Story number 1 for 21 Dec 1999

Topping the news today, Communists have claimed a majority in Russia’s Duma in elections over the weekend. However, it’s not all good news for the communists. Russian Ministries Peter Deyneka explains. “A good showing by two pro-government parties, handed a victory to Prime Minister Putin in what the Kremlin called a peaceful Revolution. Though the Communists are likely to remain the largest single parliamentary faction, for the first time the Communist party will be outnumbered by the representatives of a centrist and pro-reform or pro-Yeltsin parties.” According to Deyneka, this is good news for their work as they evangelize, plant churches, and train Christians. “It would appear from what has happened here in this election that the communists will be losing some of their power. And so, it would seem that mission work, evangelistic outreach will have more opportunity into the future.”