The stated intent of the law is to limit extremist religious ideology from getting into the country by limiting access to extreme religious ideas. However, the law will make it much more difficult for Christian churches and organizations to operate, and it probably won’t have any effect on extreme religious ideas getting into Russia.

Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs USA says, “This law was supposed to come up for some kind of approval, some kind of vote on September 22. That date was postponed, and they haven’t announced a new date for the law. So maybe there’s some pressure or some pushback against that law.”

A mosque in Russia. (Image by Kat Kitten from Pixabay)

Nettleton says any pastor who had been trained abroad would have to get re-certified before teaching in Russia.

More state control over religious organizations

But Nettleton says the second part of the law is more concerning. “It would basically require everyone, every religious organization in Russia, as I read it, to re-register. . . Well, that also gives the government a chance to say who’s legal, who can meet, what religious organizations are allowed to exist, and which ones aren’t.”

With the vote delayed, Nettleton hopes religious communities in the country are pushing back. “It’s not just affecting Protestants; it also affects Catholics. It also affects Buddhists and Muslims and Jews. Every religious community in Russia is going to be affected by this.”

Pray Russian Christians will have the wisdom to know how to respond to this potential law. “Is this a time for open protest? Is this the time to work behind the scenes and try to raise government leaders’ attention, raise their sympathy?”

Pray also that Christ will empower His people in Russia to proclaim the Gospel with boldness no matter how much the government tries to interfere.

Header photo shows a church in Russia. (Image by David Mark from Pixabay)

Russia has become a new hotspot for COVID-19 cases. The country now has the second most confirmed infections after the United States, with actual numbers suspected to be quite higher.

Through SGA, you can support people in Soviet Russia and the former Soviet Union. (Photo courtesy of SGA on Facebook)

Russia has sent a lot of mixed messages about COVID-19, first declaring control over the virus before asking for help as case numbers rise. At the same time, Russia lifted many of its work restrictions over a week ago. Eric Mock of Slavic Gospel Association says, “The evidence on the ground is that people are suffering economically and through the health issues. And the hospitals are overwhelmed.”

Mock says most of the news about Russia has been filtered through the lens of Moscow and other large cities in the western part of the country. “Outside Moscow, there were already regions where people lived in pretty difficult conditions. Healthcare is not quite as good as it is in Moscow. People were already in the middle of a difficult life, much more difficult than we have here. And so what we’re trying to do is help the Churches help these families that are suffering even more.”

How to help

You can support these churches through SGA’s Christ Over COVID program. Mock says, “We’re seeing churches step up and reach out to people in a pretty profound way. So pray for these churches. Pray that hearts would be open to the Gospel. Above all, pray that God would be glorified in this time.”

The Church in rural Russia is helping vulnerable people and embodying the reign of Christ on earth. (Photo courtesy of Сергей Горбачев from Pixabay)

Mock encourages Christians to get involved with SGA’s daily prayer guide, which is available by email for free. “Every single morning, we’re taking these stories and we’re writing a devotional to go along with that. Our staff is putting that together to encourage people and to give them insight into what we’re hoping that they’ll pray for.”

Mock says this time will go down in the history books. “We just realized this is an amazing time. “This is a historical time and a great opportunity for the Gospel. We’re asking people not only to get involved in praying but to give to this program so that we can provide food for these churches.”

A largely empty street in Moscow during the COVID-19 lockdowns. (Photo courtesy of Анна Иларионова from Pixabay)

The law, scheduled to take effect April 15, 2007, would require non-governmental organizations (NGOs)–including churches — to register with special state agencies, supply details of membership, provide sources of funding and provide a record of all meetings.

Church leaders across Orthodox and Protestant denominations are asking the government for an exemption from this cumbersome reporting. Even the Russian Orthodox Church, which has often enjoyed favored status with government officials, points out that the new requirements are reminiscent of the Soviet era.

“Can you imagine that this law prescribes on a monthly basis that [churches] should count donations from different people?” comments Igor Malin, director of distance learning with Russian Minsitries’ “School Without Walls” program. Malin is also a pastor from the city of Nizhny-Novgorod. “This is basically impossible to do because the banking system is not working and people give cash.”

Many NGOs complain that the numerous provisions in the new law are impossible to keep. Another concern for many evangelical churches is the selective application of the law. “The law gives the Federal Registration Service too much leeway to shut down a church or ministry simply because they do not like what it’s doing,” observes Sergey Rakhuba, vice-president of ministries for Russian Ministries.

“This is going back to the authoritarian way of ruling we well remember under the Soviet regime, when the church was not allowed to use its funds or volunteers to help the needy in their communities or support their pastors,” Rakhuba continues. From his perspective, this new law allows officials to single out mission organizations that receive financial support from abroad; then declare that their activities are based on foreign interests that are not supported by the government.

The Salvation Army fell victim to this when Russian officials denied legal status to one of its outposts. Fortunately, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Russian officials wrongfully denied its status, and a fine was levied.

These are all signs that the current Russian administration is continuing a policy of restrictions and tight control.

“On a positive note, our ministry strategy has proven effective as we equip the Next Generation of church leaders to take up the baton of faithfulness, and continue spreading the Gospel,” says Rakhuba. “Many of our national workers enjoy good relationships with local city officials as they see our ‘School Without Walls’ and other programs as great sources of help to their communities. Our work with orphans and other needy children, especially through our summer camp ministry, has been well received in cities and villages throughout the former Soviet Union.”

In the past two weeks, Russian Ministries’ national workers across Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova have handed out gift boxes at Christmas events during Russian Christmas holidays.