USCIRF Condemns Enactment of Anti-Terrorism Laws in RUSSIA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 7 signed into law a package of anti-terrorism measures the Russian State Duma passed in late June.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemns these measures.  Under the guise of confronting terrorism, they would grant authorities sweeping powers to curtail civil liberties, including setting broad restrictions on religious practices that would make it very difficult for religious groups to operate. On June 23, President Putin signed into law yet another problematic measure: It authorizes the police to arrest people suspected of violating “generally accepted norms of social behavior,” thereby giving authorities another weapon to use against disfavored groups, including religious organizations.

“These deeply flawed anti-terrorism measures will buttress the Russian government’s war against human rights and religious freedom,” said USCIRF Chair Thomas J. Reese, S.J. “They will make it easier for Russian authorities to repress religious communities, stifle peaceful dissent, and detain and imprison people. Neither these measures nor the currently existing anti-extremism law meet international human rights and religious freedom standards.”

The anti-terrorism measures would, among other provisions, amend the 1997 Russian religion law by redefining “missionary activities” as religious practices that take place outside of state-sanctioned sites. The new law thus would ban preaching, praying, proselytizing, and disseminating religious materials outside of these officially-designated sites, and authorize fines of up to $15,000 for these activities conducted in private residences or distributed through mass print, broadcast or online media.  Foreign missionaries also must prove they were invited by state-registered religious groups and must operate only in regions where their sponsoring organizations are registered; those found in violation face deportation and major fines.

The Russian government uses its current anti-extremism law to target religious communities because the legal definition of extremism does not require the threat or use of violence.  “Extremism” charges can include the peaceful promotion of “the superiority of one’s own religion,” and have resulted in religious texts being banned and members of non-violent Muslims groups and Jehovah’s Witnesses imprisoned.  The proposed anti-terrorism measures would increase prison terms under the current extremism law.

USCIRF placed Russia on its Tier 2 list in its 2016 Annual Report. In Tier 2 countries, the violations the government engages in or tolerates are serious and characterized by at least one of the elements of IRFA’s “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” standard. For more information, please refer to the Russia chapter in USCIRF’s 2016 Report (in English and in Russian).

Ministering to the Slavs

95 SLAVIC CHURCHES and 8 BIBLE SCHOOLS in the United States

1. House of Bread Church (Sacramento, CA) https://www.facebook.com/hofbchurch
2. Bethany Slavic Missionary Church (Sacramento, CA) https://www.facebook.com/bethany.slavicmissionarychurch
3. Bethany Youth https://www.facebook.com/BethanYouth
4. Missionary Gospel Church (Sacramento, CA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Missionary-Gospel-Church/151514864873051
5. House of Prayer, Rochester NY https://www.facebook.com/pages/House-of-Prayer-Rochester-NY/249103651804095
6. Living Stream Church (Jacksonville, FL) https://www.facebook.com/livingstreamchurch
7. Sulamita Slavic Evangelical Church (Portland, OR) https://www.facebook.com/sulamitachurch
8. Life Christian Church https://www.facebook.com/pages/Life-Christian-Church/350358664991387
9. SGC Youth (Federal Way, WA) https://www.facebook.com/sgcyouthpage
10. Light To The World, Bellevue WA https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithchurch
11. Awakening Church https://www.facebook.com/1awakening
12. Light of the Gospel Missionary Church, Sacramento, CA https://www.facebook.com/logmc
13. Bethany Church (Seattle WA) https://www.facebook.com/bethanychurch.seattle
14. Paradise Youth https://www.facebook.com/ParadiseYouthWA
15. Grace Slavic Church https://www.facebook.com/GraceSlavicChurch
16. Slavic Christian Church of Salem https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slavic-Christian-Church-of-Salem/573544672704540
17. Slavic Youth of Spartanburg https://www.facebook.com/Slavicyouth
18. Voice of Hope Church (Portland OR) https://www.facebook.com/VOHCC
19. City of Rain Church (Kent, Tacoma WA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Rain-Church/109176399100701
20. UFGPC Youth (Tacoma WA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ufgpc-Youth/160358890697017
21. Slavic Full Gospel Church https://www.facebook.com/SFGoneway
22. JC Healing House Youth https://www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Healing-House-Youth/395744683877949
23. Living Stream Youth (Jacksonville, FL) https://www.facebook.com/LSYJAX
24. House of Prayer (Utica, NY) https://www.facebook.com/houseofprayerutica
25. New Life Church (Atlanta, GA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Life-Church/181065961957787
26. Choose Life Church https://www.facebook.com/ChurchChooseLife
27. Upstream Youth Ministry https://www.facebook.com/upstreamyouth
28. Revelation of Jesus Christ Church https://www.facebook.com/cerkov
    First Slavic Pentecostal Church (Florida) https://www.facebook.com/fspcflorida
29. Voice of Hope Youth (Tukwila WA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Voice-of-Hope-Youth/102800069772958
30. Slavic Pentecostal Church (Ashville, NC) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slavic-Pentecostal-Church-Asheville-NC/202376667836
31. Messenger of Truth Slavic Pentecostal Church https://www.facebook.com/pages/Messenger-of-truth-Slavic-pentecostal-church-Весник-Истины/160101984021265
32. First Slavic Evangelical Baptist Church https://www.facebook.com/fsebc.org
33. Christian House of Worship (Chicago, IL) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christian-House-Of-Worship/244999968853222
34. Center of Life Youth (Spokane, WA) https://www.facebook.com/COLyouth
35. River of Life (Dallas, TX) https://www.facebook.com/riveroflifeDFW
36. Salvation Baptist Church (Edgewood, WA) https://www.facebook.com/salvationbaptistchurchWA
37. Good News Church, Tacoma WA https://www.facebook.com/GNCtacoma
38. City Youth (Sacramento, CA) https://www.facebook.com/CityYouthPage
39. Russian Church of Texas https://www.facebook.com/pages/Russian-Church-Of-Texas/177474895634789
40. Word of Grace Bible Church (Vancouver WA) https://www.facebook.com/islovo
41. LTTW Youth https://www.facebook.com/pages/LTTWyouth/123040017759998
42. Church of Truth (Vancouver WA) https://www.facebook.com/churchoftruth
43. Generation 4 Truth Youth (Vancouver WA) https://www.facebook.com/Generation4Truth
44. Reality Church https://www.facebook.com/pages/Reality-Church/150568224999961
45. NW House of Prayer Youth https://www.facebook.com/NWHOP
46. Slavic Gospel Church (Federal Way, WA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slavic-Gospel-Church-SGC/144695832250368
47. Ecclesia Church https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ecclesia-Church/139221649433334
48. LCC Youth (Federal Way WA) https://www.facebook.com/lccyouth
49. Marysville Youth https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marysville-Youth/152581284812247
50. The Slavic Church Orange County https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Slavic-Church-Orange-County/204476786293337
51. Bread of Life Christian Church (Springfield, MO) https://www.facebook.com/BreadOfLifeMO
52. Crosslight Youth https://www.facebook.com/CrossLightYouth
53. SGC Youth (Bellingham, WA) https://www.facebook.com/sgcyouth
54. Image Church (Lynnwood WA) https://www.facebook.com/imagechurchwa
55. New Testament Church (Seattle WA) https://www.facebook.com/NewTestamentChurchOfSeattle
56. Seattle Sulamita Youth https://www.facebook.com/SeattleSulamitaYouth
57. Bethel United (Everett WA) https://www.facebook.com/bethelunited
58. Harvest Christian Center, Everett WA https://www.facebook.com/harvestcci
59. The Reign Youth Ministry https://www.facebook.com/thereigntv
60. Pilgrim Slavic Baptist Church https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pilgrim-Slavic-Baptist-Church/191063207603466
61. Revival Christian Center https://www.facebook.com/RevivalChristianCenter
62. Church of the Living God https://www.facebook.com/churchofthelivinggod
63. Christian Faith Church https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithchurch
64. New Life Church, Sioux Falls https://www.facebook.com/NewLifeSF
65. Stream of Life Slavic Church, Salem OR https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stream-of-Life-Slavic-Church-Beaverton-OR/1562572783958882
66. Life of Victory Church (Renton, WA) https://www.facebook.com/lifeofvictory
67. LOV Impact Youth Ministry https://www.facebook.com/lov.impactministry
68. Russian Church of Atlanta https://www.facebook.com/pages/Russian-Church-of-Atlanta/118629801519020
69. Voice of Hope Youth (Portland, ORG) https://www.facebook.com/vohyouth
70. New Beginnings (Portland OR) https://www.facebook.com/ChurchNN
71. Slavic Church Emmanuel IGNITE YOUTH https://www.facebook.com/IGNITEYOUTHMN
72. Revival Youth https://www.facebook.com/pages/Revival-Youth/116468545048864
73. Христианская Церковь https://www.facebook.com/ztchurch.pp.ua
74. Sulamita Youth Boise, ID https://www.facebook.com/Sulamitayouth
75. SFG Youth Minsitries, INC https://www.facebook.com/pages/SFG-Youth-Ministries-Inc/104986232913764
76. Russian Church, NY https://www.facebook.com/RussianChurchNY
77. Russian Speaking Church https://www.facebook.com/ChurchNT
78. Russian Baptist Church of Auburn (WA) https://www.facebook.com/beinchurch
79. FUBC Youth https://www.facebook.com/FUBChurch
80. Spokane Slavic Baptist Church https://www.facebook.com/SpokaneSlavicBaptistChurch
81. Harvest Church (Atlanta, GA) https://www.facebook.com/sccharvestchurch
82. New Life Christian Center https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Life-Christian-Center/421531024606715
83. Youth of Grace Church MN https://www.facebook.com/gracechurchmn
84. Light of the Gospel Youth https://www.facebook.com/logmcyouth
85. New Life Christian Church (Mount Vernon, WA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Life-Christian-Church/125171360847142
86. Voice of Victory Christian Center https://www.facebook.com/VoiceofVictoryCC
87. New Life Youth (Mount Vernon, WA) https://www.facebook.com/new.lifeyouth.5
88. BYM Bethesda Youth Ministries https://www.facebook.com/pages/BYM-Bethesda-Youth-Ministries/146983352017824
89. Hungry Generation https://www.facebook.com/hungrygen
90. Spring of Life Youth (Mukilteo, WA) https://www.facebook.com/sol7pm
91. Zachary Worship Center https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zachary-Worship-Center/213673752032634
92. SBS Ministry https://www.facebook.com/pages/SBS-Ministry/107726752660587
93. Bryte Youth https://www.facebook.com/bryteyouth
94. Christian Cultures Center https://www.facebook.com/christiancultures
95. First Slavic Pentecostal Church (North Port, FL) https://www.facebook.com/fspcflorida

BIBLE SCHOOLS:

1. SMBS Jacksonville FL https://www.facebook.com/SMBSJax
2. Центр Христианского Образования https://www.facebook.com/ChristianEduOnline
3. Teens Bible School (Jacksonville, FL) https://www.facebook.com/tbsjax
4. Bethany Bible School, Sacramento, CA https://www.facebook.com/BethanyBibleSchool
5. Slavic Bible College, Tacoma WA https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slavic-Bible-College/232529120120565
6. God Will Provide Missionary Bible School, Portland OR https://www.facebook.com/GodWillProvideMissionarySchool
7.  Slavic Theological Seminary https://www.facebook.com/SlavicSeminary
8.  Light To The World Missionary Bible School, Sedalia MO https://www.facebook.com/pages/Light-to-the-Word-Missionary-School/181729235191926

10 Years Bulgarian Chaplaincy Association

A decade ago we established the Bulgarian Chaplaincy Association with a vision for ministry in the Bulgarian army, Ministry of Internal Affairs, jail and prison systems, Bulgarian seaports and airports, and the healthcare system. Out of these five goals set before us in 2006 we have fulfilled them all:

1. Tolerant and equal representations of all confessions in the chaplaincy ministry
2. The implementation of a contextualized chaplaincy model
3. The integration of chaplaincy education in all Bulgarian theological higher educational institutions
4. And the educational and consultant work on government and church levels

except:

5. The establishment of legal grounds for regular paid chaplaincy service in the Bulgarian army, Ministry of Internal Affairs, jail and prison systems, Bulgarian seaports and airports, and the healthcare system.

After designing and teaching the Masters of Chaplaincy Ministry program in two major evangelical universities in Bulgaria, we now have some of our trained chaplains working in jails, prisons, healthcare, civil emergency services and the corporate/political level. The legal system in Bulgaria, however, is yet to provide the proper measure for restoring chaplaincy in Bulgaria’s armed forces. To this final step fulfillment we pledge out support in 2016.

Bulgarian Chaplaincy Association: Vision and Resolution

Bulgarian Chaplaincy Association
Resolution No. 1

We,

The founding members of the Bulgarian Chaplaincy Association in its first national assembly today August 19, 2006 in hotel Diana Palace, Yambol

In regard of:
1. Bulgaria’s membership in NATO and its upcoming integration in the European Union
2. The transformations within the Bulgarian Army from mandatory toward standard paid service and the participation of Bulgarian contingent in NATO and UN missions
3. Contract agreement for NATO airbases on Bulgarian territory
4. The strategic renewal of chaplaincy ministry in the Bulgarian army
5. And the present need of chaplaincy ministry integrated in the Bulgarian army, Ministry of Internal Affairs, jail and prison systems, Bulgarian seaports and airports, and the healthcare system,

Declare our support toward:
1. The establishment of legal grounds for regular paid chaplaincy service in the Bulgarian army, Ministry of Internal Affairs, jail and prison systems, Bulgarian seaports and airports, and the healthcare system
2. Tolerant and equal representations of all confessions in the chaplaincy ministry
3. The implementation of a contextualized chaplaincy model
4. The integration of chaplaincy education in all Bulgarian theological higher educational institutions
5. And the educational and consultant work on government and church levels.

We, the founding members of the Bulgarian Chaplaincy Association will work toward the renewal, popularization and equal religious representation of chaplaincy ministry in all professional areas.

August 19, 2006
Diana Palace, Yambol

Also important [click to read]:

• U.S. Department of State recognizes our chaplaincy efforts in Bulgaria
• Bulgarian Chaplaincy Association: Integration Proposal with Local NATO Programs
• Chronology of our role and involvement in developing Church of God chaplaincy in Bulgaria since 2001
• Master’s of Chaplaincy Ministry Program in Bulgaria Reflections
• The Past Decade of Chaplaincy in Bulgaria (2006-2016)
• Related Publications and Presentations by Cup & Cross Ministries International

95 Years Ago Ivan Voronaev Finally Reached the City of Odessa

Not So “Little Odessa” (from the book The Life and Ministry of Rev. Ivan Voronev)

By the end of the summer of 1921, Voronaev and Koltovich received their permits to return to Russia and on August 12, 1921 landed in Odessa.[1] It had taken Voronaev over a decade of traveling around the globe to return to his motherland as a Pentecostal preacher and fulfill the divine calling: “Voronaev, Voronaev. Go to Russia!”

The results of his commitment and sacrifice increased quickly. For the first three months in Odessa, he labored among the evangelical churches, sharing his testimony and preaching the full gospel. Then, on November 21, 1921 he organized the Christian Evangelical Faith (Confession).[2] In two years time, the new community had over 370 members and the news of the new Pentecostal teaching spread rapidly across the U.S.S.R. In 1924, the Odessa community organized a regional assembly and at the second assembly in 1925, the Ukrainian Union of Evangelical Christian Faith (Confession) was established.

By 1927, more than 350 Pentecostal Assemblies with membership of 17,000 strong were part of the Union,[3] which continued to grow and by 1944 exceeded 20,000 in Ukraine and 80,000 strong in the whole U.S.S.R.[4] Voronaev’s church in Odessa alone was reported to have over 1,000 members.[5] Government persecution was inevitable. Numerous publications against Voronaev’s work were circulated not only through Communist propaganda, but by some Baptist periodicals, who characterized the Pentecostal ministry as sectarian at best.[6] The Regime could not afford the meetings of large groups of people who were not part of the Communist Party. The Voronaev family paid the ultimate price of their calling for organizing and growing the Pentecostal community in Communist Russia.

In the summer of 1930 the repressions against Russian Pentecostals began. On July 6 (almost exactly 10 years after he left America for his prophesied mission to Russia) Ivan E. Voronaev and B.R. Koltovich, along with some 800 Russian pastors,[7] were arrested for preaching the Gospel through the support of churches outside the U.S.S.R., both sufficient reasons to be convicted in espionage and imprisoned in Siberian work camps.[8] Voronaev’s wife was also sentenced to imprisonment in mid-Asia. Their children were left without provision and no one to take care of them…[9]

[1] Ibid.,8.

[2] Ibid.,9.

[3] Koltovich, “Minutes of the Jubilee Meeting”, 10 and Evangelist (Odessa: 1928, No. 1) Quoted in Durasoff, 73 and Smolchuck, 4.

[4] Zhidkov, “On the Roads …” (Bv, No. 3, 1957), 62. Around 1936 Donald Gee, who had an extensive ministry at the Assemblies of God training program for ministers at Gdanks (Danzig), Poland, claimed some 80,000 Pentecostals in Russia in Upon All Flesh (Springfield: The Gospel Publishing House, 1947), 31. Both quoted in Durasoff, The Russian Protestants. For a more detail discussion on the growth of Pentecostalism in the U.S.S.R see V.I. Franchuk, Prossila Rossia Dozhdia u Gospoda (n/a: Kiev, 2001).

[5] McLeod, Hugh. Christianity: World Christianities c. 1914-c. 2000 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006), 97.

[6] Durasoff, 73.

[7] McLeod, 97.

[8] Burgess, Stanley M. and Eduard M. van der Maas, The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements (Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2002), 1179-80.

[9] For the situation in Russia and the story of the Voronaev children see Voronaeff, Paul. Christians under the Hammer and the Sickle (Wichita: Defender Publishers, 1935). Book was printed a total of 11 times in some three years time.

Ministering in Bellshire

Bulgaria to ban all foreign preachers

The Patriotic Front, a newly established political formation in Bulgaria, filed changes to the 2002 Religious Dominations Act last Thursday. The new measure bans all foreign citizens from preaching on the territory of Bulgaria, as well as preaching in any other language than Bulgarian.

The draft amendments also foresee banning foreign organizations, companies and citizens from providing funding or donating to Bulgarian religious denominations. All the religious denominations in Bulgaria will be obliged to perform their sermons, rituals and statements only in Bulgaria. One year’s time will be given to translate religious books into Bulgarian.

Financially, the draft laws would ban not only foreign physical and legal entities from funding Bulgarian religious institutions, but also companies with foreign ownership that are legally registered in Bulgaria. Using state funding for “illegal activities” by religious denominations will be sanctioned with prison terms of three to six years. With these sanctions in mind, the new legal measure embodies the following rationale:

1. Churches and ministers must declare all foreign currency money flow and foreign bank accounts
2. Participation of foreign persons in the administration of any denomination is strictly forbidden
3. Foreign parsons shall not be allowed to speak at religious meetings in any way shape or form especially religious sermons
4. Anonymous donations and donorship to religious organization is not permitted
5. Bulgarian flag shall be present in every temple of worship
6. The new measure will block all foreign interference in the faith confessions and denominations in Bulgaria

An Urgent Call for Chaplain Ministry on the Balkans

Our ministry has been working in the country of Bulgaria for over 25 years now. During this time we have ministered in over 300 local congregations across the country. While we do a lot of ministry in the capital Sofia, we are even more often on the road evangelizing in remote locations. When we minister in Bulgaria we do 3-5 services on any given Sunday. Additionally, we travel to teach and minister to various local churches during the week.

With this vision in mind, over a decade ago we organized and established the Bulgarian Chaplaincy Association as a Christian ministry outside of the church walls. Today, our first responder chaplains trained by our Masters of Chaplaincy Ministry Program face extreme conditions on the Balkans and in Europe as follows:

7/2016 – Christians pay price as extreme Islam surges after attempted coup in Turkey

6/2016 – 30+ people were killed in an attack at Ataturk International Airport by three suicide bombers

3/2016 – 31 people are killed and 150 injured in three explosions at the Brussels airport

11/2015 – 130 people killed in a series of attacks by gunmen and suicide bombers at Paris stadium

1/2015 – 11 killed after attack on Paris offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo

5/2014 – 4 killed at the Jewish Museum in Brussels

Also important [click to read]:

• U.S. Department of State recognizes our chaplaincy efforts in Bulgaria
• Bulgarian Chaplaincy Association: Integration Proposal with Local NATO Programs
• Bulgarian Chaplaincy Association: Vision and Resolution
• Chronology of our role and involvement in developing Church of God chaplaincy in Bulgaria since 2001
• Master’s of Chaplaincy Ministry Program in Bulgaria Reflections
• The Past Decade of Chaplaincy in Bulgaria (2006-2016)
• Related Publications and Presentations by Cup & Cross Ministries International