Story number 2 for 16 Mar 2000

Next, while the Russia people get ready for Presidential elections next week, Russian Christians are expecting continued religious freedom there. Pastor Alexander Shestov is from Saint Petersburg and is in the United States this week. Speaking through an interpreter, he says religious freedom isn’t in the hands of the government. “I think it depends on the will of Jesus Christ because of these changes in the freedom of conscious are so great. We see in this the clear divine will. If God has begun this work I do not believe that He will stop it until His second coming. The people have a great spiritual thirst. “Shestov says churches are needed to meet that thirst, but the poor economy is making that task difficult. “Our goal is to found 10,000 churches before Christ comes again. Because, only with 10,000 churches in Russia will we be able to do the titanic revival that needs to happen in Russia. And, this is not possible for me, myself to do this.” Shestov says without funding from the west, it won’t be possible.