In parts of Eastern Europe faithful believers continue to face opposition - sometimes even from those who claim to be Christians.
Take, for example, former student of the Balti Mission School, Michael Chernautsan, who is now an SGA-supported missionary pastor in a village in northwest Moldova. Recently, he organised a series of meetings at the Community Centre for widows and others in need of support.
The local Orthodox priest, claiming it was a sin for anyone to attend events organised by evangelical believers, urged the villagers to stay away.
However, despite some initial wariness on the part of the local people, after just two such gatherings, the community’s attitude towards Michael and his fellow believers changed dramatically, so that even the Mayor was seen to be in attendance.
More significantly still, many villagers began attending Bible study groups and sending their children to Sunday School and children’s day camps. Here the good news of the Gospel is heard – in some cases, for the very first time.
So encouraged are local Christians that they are now praying for God to provide a permanent church building in which to meet, similar to the approximately 70 other Houses of Prayer that SGA has helped fund in Moldova alone.
A church building is important in the Orthodox context, as those of that tradition tend to consider it inappropriate for Christians to meet in ordinary homes, and regard those who do as outsiders or cult members. This is why the believers in the village are confident that God will one day provide just such a place to meet.
Opposition from those who hold to the long-established Orthodox religion does not make life easy for Michael, but support from SGA enables him to dedicate his life to proclaiming the Gospel to those who, for now at least, have no desire to hear it. With absolute confidence in what Jesus achieved on the cross, he has no plans to stop sharing the Truth that everyone needs to know.
On the contrary, he and his congregation are all the more determined to proclaim Christ and call people to repentance.
Pray for Michael, his wife and two small children – that God will bless his ministry, preserve his strength, and use him to bring many in Moldova to saving faith.