Russia is the world's largest country. For 80 years it was part of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) a communist country that had not only banned people from being Christians but sort to destroy Christianity completely.
The USSR failed in 1990 & 1991, it fell to pieces and broke up into many separate countries. Christianity is no longer banned in Russia, but spreading the good news of Jesus is a difficult and challenging task.
The collapse of Communism in 1990-1991 with little bloodshed was a direct answer to prayer. The ideas that sought to destroy Christianity and promised to parade the USSR’s last Christian on television was defeated by Christians who prayed. Starting in 1984 there was a seven-year campaign of prayer for the Soviet Union. The goal was for complete religious liberty and Bibles available for all. Much of this was achieved! Praise God!
The break-up of the Soviet Union opened up unprecedented opportunities for spreading the gospel, church-planting, Christian education, Bible translation and distribution. Churches of all kinds doubled from 7,500 to 15,000 in the 1990s. It is reckoned 20% of Russians moved from not believing in a God to some profession of Christianity in that time - including many of the countries leaders.
The Bible is now freely available after years of costly 'smuggling' of God's Word. Between one and two million Bibles are printed and distributed in Russia every year.
The Church in Russia has suffered the most severe and sustained persecution of any nation in recent history. Millions of Christians were killed between 1920 and 1990. It is reckoned 200,000 Christian leaders were martyred and a further 500,000 imprisoned. Christians were discriminated against, their children bullied, and millions locked up in imprison. Give thanks to God for His protection and for enabling His Church to survive, grow and triumph in the end.
Over 90% of Russians have no link with a church.
Children. Some estimate that there are 1.2 million street children in the cities, 650,000 orphans housed in grim, cramped orphanages and many in prisons. Many turn to crime. There is a growing concern for churches to become involved in ministry to them. Pray for “To Russian Children” with Love which is seeking to help these Russian children.
Russia needs Bibles. The Bible Society of Russia has 2 million Bibles and New Testaments to hand-out each year. A long-awaited modern Russian translation of the Bible is underway.