Foundations Series in Russia!

AiG recently produced an extremely professional video series of my major talks. This is the best upgrade of my presentations on videos we have ever completed. This set, titled Foundations, consists of six one-hour presentations divided into 12 30-minute segments. The total curriculum kit also includes study guides, so it can also be used as a small group study, or for a course in Christian school or home school, etc. Some churches are already using it as a series for their Sunday evening services.

My brother, Steve, just finished a quick trip to Russia where he hand delivered our latest translation of this DVD series.

In partnership with the Slavic Gospel Association, we translated all twelve segments plus digital downloads of the teacher and student guides. Around 6,000 full sets of these DVDs will ultimately be delivered with full copying rights given to all people living in all Russian-speaking countries. In the first round of delivery, Steve went to meet with all of the major area leaders of the Russian Baptist Union in Moscow.

In his discussion with these men, Steve had opportunity to teach them about the relevance of Genesis. We pray this video series will help the church in Russia stand firm on the authority of God’s Word and be confident and bold about the message of the gospel. I am pleased to say that these meetings went very well. With the help of the good people at the Slavic Gospel Association, Steve was well accepted by the Russian Baptist leadership and the DVDs were warmly received.

Each of the pastors received a set for every pastor under their care. In associated congregations, this means many thousands of people will get to see and hear these powerful creation and gospel messages. Further copies are about to be delivered by the SGA to Russian-speaking pastors who are coming together for a major conference in Kiev, Ukraine, and Dr. Terry Mortenson of our staff will also be delivering more copies when he speaks at a conference in Russia early next year.

One thing we often find at Answers in Genesis is that the professionalism of our staff often exceeds expectations. In a wonderful effort with the team at SGA, we can truly say that this translation is of the highest standard for AiG, and this is certainly what we most desired for the Russian people who will view the videos. We believe that this is the most professional video translation in which we have ever been involved.

During his visit to Moscow, Steve reported the following:

The pastors here are very excited about the Foundations series. After I finished talking, each of them came to me with a warm hug and received a stack of the translations to deliver to all of the other pastors in their areas. Many of them came to me after the presentations to give me personal thanks and promised to make sure they will be used in their churches. I showed a clip during one of my talks, and I could see that they were really impressed. They are really hungry for this information.

I also found another exciting benefit in that the delivery of these DVDs also helps the SGA to continue to strengthen ongoing relationships with the pastors they have been so faithful in supporting. It is an extra tool in a faithful support network for the pastors. While AiG can’t be in Russia all the time, the SGA is there, and now they have another tool to use in encouraging and edifying the Russian church.

Also, after hearing some of the stories from some of the pastors, my heart has gone out to these men. They are faithful men of the gospel of Christ, and some have undergone much hardship and suffering for the sake of Christ.

While I was there I also had the opportunity of speaking to some youth, as well as speaking in Russia’s oldest and biggest Baptist church (in fact it is a church where Billy Graham and Martin Luther King Jr. have spoken). It was a rare privilege, and again I found a people eager for the message from AiG about biblical authority as it relates to Genesis and the gospel. We gave the Senior Pastor a number of sets for his church, and after the service many were asking for them. I was also able to go on a Russian-speaking Christian radio station and speak about this series. The station broadcasts across the world in the Russian language and we had questions coming in from many nations through email and texts. It was a thrill to see this excitement.