Do you remember the day of your baptism? For me personally this was a very special day at the end of July back in 1994. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. Perhaps it is that memory that makes me want to not only make every baptism at Moscow Bible Church special, but to also cherish each and every one of them. But I must admit that over the years, I have begun separating these baptisms into two distinct categories. Do not get me wrong. I still treasure each one of them. It’s just that I cherish some of them a little bit more. Namely there are two types of baptisms that are especially dear to my heart. First, I put great value on the baptisms of kids that grew up in our church. There is something unbelievably special about praying for the baby and then several years later baptizing that child/teen once he or she makes a profession of faith. But another type of baptism that I value a great deal is that special story when someone comes to church at a friend's invitation, commitshis or her life to Christ, and is then baptized.
About a month ago we performed 3 baptisms that exclusively consisted of these stories. I shared about Sophia and Alexandra with you in my previous letters. Both of them came because a friend invited them. Both of them wrestled with their faith and commitment to God, and both of them made that profession of faith and were recently baptized. But there was also the story of Helen, who is deaf. She also came to church about a year ago because she met one of the ladies from our deaf ministry last summer. That encounter turned out to be quite crucial in her life. A year later she made a profession of faith and was baptized.
Yours in praying and hastening the day of revival in Moscow and Russia,
Constantin and Alexandra
THREE PRAYER REQUESTS:
Please take a moment right now, after you fnished reading this e-mail, to join us in praying for God:
- To bless our youth camp that is going on right now as I send out this newsletter. I am heading out to it tomorrow. By the way Kirill that I mentioned above is at that camp right now.
- To raise necessery funds for us to purchase our own building. I shared in one of my previous newsletter about our capital campaign that we just launched. Check it out if you have not yet and if you can please share about it with as many people as possible especially with the missions board of your church.
- To bring peace to Russia and Ukraine. Moreover, ask God to use this conflict by bringing reconciliation and revival to these countries.
