Russia

A. Introduction

Russia is a country with the largest territory in the world. Area: 17,100,000 km2. Russia is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, east by the Pacific Ocean, west by the Atlantic Ocean, the Baltic Sea, and the Gulf of Finland. From north to south, the country stretches for 4,000 km and displays four different climates. From west to east, the width of the country is around 9,000 km. Russia extends over both Europe and Asia. It is located in the east and west latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. There are eleven time zones in Russia. Population: 144,500,000 (data retrieved from 2017). Ethnicity: 194 ethnicities (77.7% of them are Russian). Language: Russian. Capital City: Moscow (with a population of 14,150,000; data retrieved from January 2006).

B. Religion

Orthodox is the dominant religion in Russia. Other religions in Russia: Islam, Protestantism, Judaism, Catholicism, Buddhism and Animist.

C. Development of True Jesus Church

Thank God for His guidance and blessing. The truth was spread to Moscow, the capital city of Russia, in January 1995. The IA sent a preacher who was brought to the sixth floor of the Beijing Hotel to evangelize by a member from a local Chinese Christian church. The Beijing Hotel located in Moscow and was contracted by a Chinese businessman. Two people (mother and daughter) received the Holy Spirit on the first night of the evangelistic services. The mother was a believer from the local Chinese church. They took the initiative to testify to other truth seekers after receiving the Holy Spirit. More than ten people received the Holy Spirit during the evangelistic services on the following days. Many people thirsted for the truth, attended services and prayed fervently. Therefore, the Place of Worship was established in one of the offices in the Beijing Hotel. There was regular Sabbath service and night services on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. After that, the IA continued to send workers to follow up and there were more people receiving the Holy Spirit.

On the 21st of May 1995, the first baptism was conducted in Moscow—sixteen people were baptized. After five days (on the 26th), eleven people were baptized. Moscow Prayer House was officially established. Up to May 2019, 27 baptisms have been conducted and 127 people have been baptized in Moscow. Baptism was also conducted in St. Petersburg, Tyumen and Yaroslavl respectively—ten people received baptism in total. All the members who received baptism were Chinese from Mainland China. One of them has become a Russian citizen. Seven people hold Russian green card. Some members who were baptized in Fujian, China migrated to Moscow to do business in 2001. They attended services and served in Moscow Prayer House.

Due to a few major economic crises happened since 1991 and the restrictions on migration and religion policy in Russia, many members have returned to their home country. Hence, the Place of Worships in St. Petersburg, Tyumen and Yaroslavl closed down.

In September 2009, Moscow Church bought a 1,500 m2 single house, which is 4 km away from the west side of the city. We started to hold services there in November and had our dedication in May 2010. The church address is: 143406, Россия, Московская область, красногорский район, дер. Гольево, садов. Тов. «Урожай-2», уч.89 (Sadovoe tovarishchestvo Urojai-2, uchastok 89,Derevnya Golyevo, Krasnogorsky rayon, Moskovskaya oblast Moscow 143406, RUSSIA). After we purchased the chapel, Moscow Church was officially established. Moscow Church is the only True Jesus Church in Russia at present. We have more than sixty registered members and around thirty of them would attend services regularly. The church is under the jurisdiction of IA Russia Ministry Committee. Each year IA would send three shifts of workers to assist our spiritual evangelistic convocation, youth and student spiritual convocation and all kinds of seminars.

D. Visiting Russia

Most of the short-term visitor visa needs to be applied through travel agencies. Sometimes it is possible to apply for business visas with the duration of 1-3 years. Usually it’s not too difficult to get a visa for entering Russia. There are two dormitory rooms available in Moscow Church for accommodation purpose. We have acceptable hygiene, transportation and diet. Safety would not be a concern either.