A Romanian church. (Photo courtesy of GEM)
Eastern Europe (MNN) ― The church in Eastern Europe is going strong despite oppression, say missionaries with Greater Europe Mission.
"Although they are going through different types of oppression, they've become stronger. And we've seen that in past history, and in China and other countries where, when the church is oppressed, the people rise up. Actually, the government doesn't realize that when they put the church under pressure, people shine."
The pressure arises from the government's desire to have control over its people, the missionary explained. When a church gains too much influence or evangelizes too vigorously, the government makes life difficult for the leadership and sometimes the congregation.
"I think they really do understand that if the people's hearts change, that's going to change the country, and change the government, and they don't want to lose their position and hold on their people," said the missionary.
Barred from public evangelism and holding Christian meetings in their homes, Christians in Eastern Europe have to get creative to reach their fellow countrymen with the Gospel. The missionary we spoke with works with popular musicians in Belarus, which is still a Communist country. The musicians find ways to share their faith despite the limitations.
"Their music generally doesn't mention anything about Jesus Christ, because that would be illegal to say from the platform," the missionary explained. "But...they can talk about God and talk about prayer, because you do have the Orthodox church that's so strong there."
The musicians even find ways to share their testimony partially on stage, getting their audience's attention so they can discuss the Gospel more when the show is over. "They basically leave people on a cliffhanger, kind of like, 'You said one thing in your song, but I hear there's another side of your song,'" said the missionary.
He also brings these musicians to North America to share about their homeland and the need for the Gospel.
The people of Eastern Europe are a bit more receptive to the Gospel than the people of Western Europe, explained the missionary. Although their countries seem more prosperous than they were prior to the fall of communism, many people still don't have very much, and they know they're missing something.
"They have been oppressed, they have been persecuted under Communist government. And they've seen that the government cannot meet their needs; no government can meet people's needs. They have to have a relationship with Jesus Christ," said the missionary.
The youth of Western Europe are beginning to realize that they also need something more in life than freedom and material prosperity. But generally speaking, most of the people still feel like they don't need God.
"They're satisfied with things, and they don't need a god," said the missionary. "They either believe there is no god, or they make up their own god."
The missionary's wife oversees the Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) ministry in Europe and the Middle East. BSF is an interdenominational, English-language Bible study that works in about 37 countries around the world.
Currently, six BSF classes operate in three European countries, and a group of people is praying in the Middle East for the formation of a BSF class.
"I visit those classes and work directly with the teaching leaders of those classes, in a ministry of support and encouragement, problem-solving, and helping those classes to be the best place in the world for people to study the Bible," the wife explained.
BSF classes provide an opportunity for evangelism, because people who would not feel comfortable attending a church service may come to BSF on the invitation of a friend. BSF classes also build up the leadership of European churches, which often are very small.
One church in Switzerland decided to run a family camp. The camp, similar to a vacation Bible school, ran for years and drew nearly all of its staff from the ranks of current and former BSF leaders.
"The leaders of the classes as well as the class members are being trained and equipped to serve in their local churches," the wife said.
Now is a crucial time to provide training and support for the European church, the missionary said. Religious oppression in Eastern Europe appears to be worsening.
"Russia is closing down," he said. "People think it's still wide open, but it's closing down. It's going to up to the national church to continue the work there. Missionaries are getting pulled out quite a bit nowadays."
Christians in other countries can support ministry in Europe financially, or by going over to help.
"The church in Eurasia is saying, 'We want you to come and assist us. We want you to come and train us in different things: how to work with youth, how to work with children, women, leadership ministries.' And they want us to come and train them, so they can do the work."
