situated.

During games we try to speak not only about sports but also about spiritual matters and invite them into the Teens’ Club in our church which we hold also once a month.

Besides we organized a Rugby sport-team that is managed by a professional coach. We invite unbelieving teens to that team. We also organize coaching in secondary schools. There is an obligatory condition — after every coaching they have to study the Bible.

Evangelization Through Sport

It is held once a month. We invite to the Clun the teens from yard games, from the Rugby-Club, and the church teens bring their unbelieving friends there. There we speak much about spiritual themes based on the Bible.

Teens’ Club

It’s a part of our program in the work with unbelieving teens. In the camp there are elements of extreme — rafting on catamarans and rope course. In each camp that our church organizes we have inductive Bible study during 2 or 3 hours a day with unbelieving teens.

The “Extreme” Camp

Every week we have a Bible study group where church teens come as well as the children who

repented in camps.

Bible Study Groups with Teens

We organized a Club for unbelieving youth and students. During our meetings we discuss spiritual topics. Communication goes in English. In our church there are a few people who have a good knowledge of English.

English Club

We invite people who participated in the English Club and their friends to come to the English Camp. In the camp we study English using the textbook «English for a new life» with the texts that are based on Gospel of John. We also have inductive Bible study lessons.

English Camp

Missionary and Social Ministry In 2010 we started our ministry in a boarding-school in the town of Pochinok

in Smolensk region in 400 km from Moscow. Not far from the boarding-school there is a Baptists church where there are only 15 people mostly of elderly age. We decided to help that church grow through our ministry to the boarding-school.

In that missionary team there are 16 people. The team visits Pochinok once a month on week-ends. We have a worship service in the church and an inductive Bible study group for 2 days. We help the church organize evangelization events in the town, children’s playgrounds and town-camps; we also help to run children’s Sunday school.

In the boarding-school for children who lag behind in their development we alongside with different games have an inductive Bible study group with children textbooks. In summer we start a camp there where we also study the Bible. Besides we take children from the boarding-school to our church camps.

During our ministry in the boarding-school 10 children have repented. All of them attend the church in Pochinok on Sundays.

Missionary and Social Ministry

3 times a year on the days of Christian holidays we hold thematic evenings where members of our church can invite their bosses and unbelieving friends. In the center of each meeting there is a preaching of the Word of God.

Evenings for Unbelieving Friends

Our church organized a Family Club where young people are being prepared for the marital life and unbelieving married couples are invited.

Ministry for Married Couples

1. During all the time of our existence we rent a building. Before 2009 we rented a hall only for Sunday services. By the end of 2009 up to now we rent a building of 250 square meters full time. The pastor of the church has been on full time ministry since 2004.Monthly running costs for rent, maintenance and pastor’s salary are 7,200 euro.These costs are extremely heavy for the church. We practically don’t have money for ministries. For effective development of the church we need financial assistance by 3,000 every month.

2. English Camp. Common costs for the Camp come to 25,000 euro. The majority of that cost will be compensated with the money paid for the vouchers. But we have to have 7,500 euro for partial payment (50%) for members of the team and children from poor families and the boarding-school and for the fulfillment of the program part of the camp.

3. The Extreme Camp. Common costs for the camp come up to 15,000 euro. We need 4,600 euro for the same purposes as in the English Camp, as well as for the purchase of the additional tourist equipment: tents, plates and dishes, climbing equipment, sleeping-bags, etc.

4. The Boarding-school Camp. We need 2,000 euro for partial payment for team members, for program part of the camp and for presents for children.

Our Needs