Planting & Partnering in Belarus
An update from Sergei Lukyanov, our friend and main contact in Belarus…
First of all, we are very grateful to you for the fact that you constantly support us in prayer.
The situation in Belarus continues to remain unstable, therefore the existence and life of the church in these conditions is difficult. We continue to adjust to the new reality that has changed due to the COVID virus and the political crisis.
The Protestant Evangelical Church has again fallen out of favor in the eyes of the current regime. Thousands of people continue to go to jail, including many Christians just because they once took to the streets or wrote a comment on social media against the brutal actions of our police. Our church members constantly write letters to them, in which they try to comfort and encourage them with hope in Christ. In addition, church members regularly collect financial aid to support the relatives and friends of those who are in prison.
There seems to be no possibility of getting our church registration approved by the government. Therefore, we still have little idea of how we can continue our ministry legally. However, God gives mercy and we meet every Sunday. We praise God that new people are regularly coming to us.
Several families left our church because they decided to live and work in another country. But still, many of our people are committed to staying in the country and continuing to serve the people of Belarus. Thus, God makes sure that there are many people in our meeting every Sunday.
Please pray for the leadership of the Evangelical Union of Belarus, so they will have wisdom from God to continue ministry in Belarus at this difficult time. Join us in praying that God will raise up more leaders in the church so that more churches can be planted.
Although there are discouraging circumstances around us, we continue to rejoice that God does not leave us. We rejoice that He has commissioned us to spread the most joyous message in the history of mankind - the Gospel.
Looking back on 2020, we thank God with special joy that New Covenant Church was able to plant another church! Thus, instead of one church, which was once founded in 2015, today two churches are thriving. Baptisms are taking place in both churches, new people are coming who are looking for God's mercy and forgiveness in order to find a new life.
Dear brothers and sisters, please continue to pray for us as pastors: Sergei, Philip, Valery and Vitaly. We are especially glad that you regularly pray for us. Especially in the last two years, it has been very important to realize that we are not alone. God is with us, and our brothers and sisters are with us!
