Stories tagged with: russia

• Russia remains formidable challenge for evangelism

  by Grace Thornton, posted Monday, September 25, 2017 (6 years ago)

  

  Photo by Marc Ira Hooks

  DALLAS (BP) -- Thirteen photos -- a wide palette of Russian faces -- hang on the walls of Marc Ira Hooks' office.

  One is an elderly man in Sochi, the Russian city that hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. Another is a young boy more than 5,700 miles away in eastern Siberia, face wrapped in fur. And there are more faces, covering the miles, cities and people groups in between.

  They're the faces of the vast need for Christ in Russia, said Hooks, associate ... Read More

• Religious freedom dying in Russia, missionary says

  by Diana Chandler, posted Friday, April 28, 2017 (7 years ago)

  Russia's nationwide outlaw of Jehovah's Witnesses will likely ricochet and strike other religions outside of Russian Orthodoxy there, said a Baptist missionary forced to shut down his church in central Russia. Read More

• USCIRF cites Russia, 3 terrorist groups for violations

  by Tom Strode, posted Thursday, April 27, 2017 (7 years ago)

  The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom made some ground-breaking recommendations in its latest annual report, but the bipartisan watchdog made clear one reality is not new -- the ability to exercise one's faith continues to deteriorate. Read More

• Bapt. missionary fighting Russia anti-evangelism law

  by Diana Chandler, posted Wednesday, January 04, 2017 (7 years ago)

  

  BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (BP) -- A longtime Baptist missionary convicted under Russia's anti-evangelism law has returned briefly to his Illinois home as lawyers appeal his conviction and challenge the law's constitutionality.

  Donald Ossewaarde was compelled to end his ministry months ago after his arrest under the July 2016 law. He hopes other Baptists might find ways to continue to minister in Russia as his attorneys defend religious freedom in the nation more than 25 years after the fall of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Read More

• Missionary to Russia loses anti-evangelism appeal

  by Diana Chandler, posted Monday, October 03, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  ORYOL, Russia (BP) -- A Baptist missionary convicted under Russia's new anti-evangelism law and compelled to end his ministry there has lost his first court appeal in Oryol, Russia, but has vowed to continue legally fighting for the cause of religious freedom.

  An appeals court judge Sept. 30 upheld the conviction of Donald Ossewaarde on charges of conducting missionary activities in violation of the new law that prohibits evangelizing outside church walls and without a government permit. Read More

• Russian anti-evangelism case appeal postponed

  by Diana Chandler, posted Wednesday, September 21, 2016 (8 years ago)

  

  Submitted photo

  ORYOL, Russia (BP) -- A Baptist missionary's appeal of a judgment against him for teaching a Bible study in his home in Oryol, Russia, was postponed in the middle of proceedings Sept. 19 when the judge said additional witnesses were needed to continue.

  Donald Ossewaarde, who appealed a $600 fine under Russia's new law prohibiting organizations from evangelizing outside church walls and without a government permit, said his attorney believes the postponement is a delay tactic designed to sidestep justice. Read More

• Russian anti-evangelism law victim requests prayer

  by Diana Chandler, posted Monday, September 12, 2016 (8 years ago)

  

  ORYOL, Russia (BP) -- A Baptist missionary who ended his ministry in Russia after being arrested under a new anti-evangelism law is requesting prayer in advance of his Sept. 19 appeal hearing.

  Donald Ossewaarde was found guilty and fined 40,000 rubles, about $600, a month ago when Russian police interrupted a Sunday Bible study in his home, charging him with evangelizing outside church walls and without a government permit. Read More

• 'Sad' Russian anti-evangelism law ends a ministry

  by Diana Chandler, posted Thursday, September 01, 2016 (8 years ago)

  

  ORYOL, Russia (BP) -- Missionaries Donald and Ruth Ossewaarde always suspected their Gospel ministry in Oryol, Russia, wouldn't last when they began in 2002, he told Baptist Press by telephone from his home in the central Russian town of 320,000.

  But he had not expected to be among the first people arrested under Russia's new law prohibiting organizations from evangelizing outside church walls and without a government permit. Read More

• Russian religion law said to 'undercut' missions

  by Daniel Woodman, posted Wednesday, July 13, 2016 (8 years ago)

  

  IMB Photo

  MOSCOW (BP) -- A new Russian law that prohibits evangelism and preaching outside state-sanctioned sites reminds New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary professor Jake Roudkovski of his days as a youth in the Soviet Union.

  "Baptist churches in Russia will survive" the law signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin July 6 and set to take effect July 20, Roudkovski, associate professor of evangelism and pastoral leadership, told Baptist Press. Such oppression "is nothing new to them.... They will stay faithful to the Gospel." Read More

• Russian law would restrict evangelism

  by David Roach, posted Thursday, June 30, 2016 (8 years ago)

  

  IMB Photo

  MOSCOW (BP) -- A Russian law that would place significant limits on Christian evangelism has drawn opposition from the International Mission Board, U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse and a New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary professor among others.

  Passed by both houses of Russia's parliament within the past week and awaiting President Vladimir Putin's signature, the bill has been called "a step toward an Iron Curtain" by an opposition leader, the Los Angeles Times reported. Read More